Hi Everyone

by Skbj 28 Replies latest jw friends

  • Skbj
    Skbj

    Hello people, I'd like to start by saying Wow! I've only just discovered this "world" of ex JW's so I'm still catching up on lots of stuff, my story is a bit long so don't know if people have patience to read :P but if you can bear the reading then I'm happy to share.

  • OnTheWayOut
    OnTheWayOut

    Welcome. Please share. Many will read it.

  • Kool Jo
    Kool Jo

    Welcome aboard!!! This is a large ex-jw site...hope you'll enjoy it here.

    Kool Jo

  • problemaddict
    problemaddict

    You would be suprised what we read.

  • Skbj
    Skbj

    Hey. Nice to meet you and thanks. Ok...here it goes:

    How I got here: well...I live in a country in the Middle East where officially there are no JW -lucky me- that's officially of course like bad weeds they get anywhere so I was looking up if there was a KH in my city. Why was I doing that? Because a big part of my family is still JW (I'm the black sheep) and I know if my parents were to visit they would like to go obviously to meetings so I thought I look it up online and found this site which then lead me to read lots of other things.

    My story: My mother became a JW in 1974 and dragged in the family, by that I mean my Dad, his mom (my grandma) and my uncle and auntie who were at the time 5 and 15. My mom's side of the family remained Catholics. 3 years later this little girl was born so I grew up in a JW house. It's really funny because upon reading lots of stuff from this site and other places I came to the conclusion that I was born an apostate, as since early age I did not behave like your average JW child.

    As a result I was the only JW kid in school who wasn't taunted or bullied for being different. And in my home country, you start school with reciting a "our father" prayer as well as having a mandatory 1h of religion class from age 6 through to end of obligatory school. So Catholicism is very present and as a non-catholic child you'd defo get picked on easily. I didn't. Actually it happened once I don't know why this boy which usually was cool with me called me "Jehovah" and as he tried to repeat it he found himself grabbed by the throat and pinned onto the wall as my hand grabbed his jewels and I warned him if he said that again he would never have kids. Smart as he was he never did again, and we are friends to this day.

    I used to hang out with my school friends just as much as my JW friends. I used to tell my mom we had school assignments and cycle 3-4 miles to my best friend at school and sure we'd go homework but we also did what all 11-13 years old do, play, talk abt music, watch movies, and boys! I was a popular kid at school. I was our art teacher pet in the whole school, thing that I was proud of when the rest of JW kids were often made fun on.

    I was an A student and won a scholarship but of course my parents being JW and not believing in higher education did not send me to school after the obligatory years were completed. I still remember the huge argument that my professors had at school calling in both of my parents when I informed them that I wasn't going to take further education. That's has to be the saddest part of my life as a teenager. I think there are very few things that come close to having education being denied to you.

    Instead at age 14 I went to work full time (40h per week) in a factory, to help my family because of course like many other JW families they were financially struggling.

    In the congregation I was active since a young age, I signed up to the MS since I was 8 became publisher when I was 12 and I think I got baptized when I was 16. I regularly participated at the meetings commenting and even did some pioneering now and then.

    However I admit and I did admit this to myself at later stage, that I was doing this out of expectation. People expected me to progress or contribute because I was a bright kid and very social. For me was like going to school I loved school so the religion became like a substitute almost where I could feel like I was getting an A grade.

    Looking back now as an adult I realize that I never felt the need to pray to someone, I don't feel the spiritual need of something higher, I'm not saying I'm atheist, at the contrary I believe we were created but I don't feel like I need to rely on a higher power to get through life. I do respect of course that others may feel the need however.

    Anyhow...back to history...in 1995 at age 18 I got my driving license and first car. This meant I could hang out with my "best friend" who lived at about 20 miles away. She was my same age, our parents are best friends so much that when my mom found out she was expecting me her mom said I want a baby too so she's exactly 45 days younger and we had for many years (more on this later) a bond almost like sisters.

