Made contact with an old friend

recovering

Last night I made contact with A JW that was very special in my life at one time. When my father died (I was still a child of 12) He and his wife where the only ones to take an interest in me and my younger brother. They where exceptionally good to us. My friend was a MS. Over the years we lost contact with each other. I finally found him by doing an internet search. He is no longer a witness and is bitter about some of their practices. He still believes in the bible, but is opposed to the unforgiving dogma of the WBTS. He related tragic news to me. His best friend and a MS committed suicide due to the pressure of being a witness. My friend and I had a long discussion about how religion should be where you turn in times of crisis. How sad the jws have missed this completely. Instead of soothing the troubled spirit of their members, they add stress and heartache to them. Does not the bible say in Jeremiah that god would be our refuge in times of trouble?

19( AE ) O LORD, my strength and my stronghold,
(AF) my refuge in the day of trouble,

The witness hierarchy has a lot to answer for.

OnTheWayOut

At least it's great to hear that someone special from childhood got out of it, too.

Thanks for sharing.

Scarred for life

Recovering:

Thanks for sharing. I'm sorry about your old friend's friend. I, too, am bitter about a lot of things about my upbringing as a JW and the effects it has had on my family. I'm surprised there's not more suicides.

Quandry

Was your old friend totally surprised that you are no longer a JW? How about his wife? Is she still in?

How nice for both of you to have each other again!!

Perry

The witness hierarchy has a lot to answer for.

Yes they do.

There is no darkness , nor shadow of death , where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves - Job 34: 22

truthsetsonefree

Your reunion with an old friend gives me hope to reunite with some of mine. Thanks for sharing.

Isaac Carmignani

WuzLovesDubs

There is hope....I wish there still was a registry for us to find each other out there. Like the one Randy used to have. I did find someone on that list who was ostracized and demonized to the point where when I became a JW he was urban legend in the hall. He turned out to be one of the sweetest people I ever met.

Very cool that you reconnected. I hope you keep in touch.