How long did your exit process take? (page 2)

daystar

Raised in. Was never baptized. One day I was actively attending, the next I wasn't. Done.

I am also done trying to get elders/ CO to discuss doctrinal problems.
They had their chances and they only put up a defense wall.
"We know it's the truth, those things will work out."
"You have to have faith." (A few others)

It's like trying to teach the other driver something by yelling out the
window at him, they just think YOU are the bad driver, don't bother.

If I did have discussions with elders, eventually, the CO would encourage
them to use whatever I say to DF me. From now on, (I learned this mainly
from garybuss) when they ask if I still have doubts, I will say "No, I agree with
the WT." Nothing more.

Sunspot

It was subtle at first....finding a forum like this one and never thinking I was going to be talking to "those dreaded apostates"....and tried to defend my faith which I discovered could not BE defended at all. Certain horrible realizations were creeping in and I could not dismiss them any more.

Having others show me all the lies and coverups I never knew about, was such a shock, and with personal observations of what I could see for myself were NOT what the WTS was nor claimed to BE....I mentally left in late July and wrote my official DA letter in early October...when I was very VERY sure of what I was doing and why.

esw1966

I was in for 30 years, ages 9 to 39. I was disfellowshipped about a year and a half ago. I left still firmly believing jw's had the truth.

I searched to know what is right and wrong in life and religion and myself. I left any religious meetings for 6 months. I read books that were interesting to me about religion during that time. Crisis of Conscience, Awakening of a Jehovah's Witness.

Then I started to listen to podcasts of religious meetings. I wanted to see what people believed. It was easy to see what was good or bad.

Soon I began visiting churches. I LOVE my church now! It is Cornwall Church and Christ the King in Bellingham, Washington. You can listen on iTunes.

Now I do camera work and go to men's breakfast clubs and love every minute!

So, for me, about a year and a half. I now have joy and my life is filled with love. I have never been happier. Keep searching and never give up. Gain friends who understand what you are going through. It will help when you have questions. Seek truth, it is out there!

Ethan

StillGroggy

Thanks ethan! You're experience is encouraging. I'm listening to the cornwall soundfile now. Pretty good, a does of reality!

PoppyR

Just noticed that I have been on this forum almost a year (in 11 days time!) And that day was the first time I had real doubts that the troof was not really the truth! I had already started missing meetings, 30 October was my last one, after that I never put in another report, I had one elders visit, which I feel was obligatory, I fobbed them off saying I had doubts and needed to work through things.

It took me about 3 or 4 months to really believe that I had been wrong for 36 years. another couple to not shiver when people mentioned Armageddon. Nowadays I just roll my eyes and cannot believe I believed it.

I think I'm almost there, I'm in a bit of a delicate situation with a divorce from my JW husband, but if I can get through the next few months I think my fade will have been sucessful, of course I have learned from the forum that at any point I could be DFed, but I feel the elders need to be feeling vindictive, or I need to be causing problems for this to happen now.

Of course if you want to DA.. it can be done in a week! I sometimes envy that freedom, but love and want my family too much to do it at present.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Poppy xx

greendawn

I became inactive after one year and DAed after another seven years after I became sure that they weren't the true religion as they claimed but just impostors.

AK - Jeff

Wifey ordered CoC and ISoCF about three years ago this month. By January of 2004 I had read them and knew I would not ever go back.

I turned in my DA letter today after pressure to go to a JC meeting. I am pretty well healed now.

It is a process my friend, not a moment.

Welcome.

Jeff

Honesty

Never did I think that Kent's, MacH's and Zev's initial exposure, followed by me getting that 2001 facsimile from Hoffel, followed by getting and scanning all those DPI annual books and then followed by Mad Apostate exposing the 1991 and 1976 WT article would have created such an uproar.
hawk

Well it did cause quite an uproar, thank God.

Thegoodgirl

Since my first doubts to stopping meeting attendance: 8 years. But I was a minor 5 of those years.

How long did your exit process take?