Like most of us here, I have lost all my so called 'friends' from the organization. I held out hope that an old friend would at least continue to be friendly over email, but alas no! We had a series of emails in which his single goal was to guilt me into returning to 'the flock', but each time he refused to even consider what I had to say. Finally it came down to whether he would toss me, or I would toss him.
The answer seems to be that I got in the last word. I hope he at least listened to some of what I said. Who knows?
His final email to me;
Jeff, I'm sorry to hear you still do not want to believe what you have been tought for the last 40 years to be the truth. We have been told over the years how crafty satan will be in the last days to lead people away. The UN is one of his major tools to do so. I do not care to hear any more about how wrong the teachings I believe in are. So if all you can do is tell me how wrong I have been to believe it, I don't think we have anything more to talk about.
Sincerely, XXXX
I replied; XXXX - Thank you for at least acknowledging my email. As I stated, my reasons for leaving were based on my conscience. I have no desire to interrupt your acceptance of the teachings of Jehovah's witnesses. This has been a troubling time for us, Al. Everything we thought was constant proved not to be. All that we believed was found wanting. We have been lied to, lied about, slandered, defamed, ridiculed, ignored, shunned, treated insolently. I find it troubling to see the 'friends' recoil from us as if we have become rabid, in spite of not even having a conversation with us to determine our thinking. All of that maltreatment has come because we excercised our conscience and left what we found to be unacceptable. I was never so insecure in my faith as they are. We have never been rebuked, reprimanded, reproved, counselled, or even advised by the elders! We have not been disfellowshipped, nor have we disassociated ourselves. Odd, how we can go to thousands of doors and criticize everything those people believe, but if someone criticizes our faith [even by just leaving without a word] - we cannot tolerate that. As if the 'truth' cannot stand up to honest scrutiny. If you can prove that I have accepted a 'false witness' in anything, please do so. It would seem to be your Christian duty to do that, and any proof that I have it wrong would be accepted. Your decision to investigate or not, is your desicion. It seems as though, from a witness perspective, that I need to be 'snatched from the fire' - how can one do that by just breaking off a friendship? Yet that seems to be all witnesses know to do - run away, avoid facts and reality, and label those who leave as 'wicked slaves'. I hope I did not describe you. But I certainly described every other witness I have known. Where is this Christian concern for the 'sheep fallen in the pit', if that is what they all believe we have done? Every friend we thought we had - was not! This action toward us has been deliberate and hateful to extreme. I can find no Christian spirit in it at all. As bad as that treatment has been - it is not the reason we left, but a very convincing reason to not return. John 13:34,35; 2 Corinthians 10:18 Do you honesty think I sacrificed everyone and everything that was dear to me for foolish and weak acceptance of ill-gotten 'facts' and premisees? I hope that 30 years of friendship would convince you that I am not going to cast off the religion that I practiced and taught others as absolute truth, over a whim! No. I cried absolute buckets, prayed for months on end about the matter, read and reread the Bible, consulted Watchtower publications back to the 1800's. I detail none of those discoveries here, out of consideration for your request that I not attack your faith. I seek not to tear down what you accept as truth. But I had to do as we have been told - investigate. And I had to accept the result of that investigation. The Father would not wish us to believe ignorantly, would he? The UN deal was a small part of the overall issues involved. It was not intended to 'trip you up'. I mentioned it due to the fact that it is publicly accessible and verifiiable.
If you chose to call our friendship 'null and void' - then I guess so be it. Just know that I love you dearly and would not have so lightly done so if the tables were turned. If you told me that the 'truth' is not the 'truth', I would work diligently to convince you otherwise. Not just walk away. After all - is not my life and yours involved in how we react to these matters at hand? Will not God hold us accountable ? Is it lesser important to 'save' those one the outside, than to aid those who are leaving? How real is our friendship if we react to those who disagree with dismissal? If the premises I have or you have are based on fantasy or ill-gotten reason, they would disintegrate with a little pressure. But if they are solid, nothing could destroy a faith like that one. Just a thought. Your Friend without condition - Jeff