    She lived a major double life. I don't remember if she ever got baptized, but anyway as a young woman I closed an eye on all she was up to with JWs and non, because she was living by herself and that meant I could go stay with her at the weekends. My biggest sin during those years was that I was going clubbing. I love to dance, further more in 1995 it's when Hip Hop made it to my country and I was hooked. I didn't care to go clubbing to meet guys, or drink, I'd go to dance and that's all I'd do for hours, often on my own. Of course this was seen as a capital sin by JW.

    Let me roll back a few years. Since age 12 my mother had a shift that has deeply affected our relationship. I don't know the reason for this, if her hormones went crazy as she was getting close to menopause or something, but she drifted away from me. She had less and less time for me because she was always involved with her "sisters" that she made friends with in our and other congregations. So between the age of 12 and 19 I was given a LOT of freedom.

    I never really abused it, I was a good kid at the end of day and fairly obedient so that freedom grew more and more, when I got to 14 and started working having a little money after my home contributions, meant I could socialize more. All my JW friends were much older than I so I'd hang out with brothers and sisters and married couples in their 20s including my youngest uncle (who's elder now) and his wife. Of course because I was hanging out with these people my parents never had issues and allowed me to organize my social activities as I pleased.

    Going back to 1995, a family joined our congregation and the brother who was elder got made congregation overseer. They had 4 boys and they were a really tight family, they did everything together. The father was an ex-army and brought his mentality to how he dealt with the congregation. He was loving and caring only as long as you did as he said. Summer of 1996 was my last summer in my home country. I didn't know it then, but it's as if I knew because I partied like it. We lived near the sea so every summer for as long as I can remember, all congregations had elders making talks about the worldly temptations and I don't know if something got into that particular elder‘s ears about me or someone else, but he did this talk in July 1995 as part of congregation “Local needs” that said that parents must be responsible for organizing their kids social life. Going home that Thursday night my mother announced that they were therefore going to plan my social life thereafter and I wasn't allowed to go nowhere practically without them. I remember keeping quiet as I had been expecting her to say that and thinking "We'll see. I'm 19, your past 40 let's see how much energy you have to be out with me every weekend night"

    Sure enough they only lasted 2 weeks and then said we were staying home on a weekend because they were tired and that is when I went nuts on my mom. The biggest fight we've ever had (in person at least) How dare she not giving a damn about me for 7 years and now that I was 19 and legally free to do as I pleased force me to do what they wanted? By then also I had started to grow bored of JW’s company because the conversation topics were limited and not of particular interest to me so the thought of frequenting exclusively JW in my spare time was not welcomed in my head.

    If that idiot had not given that talk we would have carried on as per normal, but no, out of the blue my life had to change to suit another family lifestyle, not my family’s one! I remember this fight happened on a morning as we were heading out for a convention. And then she said the magic words: "If you don't like the rule, move out. It's our house, our rules" At which I laughed because actually the house they live it's in my name but anyway I replied "Don't you worry when I'm good and ready I'm going as matter of fact I've already been looking for the past month". This to her was such a revelation, she didn't expect me to call her bluff she got so upset that she didn't even come to the convention that day. Mama drama lol.

    Eventually it settled. But I was quietly resolute to find my own place. Wasn't so much to be independent from my parents as much as I just really wanted to have a place to call my own. 3 months later, I was really depressed in my job, the small town mentality, the no prospect for the future for someone with any higher education. I wanted more. My mind, my spirit, was bigger than that world, that town where everyone knew me and where I couldn't ever be innocently talking to a guy on the street (I’d often bump into ex-school buddies so we’d catch up on the street on the latest) without some JW going to report back to my mother who then question me like was the inquisition.

    I have many stories but don't wanna bore you with those. So in October 1996 one day during this depressing stage where I was stressed with work and its ignorant politics, I was looking on the paper for something else and my mom said out of nowhere "Why don't you go to live in London (UK) you love to speak English go" I thought for a minute and realized that was probably the smartest thing she said to me in a long time. It wasn't a bad idea at all. After that I made my plans and 3 and half months later I moved countries to the UK.

    Before going OF COURSE Elders came to visit my family on several occasions, to try making me change my mind. It was unheard that a single sister of young age as mine in my culture would pick up and move to another country unless was for JW activities. They thought I might cause other youth to "rebel" lol!

    There's no chance because the rest of the JW youth in my area were sheep. I was a wolf, I'd hunt to get fed I wouldn't wait for others to feed me, I’d make my own destiny, and they so weren’t like me so the rest of the JW youngsters were safe in the cocoon of the WT. I remember at one of the elders’ visits they spoke to me and my parents then asked me to leave and talk to my parents alone so I pretended to go upstairs to my room but of course like all kids I stopped at the stairs and listened ;)

    And I'm grateful to this day for what my dad said to them, he said: "We raised her with Jehovah's beliefs, at the best of our abilities, she's never gave us troubles so I trust that she'll make the right decisions in her life"

    That shut the elders up. I mean, I would have gone anyway, but what my Dad said definitely eased up the pressure that they were trying to put on me. In February 1997 I moved to the UK. I joined a congregation regularly for about a year.

    Then bad luck struck. I fell in love. With a non-JW. Unfortunately because I wasn't really experienced on the romantic side of life I was quite naive on the matter and let myself get involved with this person, most of all because although he wasn't a JW he was as close as possible. He was a practicing Muslim. When I say I was naive I mean I was too giving too soon, the biggest mistake I did with him was, in October 1997 I went home to celebrate my parents 25th wedding anniversary, he lived abt a mile up the road from me, and his washing machine was broken so naively I gave him my house key saying he could use it and in the mean time house sit, whilst I was away he wrote me a letter saying he had an argument with his landlord because the landlord didn't wanna fix stuff in his apartment so he had move out and would it be ok if he stayed with me for a couple of days, whilst he was looking for a new place.

    My good Samaritan and stupid heart kicked in. Sure, he could stay! I got stuck with his sorry ass for 4 years lol.

    That is a part of my life that needs its own chapter, but the main point was being with him felt for a long time in a way comfortable as much of his morals on day to day life were like JW. I used to argue with him for the same stuff I would with my parents, like a skirt being over the knee or make up being too bold...neither was the case but you get the drift.

    Of course I had to explain to him that this was a no-no us living together, so if the phone would ring he could not answer. The following year, a sister from my home country arranged to visit me for a week on vacation, so I told him he had to go stay with a friend, by then we were a solid couple but I wasn't ready to come out to my family about it yet. He said he'd stay with someone but on the day the sister was arriving he screw me over and said he didn't have anywhere to go. So I made up some stories as to why he was at my place. Of course she went back and told my mother about it.

    Next I know ...visit from elders...who never particularly gave a shit abt me, until these rumours came out that I was living with a man (btw I had changed congregation at this point because I had moved home). Then a month later my "best friend" came also to visit. She knew the real deal between me and him instead. After she left a couple of days later him and I had a big fight, and he said to me "yeah nice friend you have, she came on to me" I froze for a second but thought, "he's just saying it to hurt me" and so dismissed it. The day after I called her still upset with him and said to her can you believe this idiot even said that you came on to him and she had this wild reaction that shocked me and made me realize that something had in fact happened. Knowing both of them I was keen in believing his story, but at the same time I thought she's my best friend, she has been brought up with JW's teachings she'd never do that to me? In the end, I thought to myself I'm not going to choose between my best friend of 20 years and the man I'll marry. Let's forget this whole thing.

    And I did.

    In October 1998 about 2 months after this incident I phoned my mother as a routine how are you call and found she was incredibly cold. I thought she was onto one of her moods so told her to get over whatever she was on and when she was ready to have a normal conversation to call me. We didn't talk for a year.

    During this time I stopped going to the meetings completely. In May 1999 I went home to attend the "best friend's" wedding to a non-JW. A guy whom her parents had accepted 100% regardless of him not being a brother, but then her parents weren't as fervent as mine...so anyway I went home but I didn't visit anyone of my JW side of the family. I visited my mom's sister who's Catholic, and whom I grew very close to in the years to come. Unfortunately she has passed last year but in the past 10 years I loved her far more than I love my mom. She was an amazing woman under all aspects and I miss her very much.

