Not just information to help people leave, but a community on the internet

OnTheWayOut

A recent thread asked if Ray Franz's book was instrumental in people's decision to leave WTS.
Many left before the book was out, many left on their own without the book, most read it afterward and it was instrumental in their never going back. A bunch of people got their information about WTS from the internet. They were able to do a search to find out about WTS.

The internet brings so much clear evidence of WTS's problems right to people's home. I know I will google anything and find info. on it.

Forums like JWN have provided a valuable service to many. Not only has the internet provided information at people's fingertips, but it has also caused a community of former JW's to gather together.

Try to imagine how many would not have had the courage to leave WTS if they didn't have a community of others doing the same.

I have crossed over the cyber threshold and met many former JW's in person. But without the internet, that would have been hugely nearly impossible. I have traveled to NYC and met with "apostates." I have good friends from California to Maine (quite literally) from internet forums. (Not that I can't be friends with you all overseas, but the phone charges would kill me.)

Has the internet community helped you leave or has it helped you stay out of WT?

AK - Jeff

Absolutely!

This is a community - not just a place to bitch and moan [which is what the actives often accuse us].

I too have many good friends as a result of this forum. I feel very close to many of these fine people. This is one of the reasons I get upset by those who disturb my personal space with the intent of just stirring the crap. This is my neighborhood. I like the folks that live here.

As far as the internet itself goes, I guarantee that I will never go back inside a Kingdom Hall, and that realization is largely due to being able to absolutely prove the false nature of the Watchtower cult through the internet. Ray's books helped me get out, but without the internet I would never have known those books existed. The internet has reinforced everything he said.

Nice thread, J.

Jeff

leavingwt

Apostates are my favorite Worldwide Brotherhood.

Good post, OTWO.

-LWT

dissed

We left before the Web really got going strong, but it would have made that road much more easy to endure for us.

6 weeks on the Forum and I've learned more about the true nature of the JW's than when I was aboard their ship for 26 plus years.

And as crazy as some of the ideas posted seem to be. Almost all have been found true and substantiated with the help of the Web.

LockedChaos

Jerry

I left 2 years before Ray got booted

I didn't read Ray's book until 2 years ago

His books were a big help in releasing me

from the prison of cult thinking I had been

in for over 28 years after my departure

To me he is a HERO that I owe a huge

debt of gratitude to

WorldWide Brotherhood INDEED!!!

yellow

I first came upon these websites when I was d/f looking for the WT official website and i'm glad i did. Freeminds did exactly that to question my beliefs in a new and informative way I did more personal research of the bible than I ever did whilst I was in. My initial research was to prove what I was researching was wrong. Qusestioning elders proved to be futile but more and more the doubts that I had originaly suppressed became answered in looking to answers that I was given through so called apostate websites.

dinah

I came here in tears wondering why I couldn't find anyone who shared my experiences, someone who was like me. It quickly became home.

besty

massively so - I didn't even know the concept of critical thinking or rationalism existed.....so I was in shock and awe to learn about other people who felt the same way i did.....

bluecanary

I left without any outisde help. But it was nice to find info on the internet afterwards that confirms I was right to leave. And it's wonderful to find a community of people who share the past experience of being in the WTS cult--and a wide variety of present religious and non-religious beliefs.

Georgiegirl

oh gosh yes. I know I would still be mentally in, struggling with guilt and fear, without the internet and ability to do true research.

Not just information to help people leave, but a community on the internet

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