JW's came to my door 6 weeks ago. I told them I was inactive.......

by Alchemist 56 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Heaven

  Hi Alchemist... first of all, I do like your username. And... if you truly are an alchemist, the JWs are not for you.

  Just curious. You said you have been inactive for 8 years. What made you become inactive?
  
• 

  umbertoecho

  Alchemist.

  First of all...........Every single comment here to you is sound and kind. Please take note of that as you read through the responses. You have not been made to feel foolish or unacceptable by these people on this forum. And your' post was responded too very quickly. Some to ask why and others to offer comfort.........

  You must be interpreting the lack of contact from those who came to your' door as a form of rejection from Jehovah or the Christ....... It's not.

  It is because they are not the sensitive group that you may have thought they were.......Collectively speaking, this religion has changed so much over the past ten years, that you will be shocked at the shallowness of it all.

  You may need to fulfill your' desire to go back to this religion more urgently now. Especially since you have experienced a neglectful lack of interest on their part.

  I sobbed when something like this happened to me, for it happens a lot more than you think. I just want to say that you are not rejected by God, for no human has that right or power. Please stay with this forum and share your' story if it helps..( the bits you are comfortable with)
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  steve2

  Sometimes in life when you ask a question, you get so many answers you may feel like heading for the hills. Alchemist raised a question that touched a relevant nerve for many here. I'm not sure he will be any clearer because in life getting other people to answer your questions is seldom "the answer" (if you get my drift).

  I do feel for anyone still caught up in the JW orbit, just as I would for any religiously troubled individual, regardless of their religious affiliations:

  All the "big life" questions that drew them into the organization in the first place (even if born-in) remain, but at some perhaps indefinable level, the organization does not seem "right" (not sure that's the word I'm looking for)...and yet, their world view has been influenced by the organization's black and white teachings...and the pressure is on for a resolution. In my experience, religiously "troubled" individuals are possibly the least willing and able to tolerate uncertainty...and the drive for certainty (as prescribed by others) will drive them back to that source.

  In life it really is about comfort and discomfort and the balance between the two:

  Submit to an organization that claims to be God's exclusive channel and get some comfort from the enforced "unity" and "hope" but feel uncomfortable with what you observe going on inside...

  or....

  Stop dilly-dallying on the fringes of the JW orbit and tolerate the discomfort from no longer putting your faith in a religious group's definitive answers to unanswerable questions but gain a measure of comfort from the self-respect that arises from the courage in taking responsibility for your life and developing your own hard won "philosophy" about your life.

  There is no escaping the tug-of-war between comfort and discomfort. But on balance, the clue to greater inner "comfort" is refusing to leave decision's about life and its meaning in the hands of religious experts who seek to promote their opinions over any one else's, including the individuals.

  Have the courage to start thinking for yourself - and reduce the juvenile need to ask others to answer your "big questions".
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  Alchemist

  Thanks for the responses. I am baptized and I left 8 years ago because I disagreed with the the idea that the GB is God's sole channel of communication. My life has been terrible every since. I can't really express my thoughts well because I'm having health issues at the moment that makes it difficult for me to organize my thoughts. A combination of complete isolation and very poor mental and physical health makes me feel extremely vulnerable. I need some form of support to help me get through this period of my life. It seemed like great timing for the JWs to visit me when they did, but the fact that I didn't hear from anyone since was kind of a let down. I say the world is immoral now because people are selfish and don't care about others anymore. Perhaps I'm biased in this thinking from being abused and neglected by my own family. Materialism and individualism is celebrated more now than any time in human history. This is a topic for a another thread but I'm just trying to help you see where I'm coming from and why I had a desire to join people who I thought was less materialistic and cared more about humanity.
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  sparrowdown

  You can feel more isloated in a crowd of JWs.

  There care is conditional and fake, you need real friends and you won't find them amongst the congregation.

  There are some genuinely nice church groups out there, try a few of those if you need your religion fix but don't lock yourself into a high control relligious group like JWs you will only regret it.
• 

  GodZoo

  I'm just trying to help you see where I'm coming from and why I had a desire to join people who I thought was less materialistic and cared more about humanity.

  I can think of a hundred groups that do this far better and with a thousand times more sincerity then JW's.

  They help no one, they feed no one, they clothe no one, they provide charity and care or financial assistance to no one. The truth is they care for no one save themselves and even that they do very poorly.
  
• 

  Xanthippe

  What I am most ashamed of from being a JW is not giving to charity. In the eighties when we were bombarded with pictures of starving children and skeletal babies we were told at the KH give your money to the WTS. They quoted Jesus saying the poor are always wth you or some such nonsense.

  If I could turn the clock back and be a part of that outpooring of compassion that was Band Aid and Live Aid I would. Even hardened journalists were moved to tears but not the GB. They don't care about humanity Alchemist. JWs are just waiting for humanity to die so they can have their houses.

  I'm sorry you are not well at the moment Alchemist, I do sympathise but please be assured the world is full of compassionate people trying to help their fellow man. Don't be depressed about the world, good people are doing what they can. JWs are doing what they are told which is give their money to a publishing and real estate company which dares to criticise others for materialism!
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  dyakoub

  Alchemist, you have a private message.
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  Heaven

  Alchemist said: I am baptized and I left 8 years ago because I disagreed with the the idea that the GB is God's sole channel of communication.

  Unless you have changed your mind about this, the GB as sole channel of communication with God is still an ideal held by this religion. So you would still have this issue even if you went back.

  May I ask you ... have you created your life plan? What do you want to do with your life? What do you enjoy doing? What things give you joy?

  Connecting with like minded people may help you through this tough time. Perhaps join a group or club that does something you enjoy or something that interests you. Help out at a local food bank or shelter or sign up to help out on a Habitat for Humanity project. Consider taking a course to learn something new. Seeing a counselor may also be something to look into.
  
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  steve2

  Thanks for explaining more of your personal situation, Alchemist. It is perfectly understandable, given what you have been through.

  Each of us sees the world from our perspective and it sounds like you have been through some pretty harsh stuff from others, family especially. When you've been through such directly negative experiences, it is hard not to conclude the world is a bad place, and at the same time, it is not the case that people are either "good" and "moral" or "bad" and "immoral". I'm in no way excusing others for the hurt they have caused you, but it would be unfortunate if you concluded from your experiences that all the "good" people are in one group (e.g., JWs) and the "rest" of humankind are bad and wicked.

  I'm not suggesting you are saying this, but this is virtually what they Witnesses believe - even if they are loathe nowadays to be so directly blunt about it.

  Also, when you're struggling with health issues of one kind or another, it makes "finding" your own feet in life so much harder. Sometimes people do turn to religion to help sort out their purpose and direction - and if that is what your heart AND mind impels you to do, you owe it to yourself to do so. However, along with adulthood comes responsibility to think for yourself and not hand your brain over to an organization. I fear this is what happens when people turn to groups such as JWs - the religion virtually wants your heart, body, life and mind. What a price to pay for consolation.

  I hope you stay around here. You won't find "the answers" per se in terms of absolutes, but you might be encouraged to pursue the ability to think for yourself without pressure of "membership". You may even realize there is a lot more you can do to improve the quality of your life without turning to a group that alleges it can answer all your important questions about life, meaning and purpose. Best! steve