Why did you become a Jehovah's Witness ?

by Gnosis 70 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Terry

  I became one of Jehovah's Witnesses because of what I didn't do rather than for what I did.

  What I didn't do was something I could not have done.

  What was the thing I could not have done?

  I could not have done this: ask the right questions and insist on the right answers.

  Why couldn't I have done this? Because I didn't know anything.

  Jehovah's Witnesses were unknown to me. Zip.

  I heard about them through snide comments. I heard insinuations, quips, slurs and put-downs.

  But, I had no hard information.

  So, I investigated AS BEST I COULD.

  I would have had to KNOW SOMETHING in particular, some salient and provable facts to pop the bubble.

  But, all I had to go on was the slippery noodle of "interpretation".

  JW's back then were really great at bible page flipping.

  It looked impressive. I didn't understand most of it. But, it looked expert and competent.

  They had ready answers! The were confient! The connected the dots!

  They had a story, a product and a reward.

  So....I just kept moving forward and making "friends". I put nagging intuitions on hold for "later".

  Day follows night. The calendar pages fell and one day I was older and my whole world was surrounded by All-things-JW.

  It had become MY WORLD.

  So, I went ahead and got baptised.

  I dug in. I tried to make it work. I really threw myself into being, thinking, doing and believing.

  Post script: It didn't work out. (To be read as an understatement).

  The only way I could have prevented becoming a JW would have been impossible because I simply didn't have the facts or the critical tools to meet

  the relentless sales pitch with failed prophecies and flip-flops.
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  breakfast of champions

  Really had no choice. What would you rather do? Go to college and get struck by a fireball from heaven when Armageddon comes in 1992? or be living in a beautiful paradise earth in 2012?

  Whoops. . . .
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  XBEHERE

  When I came out of the birth canal my brainwashing began, dad was alreaday a company servant.
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  donny

  I identify a lot with what Terry said above. I also did not ask enough questions nor did I really put a lot of research into what I was joining. In a nutshell, I met my now ex-wife at a New Years Eve party. She was a "back-slidden" JW as she was baptized but had not attending meetings in the last couple of years.

  After we began dating, she slowly started attending meetings and I went along for the ride. Since I was raised as a generic, go to church on Xmas and Easter type, and she was getting more into her faith, I began attending meetings with her. As many can attest, you receive a lot of attention and they appear to have a lot of answers that seemingly make sense. One thing led to another and within 2 years I was married and a baptized Witness. It would take me 10 years to come back to my senses.
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  panhandlegirl

  Had no choice. I was practically a born-in. I liked the woman who studied with our family. I hated going to the KH; it interfered with my play time. We had no Christmas tree, gifts, parties; couldn't participate in extra curricular

  events at school.I grew up in a Phillips Petroleum Camp/Housing and could not associate with my wordy friends. I got used to studying the WT every week and became a believer, got baptized at the age of 11.

  During my teens, I was always in trouble because I wanted to have fun with my friends. My older sister found out I was at a dance once and came and dragged me out of the dance in front of all my friends. I could not date

  worldy boys so I married a jw. After marriage (at 17,he was 18), I became an exempary witness, my son was in the Ministry School when he was in second grade. I dragged my two children out in service every Saturday until

  they were in middle school. I became disillusioned with the borg when I was in my early thirties but I stayed in for another ten years. I faded but was caught up in the 80's purge (which I knew nothing about until I came to this

  site). Like others here, I wish I had never heard of this cult but it's too late now. I remain confused about what I believe, but I know the borg is a fraud. I no loger fear the end or Armageddon. I am free, free at last.
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  wasblind

  I got involved out of ignorance, that's right sheer stupidity on my part

  even when they could not find reasonable answers to my questions , I remained

  My instinct as a mother is what really helped me out of that cult

  I was bein' pressured to restrict my daughters involvement in school activities

  and cut connection wit decent God fearin' friends she grew up wit who were not witnesses

