Do you recall your "point of no return"?

by JH 49 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  zensim

  I think there were a few key events but the one that really started it off for me was when my parents divorced. My Father got re-married (to another ex-jw) and they were promptly disfellowshipped.

  What really did it for me though was no one (including family, siblings - still to this day) would speak to my Father. Yet in most of the divorce proceedings he was acting magnanimously towards my Mother, holding to a Christian attitude. Whilst my Mother, who was acting psycho, bitter and twisted (incl lying) - and acting in the most un-Christian manner - was still not only accepted by the Witnesses, but they took her side completely. Because of course my Father was 'wrong' by simple virtue of being disfellowshipped!
• 

  JH

  In my case I would say that my point of no return was a combination of events, such as lack of true love, shunning people who were even nicer than they were, pushing back the end all the time, but mostly when they changed the rules of the game in 1995 and redefined what a generation was. All of a sudden, my eyes opened and I knew they were buying time, once more.

  Oh and the blood policy and UN thing.......Can't forget that.
• 

  Jeffro

  When I was about 8 sitting in a JW 'religion instruction' class at school, and we were asked what [wild] animal we'd like to have as a pet in the New System™. I thought, "You've got to be kidding, are these people for real?" Even from that point, I was never fully convinced that it was the Truth™. But for a while (too long), I still thought it 'might' be true (Pascal's wager). In my mid-20s I decided I wasn't doing enough personal study, so I started to do some research (only using JW publications) on things like 607, and the whole thing came unravelled. I know with 100% certainty that they don't have the Truth™, so there is no risk that I will return to it.
• 

  LovesDubs

  - Major league hypocrisy by those "princes" and their nasty-ass "princes wives" who lorded it over everybody.

  - Prejudice....alive and well in Gods Little Perfect Kingdom Halls. Black brothers in white congregations treated like shit.

  - Elder has affair with vulnerable pioneer sister he is "counseling" about her marriage. They get caught in a motel.

  - Ministerial servant secretly marries worldly woman less than a week after his studying wife dies of heart failure and the elders ALL KNEW HE REMARRIED and told no one. He remained an MS and in good standing.

  - Change of the generation definition yet AGAIN in 1994..Plan C or D or M or whatever for the losers in Brooklyn

  - Brother in "good standing" online in S&M sites, cheating on his wife half a dozen times, caught absolutely dead in the act and still in good standing

  - 38 year old perfect pioneer sister has affair with 18 year old house guest, deserts her 15 year old son and husband and runs off with him...pretends to go to pioneer school with the 18 year old, gets caught in a motel, gets DFd, gets divorced, marries the 18 year old, 6 months later they are BOTH reinstated and all is forgiven???

  - PO is drunk again on a Sunday morning and the other elders lean him up against the back wall and tell people he has "back problems"

  ....shit I could go ON and ON and ON....but then I found Freeminds. and saw CofC and that nailed it.
• 

  Fleshybirdfodder

  So many.... But it was an article warning about the dangers of hobbies that made a little voice in my head say, "you might belong to a cult if..."

  FBF
• 

  fifi40

  Mindless fallouts between elders within the congregation, where they literally didnt talk to each other for months. Didnt sit right with the teaching about knowing Gods people by the love they have amongst themselves.

  Being aware of severe nepitism within the congregation and be told 'not to worry my pretty little head about it'.

  Realising that this is what I had been given from birth and that didnt actually make it right...........................

  Oh and finally committing adultery.............that was a bit of a 'there's no turning back now' moment for me.

  Fi
• 

  becca1

  Last summer when I found out about the UN/ngo thing. Once I researched it I saw the WT for the sham it really is. I was then able to allow all the other nagging doubts I had had to surface.
• 

  stillajwexelder

  disfellowshipping somebody who did not deserve it because I was ""told"" suggested well you come to your own decision brothers hinted at --- to by the WTS
• 

  zarco

  It was earlier today when a kind person explained something I had not allowed myself to think about – that Jesus is my savior, redeemer, High Priest and King , Eternal Father, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:4-7) and yet I cannot speak to him (according to the WT)

  He asked me, “Can you have a personal relationship with someone with whom you cannot communicate” – the kind person continued to reason with me that I can communicate to Jehovah, to the Governing Body and to any Brothers in positions of responsibility from Elders to Branch overseers, but that I cannot remain a witness and communicate freely with Jesus.

  He also referenced several biblical examples regarding the real relationship a Christian can and should have with Jesus personally.

  I don’t know where this will all lead, but thanks so much Auldsoul!

  With appreciation and respect,

  zarco
• 

  minimus

  ZARCO, I was very interested to see your response here. I'm very proud of you! Good job too, Auld Soul!