    In October 1999 out of the blue I received a letter from my mom explaining her "silence". This is when hell broke loose. Cut a long story short that so call best friend, told her JW auntie who told my JW auntie who told my mom that not only I was living and dating this guy of loose morals because he had come on to her. So that incident, that I decided to forgive and forget wasn't forgotten at all. And of course because it were JW who told my mom it had to be TRUE!!

    I went crazy with a capital C. My parents did not speak to me for a year because of some rumours and lies spread but two JW my ex-now best friend and her auntie who were both living a very immoral life but never got caught so their word was gold. My parents not once had asked for my side of the story, I was judged and executed without even knowing it. At that point I wrote a letter to my parents, and told them I officially washed my hands of being related to them seeing they didn't even have the intelligence or courtesy to ask my side of the story. The girl in question got deal with. Since then she's like dead to me.

    After that all communication ceased with my parents for another year. My auntie was the one who suffered the most as she didn't understand why my parents would be like that, why they would put the WT rules about family. In this time I went home and stayed with her and my side of family who isn't JW. Eventually, one day she got through my dad's brain and convinced him to make truce. We did. Relationship since then started to recover though it was still shaky for a couple more years. During this time I got married with the guy but dumped him 10 months after getting married like I said that's another story which isn't much relevant this so I'll spare the details.

    In the years that came, every time I went home to visit my JW side of the family kept trying to "encourage" me to see come back to the “truth”. Two of my uncles are elders so felt particularly in a position to do so, but I always pushed everyone back.

    Since stopping participating to religious activities, I remember starting to think about my years in the organization and think how I didn't agree with many things, but I wasn't a traumatized person like others are, as my personality allowed me to somewhat be balanced and never lose my own identity as person, so I never felt the need to go investigate. Also I was always brought up with the understanding that apostates were only people who would contradict Bible’s doctrines that would not have faith in the Bible or God; I wasn't told they were mostly people who didn't agree with things taught by the WTBS.

    O n a couple of occasions when my family tried to bring up the "how am I going to die soon, and how can I not care about what Jehovah's opinion of my life is" my answer started to be if I die so be it and I didn't have an issue with God's opinion, I had an issue with the WT. How all JW were not thinking with their own heads, but just following blindly the WT doctrines instead. Again, this I came to conclude alone without ever reading any apostate material or even researching.

    Once my Elder uncle, wrote me an email how their hearts were weeping for me as I seemed to have lost my sense of purpose without the WT. He shouldn't have lol! I retaliated back so badly that he never tried it again.

    In January 2005 my parents came to visit me for the first time in 8 years since I moved to the UK. I had always told them that I had a nice house, a good life, good friends, I was truly happy, and having my conscience clear knowing I was living how I wanted (which btw I’ve always tried to be as good and kind to others and live my life honestly as I could), was better than lie to please them or the organization. Of course they (My mom in particular) didn't believe I could be that happy, because they are taught that there is NO happiness away from the organization.

    How sad! Upon arrival, my mom was gob smacked of how nice my apartment was. I also lived in the center of the capital, and I had a good job. She walked in and said "You said it was nice I didn't think this nice!!"

    One night I held a dinner party inviting my closest friends so that my parents could meet them. 6 of my closest friends came and there were 5 nationalities at the table. It was a lovely evening so lovely that again after everyone left my mom was so gobsmacked and said: "What nice people we had such a good evening like if we spent it with our own brothers and sisters"

    I finally felt as if I was getting through to them. That one CAN be happy without being a JW. My happiness wasn't a facade, it was real.

    In May 2005 I met my now husband. An amazing man. In 2006 we went travelling around the world together on a sabbatical, which was an amazing experience and was then that he proposed. We went back to the UK end of 2006 and started making plans for the wedding. My parents adored him. He's like the son they never had. Every time we go home my mom spoils him rotten, well just like it should be in a normal family.

