Questions Directed Towards: YOU (ex-JW)

by RAYZORBLADE 34 Replies latest jw friends

Robdar

1. How long were you a Jehovah's Witness? Since I did a slow fade, I can't quite answer that. I stopped regular attendance at 18, I formally left when I was 22 but continued to attend some meetings until I was 29. So the answer would be 15-26 years
2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life? For the most part, I was raised in it. My parents started attending meetings when I was almost 3. My father started a twice weekly study with me of the "Paradise Lost" book when I was 5. I remember having to read the paragraphs out loud and dad helping me with the words I didn't know.
3. Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry? Yes, they were
4. Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then? My father felt it was the truth
5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish. Yes, at 14.
6. When did you start having doubts? 15. I started having doubts I couldn't dismiss when I was 16.
7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving? I got a life outside of the org---an exciting job in broadcasting. LOL Then I married a "worldly boy".
8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated? No. Although I did tell my favorite elder that I needed time off. He told me to take it. He said he knew me and that I would be back one day. The elders never gave me one minutes trouble about my decision. But by golly, my parents did, at first.
9. Have you ever been reinstated? N/A
10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd? N/A
11. Have you ever protested/picketted a JW assembly/convention? No. But I did carry out a couple of covert operations last year at a local KH with my accomplice, Athanasius. We impersonated "worldly" people and asked a lot of questions while we were being love bombed. We were hoping to get the JW's to think. Of course they didn't. And the experience left me so emotionally drained, I don't think that I will be doing that again anytime soon.
12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness? Sometimes. I've even attended a couple of meetings lately. But halfway through the meetings I usually get an urge to scream or cry so, I don't go much.
13. Do you still have family that are active JWs? Yes
14. Do you believe in god/God etc.? Yes, but not in the way that most Xtians do
15. Are you politically active or have voted? Yes
16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left? Yes
17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble? No
18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say? I would tell them to lighten up already. And I would mention that I have never seen any proof that they are "God's true organization".
19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW? Until I found this site, sex, art and rock n roll Wait a minute, I still like those things!
20. Anything else you'd like to say/add? If I did say it, I would only sound bitter.
NeonMadman

1. How long were you a Jehovah's Witness? about 30 years
2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life? started studying at 14, baptized at 17.
3. Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry? Yes, a woman was making a back-call on my grandmother, and I got into a conversation with her.
4. Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then? They seemed to have all the answers - guess I was too naive to realize that the answers might not be right.
5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish. July 11, 1969.
6. When did you start having doubts? around the mid-1970's, when I started to realize that people were not being treated well in the congregations.
7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving? False prophecies, independent Bible study, subliminal pictures in the pubs, etc. etc.
8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated? Did the fade. Haven't been to a meeting since Memorial of 2000, hadn't gone regularly for about 5 years before that.
9. Have you ever been reinstated? N/A
10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd? Never was.
11. Have you ever protested/picketted a JW assembly/convention? No
12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness? If I did, I'd go back. But there is nothing good in that organization.
13. Do you still have family that are active JWs? No. My daughter is inactive and has a lot of doubts.
14. Do you believe in god/God etc.? Yes
15. Are you politically active or have voted? Yes
16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left? Yes, although I use the "old" definition of tolerance, not the postmodern one.
17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble? No. They will either shrink to a hard core of diehard mindless drones, or new leadership will move them more toward the mainstream after the "old guard" GB dies off.
18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say? The blood policy and shunning policy must end immediately. There is no scriptural support for either, and both are killing people!
19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW? Interaction with other ex-JW's. "Witnesses Now For Jesus" conventions. My wife, the most wonderful woman in the world.
20. Anything else you'd like to say/add? Nope.
Valis

OK,I'll play RAY..
1. How long were you a Jehovah's Witness?
Almost 17 years
2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life?
3rd generation
3. Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry?
my grandparents were
4. Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then?
I think they were drawn towards it as they were in the Depression of the 30's and anything that offered hope was snatched up by the masses
5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish.
yes I was at 14 because of pressure from my parents and one very alcoholic elder
6. When did you start having doubts?
I could have lived without it all my life really
7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving?
having a job and not wanting to live by JW rules anymore
8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated?
nope
9. Have you ever been reinstated?
nope thank the Lard..
10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd?
I do now
11. Have you ever protested/picketted a JW assembly/convention?
no, but does a Kingdom Hall count?
12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness?
no way!
13. Do you still have family that are active JWs?
yes..ugh!
14. Do you believe in god/God etc.?
Emphatically NO!
15. Are you politically active or have voted?
Yes
16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left?
Yes, except for JWs..*LOL*
17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble?
I think eventually they will become something different, but corporations are awfully hard to dismantle
18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say?
Please stop ruining families and dump the magazines! if you insist on living by Biblical principles try reading it without an agenda some time.
19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW?
Some good friends, my grandfather, being young and ready to explore the world..
20. Anything else you'd like to say/add?
Can I get an amen?!
Sincerely,
District Overbeer
danb71

