Are you sure leaving the JW religion has made your life better?. Lurkers think twice

by mankkeli 260 Replies latest jw experiences

• 

  shamus100

  NRFG typed out this classy response:

  You see, the problem with those of you who have left God's rest on this message board is, although you didn't know it at the time, you left God's rest in your heart even though you were physically amongst His chosen people as a united organization dedictated to His service. You were torn between two masters, and sad to say, you allowed room for the Devil. None of you have found greener pastures of spiritual nourishment in any other organization since leaving Jehovah's Witnesses. You delude yourselves into thinking that you're happy by participating in pagan holidays and selfish days of celebration such as birthday parties. True, no one gets their head chopped off during modern birthday parties, but what gets lost during these celebrations is what Jesus highlighted about giving freely, particulary to God. We recieve freely, and hence we should give freely. That being said, we should not celebrate the life that we recieved during a birthday party, but rather we should show how much we value our physical vessels by joining other True Christians in the full time ministry. Only that will bring us real joy, and give us sustenance.

  In a sense, by leaving JWs and the direction of the Faithful & Discreet Slave, those who have done so have turned their lives into a 24/7 birthday party full of selfish desires and soon will recieve the full recompense for their error. They think they're happy, but truthfully, what they're attempting to do is live life by visualizing Satan's stones as bread forgetting that Jesus didn't fall for the temptation of selfishly satisfying his physical wants, even needs. No matter how many times they eat stone loaves of rocken bread that this system of things offers, it will never match up to the spiritual manna provided by God through the Slave Class.

  You are such a simpleton. You base facts off a website on the internet.

  You always have been a simpleton and I've seen through you from day one, NRFG, miseryloveselders, Brother Dan, or whatever incarnation you are now. The problem is after your last blow-up everyone basically ignores you, which is a good thing. You come here because you can't talk to other JW's about even watching television shows like Mad Men because it's heavy deamo-man. You are Jehovahs Witness loser and dabble on the net in your spare time. Really a sad existence if you ask me.
• 

  Band on the Run

  What is heavy deamo? Mad Men - what is the problem? Great show.

  Good German is a catchy name. When I was a child, the nightly news showed extraordinary footage of regular people escaping from East Berlin. They hid themselves in car machinery, jumped from roofs onto mattresses on the West side, and even took hot air balloons. The East German soldiers were ever present. It was routine to see people gunned down in escape attempts.

  You did not have a shred of evidence that the JWs are legitimate dispensers of any sort of truth. Much evidence exists to the contrary. Also, you never stated your personal sorting criteria for determining that leaving is a waste. A nice Excel chart would be useful. If you classified stories, as you claim, there should be an exact percentage number.
• 

  JonathanH

  To the OP (have not read the 9 pages of lord knows what that followed)

  That is the worst and most cowardly advice you could give to anyone. What you're saying boils down to "live a lie, it's better to keep the peace." Would you say that to a gay person in the closet? Your family will be angry, relationships will shatter, just marry a woman and pretend you're straight? Would you say that to a scientologist? Your family will "disconnect" if you disagree? Just keep going to the psychic healing sessions?Fuck that. That is egregiously bad advice.

  Your advice plays right into the psychology that they have instilled in you. That if your family falls apart, that if your children reject you, if your life is destroyed by leaving, then that is YOUR FAULT. Because they didn't do anything wrong. You did by leaving. Your advice is probably the most sickeningly cowardly thing I have seen in weeks. Living for truth hurts, and its a struggle, but the reward on the other side is far greater than a life of lies and deceit. It sucks that we got pulled into a scam that invariably altered the course of our lives, nothing is going to make that right. But the damage is already done, it's not done because you leave, it was already done the instant you answered "Yes" in front of an audience of thousands. The scars that we bear for years are not from leaving. They are the wounds that healed over after we left. Had we stayed they only would've festered beneath our neat little suits, and nice little dresses, killing us from the inside.

  Don't take this cowards advice. Live your life for truth, or spend your life letting your wounds become infected, giving yourself the solace that at least your family doesn't think you're diseased, as long as you keep nodding your head.
• 

  JonathanH

  For the record, my life is 1000% better than it was on the inside. I do not miss it even one iota. I am free now. The joy of freedom cannot be measured or described.
• 

  Retrovirus

  JonathanH,

  Spot on, but it's even worse than that. From the OP

  Participate in the preaching work and encourage fellow christains as much as possible, this demeanor will not harm you.

