by designs 38 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Early 2010. Then there was the 'overlapping' stupidity at the A$$€mb£y. I suffered one more meeting where they were all buzzing with the 'new light'TM.
A rather snooty sister said how 'encouraging' (I hated that word), the Drama was. I replied. 'Yes. I suppose they try to make it seem current by pretending there was a 1st century governing body.'
Since then I stopped all meetings etc. She has not spoken to me since. Shunned and I'm not even DF!
Designs:
Same year for me too! I started my "fade" the end of that year after thoroughly reading many internet sites. Although I must admit, trouble was brewing for several years before that. The religion's 1995 generation teaching was what really did it for me. I totally turned them off mentally after that. They might as well have packed it in after that because they had zero credibility as far as I was concerned.
The next five years I was like a zombie in the hall merely going through the motions. I wondered what was I going to do? In the year 2000, I got up the courage (sounds pathetic) to google the religion and I was shocked at all the sites that came up. I read one after another and many testimonials. I was relieved beyond words to see that there were other people out there who felt exactly as I did. Most of what I read on these sites merely confirmed what I already knew or suspected. About the only new things I learned about were the U.N. scandal, which I felt was a major betrayal, and the extent of child abuse cases. The religion was very good in suppressing these things and I have to say that the average JW is in a news blackout as far as scandals are concerned. Only when something was aired on television several years back, did it finally get around that the religion had a "problem" in this area and it wasn't just other churches but them as well!! In that five-year interval from 1995 to 2000, all the flaws in the religion were magnified in their intensity. I could hardly even stand being there and I severely curtailed my "association".
There were numerous other things wrong with the religion. I disagreed with the religion's stand against college and careers and I absolutely had no use for any freeloaders there. I also had issues with the religion's appalling attitude towards single women and I had no intention of being targeted by users for anything. There were some people there I had to run from.
Once I found out about all the lies and deception in the year 2000, there was no reason I could continue there. There was no point. So, I made up my mind I would stop attending meetings. I would stay home and watch CSI on meeting nights. At first, I felt a little guilty but this was only because I was breaking a 20 year habit and a 20 year mistake.
In time, I was amazed to see it was more upbuilding to stay at home and it was certainly better for my mental health. So glad it is all OVER.
I started cutting back in 1996, after being told to just meet other men. After rejecting Jesus in 2005, I simply quit going--and started shredding my rags. My last ever field circus was June 2005, and then I shredded the last of my rags.
And I totally quit doing anything for them in 2006. Starting with Christmas 2006, I began accumulating "sun-worship" decorations, and aggressively added to them until now. I also went apostate in 2006, getting a computer to do online research. I began upgrading the crap I "made do with" as a witless in early 2009, and started seriously investing in silver (which was supposed to go to zero right along with stocks and bonds) in early 2011. I would say I no longer do anything simply because of supposedly being a witless--the gradual approach sure did a nice job at throwing the hounders off, preventing them from finding out why the congregation is falling apart from the inside, wasting their time, and hopefully will lead to a nice guilt trip for the hounders.
2006. My wife was pregnant, and I refused to subject my child to this. I had, however, been aware since the 1990s.
1971. my first wife was preggy with our first--& i knew --no way would i put either at risk over the blood nonesense. that started me realising i simply did not want anymore of it--.
took me 10 years of dithering before i finally got shot of it--and the wife!
I guess I am the newest one. This last mid Jan. 2011. Went to the meeting to talk to elder about a personal matter and he told me as a elder that was not his job. I was so mad I walk out during the beginning song and have never been back. True my wife and I have been fading for many years but this was the straw that broke the camels back. Totally ADD
Man I wish to god I'd done better research in 1995!!! Generation change then smelt like a stinking rat but grudgingly accepted it. I had the internet then as well FFS,... yes i looked at apostate stuff but found the ranting a turn off and the nit picking over minor details a bit OTT (now i know better obviously!).
Jan 2011 for me to finally quit! , proper research for best part of 3 years previous to get to that stage, slowed down became inactive (refused to do ministry) for 2 years but attending meetings, irregular at those the last months of 2010, 1 meeting in January and the memorial this year to keep the peace and that is the last one i ever intend going to. I know that's slow, but I dont like to be scammed twice let alone once so proper research was my only way.
I am in the kicking myself sore stage of wishing I'd done this years ago instead of age 42.
LHG-
1995 was a big turning point for so many, try as they did they couldn't fix the obvious problem with 'Generation' anymore.
Good one
About the same time as Sister Band on the Run 1966 or 1967. I remember they had announced 1975 as the end plus Vietnam was in full tilt. Dumb time to haul my draft age ass out but my wife and I were done with the foolishness of it all. The blood issue was unaccceptable......... I wouldn't sacrifice my newly born son and by that time he earned me a pass with the draft so we wound up potentially saving one anothers life. I never thought about that before I'll have to share that with him.
Two books helped, The true Believer by Eric Hoffer (which doesn't even mention the JW's) and the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer. Both books, for different reasons, gave me the rational, the world view and the understanding of why people become true believers and how a god can simply ignor human suffering. Both helped us to drop out of a religion we were each introduced to as young children and leave everyone we knew and loved behind.
It turned out to be the best decision we ever made.