nifty thread, thanks for it. here are my replies:
1. How long were you a jw? 24 years, baptized for 9 of them.
2. Raised as a jw or became on later? raised in it, 4th generation on mom's side.
3. Contacted via door to door? n/a
4. What intrigued or drew you to it? i never thought about that really, my parents were the high-octane witnesses and there was never a plan "b". i just believed as i was told.
5. When baptized? At 15.
6. When did you start having doubts? At 18. I was pioneering right after high school and just felt like i was going through the motions with everything. I wasn't praying and the whole thing started to feel like a business. This article came out in i think '89 called "But I Don't Love Jehovah!" and passed off having a lack of joy and/or doubts as being all in one's head, said even elders feel that way sometimes etc etc. That reasoning just wasn't working for me.
7. What else contributed to leaving? I wanted to smoke, drink, and carouse with tarts like every other guy in his early 20's wanted to do. I also got really wrapped up in my career and got sporadic with meetings. Every witness i knew started to get on my nerves with their pious attitudes.
8. When were you df'd/da'd? In the summer of 1995. I didn't bother going to the committee meeting, so the elders had to track me down. They df'd me on a friend's porch. A regular drive-by.
9. Ever reinstated? I tried to in '97, thought if i studied like an "outsider" instead of a raised jw that it would hit me in the heart like i thought it should. spent almost a year sitting in that back row. I got turned down, and about a month later walked out of the service meeting & didn't go back.
10. Ever attempt to contact/spoken with active JW's? Just my parents. They're not having it.
11. Ever punch a cop? Just once, at Mardi Gras....oh, sorry. Wrong website.
12. Ever protest or picket? No
13. Do you miss it? No no no no no no no no no....but my family, yes quite a bit. It doesn't get easier with time.
14. Still have family active? Yes, the whole family except my younger sister who's df'd too. My mom pioneers and dad's the p.o. Yeah, they're that family.
15. Believe in god? Yeah, I just think he's not paying attention. And if he is, he should be ashamed of himself.
16. Politically active/vote? Yes, yes
17. More tolerant and open-minded? Oh yes. Could anyone have gotten less open-minded? Their worldview is slightly to the right of, say, Genghis Khan.
18. Do you think the WTBTS will crumble? No, but it might erode. Look at how many direct hits it's taken just in the last 25 years. As long as people exist who need to be told what to do to that extent, there will be organizations like this one. Maybe their policies will relax over time to keep the kids from running. Throw 'em a bone!
19. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you say? "That "two-witness" rule for molestation cases will be the death of you." Oh, and more skin and less floral-print dresses when you come in my restaurant after the district conventions.
20. What's helped you to cope? Life after God, by Doug Coupland, Farewell to God, by Charles Templeton, COC and ISO Christian Freedom by Ray Franz, this and other ex-jw sites, my wonderful son, my terrific fiancee, my non-judgemental non-jw friends, and my awesome sister who is a training partner of sorts for life after the WTBTS.
21. Anything to add? Thanks for this post, it was a count your blessings kind of thing for me.
d
pr_capone

Amen brudda Valis
Kansa District Overbeer
SpannerintheWorks

To those who answered "No" to 17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble?
As long as you keep believing that JWs will always think the same, the WBTS will always exist. BUT if JWs thought the same way as the people who answered "Yes" to that question, then the WBTS is defeatable, because it wouldn't have any members! In short, if one person, who was once a JW having doubts, left the Org, then others will have similar doubts if exposed to whatever it was that made that person question the Society.
Take a look at this thread: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/9/49371/1.ashx
Spanner
JBean