  Mank is proposing that unbelievers not only pretend to believe, but try to convert others.

  Completely dishonest and morally bankrupt!
• 

  JonathanH

  God damn, this guy must really be suffering. Cognitive dissonance that strong must really eat a person alive.
• 

  ShadesofGrey

  Please tell me, of what value is that freedom?

  It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

  Even if you have come to the conclusion that the JW religion is another man-made scam, How would leaving upgrade your life? I will answer from the perspective of my husband, who after giving up on the JW religion, having read no "apostate" material, but simply knowing it was wrong, and then remaining a theist, though an apathetic one, without Christ, for several years while his wife remained a JW.

  It was hard knowing that my wife might try to raise my kids in that religion, and I was worried that she would become a "stronger" JW and I would have to take a stand for my kids, but I was patient. I showed her kindness and encouraged her to pursue hobbies of personal fulfillment, such as joining a zumba class and making friends. Her depression gradually lifted as she joined more and more activities outside of the organization. I also assured her that the Great Tribulation was nothing to fear, as the God of the Bible was not the judgmental unloving God that the JWs made him out to be.

  It was also freeing for myself personally, as I started pursuing enjoyable hobbies like board games, some I could play with friends and relatives and others I could play with my wife and kids, giving us all something to enjoy together.

  I still remained somewhat loyal to JW teachings, avoiding holidays and worldly friends. Then one day my wife became a Christian and told me to look into the JW organization. She told me that everything that they taught was wrong. I started making friends and I wasn't afraid of them due to them being outsiders. It was so nice to meet people and not have to keep my distance. They were nice!

  Then we decided to celebrate my kids birthdays. Wow. The joy of my family is amazing.

  When I became a Christian, the joy just increased. Real freedom from guilt. Gifts from the Holy Spirit. Understanding of the Bible that I never had before.

  Yes, leaving the organization just enough to have more freedom helped. Realizing that it was ALL a sham was even more freeing.
• 

  sizemik

  Of what value is sharing what is in your heart if it would strain the relationship between you and those arround you.

  You're asking the wrong question . . . and show a poor understanding of human relationships

  The question should be . . .

  Of what value is a relationship between you and those around you if you can't share what is in your heart.

  Such relationships often produce lonliness, psychological isolation, mental illness and suicide.

  Your observations are faulty to an extreme degree.

  And I feel no need to comment on how my life is now . . . it's not even a valid comparison.

  @NRFG . . . Thanks for the parody Miz . . . Lttle RRH carrying an Uzi? . . . I like it.
• 

  Botzwana

  How has it affected me? Ask my WORLDLY wife! She says our marriage is much happier when I am not putting the religion down her throat or play out some I am the head of the house game to her. We are getting along much better because of my fading from the religion. It has been great!
• 

  ShadesofGrey

  None of you have found greener pastures of spiritual nourishment in any other organization since leaving Jehovah's Witnesses. You delude yourselves into thinking that you're happy by participating in pagan holidays and selfish days of celebration such as birthday parties. True, no one gets their head chopped off during modern birthday parties, but what gets lost during these celebrations is what Jesus highlighted about giving freely, particulary to God. We recieve freely, and hence we should give freely. That being said, we should not celebrate the life that we recieved during a birthday party, but rather we should show how much we value our physical vessels by joining other True Christians in the full time ministry. Only that will bring us real joy, and give us sustenance.

  In a sense, by leaving JWs and the direction of the Faithful & Discreet Slave, those who have done so have turned their lives into a 24/7 birthday party full of selfish desires and soon will recieve the full recompense for their error.

  I have to respond to this. Spiritual nourishment does not come from an organization. It comes from Christ my Lord, THE LORD. Accepting Him as my only mediator as the scripture says has changed my life. My heart sings with gladness and light.

  I have gone to a church about 4 times because it is hard to come out of a cult and have your family to deal with, but Christ led me to that church after I was born again. When I have gone I am very encouraged and strengthened. For years while I was in the JW org I would have to strengthen myself to withstand the negative onslaught from the meetings.

  Many many people have reached out to me in love and self-sacrifice and I have also reached out to others, including JWs who are thrown about without their shepherd. JWs are the selfish ones. Never showing up at the hospital or helping friends move because they have to get their hours in, well I don't have hours to get in. I will be there for my friends because I love them.