Ready to bail. Have been for a while.

by JustKeepLiving 33 Replies latest jw friends

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  JustKeepLiving

  Hey folks. This is my first post, and I figured I might as well tell my story and state why I'm here.

  I'm the offspring of a elder and ex-pioneer. Being so raised, I was very serious about the truth as a youngster. I got baptised pretty young, and had Bethel as a goal for a long time. Through public school, I was really closed off to worldly kids, and since our cong was almost all old folks, I was kind of an introvert. Nevertheless, I liked the org and had no problem doing what I was supposed to. However, around Junior high, I experienced my first trauma with the Way when my brother (basically my closest friend) DA'd. The elders and his cong handled it VERY badly, and essentially it was like he was DF. My parents did their best to be there for him, but even so, they were still very distant and kind of cold. Sort of the "if you just come back, this'll stop" idea. This still ticks me off, and even at the time I saw it was a raw deal for him. What happened to having love amongst ourselves, I thought?

  Later, in high school, I got a life and much needed friends. I was barely surprised to find that they were far from how my parents described worldly kids. "They'll get you doing this, that. Pressure you to do this". What? I was doing nothing I felt was wrong. Hell, the only pressures I had were coming from the cong and my parents. I was getting disilliusioned with the idea of servitude to a religion that was exerting so much control over its members, frustrating and depressing them, holding out that magic carrot. A future that was NOT coming. I had good things that were verifiable, right in front of me. Opportunities for a great life without the Truth. I made plans that didn't center on the things I'd been taught, and it felt so good to think for myself, prepare to live my own life. However, I knew that the consequences would be enormous. I'd effectively lose everything I ever knew, especially my family, including my brother who could'nt stick it out in the world and returned. This was and will be the hardest part of my decision. I love my whole family, they love me and I know it's going to be rough on all of us. But, if they choose to shun me for living my life, I will just have to carry on. As a friend of mine put it so succinctly: "You won't miss any Christmas cards from em."

  Where am I now? Just graduated, moved out, and planning a career that clashes with the org (Military related). My parents know, and despite their disappointment and hostile stance have said they'll stay in touch unless I get DF'd. That probably won't happen, as I plan to quietly move away when I get called up and never give the org a second thought. In the meantime, I go to meetings just enough to keep the elders at bay, go in service never, and basically live my social life outside the truth and as I please. I kinda feel a little hypocritical doing this, but it won't last. Soon, I'll be totally free of the religion that I now feel so alien in. The road ahead will get rocky, but I know it'll be better than what I left behind.

  I thank everbody on these boards who shares their stories. It means a lot to know you are not alone in your choice to reach for a better life.
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  steve2

  Hey welcome to the board JustKeepLiving. Looks like you've given the JW "thing" lots of thoughtful attention and come to some sound conclusions about what is going on inside the organization.

  Good on you for planning a career for yourself - it's a very healthy sign that you are well on the way to moving on. I admire your area of career. If you can survive your parents' reaction to that, you can survive anything. Sometimes the best response you can give people is to live a good and happy life. I appreciate you sharing your story.
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  Broken Promises

  Good for you!!! Well done for planning for yourself a life outside the Borg. I have been away from the Borg for 10 years, not da’d nor df’d so I can still talk to my family. You have to be careful, but it can be done.

  Good luck to you!
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  sabastious

  I literally JUST lost my older brother because he found out I was posting on this site. So I really feel for you since I love him and care about our relationship.

  I would venture to guess that leaving this Organization, as a born-in, is the hardest thing you'll ever have to do...

  But think on the bright side, you've have the hardest thing you ever had to do behind you and it will help you cope with anything in your future life. Good luck and hope to see your posts start coming on now that you have an account :)

  -Sab
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  StAnn

  JKL, going away to live your own life is the best thing you can do. When I left the Borg, I moved 600 miles away. If I'd had to do it with my family in my face, I probably couldn't have done it.

