by EyesOpened 40 Replies latest jw friends
EyesOpened, I was raised in Indiana. Welcome, please stick around the forum because it's very therapeutic!
Seems like parents would stop and think: If their highly intelligent kids have left the JW's, in spite of the miserable shunning, isn't there a real good reason????
Sadly, it takes time for sunlight to pierce thru the fog. Just keep loving them. That's what I do with mine. You might even know them...
Welcome, EyesOpened. Your screen name says it all.
Hello EyesOpened!
I am fading, raised as a JW from the age of 7, baptized as a young teen and pioneered for years. My husband is an elder and is not planning on leaving the JWs. But I can never go back, after all I've learned.
This site is great, we understand what you're going through and just that is huge! Feel free to vent whenever you want!
GGG
Welcome Eyesopend,
Stick around, many of the feelings you are having we have all have to some degree or another.
Read, cry and heal here among true loving friends.
Wifey
Welcome.
Don't you love it when the elders pull out the guilt card in order to try and get you to do something. Like you said, the elders don't have any control over you. They cannot make you do anything. Why should you have to write a DA letter, unless you want to.
Take your time in finding your path. It can be confusing and at times overwhelming, but you will eventually work it out.
Peace to you and yours
Welcome, fortunately many people like you realise that the WTS is nothing but a fraud and withdraw all support they used to offer it.
The shunning policy is mainly meant to protect the authority of the GB against dissenters and critics within. And as many JWs and ex JWs know love within that org is very conditional.
Welcome to the board!
surprised at the responses so fast!
Thank you all for your comments. If it takes me abit to reply to everyone, please do not be offended - I am actually at work right now and try to take a quick peek here and there between phone calls.
To be honest, I have spent the past couple of months looking at "websites" such as freeminds and others... and I particularly have enjoyed this forum - thus my initiation today.
Bear with me as I try to disconnect emotionally and spiritually from my JW "heritage"... it's very difficult when everyone you consider friends are gone immediately... and extremely difficult when you go out and about and you run into the "friends" and they wont look you in the eye... I am acquainted with thousands of JW's throughout Indiana and Illinois - so this separation is somewhat draining on me...
More to follow - I have some good stories and experiences to share... and I continue to welcome your positive comments and good wishes...
EO
Welcome eyesopened--hope you find the support you need here.
Although my parents are not JWs, I was one throughout my teenage years; this meant I was isolated from others and did not make lifetime friendships--all my acquaintenances were JWs. It was very very difficult at first to start a new life away from them, but I'm so much happier now and at peace. I didn't do research until after being away from it for many years, and it was quite a shock to my system to learn that everything they had taught me and my sister was not Biblical but a cult and a bunch of lies.
The best thing to do is to build yourself a new support network of friends through work and hobbies. Eventually you might even feel comfortable trying out a new non-denonminational church.
Best of luck to you!
Welcome a-board.
sKally
