What brought you here?

leaving_quietly

Folks here all have one thing in common: they are somehow associated with JWs, either were one, are married to one, have a relative who is one, has a romantic interest in one, are are currently one. Perhaps you are not one, but something about JWs bugs you enough to have found this forum, and read it and contribute to it. What brought you here? I'm very curious.

For me, I can't get too detailed since I need to maintain some semblance of anonymity. However, what brought me here is the fact that I exist in a completely incompatible marriage where my wife and I don't see eye to eye on anything at all. Haven't for years. A miserable existence. Both of us want a divorce, but because of the religion, we can't / won't. I have researched the topic of divorce to the extreme and have been disgusted with the phrase "unscriptural divorce" and the three supposed things that you can get separated for, willful non-support, extreme physical abuse and absolute spiritual endangerment, none of which are support by any scripture. To me, the height of going beyond what is written. I have shared this with my wife, but she still won't budge. The reality is that the scriptures do indeed allow for divorce for any reason at all, as long as one remains unmarried (unless the divorce is on the ground of fornication). It is true that Jehovah hates a divorcing, but divorce is not listed among the things that one would prevent one from inheriting the Kingdom.

It is on this topic that I set out to find out what other scholars said about the topic and the particular scriptural passages (Matt 19 and 1 Cor 7). I found this site during that period of research. Wow, was I surprised by what I read! Of course, the "apostate" flag was raised immediately, but I decided to start verifying things myself, something I have never done because I was raised to believe this way, and never did question it (after all, why would my seemingly intelligent parents believe this way if it wasn't the truth?)

I'm curious: What brought you here? How did you find this site? Was there something in particular that made you start looking outside the WTS publications? Something must have started it for you. What was it?

leftbelow

Leaving,

You sound a lot like me. I had a public talk and while doing research for it on the subject of 1914 and 607 I started to come up with more questions then answers. Shortly after that I began to see all the ways the WBTS went beyond the scriptures and over the next 4 years I found more things I couldn't support.

I had steped down and reduced my meetings and service over those 4 years but then when a this happen http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/child-abuse/77340/1/Meza-Family-Laid-to-Rest-50-attend in the congregation I attended I had to leave for good. Me and my wife were the only people from the congregation who attended the funeral.

I lurked on here and kept a low profile trying to manitain fading status. I have most of my family still in 4 generations but even though my marriage didnt survive the exit I am truly glad to be free from the opressive nature of the WBTS and that my daughter will not be forced to worship one way with no chance to decide for herself. There is more to my story but that is the short version. I am coming back here after my divorce and finally after years don't care who knows I am here.

Take care

Pistoff

I had lost my desire to attend meetings after bad experiences with JC's, but was still trying.

In 2002, the Dateline program, Panorama program and my research ended that.

This site was and is a lifeline for me.

P

MrFreeze

I can't remember exactly. I remember seeing this site years ago in the mid-2000's when I was a dedicated Dub and being disgusted. I stayed away. Then I think I was doing some research on 607 years later and trying to find some secular references and ended up looking at this site. Then I noticed some topics and some points brought out that I had always thought but assumed I had the wrong understanding.

dazed but not confused

I found this site during that period of research. Wow, was I surprised by what I read! Of course, the "apostate" flag was raised immediately, but I decided to start verifying things myself, something I have never done because I was raised to believe this way, and never did question it (after all, why would my seemingly intelligent parents believe this way if it wasn't the truth?)

For me I suppose it started years ago when I was trying to overcome my addiction to alcohol. I went to the elders for help on a couple occasions and just received a slap on the hand and no help. Lost my “privilege” of running the sound board and mics and commenting. I hated commenting anyway so that was a favor to me .

My marriage nearly ended on 3 different occasions in nearly 7 years. I wanted to be free of alcohol and knew these people didn’t care for me. It came down to what I loved more, my wife and one year old son- at the time- or alcohol. I chose my family. It was the hardest 12 months of sobriety. I woke up everyday for a year craving alcohol. Once I made it past a year, it got easier. Now im 2 years 3 months+ sober and very happy with a very happy wife and 2 beautiful children.