    So our relationship definitely was getting better by 2007 when we got officially engaged and set the wedding date for later the same year. Upon going home in April 2007 one day they brought up my situation. The fact that I had never disassociated myself from the WTBS. An elder in their congregation was obviously on their backs about this, because all of a sudden it was a big issue.

    I said to them "I thought someone would have Df'd me by now"...they gave me the usual talk that I couldn't keep a foot here and there, to which I responded "Do you really believe this is what it is? That I am "not sure" Do you think that after 7 years I still have doubts? Let me tell you, the only reason why I haven't done anything official is for you and for all of the brothers and sisters that cannot wait for me to come home, to see me and hang out with me. (I became a bit of a celebrity amongst people because I had done what everyone dreamt of but didn't have balls to do, making a life for myself and I always had lots of interesting stories to tell from my life in the big city) You know if I go official they won't be able to talk to me and they are the ones losing out. You know I honestly can live without them so no biggie to me, but if that's what you want, so be it. I'll do it"

    I went home, I couldn't remember what the procedure was nor the name of the elders in the last congregation I went to after 8 years so I wrote a letter addressed "To Whom It may concern" literally and said “Guys my name is such and such and I'm officially out of the WT. Do what you have to do.

    Peace.”

    Signed it sealed it and delivered it :)

    I texted my mom saying that it was done. I don't know to this day if they made an announcement in my home country too. No idea how stuff progressed. I never asked nor my parents told me, but in some occasions when I visited home some brothers passed by for whatever reason and they spoke to me they didn't shun me so no idea what's the deal there.

    So...July 2007 all was cool the wedding was set for October. I get a phone call from my Dad one day, saying that they had thought about it and they were not going to attend the wedding. Again I went NUTS! It was like we made one step forward and three backwards. Reason was that I wasn't a JW anymore and I was also marrying a non-JW. The usual BS.

    I dropped some real talk to my dad at that moment.

    The fire that had put to simmer from the progress made in the last few years came back with a revenge. I played some reverse psychology on him. I said to him: “You JW are always worried about non-JW getting a good look about your religion, because you say you never know how that is going to impress people and is witnessing to Jehovah, so how do you think my husband's family who are also practicing Christians, are going to see you JW when they find out that you won't come to your only daughter's wedding because of WT rules? What kind of good witnessing is that? Personally I don't care if you guys come I've grown to do my own thing long time ago, but this is your one and only chance seen you live in different countries to meet his family. I never asked for anything in my whole life. I left home at 19 and not once I've phone home saying I needed help or money and now I'm asking for something that’s not even for myself, but for my husband family so you go figure out what you have to do, I have nothing more to tell you"

    and I hang up on him. I was so angry. They loved my husband so much, he even asked my dad’s blessing to marry me, that’s how nice he is! And now they were saying they were not coming surely due to someone in the organization whispering into their ears!

    I didn’t speak to any of them until one week before the wedding when my dad phoned again and said they had discussed it and they were coming. Of course none of my other JW family came, but then I hadn't invited him either as I knew they would say no so I thought I spare them the embarrassment...how nice of me lol

    My mom side of the family were too ill or old to come. My favourite auntie by then was on advanced stage of lung cancer on list for a transplant so definitely couldn't make it but other cousins came. It was a great wedding. We married in an 18th century mansion house in the English countryside that was licensed to hold weddings and had the party there too.

    Having my dad walking me down the aisle, has meant a lot and having them part of such a special day has definitely been important. If they hadn't come I would have enjoyed it regardless, but this made it extra special to feel as a daughter rather than be seen as a religious contact before being a daughter.

    My parents had lots of fun, they danced like crazy; my mom said they haven't danced so much in many years dancing with each other with my husband's family and other guests. They bonded with my husband's family and upon returning home my relatives said they couldn't talk about nothing else but the wedding for a couple of months after. In the end my mom said she is really glad she came, because the first time I got married, she thought of me so much and missing such an important day as a mom she felt really bad, this had been her chance to redeem herself but still she didn't think (again) she would actually enjoy it so much.

