How Long has it Been since you Last Attended Meetings and What Caused...

by flipper 152 Replies latest jw friends

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  mamochan13

  I don't recall the last meeting I attended as a JW. I was born in, and meetings defined my life. After I was DF'd and reinstated, I kept attending, but my heart was no longer in it. The turning point was Memorial, 1996 when I didn't attend. To not attend the Memorial was pretty much considered the worst action of all. My family went ballistic. I made the mistake of letting my children (aged 11-17) attend, which prompted my family to try and force them back into the religion.

  The consequences were pretty ugly, profound and long-term. Fortunately my children saw through the hypocrisy and stuck by me.

  I"ve only been in a hall twice since then. Once when my aunt died, and last year when my mom died. Made me ill to listen to the JW crap about how the most important thing in her life was her religion, and how they turned her funeral into a JW propaganda session. One of my daughters went and stayed in the bathroom the whole time, unable to even listen to it.
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  Aunt Fancy

  Oh I forgot, we wee to the first day of the DC 2012 and I slept through most of it because I was sick and we left before the last talk. I had been reading COC at the time but my husband hadn't. He was very upset when the speaker said we should listen to the elders. He left very upset with the info being talked about. We didn't return for the remaining of the conversation. I would tell him things I was reading and he would give me the standard JW answer. I said to him "the book said you would say that" and he said "well I will read the book"! He did and was appalled by what he read and we will never set foot inside a KH again unless it is a memorial service.
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  flipper

  Thanks for all the responses , wanted to bump this up before I have to work all night so others would add their stories ! Thanks again, hope to comment more tomorrow
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  d

  It is this year 5 years for me. it feels good.
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  LOTTALOLA

  I was raised JW.. when I started thinking for myself and realizing that I wouldnt follow my mother's advice on anything why would I follow her religious beliefs?? DUH!
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  Found Sheep

  Last meeting July 2008, did go to the 2009 memorial. Reason started out I couldn't find the KH. I moved to the ghetoes in NC after a divorce, public reproof, homeless three months and at last found a temp job for three months.

  When i first had my own place I decided to take two weeks off just to think. After the two weeks I tried to find the KH a few times but started to realize I was happier and getting out of my depressed state.

  Still thought it was the truth and figured when I went back to WV would go back. Went back to WV married a worldly man, thinking that would be better then sinning. The JW's started to treat me like crap, and then the elders were LOOKING for any loophole to DF me. This made me ? the whole thing. I opened the books, you know Coc, Steve Hassen and got on the internet. It took time and tears but I woke up.

  Happier? Hell YA! I'm now alive

  FS
• 

  LongHairGal

  FLIPPER:

  I am sure you know my history as a single working woman. I was a failure as a JW from day one because I had no intention of being a doormat, a target for users and other assorted characters. I walked a gauntlet. Why I did it for so long is beyond me. I guess I am eternally optimistic and expected things to get better. I should have packed it in after several rude awakenings!

  Anyway, I finally stopped attending meetings regularly the end of 2000. I was coasting along after the 1995 generation thing and had enough after I found out TTATT. I was just waiting for the right moment.

  I had a death in the family and that furnished me with the perfect reason to stop! I cannot tell you the sense of relief I felt to be able to throw off this ton of bricks! Even though I was in mourning, I felt slightly elated that I escaped. In the ensuing years I might have attended the memorial or a special talk. However, I could not stand being around these people or their questions.

  Even though I felt badly because certain people were nice, especially a few dear older couples, I couldn't in good conscience go knocking on doors telling people this was "truth".

  It is sad about the broken dreams, but that's how things go.

  After what I have learned about the religion becoming more intrusive and cult-like, and all the marginal individuals they have attracted in recent years, I'd have to be out of my damned mind to even set foot inside the place. It sounds like a nightmare.
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  goatshapeddemon

  The last time we went to a "meeting" was actually for my SIL's wedding 3ish years ago. I was in her wedding. She had a (very) good idea of our status, but she was so H-bent on having both her SILs in her wedding, she ignored it until after her wedding. Immediately afterwards, even though we introduced them to each other, they proceeded to shun us wholly.

  I content myself in knowing that I was in all her photos and thus ruined them. and I wore ruby red lipstick and fishnets.
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  Gojira_101

  I was born and raised a JW. I've had a health problem with going into the KH because of all the perfumes...etc, so I made sure to listen in on the phone line and make sure I left mags in the laundry mat so I could count an hour each month. So I've been doing that for the last 6ish years and being isolated has helped me to open my mind to the things going on and all of the questions I always had about the beliefs became stronger. And 3 months ago My husband and I decided that was it. We tried listening to an MS friend of mines talk and I was so mad because his talk was on why we can trust 1914 and 607....I was ranting the whole time during the talk (nice thing about listening at home, you can openly ask your mate...did you hear that BS? or you can rant). That was the last time, I couldn't stomach it. That was end of Oct I think.

  My husband and I are both so much happier now, even though I'm still dealing with some of my family shunning me. Oh well, I knew it was coming. I actually think it's funny because of how much hate they have for me and all I am is "inactive" although not officially inactive, I'm still just irregular and they are already calling me an apostate. LOL.

  Since we have left my husband's PTSD with the JW's is almost all but gone now and he doesn't have the stress like before and myself. I don't have the deep down to the core tiredness I always had.

  We both feel great.

  I forgot, what caused it for me was my parents telling me to check out JWfacts....etc. and the final straw for me was seeing all the satanic images in the lit. For my husband it was the most recent thing about not even using the bible in service, just use your phone and type in a question on JW.org to have the householder questions answered by the WT.
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  MsD

  I went to the assembly back in July. After that I decided no more! I was completely done. Last meeting was in June. So it's been well over 6 mths and I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders!