by ballistic 19 Replies latest jw friends
When I was DF, I actually wanted to return which isn't suprising when you look at their brain washing: * http://www.escapefromwatchtower.com/mind.html
I think it took me a couple of years to fully get over it and now the scripture "like a dog returning to it's vomit" comes to mind.
I gather some people here came to their senses while still in the org. Did anyone actually find it easy to leave?
I was too far out... and not waving but drowning - Stevie Smith
Well, no - I don't think it is easy. I must say I don't even have the strength to DA myself. I now avoid the topic all together with my family. A
Anyone who says it is easy has nothing/nobody to loose. If my parents were not around, I could quit and walk away VERY easily without a single feeling of doubt. But in the begining it was very tough just to admit and realize I was lied to all of my life.
i think the hardest thing for me to do was to build up the courage to walk away, i knew i didn't want to be a dub because i didn't agree with some of the beliefs, but at the same time i didn't want to stop hanging out with a few of dubs who were good friends, or so i thought i the time. . . .but once i walked out i never looked back. . .
dc
Im with Moe on this one. The only reason I haven't left yet is because of my parents. But I think that I wouldn't even be concidering leaving if it wasn't for my bro. Not only because he helped open my eyes, but I know that when I do leave, I'll have someone who will still love me.
Just by coincidence, the subject came upon another jw message board, with someone thinking of "going back" after their jw father died. Although it took me a long time to give it up, I guess there is a kind of "moment of realisation" or "point of no return" when it comes to leaving.
Ballistic, when I got df'd at 19, I was desparate to make it back in.
I had no friends outside of the KH, and since I was pregnant I didn't really have much chance of making any new friends. I was focused on getting everything ready for my child.
In retrospect, I wish I had been the person I am today. I would have told them all to kiss my grits. When you are lifelong 'friends' with people and then one day they don't even acknowledge your existence, man oh man. That's about as unChristian as you can get. Especially when you have acknowledged time and again that you made a mistake and are repentant.
When I walked away at 30, (I was reinstated before my daughter was born), I did it not giving one hoot what anyone thought of me. So this time, it was easy. I saw the WBTS for the sham organization it really is.
Lisa
I DA'd myself. It's a year now from the day the final process of my leaving becan. In January this year I sent my DA letter and was out of the JW's after seven years of involvement. In my case it was relatively easy to leave, just as MrMoe hinted, because none of my parents or relatives is a JW nor has ever been. On top of that I'm single and I didn't manage to bring anybody in the so called truth and I also had many stable friendships outside the Borg. I'm already on my feets and am helping others to survive after the JWism. It seems that my conversion to JW religion was a very superficial one after all and that's why I didn't take very long to shrug it off. Thank God.
L.
Once I decided to leave, it was the easiest thing I ever did. It was the years of wondering and inwardly debating that were torturous. It was the only time in my life that I was truly depressed. Once I walked out of my last meeting, on the drive home it was like: "I'm FREE!! I'm FREE!!!". It was like I could BREATHE for the first time. I just walked away. I did not get DF'd. The only thing that has kept me from making anything official is my mom. As I've said before, she has no retirement, no health benefits, she's older, alone, etc. I couldn't bear it if she thought she couldn't call me, or had to shun me. She is not a "good witness" just a simple, faithful sister (a "widow" by WTBTS standards). Once my elder dad disfellowshipped himself, she was nothing in org eyes. So, hard? No, and yes. I just want my mom, FULLY in my life.
My two cents,
B :)
Thanks for those, I just feel so lucky I got out, in effect, by being disfellowshipped.
I guess there are only 2 lucky moments in my life, when I won the sperm race against a million others, and when I somehow got disfellowshipped which made me come to my senses.
One thing... I prayed to God for help, I earnestly prayed for guidance as to what was wrong in my life, and weeks later I was disfellowshipped. I guess I should start praying again in order to thank God!
Hi Ballistic: I arrived at my conclusion that the WTS is false over a 3 year period. About 9 months before I left, I made the decision to leave, and get my family out. Once I could see that they were leaving, it became very easy. I had no other ties, except for a few friends who I hoped would stay in contact. Some few did for a while, but then started shunning me.
The difficulty started more after I left. That is, the JWs started false gossip about me, and I had several events where they made my life more difficult. Also, some of the problems have been the result of realizing just how deep and extensive the religion is a fraud and caused harm on many more levels then I previously believed. - Amazing
