I don't know about you but there are a lot of things I regret doing as a Witness that I really would like to apologise to the people concerned.
To my brother FlabbyCabby who is a newbie to this forum I'd like to say sorry for following the elders advice and telling you you were not welcome over my doorstep. You were in a terrible state having just being disfellowshipped ,finished with your wife, estranged yourself from your baby son and a few days earlier had taken an overdose in my flat where you were staying as you were homeless. I had received a visit from the elders. It wasn't a judicial more of a stop what you're doing or else visits. Their compassion for you who they all knew from infancy was absolutely nil.Their empathy for me was non-existant.
I can't change what I did to you and I know you do not hold it against me but I want to say publically I am sorry and wish I had seen how un-christian that action was.
If by some miracle you are part of this forum and recognise yourself as I feel it is wrong to reveal your identity without permission JT I want to say sorry to you also.
JT was a married man who fell for a close friend of mine. He was a rep in the supermarket where a lot of JW's had part-time jobs. To cut a long story short poor JT found out his wife was having an affair and as he had feelings for the witness girl he seperated from her and studying with JW's hoping to reach baptism and be able to marry the sister eventually. The young sister was very happy though it was difficult as they were not allowed to see eachother at all but sent letters and cards etc. JT's study was going great and he was excited about the truth .During this period of quite a few months I developed a close friendship with him. Things came to a head when my sister friend decided her feelings had changed and JT was devastated.He continued studying and was in contact with me frequently by phone and sometimes I joined him for coffee. Our friendship became close enough for him to give me a gold chain as a token of buddydom.
Finally JT reached a decision about JW's that he felt unabe to go on. He was lonely and had started seeing a lady in the world.
So did I treat my friend of over a year with love and understanding?
Of course not.
I followed JW policy to the letter.Suddenly he was bad association and worse than a worldly person cos he had not accepted the truth.
I stopped calling him though it was my turn and he would reproach me sounding rather puzzled at how guarded I suddenly was. I bumped into him making a rare visit to the supermarket and was his usual bubbly self dying to share a joke. I was stand-offish and cool. I made sure he got the message.
That was a long time ago but I often wondered what became of him. He may have become a Witness years later but I don't think so. I doubt my attitude to him helped. Sorry Sorry Sorry J you were a lovely guy and I hope you are happy whatever you are doing now.
If only they were the only persons I hurt or snubbed. How many times as a Witness would I cross the road to avoid an inactive one? Where was the christianity in that. But the brainwashing had worked so well. All not for us were against us. God's enemies and despised by us. I shunned the DF'd out of duty to God. Now I can see how unlike Jesus' example that was.
So I'd like to add a general apology to all those shunned ones and I certainly have had a taste of my own medicine if that's any consolation lol.
Got that off my chest!!!
Free