A nice grouping of stories regarding our time in and exit from the borg would aid all the newcomers here.
How about a paragraph or two [the condensed versions] of how we all found ourselves here today?
Jeff
To Benefit the Lurkers and Newbies - tell your story again!!
by AK - Jeff 17 Replies latest jw friends
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south african beef
Click on my profile for my story.
SAB -
The wanderer
Dear Jeff:
Great idea! My main reason for leaving the Watchtower
Bible and Tract Society was due to the United Nations
and Watchtower involvement.
Although, there were many "signals" through-out the
years, when the information came out regarding the
NGO-DPI affilation, it spelled the end of being a
true believer.
Respectfully,
The Wanderer -
fullofdoubtnow
My story is on my profile as well.
Linda
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jaguarbass
Click on my profile.
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Thegoodgirl
Okay, here is The Good Girl's story:
I was raised a JW since toddlerhood. Grew up being the shining star JW daughter of a single pioneering mom. Was auxillary pioneering in summers, and over winter break. But since age 13, I had doubts that God existed. I would try to supress them. Eventually it was all I could think about. I went ahead and got baptized anyway at age 14, at the urging of the elders and my mom.
Finally I tearfully admitted my doubts to my mom at maybe age 15. I was really depressed throughout high school. I would try to actively be a perfect JW, but inside I really doubted. My mom was big on telling on our friends, and would teach us to feel extremely guilty about ourselves. So of course I didn't have many friends in the congregation (I was too "good") or outside (of course no associations with worldlings).
The cure for my doubts was to study the "Creation" book with my mom from cover to cover. I did, and I still had doubts. So the elders had me study the "Creation" book for a second time with another pioneer sister in the hall. About halfway through, she told the elders it wasn't working, I just was determined to beleive in evolution. The elders met with me and told me I needed to learn how to be logical. They also suggested cleaning out my closet of anything that was handed down to me from someone else--MAYBE THERE WERE DEMONS IN THE HOUSE. (Gotta love those thorough elders.)
So I got a 100% scholarship to any college in the state. I chose our local community college, like a "Good Girl" and finished a two-year degree. By that time several events had happened to help boost me out the door in my decision to leave the JWs:
1. My little sister was DF'd, and there was no way I was shunning her.
2. A guy in the congregation who had a crush on me killed himself a few months after I turned him down. He had told me that he would never love another girl. I couldn't take seeing his mother three times a week at the meetings.
3. My dad got into rehab for alcoholism, and the rehab was working. He was able to help me find ways to get housing scholarships so that I could move out and go to a university in another town (he's not a JW.)
4. I had enough, and things just became clearer to me over the year that I really didn't beleive in the JW ideas. It was a bunch of baloney. I also had the emotional support of my beloved late grandparents who were always fully supportive of higher education.
So I finally got that housing scholarship and moved 4 hours away to another town. Went to one new meeting to make sure my publisher cards got there, and then never went back.
Moved again six months later to change universities (academic decision) so they really lost track of me. Dated a bit, got married, moved far far away from my home state, and now live JW-free with contact with all family members, though we are often "walking on eggshells" in conversation. And then I found ex-JWs online and the rest is history!!! I am living happily ever after.
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Warlock
Profile.
Warlock
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rwagoner
Bio/Story is on my profile....
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mama1119
I never really "made the truth my own" even though I was raised in it. It never felt right to me. I was eventually DF about 4 years ago. I tried for two years to get reinstated, during which time my eyes were opened to the lack of love in the org. I also started doing alot of research on the dubs, which lead me to the conclusion it was not the truth. My family also followed suit, and now we are all out.
Is that brief enough??