  They tried to talk me out of lettin' her attend her prom, and talked junk about

  goin' to college, even though the elders sent their children

  Fortunately, my daughter has put that stint wit the JW's behind her

  As for me, I have not reached the point of fully forgivin' myself for almost

  destroyin' the life I was supposed to protect

  The only thing I can do is remind myself that, at that time I did what I thought

  was best, and when I learned better , I did better, I got out

  I can remember one elder ask me, who do I love more, Jehovah or My child

  He said that Jehovah sacrificed his Son for me

  I told him I wasn't Jehovah and my child won't Jesus, sacrificin' my child would not save the world

  .
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  panhandlegirl

  exwhyzee wrote:

  Everthing he knew about Blood Transfusions was what he learned during his study with the JW's. He died a horrible death in front of his whole family because he signed the NO BLOOD paperwork before having an operation and wasn't coherant enough to resend them when it became evident that he was bleeding to death. We were assured that we would see him again in the new system because he "took his stand for Jehovah" yet they wouldn't let us have his memorial service at the Hall because he was unbaptized. New System yes...Kingdom Hall NO. About a year later they started allowing the use of "blood fractions" which would have made him realize these people don't know what they're talking about and have no business advising anyone about medical procedures.

  I am so sorry to hear about your dad. My mom died from lack of a blood transfusion also. I was alone with her but I could not bring myself to disregard her stated wishes; she was too far gone to make her own decision. She did not want to die. I have regretted my decision not to give her blood, no one would have known about it.

  AS far as how they treated your son, that is shameful. JWs can be so mean. They seem not to realize how far away they are from the teachings of Jesus. They need to adopt the the worldy religion's question "What would

  Jesus do?" instead of "What does the WTS demand that I do/say." I hope your son made it okay.
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  St George of England

  Born in. Brainwashed and indoctrinated from birth.

  It took me over 60 years to realise how my life had been screwed up by a US cult. I am still trapped in by wife and family but hope to get out one day.

  George
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  mercedes_29

  My Mom started studying with a kind JW lady when I was around 12. She studied for several years before getting baptized but we stopped doing holidays and birthdays. My non JW Dad went along with it - partly because he didn't know what else to do. My brother and sister rejected the religion. I started studying at 14 to be closer to my mother. At 15 I stopped studying and started playing high school sports. I still attended meetings with my mother. She didn't mind me playing sports and she wanted me to go to college so we never had any disagreements over the JW beliefs. During college I was too busy to go to meetings as I was working and taking 19 credits a semester. I didn't go back until I was 22 and married to a "worldly" man. I got baptized at 24 because I wanted to "Put away the former things and be washed clean" at least that is how the elders put it.

  I was a good witness going out in service trying to ignore my friends who weren't witnesses. My marriage fell apart and my JW friends told me to stay in the marriage and I would be blessed. After 5 years of marriage I had had enough. I filed for divorce, started my career and started dating. I was called in before two elders who didn't really know me or give a damn about me. They were my ex husband's friends and he wasn't even baptized. When I pointed out that I was their "sister in the faith" and he was a "worldly man" and yet they were persecuting me they told me that he accused me of adultery but he wanted me back and they were worried about my "salvation". I told them I was done with that marriage and moving on was no one's business but mine. I wrote a DA letter shortly after that. Interesting thing is I had a week to change my mind but everyone must have known because I was shunned in the grocery store and other places around town before I was announced as DA'd. Fortunately my Mom chose me over a bunch of men in suits and faded. She is shunned except for Memorial season.

  I had one good friend while I was in, she was like a sister to me. But now she thinks I am dead forever and will have nothing to do with me.

  I am glad to have my family, my second husband and feeling the closeness of friends and family during the holidays that we host in our home. This site has helped me realize that I made the right decision.
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  James Brown

  Born in. It took me 31 years to figure out how to escape.

  I was given the keys to freedom by January 1, 1976.