    Brainwashed by the WT teachings my parents seem to believe that non-JW functions are horrible and people don't behave or something, when instead our wedding was a very elegant and heartfelt affair in every aspect. It was also small we had about 60 guests, so it felt even more intimate.

    They took the bait and thought they were coming to "give" a lesson on how JW are good people but they are the ones who learned the lesson that non-JW can ALSO be good people.

    Since then we have visited them a few times and though I haven't met any JW in the town where I'm from I always visit all my JW relatives when I go home and we hang out nicely, my auntie, the elder’s wife stopped in my city last year whilst travelling with her employers (she’s a nanny) and made a point to call me to spend the day she was here together, so they aren’t exactly shunning me and that’s good of them, but like I said Idk if I have been Df’d. They stopped trying to direct the conversation on anything religious. My grandma sometime does but bless her I don't take it personally, she's old.

    I'm not saying we have a wonderful relationship, because we don't, there is nothing we have in common their life still very much revolves around the WT and believing they will be the sole survivors and I'll die, but at least they seem to respect that I have different views.

    Funny thing that happens every year though. On my birthday my mom texts me and though she doesn't say happy birthday, she texts me, "xx years ago today I was the happiest mom in the world" I guess is her way to say happy birthday.

    Last year though she made me so angry, because as I mentioned at the beginning at one point in my life she switched and I don't know why. Also I think deep inside I felt was my fault. I've been brought up being taught at looking first at the plank in my own eye, that I always felt since a young age things had to be my fault. Then last year I think was because her sister (my loving auntie) was close to her last days and she had her own issues with her daughters for their own reasons but they managed to solve them in her last days, so I think my mom seeing that gave herself an auto-exam on her relationship with me and sent me this text on my birthday saying : "35 years ago was the happiest day of my life but also the most daunting as I realized that this blessing that God gave me was also a huge responsibility. I apologize for not having been the mother you deserved and wanted me to be, and for all the times that you needed me and I wasn't there for you. I know I let you down. As I've grown to understand and respect the fact that even if we don't share the same view you are still my daughter and I'll love you forever"

    Whilst I appreciated that she apologized, this made me so angry because it meant to me that she knew what she was doing then, she knew she was willingly shaping our relationship in a certain way. Putting the WT and her spiritual sisters before me. I must admit I was happier not knowing this, as I always believe that perfect parents don't exist and that being a parent is something you learn as you go along no manual can prepare you. I believe what she did, how she behaved she did without malice, but discovering that indeed there was malice in her behaviour was a definitely a wound to my heart I could have done without.

    Her last attempt to emotionally blackmail me was last year when I texted her that I was thinking of them as I cooked something she often cooks and she replied, "we will always be close not only in flesh but also in spirit and she was so sorry that they won't be able to enjoy my company after Armageddon (here we go again) and that my dad just confessed to her a day or so before how he cried many times because of my decisions, how sorry they feel for me"

    And....I fired up again replying how I am the one instead who feels sorry for them, living their life so miserably. With getting closer and closer to pension age, now they are only a couple of years away and have not got a cent saved, at the contrary they have debts right left and centre, but they always find money to contribute to the WTBS!

    Job opportunities missed because the hours didn't suit the meetings times. Decisions made based on WT doctrines. Living a life full of negativity for anything that's non WT because they expect the end of the world, living a miserable life today awaiting a paradise that they don't when or if is coming. Whilst, I am living the paradise they aim for today. I don't worry about tomorrow, I don't worry about death, I don't do good things to hope for a future reward I do them because they make me happy, and satisfied with who I am as a person. I'm free."

    All of this thinking without ever reading or listening or watching anything apostate, till now, no bad eh?

    Last week I found out through reading this site and other places, about the WT and the UN membership as NGO. I was profoundly disturbed. I have no doubt that if I wasn't out already and had seen this, this would have been what would have made me drop the ball about the WT.