1. How long were you a Jehovah's Witness?
My entire life
2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life?
raised
3. Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry?
my grandparents were, and my parents came in because they were children at the time and didn't have a choice (a perpetuating problem as I see it!)
4. Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then?
There wasn't any other option, being a child and having your family and all of your friends as witnesses... just the way it progressed
5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish.
Last year of high school, 1978
6. When did you start having doubts?
Fairly recently... about a year or so ago
7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving?
Still in but inactive. Lots of researched helped me to see that this wasn't the truth
8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated?
N/A... yet.
9. Have you ever been reinstated?
N/A
10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd?
I'm not in that position, and am still looked at as a JW. However, NOW I will speak with those who I know are DA'd/DF'd... this wasn't the case a few years ago. (Wow! was I ever brainwashed!)
11. Have you ever protested/picketted a JW assembly/convention?
No
12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness?
No, I guess because I'm still attempting to NOT be one! ha! I do miss the LARGE group of friends my age that I used to hang with sometimes though.
13. Do you still have family that are active JWs?
yes... my entire immediate family.
14. Do you believe in god/God etc.?
Absolutely. I think about him and his purposes more so now that I ever did while I was an active JW. Go figure!
15. Are you politically active or have voted?
Not yet... but I'm going to be by the 2004 election!
16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left?
Absolutely! I cannot believe the things I used to think were the truth. Some of the Witness teachings are so horrible.
17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble?
I don't know. I don't think so. As others have said, there will always be some folks who need/want to believe it.
18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say?
Stop the disfellowshipping. Stop the constant barrage of do's and dont's and let folks live their lives! Stop telling people who they can and cannot associate with!!!
19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW?
I've developed such wonderful friendships outside of the Borg! Also, my boyfriend of almost 4 years who has taught me by his actions what forgiveness, righteousness and spirituality REALLY are... and he's not even associated with any organization!!! : )
20. Anything else you'd like to say/add?
Yes... Simon, I stumbled onto this board a few years back and was soooo afraid at first to even look at it. But you (along with all the other posters) have helped make all the "new learning" palatable. Thank you so much!

caligirl

I thought I'd give this a go, lighten up the forum a little.

Just curious, about a few things regarding all of us who participate on here.

I have some questions, of which I will answer also.

1. How long were you a Jehovah's Witness? 24 years

2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life? Raised a witness

3. Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry? My parents were.

4. Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then? My parents had rough and emotionally painful childhoods and were vulnerable to the rosy picture painted by the person who contacted them.

5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish. 1987

6. When did you start having doubts? before that, but felt that I couldn't do anything about it at my age.

7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving? When I became pregnant 10 years later I knew I had to find the strength to break away for my child's sake.

8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated? NA 9. Have you ever been reinstated? NA

10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd? NA

11. Have you ever protested/picketted a JW assembly/convention? No. Waste of time, IMO.

12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness? NO!

13. Do you still have family that are active JWs? Yes

14. Do you believe in god/God etc.? Yes

15. Are you politically active or have voted? Registered, but have not voted yet

16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left? Most definitely.

17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble? One can hope! They have done so much damage.

18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say?

19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW? The knowledge that all my siblings have walked away as well and that we have each other, forums like this, lots of reading, therapy, meeting my husband, knowing that my children will never ever face the difficulty of being forced to be different because of a bunch of men in Brooklyn.

20. Anything else you'd like to say/add?

RAYZORBLADE

Geez...I didn't think so many people would post. But I am glad many of you did, and I'm sure for some, there is that worry 'is Rayzorblade a WT mole?'
http://www.thecameron.com
I work there, ask for Ray.....rest easy (Wed-Sat). Not a place for christians let me tell you. But if ANY of you come by, and identify yourself, the drink is on ME!
VALIS: AMEN
To everyone else, thanks for being brave enough to post. I felt it was overall, a diversion to much of the sad state of affairs with regards to current happenings as of late.
Many thanks!
Ol' Rayzorblade from the *drunken debauchery* class.
Swan

1. How long were you a Jehovah's Witness?
36 years if you count from infancy, 20 years if you count from baptism
2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life?
Raised in it (I was the baby crying in the back cause I got swatted for fussing).
3. Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry?
N/A
4. Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then?
N/A
5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish.
Age 15
6. When did you start having doubts?
Early 1980s
7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving?
My life was so controlled I felt I had none
8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated?
I DA in January/February 1994
9. Have you ever been reinstated?
Nope
10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd?
Yep
11. Have you ever protested/picketted a JW assembly/convention?
Nope
12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness?
Nope
13. Do you still have family that are active JWs?
Yep
14. Do you believe in god/God etc.?
Agnostic.
15. Are you politically active or have voted?
Oh Yes!
16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left?
Definitely. I always thought I was a judgmental person. After I left, I found out I was really open minded, it's just that the JWs had always taught me to be judgmental. Maybe
17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble?
Crumble, but it will not fall. It's been going downhill for a while, but cults are very resilient. Doubts and the Internet will help turn those with doubts into a mass exodus, but some will remain hardcore cult members.
18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say?
Stop the shunning. I don't care what religious beliefs you want to follow or want my family to follow, just give me my family back and let me follow my own beliefs.
19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW?
Therapy, this board, talking to others, a lot of thinking and meditating on things.
20. Anything else you'd like to say/add?
You Watchtower people are not infallible. If you have crimes committed in your congregation, such as child abuse, let the superior authorities that Jehovah has set over you handle the situation.

Questions Directed Towards: YOU (ex-JW)

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