What did you give up to become a witness?

by sleepy 20 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  sleepy

  Hi Neon nice story.

  I was thinking of contacting some old friends who left the truth years ago , but have been putting it off.After reading your story I think I'll give it a try.
  I not planning on marrying them though.
• 

  slipnslidemaster

  Lent.

  hahahahahahahahaha

  Slipnslidemaster:"The problem with Ireland is that it’s a country full of genius, but with absolutely no talent."
  - Hugh Leonard
• 

  spike

  I gave up a college education and a future decent job, family and friends. I married in 1974 to a brother(jerk) thinking 1975 was the end. I had 2 sons and didn't follow the doctor's orders to not have any more children but followed the elder's advice. So we have a special needs son. I divorced the jerk husband only to remarry on the elder's advice to be an acceptable publisher. I lost my health by working menial jobs and my injuries include memory problems, so I can't be educated. So I am very bitter that I threw 30 years of my life away in making wrong decisions based on WTBS rules. And I don't think I'll recover.
• 

  bitter mango

  tom, that's AWESOME!!!!! good for you and your wife
• 

  Francois

  Not one damn thing.

  I should have been a thespian, huh?

  Francois
• 

  SEAKEN2001

  College, music and athletics. I had a future in athletics and I would have loved to pursue it. But, bad associations and all. Too late now for athletics because my body won't cooperate anymore. But still have a chance at college and music. I'm just glad I got out before I lost my youth completely (although it's close at 37!).

  How many here have gone to college or university at 40 or older? How did you afford it?

  Sean
• 

  DakotaRed

  Shortly after becoming a JW, my oldest daughter was married to her high school sweetheart (both nonJWs). His uncle is a minister of some other church and he was conductung the ceremony at a near by chapel. The elder I studied with told me I was basically slapping God in the face if I walked her down the aisle and that I should not even attend the wedding, but if I did, remain in the back and be inconspicuous.

  I discussed this with my daughter and she didn't really mind, but was hurt by it (we have since discussed it more at length and put it behind us).

  Long after, another elder told me it was strictly a conscience matter and that I could have walked her down the aisle if I wanted, which I really did. What Dad doesn't?

  Just sitting in that chapel and watching another man (her step-dad) walk her down the aisle and give her away, hurt me also. Maybe this incident was the start of my looking more critical at the JWs, especially since elders apparently cannot agree on things. Some "pure language," huh?

  No religion will ever be allowed to come between me and my daughters, ever again! I can promise that!

  If God's Spirit is filling a Kingdom Hall, how is it that Satan can manuever the ones within that Kingdom Hall at the same time?
• 

  beepers

  Simply put- everything!
• 

  hungry4life

  My college education (went back afterward and still working on it , A normal guilt free sex life with my husband, Holidays with my family, lots of true friends (who thankfully were still there for me when I came to my senses), my ability to think and communicate clearly ( I am working on it).

  Puffs rule congratulations on your perserverance your story is inspiring. Neon what a great story thanks for sharing it with us.
• 

  teenyuck

  SEAKEN2001-I worked for Lucent Technologies when they were spun off from ATT. They had very good benefits. One of them was college. They really encouraged everyone to continue going to college.

  For Lucent, I researched electrical components and broke down the data for input into a global data base. I really needed an electrical engineering or computer science degree. However, most of my previous credits were in business management. For some reason, my boss, a total misanthrope, decided that my having a degree helped his department get more money. He approved me going to a private college.

  Lucent paid for every thing. Books, tuition, etc. It cost $9000.00 for one year. I had 129 credit hours when I left college the first time, without graduating, in 1984. When I graduated with by BS I had 180. (enough for a masters ) I did not graduate the first time because of math. The engineers at Lucent really helped tutoring me with math, during my studies.

  Bottom line, I not have gotten a loan or a grant; our combined income was too high. Lucent paying for it was the only way to afford it.