How were you treated?

snarf

When you were in the org. how did your non-believeing relatives treat you? My relatives got very distant from me, probably cause all I would talk about was "truth" and try and hand out mags. I feel extremely blessed that when I did decide to leave they ALL welcomed me back with open arms. It is very sad, the time I lost with some though. But, on the flip side, very blessed to have such a loving family.

Balsam

My mother got really pissed with me for becoming a JW, but then joined up so she would not lose me. Bless her she was alway fully of witty comments like; "Ole stuffed shirt Elder Nose in the air gives a terrible talk". I hurt my brother and sister with that nonsense but they were so glad when I came out of that religion. My sister especially. She is dead now but I still feel her love and and welcoming attitude when I walked away. They all forgave me for the nonsense.

Finally-Free

When I joined the JWs my family became more distant, but that was mostly because I was pushing them away. I didn't want to be close to people who would die at armageddon. When I left the JWs my family also accepted me back with open arms, and they haven't said a single reproachful word to me about the 20 years I spent behaving like an asshole. They were just glad to get me back.

W

rekless

snarf, hi. They did not withdraw from you. You withdrew from them just as I made life very difficult for my unbelieving family to even like me. I became so obnoxious while being an absolute AH. I walked away from a boy-hood friend. It is amazing how unbelievers will re-accept you when you leave the org. have a good one. dan

littlerockguy

My family treated me fine. A lot of my family that were non-JWs actually believed but just didn't want to do anything about it or change their lives to conform to the WTS standards. They did not dred to see me turn into their driveway to visit because I was never the type to shove my own beliefs down anybody else's throats. If they brought up a topic or whatever, I would discuss that topic but I would always to witness by my actions and set an example instead of paying lip service.

greendawn

Generally OK some were critical (why did you join those monsters) and they may have seen me as eccentric to join the dubs later I could see that they were right in this, the WTS is an eccentric org. and it wasn't satan's influence and malicious accusations against jehovah's org but it was the truth.

Dune

I have a very nasty family. Becoming a witness just gave them another thing to down me about.

Tez

Those I cared about treated me fine, my ex mother in law, went to great lengths to conform with the no b/days, no Xmas thing. When I left she was really upset to get a Xmas card from me, think she was totally confused. One of my aunts was really pleased to know I had finally left, she told me she always thought I was brain washed anyhow! Also I found out that when my second son left (he was the first to leave) his grandad cheered! (Grandad is a Methodist Lay preacher, and always advised us to get jobs as Church ministers because it paid well!).

Low-Key Lysmith

Sadly enough, being from Utah, all of my family members who weren't JW were Mormons. When I was ousted from the JWs, the Mormons thought it would be a fine time to try to ease me on into Latter Day Saintdom. Out of the frying pan into the fire. I got no real support from any of them.

-Breck

How were you treated?

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