During the first 7 years of my marriage I would look at “apostate” sites once in a while only to dispute what I read. I thought I was strengthening my faith by doing this. Then shortly after I quit drinking I started looking at these sites with a more open and clear mind. It was shocking what I learned was “true” because I was taught to never question what I was taught….just go with it. This and other things that happened in my life…. Already discussed here… http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/228050/1/I-should-have-went-with-my-gut-years-ago

I feel better for it. Oh and what brought me to this site was when I googled JW this site poped up a lot and I started looking and liked what I read

DAZED

nugget

This was where my husband came when he was exiting, these were the people he looked to for support. As a wife I needed to know who my husband was hanging out with. I had also read Steve Hassan's books and cofc so had decided I was exiting with him so I needed to find out where we were heading and make sense of the madness. The people were so important in helping, advising and encouraging I never felt this was something we were facing on our own.

LV101

I was searching for info re witnesses before H20 (mid 90s -- I was so miserable (the few times I attended) and couldn't connect the dots because I didn't want to die (brainwashing/the big end coming next week) and was dying having anything to do w/it. I questioned so many things and just couldn't mold. I did find some board but they knew nothing about witnesses and one fine day found H20 -- what a happy day! I'd read posts by Farkel/A. F., Jan, Randy and others and felt so much better. It helped so much to know there were others out there who had problems w/the cult. I immediately ran to the garage cabinets and started throwing out all the books, etc., and I'd collected everything I could get my hands on in a couple of yrs. I saved the couple of NWT's w/underlining/notes and the dogs ripped them to shreds when they were brought into house and left anywhere they could get their mugs/teeth on. I have one I tucked away w/the "Reasoning from the Scriptures" but thought it wouldn't hurt me to save one.

Too bad the internet wasn't around many yrs. earlier but what a gift to mankind! I've told a couple of clergy class inside the internet is God's gift to mankind but they probably don't get it.

LV101

OUTLAW

What Brought me here?..

The Beer Tap that pops out of my Screen..

When I log onto JWN..

........................... ...OUTLAW

elderelite

Let me tell you why you're here. You're here because you know something. What you know, you can't explain. But you feel it. You felt it your entire life. That there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there. Like a splinter in your mind -- driving you mad.

TweetieBird

1) I had supressed too many things for so long because I felt like I needed to "wait on Jehovah". My dad (who taught me "the truth" disassociated himself and put those seeds of doubt in my head. He told me that the day would come when the society would have to change the 1914 generation definition and that it was a house of dominos for them. After he died, his words came true which gave me my first aha moment.

2) Jesus said you would know his people by the love, I only saw unconditional love. The elders were more like the scribes and pharisees instead of loving shepherds.

3) Got disgusted with the number of pedophile issues and the victims being threatened with disfellowshipping if they said anything.

4) The shunning of disfellowshipped ones (especially those trying to come back) seemed barbaric.

5) The nail on the coffin for me was the UN issue.

6) More and more I felt like the governing body was edging Jesus out of the picture and placing obedience to them over Jehovah and Jesus.

I, too, innocently was looking for the JW website and stumbled upon a website talking about reform for the organization. I hesitantly looked at it not knowing if it was "apostate" or not and was relieved that I wasn't the only one that felt like there was something seriously wrong in the organization. It had a chapter of Ray Franz' forbidden book linked to it and I read it. Found myself ordering the book the next day and read it along with his other book and realized that the organization isn't/wasn't what I thought it was.

There were about a hundred other little things but these were the big ones.

Stick around, you will learn a lot on this board. Most posters are great people, not the evil apostates we've been warned about.

edited to add: elderelite hit it spot on...couldn't have said it better because I think ultimately we all start listening to the little voice inside of us.

What brought you here?

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