How many left the JW cult after.....

by AK - Jeff 46 Replies latest jw friends

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  david_10

  It depends on how you look at it. I attended my last meeting in 1987, at the age of 35. But I didn't exactly leave at that time. I just quit going to meetings and out in service. I still thought it was the Truth, I knew it was the Truth, but in my heart, I also knew I wasn't good enough and that Jehovah didn't want me. I remember praying to Jehovah and telling him: "You can kill me now or you can kill me later, but I can't do it anymore." And that's when I quit. For over 10 years, I groped and stuggled, fought depression, sometimes suicidal depression, and in general wasted a lot of years and a lot time feeling guilty. What was the turning point? The internet. My daughter got a computer and she typed in "Jehovah's Witnesses", and she told me that I really need to read some of the things she found. God Bless the Internet. It led me to Freeminds, Ray Franz & COC, jehovah's-witness.com and it was like a veil being lifted from eyes. Everything became so clear.

  God Bless the Internet.

  David
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  tazmaniac

  I was 41 when I was Df'ed. It has been 4 years. I still miss the comeraderie but have found many new friends I never would have if I was still "in". When I first left I had very vivid dreams of being annihilated by lightening at armageddon. I still had doubts like.. maybe it is the truth but these issues are much like Korah brought up against Moses. Slowly the veil has been lifted. I am happy and free.
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  These3Words

  I woke up in a drug rehab when I was 17. Not one Elder,not one brother or sister called to see how I was doing.I spent years in active service with those people and they dropped me like a brick.Even my own family shunned me. To make it worse they anounced in the hall not to asociate with me.WOW!! what a brotherhood, what a comrodery.I woke up during those 30 days, I saw the ORG for what they really were.JWs are all out for themselves, if it helps them get to paradise they with do it, but if its contrary to the governing bodys plan then forget about it.
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  AK - Jeff

  Had no idea this thread was still around - forgot I started it.

  For me it was a 'series' of discoveries over the better part of a decade I think.

  • No 'brotherly love'
  • Changing doctrine
  • Total lack of scriptural backing for so many things
  • Hatefulness of the Df'ing program
  • Worship of the higher powers - DO's CO's at el
  • Constant insistance that Korah pictured anyone who thought and that Moses pictured the GB - to me Jesus was pictured by Moses

  So much more - I can't point to a date clearly that I knew things were wrong - but I can point to the one when I left - January 2004. I could never go back to the Lies.

  Jeff
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  Wasanelder Once

  Left mentally right about 40, though doubts from 29 on. Left physically a year ago. In fact I had doubts from 16 on, just held fast due to guilt, shall we say? The bulb came on when I was 35 and Its been down hill ever since, for them. For me its been the best thing that ever happened. All the bOrg years were instructive. I can live on nothing and be satisfied. But, now I really enjoy all those gadgets that Satan throws our way so we dont go to meetings or enjoy the repetition of the meetings where we hear the good Snews, again and again and again and again and again and again and again....

  W.Once
• 

  Sunnygal41

  Constant insistance that Korah pictured anyone who thought and that Moses pictured the GB - to me Jesus was pictured by Moses

  Jeff, that's a good point you made..........this was very irritating to me, also.......I am a thinker.......there was alot in scripture that pissed me off........remember the whole "Miriam" account? And, the one you mentioned above.......and, the scripture in Acts where it talks about God choosing the humble and the weak, not the educated, etc........the way it was twisted by the local group to control anyone with half a brain and an active intelligence.......and dared to read other things besides the literature.......I loved reading, loved learning new things........could not understand why God would condemn someone for being intelligent..........those thoughts, coupled with the subtle and not so subtle put downs from certain ones in the congregation when I chose to use words other than an elementary school child would use........in fact, the whole put down of the female gender in the organization.........the way they kept changing the understanding of 1914 from what I had first been taught in the "Truth" book.......
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  anglise

  Hi Jeff

  what a good thread this is.

  Self and other half left in our mid 40's after nearly 20 years.

  With more information and hindsight you do feel very stupid for believing for all that time.

  Try explaining to someone who isnt religious how you really thought you could live forever!!

  Hope this thread helps any who are lurking on the edge.

  Anglise