What Happens if...

by bafh 24 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Apognophos

  I am just struggling - so I come here hoping for some support - not judgement. I hope people who are born-in can understand and help me out a bit.

  I appreciate that you're struggling. But you should take on board any answer that you get here. It's like you've gone onto a forum of computer experts and asked how to safely install a new PCI card in the computer while it's running. The main response you're going to get is, "Don't do that. Why would you want to do that?"

  The best advice we can give you is to take courage and investigate your religion. There's a good reason why the Society tries to scare people away from reading what ex-Witnesses have written; it's because they know what apostates know.
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  Xanthippe

  Bafh you say you believe the basics but if Jehovah wants to bring a new system in, great, what's he waiting for? Bring it on! He's supposed to be waiting for the preaching work to be completed but every time a new generation is born there are more people to preach to! Why wait over a hundred years? Plus he can read hearts so why not get on with it!

  Why do we need to follow man-made rules that just make our lives so hard if God knows we are good? If the JW web site is the way forward and will get the world ready for the paradise then He started over a hundred years too early. Should have waited for the internet. Can't he predict the future? You see even 'the basics' don't make any sense. Please don't go back, think carefully.
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  bafh

  If I'm honest, the truth is I don't care about most of it. I don't. I am actually agnostic. I used to say I'm an agnostic JW because there is so much that they speculate about but that we have no information on.

  One reason I left is that I'm tired of trying to figure out if they were right or not, and I really don't want the label of apostate. I don't want my family to see me as dangerous. I'm not. I respect their right to believe what they want, even if they don't respect my right to disagree.

  The other issue for me, which I have mentioned a number of times, is that I am struggling socially. But I have to say, I struggled socially while I was "in" too because I wasn't "in" enough.

  This is the kind of stuff that gave me panic attacks while I was when and made me leave in the first place.
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  OneEyedJoe

  If you're like me, you'll never be comfortable in the org no matter how hard you try. You don't believe in most of it, but you'll have to smile and say the right things and pretend like you believe every word that the GB says (until they change it yet again, then you have to believe that). I know it's difficult to learn to socialize outside the org, but jumping back into a cult is never a healthy solution to social challenges. If you go in pretending that you believe, you'll just wind up with more invested into the cult when you finally can't take it anymore. Then, at best, you'll wind up back where you are now. At worst, you'll get yourself DFed, and you'll be worse of than you are now. The org can't tolerate members that don't tow the line. You will eventually get spat out.

  I wish nothing but the best for you, I hope you're able to avoid any more wasted years spent in a publishing/realestate company cult. The best thing to do is to wait until you're absolutely sure of what you want before you make a choice.
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  sowhatnow

  bafh, Im sorry you feel so torn, but i hope you can let go of all the anxiety and just be a good person and respond in kind to everyone. to place yourself under the rule of men who do things that are contrary to Jesus teachings is going to continue to cause you anxiety.

  if your half way out and no one really is giving you any problems be glad your off the radar, just fade away and be at peace.

  Ive spent too much time reading and worrying about what my next step is going to be , and i too am stuck trying to stay connected with my extended, jw family, fortunately very limited contact,

  and not put waves in the pond, and yet trying to branch out and live my life apart from all the worry and stress of my past as being a jw.

  try to put the past out of your mind, dwelling on it does no good. pretend it never exsisted sometimes thats the only way to cope.

  I too hope somehow, to be more social.

  I hope i can attend an adult educational class or do some volunteering. [i know thats spelled wrong] so you might think of those ways that work for you.

  on another note everyone seems to be having trouble with getting a socail life, its these darn computers and cell phones that have messed up humanity