by showme 31 Replies latest jw experiences
It became very obvious that they did not have God's direction in mind. They will claim that everything they do comes with God's holy spirit. But when they appointed someone as an servant that was one of the most horrible people on earth then I knew it was just a good old boy's club. That was my final straw. There were many other reasons, but that was the final one.
If I had not left, I am certain their shielding of child molestors would have been the final straw.
Simon
What types of questions did you ask. Or anyone else for that matter. What types of questions did you ask that could not be answered, or had real weak answers.
How about -
How old are dinosaurs?
How did Kangaroos get to Australia and Penguins get to the Antarctic after the Flood?
Why is there no archaelogical evidence for King David's Empire?
Why are Genesis 1:1-2:3 and Genesis 2:4-22 two different creation stories?
Why do all the books I've read on the subject say that Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians in 587-586 BCE?
I just couldn't follow the guidelines anymore. I wanted to know what sex was about, I wanted to go to bars and dance and have fun w/ other people my age. So, I moved from my JW home when I was 21 and never went to another meeting.
I hid when the elders knocked and made up lies when my mom called. I would have walked in and asked to be disfellowshipped if not for my JW family. Finally, when I found out I was pregnant, I just walked in and said I'm pregnant and the father and I live together. Obviously, I was df'd.
Buffy
I was raised a JW, and totally believed in it. Got married at 17, had four kids in 16 years, husband became an elder in 1974, and progressed rapidly in their ranks.
He started researching to answer questions he would have, while preparing to conduct the WT study, and had many discussions with other elders who shared his doubts. He shared a lot of it with me, but I didn't believe in what he was showing me. As I said, I totally believed they had the truth, and every other so-called truth, had to fit into that paradigm.
While doing my own research, to disprove what my husband was learning, I could find NOTHING to indicate that Jerusalem was destroyed in 607, but a wealth of information to without a doubt, prove it happened in 586 or 587. I did my research at the public library. That made HUGE doubts start to take root.
Then, similar to what LB said, they appointed a young "buffoon" as an elder. I was so shocked when the announcement was made, that I said out loud "You have got to be kidding?" My husband was horrified at me. I doubt anyone heard me, but him and maybe my cousin and her husband sitting in front of us, who shared my opinion. I asked my husband later what the elders were thinking to appoint someone like him as an ELDER, of all things. He smiled and said the man's father had been promoting the idea for two years, and he couldn't keep saying the kid didn't qualify, and by now, he wanted out anyway, so decided to let them 'hang themselves'. The man was an embarrassment everytime he got on the stage. I still can't stand him.
There was much more, but ultimately I just came to the conclusion that they definitely aren't what they say they are, and I had to leave. So we all did..............the whole family.
Officially I left because I was DFed for homosexuality.
But, in reality, I simply lost faith in the belief that the Watchtower Society and Jehovah's Witnesses were God's sole representatives on earth.
When I lost faith in this I decided to find a partner and create a life for myself as a homosexual and no longer remain celibate.
I think loss of faith is the real reason almost everyone leaves. They see something in the doctrines, witness behavior or the bureaucracy that stops their belief. Then they make decisions which remove them from the org.
Joel
Like Simon, I asked too many questions which pissed off the Cong. Serv. After a couple of public repremands for "dirupting the congregation" and my father being warned he would lose his stupid privileges if I continued in my independent ways, I cashed it in. Left home to get away from having to go to the KH then was DF'd for "dissobedience to my parents". Went looking for something else and have never, with one exception stepped foot in the Borgroom again.
carmel lite
Have posted this before, but these are more than enough reasons..
17 years of jehovah this and Jehovah that from people I assumed were my friends and family
The eternal insults to one's intelligence by the WTBS while in and out of the borg which are evident just by reading personal experiences here and thier own website for Dog's sake
The consistent lack of a coherent family all my life because of the incessant following of JW rules by those around me, some relative will have little if anything to do w/me....
My parent's attempts to take my children to the KH and sneak in JW cartoons like thier Noah video, despite my wishes
Dead family members, my cousin who went crazy after help from the loving BOE, my grandmother Prindle who wouldn't do blood transfusions or bone marrow transplants
At least 8 family members (some other new families we learned after the fact he did the same thing to) that were abused by the same man who remained a Witless for many years, he still lives somewhere in Irving texas BTW....he should hope he dies before we ever meet....
My home schooled brother who can barely write a legible sentence and is now incarcerated and has little hope of a decent life, so much for keeping him away from bad association....
The sister w/Down's Syndrome who will go to live w/JWs when my parents die and will probably disappear from my life entirely once that happens
The very concept of jehovah or God or whatever leaves little if anything to be desired. Folks would be better off getting a good self help book and calling it good. There are so many other ways people can get the "feel good" reassurances that life has meaning, yet many are not strong enough in the thinking dept to see that. Not trying to offend my friends here who believe in Dog really, just calling it like I see it.
Sincere;y,
District Overbeer
Valis said:
There are so many other ways people can get the "feel good" reassurances that life has meaning
I agree, some people (even some of our fellow x/antis here) seem to need or want to get this satisfaction from Organized Religion (TM) and that's fine for them. Personally, I don't feel the need to have that particular itch scratched by religion of any kind. You could get the same feeling from family, friends, or even the local Bridge Club, if the people are the right fit for your personality.
As for why I left, it is a long story of gradual awakening, that started when my parents allowed -- neh, even encouraged me to get an Engineering degree. (Don't worry, that was the only thing the are "radical about).
Four years of "learning how to think analytically" combined with missing a large number of meetings due to workload (my fellow engineers here can vouch for me here) was just the right combination to cause me to start to ask questions -- my own questions, not the ones printed in the footer of the WT magazine.
I went through a phase of thinking it was still "the Truth (TM)" and I was simply "not spiritual enough" to keep up with the requirements (specifically meetings & service -- I never had trouble with any other rules re: drugs, sex, smoking, etc).
In 1995 I plugged "Jehovah's Witness" into an early version of the Lycos search engine, and within weeks the fog had cleared within my mind. I learned about Penton's book, Franz's books, and purchased them. I read them skeptically, but could not find fault with them. They were reasonable, well researched, and contained vast proof of the points contained.
Ultimately, that is why I left: I was like Dorothy meeting the Wizard, and I peeked behind the curtain. The Wizard-bOrganization was no longer a powerful and frightening being. Instead, the Wizard-bOrganziation was just a bunch of tired old men who made the mistake of believing their own hype, consumed by their misguided belief in their own importance.
Edited by - Quotes on 24 September 2002 16:34:39
Got tired of elders and others judging my spirituality based on how many hours (or lack thereof) I reported on a time slip every month.
Also, the Korah drama (which I understand they now have on video) that they performed at the 2001 district conventions was utterly ridiculous, the submission and obedience crap got to be too much
