Do Majority of exJWs remain Christians?

Ray Skyhorse

Greetings,

Do the majority of exJWs retain a Christian faith after leaving the Borg? Does the majority of exJWs continue studying the bible on their own or join a new Christian group that's less rigid than the JWs? Or does the majority say to hell with Christianity?

By reading the various comments of people posting, its hard for me to tell if the majority of exJWs still practise some form of Christianity. There seems to be a lot of people on this list who don't believe at all anymore in Christianity. It seems about 50-50 to me but I'm new here and I'm just guessing.

A follow-up question:

If a person had no particular beliefs before becoming a Borg, would that person more likely become a regular Christian after exiting the Borg or would she more likely return to her previous belief system? Did you return to your previous belief system (if you had any)?

BTW I'm new here. I am not a JW but my wife is. We've been married about two years and we have a little boy. I hope someday my wife leaves the Borg. If she does, it will be interesting to see what her beliefs mutate into. She wasn't a Christian before the Borg.

This place is such a wonderful resource. What a great supportive bunch of people! I wish it was around when my wife was assimilated in 1989. I would have had a shoulder to cry on.

JT

welcome to the board and a very good questions

one of the things that i have seen is that after being not able to question ANYTHING

one now is free to ask those kinds of questions that your mom told you "Boy Don't Question God"

after a combined 60+ yrs between my wife and i we have decided to take a break for religion, bible and god

after yrs of arguing over this Greek word and that greek word we feel we need a break

james

somebody

Hi and welcome, Ray Skyhorse.

I'm not sure what surveys that may have been taken show as far as what happens to the majority of XJWs. I'll add my input though, just in case this turns into a survey of your own.

I was raised Catholic, Protestant, and JW. I was JW for most of the years that I remember of my childhood and into adult though (from the age of 8, to 18). I don't really have to much memory of my Catholic or Protestant ubringing,as far as doctrine goes, because of being so young.

since leaving the JWs 21 years ago, I have never joined another group, organisation, or church. I do consider myself a Christian...... ok fine....an immature one! Nonetheless, I do consider myself a Christian. I just don't believe that one has to join and become a member of any group in order to be a christian. I find Christian fellowship everywhere that I look.

peace,
somebody

bonnie38

I'm not sure about the majority of exJWs. But I consider myself still Christian. I was raised Catholic, became a JW at 16 (against my family's wishes). I do not belong to any church. I believe that we all have an individual responsibility to God. I don't believe that membership in any organization will bring me God's approval. I did have a hard time figuring out what I believe when I first left the borg (I was disfellowshipped 4 years ago). The WTS did a great job of convincing me that there was no life outside the organization. I did not pray for 4 years because I still believed that JWs had "the truth"
and because I was no longer a member, God would not listen to my prayers. I came on this site in April. I was looking for motivation to get reinstated as a JW. Thank goodness I didn't find what I was looking for :)! After reading many posts I realized that JWs may very well be a cult, and that I do not need them for salvation. As I said, I do still have Christian beliefs. But I don't anticipate ever joining another religion.
Michelle

Moridin

Welcome to the board,

For me I really wanted to believe in something so I went to other churches and researched for about two years then became an atheist.

Princess

Welcome!

My husband and I left about five years ago. I was raised a JW and he was a Catholic before JW. We will never join another church, that is over and done with. The church behind our house is as close as we will ever be. We are both Christians. Haven't picked up a bible since I left though. Maybe someday.

Princess

Billygoat

My family has been JW since I was 8. I was DFed when I was 19. It took me about 4 years to pray again, let alone step into a church. But step into a church I did. Mostly to get my Jesus Freak roommate off my back and it backfired! But I haven't regretted it at all. I am a Christian and attend a Prostestant church regularly. Which is the religion that my JW father grew up with, so my DFing was a double whammy for him. Not only was his daughter DFed, but I went back to the religion that he renounced. Ouch! Haha!

