by White Dove 9 Replies latest jw experiences
I'm wondering what the stats are on re-activated JW's staying in or leaving the second time around. I left twice for a couple of months the first time and a year the second time, but finally left for good the third time.
I just found out that my neighbors are JW's but have been out for a while. The JW's in our area just came by and re-activated them. I'm wondering how many times it takes to quit before one quits permanently.
I dont think there are actual statistics on that...but I have to think the odds are NOT in their favor for staying permanently. Most people I know who left or were kicked out, had enough exposure to REAL LIVING that when they go back or get back in...its never the same again.
And they ARENT widely received with the same kind of "love" they had. They wear a scarlet letter. Who would want to get back into that cage except to maybe see family? Even then...it eats you.
My aunt just started going again. We just had this surreal conv. the other day where she told me she was now re-instated, well, not really re-instated, because she had never been disfellowshipped. She went on to say how we both KNEW she really WAS disfellowshipped, even if the congregation didn't do it(???). Well, she did, while involved with the JWs, get into drinking, drugs and god knows what else, and took nearly 30 years to get her life back on track. And so the first thing she thinks she needs to do is re hook up with the JWs. Apparently she wasn't paying attention to the fact that it was while involved with them that she lost her husband, kids and entire life. Ugh. Now she got her NEW(3rd) husband, a perfectly nice guy, involved with them. I wanted to puke the other day at her home when she started giving the "I'm now a JW and I won't be doing Christmas, but you know that a gift from someone who loves you and wants to give you a gift means a lot more than one they have to give you at a holiday. . . " speech to her baffled son in law. She means well and she is trying so hard, and I am so glad she got out of the life she was in-but I am pretty certain that after getting her life in order, she will fall prey to the misery of JWism all over again and go back to substance abuse. The thing is, she got out of that lifestyle because SHE wanted to, not because of the good influence of the JWs. Now she is going to push away all her kids who are not interested in it. I could see it starting at the family gathering.
Anyway, I wanted to yell-I don't give gifts to anyone if I don't want to! And I have always felt free to give gifts whenever I darn well please! Who the heck are you(and every JW!) to questioning the motivations of me or any other gift giver?
My wife showed me the other day some experiences (from WT literature of course, where else?) that some reinstated persons said that how happy they are to be with Jehovah's people again, and how caring and loving arrangement from God is the disfellowshipping. I just don't know what to say - the GB could contrive an argument to kill your own child, and most of these brain washed people would think it's a loving arrangement
At the same time our congregation has about 10 or more DFd person, none of them ever came back, or misses the congregation. But I guess they are just "weak"...
I remember what it was like, and I miss it about as much as I miss having my parents ordering me around and finding ways to make everything I did look crappy (and they were not even witlesses--I can only imagine how much worse it would have been had the witlesses been in that area when I was in their midst). For sure, I would not want to go back or get dragged back--within a few months, I would miss my rap music, my "sun worship" decorations, the freedom to believe in evolution, the Internet (including these apostate boards), and my free time.
Even if they did manage to drag me back, there is no way I would ever get sick on the Christmas decorations or music. There is no way fornication would make me sick, either. I go into a territory where 50 Cent is playing, and I will enjoy it instead of getting the headache on it. And I cannot endorse a viewpoint that is not only immoral, but is not even in the Bible (as being the correct Bible viewpoint). As for the never-ending story about the world coming to a quick end, I have heard it all before--and know that it has been going on since the 1830s and 1840s.
I was in for 10 years ...out for 11 years but still believed, then in for 6 years and woke up, now I've been out for 2 1/2 years and will never go back because I now know it's bullshit.
Same for me after being there for almost 10 years off 4 back 3, then out again, you can not fit in anymore, first of all because you know its not the truth and second the way you are treated. Even re-intergrated in the congragation they will always see you in some bad way.
I've been flitting in and out for years. I hope this time it is for good.
I just found out that my neighbors are JW's
Time to move house? or just put a nice picture of a Smurf on your front door??
They might not have any friends outside the cult.
Invite them over for a BBQ.
Cheers
Chris