    It was 7.30 am in my home country, I thought about it for a second, should I or should I not tell my mom what I just read? I decided I couldn't keep quiet. I texted her saying how she knew I never ever mention the religion but that I had read something that deeply scandalized me and mentioned the story to her asking if she was aware and ended the text asking: Do you understand what this means?

    Her reply was of course the immediate response JW are trained to give, she didn't say if she knew but I understood she didn't and said, you know newspapers write what they want. If I remember who rules the world and knows to have its days counted I wouldn't be surprised how he uses apostates to write this and other and the internet unfortunately is used by many bad people, it's up to our heart what it WANTS to believe.

    Had to tell her: I'd knew she respond me like this but I found it on Wikipedia with all the relevant documents and the guardian is a reputable newspaper often cited in the WT and Awake magazines. I begged her to not keep her mind closed just research for herself.

    She responded with a quick "I will" So I sent her the link. The article in my mother language version of Wikipedia isn't as in depth as it is in the English version but it's still very clear.

    I have not heard from her since then.

    I'm sure she dismissed it. Oh well...so this is my story. Sorry for the length of it, but it's the first time I ever tell it to people who would understand where I'm coming from...

    To those of people on this site who are afraid in leaving because of shunning and other type consequences, I can tell you from my own experience, stick to your guns! Don't let no man have hold over your mind or body.

    I know everyone has different situations but for those who are young and single and able to bounce without much drama, like I did, just do it.

    Stop dwelling on what people think, move town if you have to, start afresh, make new friends, sign up for a class.

    Experiment new things. By this I don't mean go crazy with things that harm your health, I never did drugs in my life or smoked, I mean more be open to new experiences, go travelling as much as you can, spend time with other cultures, try new foods, learn a new language experience all the good things this life has to offer.

    Go and strive in life, be the best you can be, make sure they have a way to know you are doing well, even if they refuse to speak to you, write to them, send post cards from vacation destinations, talk to non-JW relatives who can and will mention about you, when your families will realize that you aren't as miserable or unsuccessful as they thought you would be, they will start thinking. Believe me they will.

    For me moving was a deciding factor. Even if when I moved I was still frequenting the JWs. I'm sure if were to stay in my hometown I would have been more traumatized. Luckily I haven't been much, at least not enough to ever care in the past 14 years to look up anything to do with JWs.

    Plan ahead. Don't make a rushed move. This is your escape to freedom for real, so plan it well. If you decide to move city, find a job and house before you drop the news. Even better if you can, move first then drop the news, the distance allow for you to start the process of detachment so that when it happens won't feel as emotionally draining.

    Well I guess that's all I gotta say, good luck to everyone.

  • free @ last
    free @ last

    Welcome! Thanks for sharing.

  • ziddina
    ziddina

    Wowwiieeee....!!!

    Marking to come back and read later...

    Zid

  • bsmart
    bsmart

    Welcome! What a story... So good that you established a new life when you left home.

  • crmsicl
    crmsicl

    Wow, quite a road you've traveled. I like your accent, you're very fiesty too..I'm flabbergasted that at age 13 you grabbed a guy by the neck and slammed him to the wall and grabbed his jewels because he called you a "Jehovah". But seriously I applaud you for listening to your instinct and acting on it at any cost. You're a winner.

  • atrapado
    atrapado

    Nice story with some good advise.

    Pretty gutsy girl glad to hear you escaped the WT claws on your own. The fear and guilt the congregations and parents put on their kids determine a lot of their actions. I remember having a close friend that wanted to move out. I considered his intentions noble. He was 19 and didn't have a girlfriend. His goal was to move out to become independent. I knew him very well he didn't want to move out to do whatever he wanted. He just wanted to get married and seeing how so many young marriages had financial problems he figure he wanted to establish himself before he started dating.

    I thought it was a great idea. His parents refused to the idea they told him there were only 3 ways to leave. 1 Dead. 2 Bethel. 3 Married. His mom backmailed him telling him that if he moved out he would go into depression and her health would be his responsability.

    The poor guy married at 28 and was able to move out of his parents house.

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