  Best of luck to you, my friend, and keep us updated on your progress.
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  sabastious

  If I'd had to do it with my family in my face, I probably couldn't have done it.

  It's gut wrenchingly hard, I am currently in the midst atm.

  -Sab
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  Jadeen

  Welcome to the board! I agree that reading other people's stories has helped me out. I realized that it's not me, it's the Witnesses.
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  Nathan Natas

  Hi, welcome to the board. I can identify with a lot of what you have to say.
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  witnessofjesus

  Why you're preparing to 'bail', I'm preparing to enter into the Society and become one of your Brothers in the Truth. Too bad you're on your way out! Now, I wish to state categorically that I disagree with your summamation when you stated the following:

  "I was getting disilliusioned with the idea of servitude to a religion that was exerting so much control over its members, frustrating and depressing them, holding out that magic carrot. A future that was NOT coming."

  How is the Society 'frustrating and depressing' anyone? I find their publications to be a refreshing change from the 'magic carrot' that Mormonism has held out for my wife and I these past 12 years, just to learn that it was all a lie, that the Book of Mormon is not true, that Joseph Smith was a misguided youth, not a true prophet and that Mormonism is a polytheistic religion, not a monotheistic one.

  The 'future that was NOT coming' is infact, coming, God's word promises it, and I believe in the great 1,000-year day Sabbath rest of God that will be ushered in by means of Christ's Coming Kingdom. There were those in Bible times that didn't believe in it, and they lost their faith, and we were warned about such who would exist in our times, those wishing to 'plan out their own future', one that will lead to a hopeless end.

  2 Peter 3:3-5 (GOD’S WORD Translation)

  3 First, you must understand this: In the last days people who follow their own desires will appear. These disrespectful people will ridicule God’s promise 4 by saying, “What’s happened to his promise to return? Ever since our ancestors died, everything continues as it did from the beginning of the world.” 5 They are deliberately ignoring one fact: Because of God’s word, heaven and earth existed a long time ago. The earth appeared out of water and was kept alive by water.

  2 Peter 3:3-5 (Worldwide English (New Testament))

  3 Here is the first thing. In the last days, men will come who will make fun of holy things. They will do what they themselves want to do. 4 They will say, `He promised to come. Where is he? Our fathers have died. And since then everything is just the same as it has been since the world was made.' 5 They do not want to remember that long ago God spoke and made the sky. He made the land come up from the water.

  You comment that, 'I go to meetings just enough to keep the elders at bay, go in service never, and basically live my social life outside the truth and as I please,' sounds alot like these descibed here who will 'do what they themselves want to do', and not what God's will is.

  However, my friend, you may live your life as you please, but you are not free to choose the consequences of such a course in life. Your brother, whom you said, "could'nt stick it out in the world and returned" made the BEST decision of his life by returning to the teachings of the faithful and discreet slave class, he knew and saw firsthand that there is NOTHING outside Jehovah's organization that offers lasting peace and happiness as doing God's will does. Yes, mock as you all may, but remember, that doing God's will is the BEST WAY OF LIFE, and as the Scriptures show in Proverbs 10:, " 22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it."

  I'm sure we can all agree and be thankful that Jesus didn't come to 'do what [he] wanted to do', he came to do God's will, and as such, we have all been ransomed from the inherited sin passed onto us from Adam as outlined in Romans 5:12.

  May what happened to King Zedekiah not happen to you, my friend, where we read that because of his rejection of Jehovah's prophet we read that, "Zedekiah's sons were slaughtered before his eyes, and then Nebuchadnezzar had him BLINDED, BOUND, and led away to BABYLON. (Jer. 39:1-7) How sad an end awaited him because he rejected the very will of Jehovah God! The three B's, the ways in which Satan, the 'god of this system of things' gets us, easily, slowly and he does it in that manner, he blinds you first, then he slowly bounds you with the cords of sin, and then he leads you off to Babylon, or to false religion, whether that religion be so-called atheism, or agnosticism, it's still a form of worship, whether humanistic or not, there are only two beings that we have the choice to worship, either Jehovah or Satan, and if you're not serving the One, you're serving the other.

