My Mom and Dad want to turn letters in really bad, but they have 3 die hard dubs working for them, that have been for years and years. They make my parents $$$, and if they DA'd they would all be out of there in a flash, and leave my parents in a real pickle, so they are trying to stick it out until an alternative reveals itself. But I think they need the closure.
I will be turning in my resignation today.
by AK - Jeff 54 Replies latest jw experiences
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AK - Jeff
Thanx all for the support. This decision has been an easy one - just the implementation was hard to find the right time for. I knew there was no reform possible, it was just a matter of time before I had to put that in writing and hand in my resignation.
Well - t-minus 11 minutes. So I best go. I may be a bit 'fashionably late' in this case. I want the anxiety to be on that side of the coin. Haha.
I had, interestingly enough, decided that January 1st would be the date I would submit this letter, as that marks 3 years since our exit with no return. Almost made the date without force.
If anything interesting is said - I will let you know in about an hour or so.
Jeff
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IronClaw
By all means, let us know how it goes.
Good Luck, The Claw
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OnTheWayOut
Power to you, Jeff
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Legolas
Congrats Jeff!
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Sassy
Your real life is just beginning....
This is a big step but they get much easier after and you will never regret it.
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esw1966
Congratulations Jeff!
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AK - Jeff
"It has been accomplished" - seems like a fitting statement.
My dialog in bold.
Kevin was waiting - sipping a coffee. I went to the counter, ordered one and sat down.
There was no interrogation, we just chatted for maybe 15 minutes about family, the weather, the kids, etc. Then the conversation took a serious tone [initiated by me], as I slid the folder with my Letter of Disassociation within to his side of the table. I told him, in effect, "Look, Kevin, you have known me for many, many years." He nods affirmatively, with a little nervous smile.
"I hope you know that I would not be doing this without real cause. I would not, could not, cast 40 years of my life away without real reasons for such a decision" Again he nods.
" I became aware of matters that were so tramautizing, and so immoral, so as to be unable to come to any other decision." No nod this time.
" I marked knowing these things as three years this coming January, and would have most likely been submitting this letter on that anniversary or thereabouts. It took me three years, and buckets of tears, to get to this point. But with the 'certified letter', there was no point in any charades. I had things to 'get in order' before I did so, and they are in order now. " I did not hint as to what those matters were, but when some of the congregation show up with the same letter in hand he may get the clue.
He said "I was trying to add that up, and I had thought that maybe it was about that long. Well, know that many tears were shed on this side too. You were very dearly loved by many, including the elders here"
"Well, some of them I do not care for, but that is just personality I suppose. But know that this decision is not based on 'imperfection' of the locals. This goes right to the top of an organization that claims to be specially selected by Christ in 1919, and I can prove they were not. Nonetheless, that is not addressed here, as it would take far more space than 5 pages. What is addressed is ethics and morals and religious character that I could not ignore. This letter makes that whole thing easier for me. You guys already had me drawn and quartered before I ever would walk into that JC meeting anyway." He nodded, knowing he might as well be honest this final time we would speak as friends.
"Kevin, I just ask one thing - read it! Read it carefully and completely. There is a reason that this letter is 5 pages, instead of the 50 pages it could have been. For in that case I know it would have gone unread. This edited version is not a Watchtower slamming exercise, though you men may think it is. It is about reality, integrity, and ethics." "I know that if I had been sitting on that side of this table five years ago, I would be likely to dismiss anything I said or wrote as mere attacks without basis. You know me. I didn't leave 40 years of my life on the table without cause. Please read it, before you file it." He nodded again.
" I did the only thing a man of integrity could do once I knew these things. I exited your Kingdom Hall with no intention of ever returning. And I never will, my friend"
Somehow the conversation turned off topic for a moment, and I told him I had read his tract. I mentioned I had read it several months ago, before he did. He looked surprised. I said "the internet"."There is not much that happens in your religion that I don't know about before you do. I have a copy of it on my desk at home."
"I noticed when I read it that on page three, in spite of the pictoral image of the scarlet beast and the harlot, there was no mention of the UN directly there. I found that odd."
He looked a little puzzled, offered that he "had noticed that also, and that both were depicted in the 10 horns [the nations] and the beast [the UN], and that this may offer a bit of understanding as to why"
I said " Well, if I was printing a tract to warn the world of the destruction of religion by the hand of the UN, and expected this could be a final warning of sorts, I would spell it out very clearly who was whom in the prophecy. A footnote to reference the 'Revelation Climax book is of no interest or import to a reader of the tract wishing to escape destruction " I pointed to the folder and stated that the reason might be in there. He had not opened the folder, and looked a little quizical at that statement. I hope he was.
"When will the announcement be made? Thursday?"
He stated that it would be likely made Thursday, that in the case of DA letters all that had to be done was confirmation that the letter was definate in it's intent.
I told him it was definate, and that he would have no trouble determining that.
He stated "Now if you ever elect to return, understand that I will hold the door open"
I told him I knew that, and appreciated it, though it would never become necessary. I shook his hand, we stood, I hugged him, told him I loved him as my long time friend. He said the same. As we passed out the door of the restuarant, he looked at the overcast sky, and stated "Good day for a cup of hot coffee, isn't it?" My last words to him "Yes it is".
Most likely the final conversation with a long time friend, yet I feel no sadness in it, just a bit meloncholy.
I hope he reads it, before he files it.
Jeff
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candidlynuts
of course its a melancholy situation. sounds like it went as well as could be expected..it surely could have gone worse!!
thanks for sharing your experience jeff..cuz many of us (myself included) may be doing this too eventually and it helps to read about how others do it.
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daystar
{{{Jeff}}}