I read the Bible regularly with friends and a bible study class at my church. I've been very fortunate to find a group of people that love to read the bible and study it thoroughly. We share opinions, agreeing sometimes, disagreeing on others. But we continue to respect each others opinions and remain very close friends whether there is agreement or not.

I have a closer relationship with God now than I ever have. He's a person to me - not just some bizarre entity out in the universe. Do I understand all of Him or His Word? No. But I have faith that in time it'll be revealed to me. I appreciate the different people in different faiths. I think it takes all kinds to reach all kinds. I don't think that a true Christian NEEDS to have a church, but I do know for me that corporate worship is necessary.

I wish everyone to have the experience I've had with my new church family. But it took me a long time and A LOT of heartache for me to get here. My wish now is to quietly live by example first and minister to others second. But to minister only if people ASK me and want to know about my God. I hope that people can see my life has something there's may not. If my "peace" is evident then they'll ask. But I'll never push my beliefs on another like I did door-to-door.

Billygoat

patio34

Hi Ray Skyhorse,

It's nice to have you here at the board. It's a great place, I agree.

I stopped about 4 months ago being a JW and tend to be atheist/agnostic. There seem to be quite a few here. I don't know what the majority is though. And may morph into something else, who knows? Doubt it though.

Pat

felix a

Ray Skyhorse,

You asked the following.

"Do the majority of exJWs retain a Christian faith after leaving the Borg? Does the majority of exJWs continue studying the bible on their own or join a new Christian group that's less rigid than the JWs? Or does the majority say to hell with Christianity?"

My personal path away from the JW religion initially maintained a belief in the bible and the Christian faith. However, as I questioned the beliefs that I had held and preached for several decades, I also found myself investigating and questioning the foundation of those beliefs as well. The end result, I no longer hold to a belief founded on the Bible or in the Christian faith.

I understand and can appreciate that philosophically and logically the default position is atheism, that there is no god or GOD, your choice. On this score I have not made up my mind. The questioning continues. If there is a creator I do not believe that it is a being that resembles the God of the bible, unless of course you mean the God that in fact shows very little concern or interest in the welfare of individuals.

I do have leanings toward a belief that there is a first cause, or creator that provided the initial guidance in the creation of our universe. I don?t think we receive any more attention from this creator, than we give to the single cell organisms that share our world with us. As with all things in my life my views and understanding of things along with my opinions are up for review and change

I enjoy and appreciate hearing and reading well-reasoned views and opinions of others beliefs, but I am more concerned with how I live my life and how their beliefs cause them to live their life. Being converted or converting someone to my views, debating the esoteric points of scripture hold very little interest to me and this will probably remain that way for some time to come?

Regards,

David P.

:: The more I learn, the less I know.

qwerty

Hi Ray Skyhorse

I have always had a respect for the Bible from being young and always wanted to understand it better (enter JW's!). It's taken me 15 years of being a JW's to see I have been misled, thanks to niggling doubts on different subjects. One thing that bugged me was the organisation repeating that they are "GOD'S ORGANISATION", anyone not associated with it at the big 'A' will be annulated.

Although I still attend meetings for family reasons (I must admit it is getting harder to sit through all the double talk and misapplication of scripture), I am a free man in the sense I don't believe everything I am told as truth from the Org's mouth.

I believe that my Brothers and sisters are from all denominations, who am I to judge my fellow man as to being Christian or not. Being a Christian is much simpler than JW's think. "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free"- Jesus said, plain and simple message to all men. No need to be a scholar, accurate knowledge and all that! The truth is that Jesus died for mankind and "ANYONE" believing in him as there savour and trying to lead a Godly life "WILL BE SAVED".

So yes I am a Christian and proud to be a follower of Christ, to the best of my ability and not to the ability of an organisation. One that makes you feel inadequate for not living up to their perceived requirements.

John 8;30 Then many of the Jewish leaders who heard him say these things began believing him to be the Messiah. Jesus said to them, ``You are truly my disciples if you live as I tell you to,
32. and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.''

qwerty

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on. "
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

Do Majority of exJWs remain Christians?

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