Being raised as a witness did you ever get the chance to choose your own personal religion? (page 3)

Black Sheep

Jehovah's Terrorist (Dad), "Nothing else is to be believed under my roof!"

nelly136

yup black sheep the good old 'while you're under our roof ' syndrome.

choice (chois)

n. 1. The act of choosing; selection. 2. The power, right, or liberty to choose; option. 3. One that is chosen. 4. A number or variety from which to choose: a wide choice of styles and colors. 5. The best or most preferable part. 6. Care in choosing. 7. An alternative.

troubled mind

I remember being asked to attend a school friend's church ........Mom's answer was "NO" that is Babylon the Great ! Satan is behind all those false religions ....... So No on the matter of choice .

I had to laugh when in the last few yrs Elders would give talks to the young ones about making the truth your own . One Elder in our hall even said search out your questions before dedication . Yeah what 12 -15 yr old really has that many deep religious questions ???? How about "Why don't you wait until your a mature adult before you make any life long commitments "?????

maninthemiddle

I wasn't forced into babtisim early, but I was forced to go to the meetings or be kicked out of the house.

As far as choosing a religion, do you forget the "Mankinds search for God" book. That was all you had to make a choice about other religions/faiths/possibilities.

Just as HearOfABoy says, it is the only option if you wanted to keep your family or the only social group you have ever known.

cantleave

To leave the Cult would have been seen as disloyal and ungrateful. There was no opportunity to investigate other belief systems. My mother had chosen a religion for herself and her children, she was right, this was the truth and only and evil person could consider otherwise.

babygirl30

I was NEVER EVER given a choice - and for that very reason alone - I find 'fault' with the org. It was made clear that my father was NOT going to have any grown unbaptized kids living in HIS house! So my constant need of approval from my parents is what motivated me to get baptized and join the crew at 14yrs old!! (oh and the fear of getting kicked out). It was burned in my mind NEVER to question anything cause that meant you thought more of yourself and didn't trust in jehovah. So I just jumped in head-first. what else could I do?

Of course NOW that I'm out, I see the error in that 'push' for kids to get baptized and join the fold. It's seriously flawed!!! You can't research the religion (for real), only using their info provided. That's like buying a car and only reading the manufacturers book...NOT unbiased reports and reviews. And then to allow a young person to join and be LOCKED into that dedication despite them gaining knowledge and actively using their 'free will' when they become adults!

noni1974

LOL What choice?? Being a born in 4th generation JW! It was either their way or the highway. I wasn't "forced" to get baptized, but I sure was pressured to get dunked. I was getting a lot of the "when are you going to get baptized?" question, and because my little sister was doing it I felt I had too.

The sad thing is my mom told me after I left that she knew I didn't believe and would one day leave, before I ever got baptized. I still don't understand why she encouraged me to do it. She said she knew I didn't believe but she thought that I would someday.

After almost 12 years of shunning I know I'm not going back. When I left it wasn't a case of leaving, but still believing for me. I left because I thought it was all a bunch of BS. I made it official for 2 reasons. 1. My family are very nosey and I would never be left alone. If they caught wind of me doing anything like dating or having a normal life I would be turned in. 2. My mom ratted me out to the elders because I told her I didn't believe and thought it was all a load of BS. I told her I wanted to take a break and find out what I believe on my own. She didn't wait 24 hours before she was on the phone to her favorite elder. I didn't want to be disfellowshipped. I wanted to leave in my own way. I thought of it like a spiritual divorce. So I wrote a DA letter. It was 2 lines long and sent it in to the KH. I got one phone call after that from my uncle who was an elder. He wanted to "talk" to me about my letter. I refused to come to the phone and told my mother to tell him I said everything I had to say in the letter. I was announced the next meeting.

My letter was:

Dear elders of the Metropolitan Congregation Cleveland, Ohio,

I, Noni1974, no longer want to be a JW. Please remove my name from your records.

Thanks

Noni1974

JWoods

I was about 12 when the parents went into it, so had no real choice.

What was worse, I could easily remember better days before it.

Still got brainwashed and did not escape until I was 30.

serenitynow!

Of course not. And even now, as an adult explaining to my mom why I will not be going to the memorial, and hope never to have to go to another KH, I get badgered. This religion is like the mafia or a gang- you get forced to join and do things you don't want to do, you can't ask questions, can't disagree w/HQ, and then you can't get out if you want to.

jada

Twitch

Not until well after I left. And then some,...

Being raised as a witness did you ever get the chance to choose your own personal religion?

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