Hello! New kid on the block.

Hapgood

Hello,

First of all I would like to thank Simon and Angharad for this wonderful board. It has been a lifesaver! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your hard work and time spent on this board.

I would like to also thank all you wonderful posters for the time taken to post your stories and research, I felt so alone unitil I came here and found all of you, it's been a real eye-opener and learning experience.

So, a little about myself. I was a jw for 26 years, I guess you could call me a fade away, I was trying to fade, going to the occasional meeting, but just got fed up one day, and just quit going about a year and a half ago. I still go to an occasional assembly to keep my husband company. I have one daughter that never got baptized (smart girl), she stopped going to meetings when she was around 18. At the time I was devestated, but it was the treatment that she got from the "friends" that got me thinking about if this so called religion is really the truth. So, from the treatment she got, I started looking into things, and I guess you all know what I found, it's all a sham!

I'll be married 30 years this fall, my husband is still a jw, so it makes things very interesting, He respects how I feel and why I have left the jw's, but he is still a true believer. I've showed him different things that I have found out, the U.N., child abuse (he even watched Dateline), my research on the so called fds, the blood issue. But he still believes it's the truth. I've opened the door but he's got to walk through it (love that line from Matrix). But anyway we've agreed to respect each other's beliefs. I will not let a religion rip my family apart!

Again, thank you all so much!

Hapgood

drwtsn32

Welcome! I'm glad you are determined not to let the JW religion tear apart your family. I wish you success!

rocketman

Welcome Hapgood!! We're glad you found this board - it is indeed very helpful. Many of us felt like there was no one out there with similar feelings and experiences in the jw realm, but we found out otherwise when we visted here.

little witch

Hello Hapgood and welcome to JWD. This is truly a place of eduacation, information, healing, and sometimes, downright entertaining

Hope to hear more from you, and again, welcome!

jst2laws

Hello Hapgood,

You sound like many of us here, except I was still in the cong serving as an elder when I first started posting here. Like you I felt so alone until I realized it wasn't me that was crazy because I saw things differently. So I exited with most of my family with new friends and a community to turn to for support. I feel sorry for those who left on their own not realizing there are hundreds of thousands out here just like them. At least you have found this little clump of them.

If you haven't read them yet, you might enjoy Ray Franz's books Crisis of Conscience and Search of Christian Freedom. They are not only revealing but will make you feel good about your decision to leave. However, having them in the house may cause strain on your marriage. You both seem to be comfortable with your different views at this time and that is important. It may be best to just keep it that way.

Welcome

Steve

JamesThomas

Hapgood

Thanks so much for the welcome! It's great to know that there are others that feel the same way, the internet is great. We are no longer a lone cry in the dark, we can come together and express how we all feel and get so much support. The ones that left before the internet and before all the great books that are now available, I feel are the true pioneers, they were very brave and helped pave the way for all of us.

jst2lws: It's great that you had your family and friends for support, that means so much. I was lucky in that way too, I have all my family too for support, don't know what I would do without them. My husband and I joined the jws when we were first married, so none of my family were witnesses. And yes, I did read both of Ray Franz books among others, I just read them when I was alone and I keep them well hidden, I keep hoping for the day when my husband might be interested in reading them.

Hapgood