  Again, I'm not a baptized Witness, just a Bible student, studying the Bible with them by the aid of the book, "What Does the Bible Really Teach?" and I"m enjoying learning all of these things from the pages of the Bible, the true word of God, not the Book of Mormon or any other false religious document. I know some of you will mock, or pity me, but I'm now free, set free by Bible truth, and my wife, son and I couldn't be happier! Now, I'm in the military, so it will be some time before I can 'get out' and get baptized, but I cannot wait until the day arrives when I can symbolize my dedication to Jehovah God by water baptism!

  We all have 'free will', and saying that a religion is 'controlling you' just doesn't make sense, if you keep your focus on Jehovah, and your relationship with Him, and realize that the Society is here to help us and to act as our publishing arm, then you'll keep in constant focus that it is to Jehovah you are dedicated, and it is to Him you will give an accounting, not to an Organization someday.
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  witnessofjesus

  For those who are bailing out of the WTS, there are other options than rejecting the Truth outrightly.

  The WTS has the basics right, of this I am sure, but if you're looking for fellowship elsewhere, check out the following:

  http://www.biblestudents.net/food4jws/

  The Bible Students still exist, and they still study the old WT from July 1879-October 1916 and they still teach that Pastor Russell was that 'faithful and discreet slave' and they still use the "Studies in the Scriptures" as their study materials for Class meetings. They still have Conventions annually, several each year; however, they are not united in their message, with some disagreements such as:

  One group, the Associated Bible Students (ABS) teach that the High Calling is still open, that the 144,000 have NOT YET been all called, gathered and faithful unto death, and they teach that this group is still being called.

  Another group, the Laymen's Home Missionary Movement (LHMM) teach that the High Calling is COMPLETE, that all the 144,000 have already gone to their heavenly reward, that there are 5 classes of people who will inhabit the New World, namely: the 'little flock', the Great Company, the Ancient and Youthful Worthies and the Consecrated Ephiphany Campers, who are now being called out of the world into a consecrated relationship with Jehovah God. They have their annual conventions throughout the earth, and they are the largest of the groups. They use all the same materials as those above, but they have the additional teachings of Professor Paul S.L. Johnson, and his 32 volume set known as "The Epiphany Studies in the Scriptures", and they view him as the "Ephiphany Messenger" who brought this time 'new light' up until the 1950s when he died, he taught he was the LAST one of the 144,000 remaining upon the earth, so at his death, there were no more 'anointed ones' upon the earth, but the Great Company, who are a spirit begotten class according to them, led the movement until Brother Jolley died in 1977 or so and then the Youthful worthies took the lead amongst them, and they're slowly dying off, then the Ephiphany Campers will take the lead until the 'Highway of holiness' is open up into the New World just ahead.

  Another group, known as the Free Bible Students, or New Convanant Fellowship, teach that the New Covenant is already active, and that the 144,000 is a figurative number, meaning that more than 144,000 can become 'anointed' and that this work of reaping these is still in progress throughout the earth.

  All three of these groups OPPOSE organization, so none of them have organizational claims upon anyone, because Pastor Russell taught AGAINST organization and against imposing one's will upon the conscience of others, and they all categorically deny that he was the founder of the WTB&TS or the Society as presently constituted, and claim that the 'evil slave', Judge Rutherford, whom they all believe to be in Gehenna for his twisting the teaching of the Ransom, was the one who founded the modern-day JW movement of which they have no part.

  They still celebrate birthdays, and Christmas and Halloween and all the other holidays of youth and such, and live quiet, normal lives for the most part.

  They're a better alternative than Babylon, but some would say they are part of it. You be the judge for yourselves after reading from their websites.