Hello everybody I just discovered this site a few days ago and am now formaly introducing my self.
I am 23 years old, I was born and raised in the truth, then about 2 1/2 ears ago I got discfellowshiped. I didn't know anything else besides the truth. I was engaged,and my whole family are witnesses, and when I say my whole family I realy mean my whole family. To this day no one person in my family will talk to me even if its a death in the family I usualy find out through a freind of mine who is still a JW and is kind enough to let me know. Anyway when the elders told me that I was going to be discfellowshiped I cried & begged them to reconsider, but they told me that, " If one thing is certain Jeff it's that you will do what you want no matter what happens tonite. Now you'll live life out from under Jehovahs sheild and then we will see what you want". Well I still made my meetings for a while, and then I moved to another town and just didn't feel like going any more, so I stoped. Then I got tired of be home alone all the time so I got off my ass and started finding things to ocupy my time. I met a couple of people at the local college track where I go to run every day. They invited me to places and events that were going on around town . The people I have as freinds now are far more loyal not to mention enelligent and fun to be around than any of my JW freiends ever were. I'm not saying that socialising and recreation are my biggest priorities, but these freinds taught me a lesson about life. You see as JW's we were taught that if one of us has a problem it's the other persons responsibility to give him counsel and most of the time JW's idea of counsel is telling you that your not doing something rite in Jehovah's eye's. When I am having problems now the people I hangout with may know about them but they dont say aword untill I do,and it's never negative it's allways positive. All of them went to my Grand mothers funeral with me just to be there for a freind. None of my JW freinds would have ever had the balls. Not only that I got to further educate myself on the things that I imissed out on being a JW I got ahead in my career and instead of only making afigure of 30,000$ a year I've more than trippled that number. I own my own house and enjoy allof my time doing things that I want, and the key word is want to do. So I'd like to thank those brothers rite now because they were write I'm doing what I want to do. I enjoyed life before but it wasn't the same happiness. I gess its kind off like getting out of bed in the morning, ya know. When the floor freezes your feet, you'r limbs are stiff and you'r only half awake. You step into the shower and the warm water hits you and wakes you up,you feel the energey of anew day and you'r ready for anything. Thats how it feels.
I wasnt sure If I wanted to post this. Infact I probably haved typed this thing 5 times in the lat few day's.
I though that the only thing that I would have in common with any of you was once being a JW but after reading the things you discuss and say to eachother I realise I have alot in common with all of you, it's nice to know that.
so hi everybody