Powerfully heart-wrenching experience by FORMER BETHLITE (page 6)

I enjoyed her story and I am glad she has finally found someone who treats her with love and respect. It is so sad what the religion has done to so many of us. I wish her much happiness in the years ahead.

sherah

btt

Coffee House Girl

I could relate to so much of her story (including the same state, I love Birch Run ), it was a joy to read and gave me satisfaction to know that I am not alone here-

CHG

stillin

Bump

Pickler

Wow, I dodged a bullet by not getting married as a young JW.

Great story.

Black Man

Bumping to the top!

laverite

Bump!

Oculos Aperire

Just read all 3 parts. Wow!.. what an awful experience!! Horrific. So glad that there was a happy ending for these people.

Bits that stuck.

It is ironic that JWs are told that they belong to a ‘loving organization’ when the reality is coldness and emotional distance. Trying to follow JW rules and pleasing elders breeds discouragement, depression, mental illness and chronic illness.

“I was a smart, odd, difficult child who grew into a smart, odd, difficult adult. I had a massive inferiority complex and suffered from depression. Those factors made me ripe for the picking when JWs came along. After seducing me with their talk of a loving brotherhood, they crushed me. My problems were related to ‘not loving Jehovah enough.’ I was discouraged from seeking professional help. After a suicide attempt in 2005, an elder told me that the only thing I should be doing was resting and going out in field service.

When you’re spoon-fed misinformation on a daily basis and told you will die at Armageddon unless you follow JW rules, even the smartest of people can be dumbed down to become gullible believers. The sexually repressive environment created by JW dogma is oppressive and damaging to adults at any age. Even today, Mariuca struggles with some guilt, and that hurts me because she is way too kind and smart to have that happen to her. But when you’ve been in a cult for as many years as she, there will be some toxic residue, or “ghosts,” that will haunt you from time to time.

to share my midlife ‘coming of age’ story, it might help others to break free from the chains of JW dependency, where women are treated as second-class citizens. I may be a late bloomer, but I’m proof it is possible to leave a high-control religion, find the love of your life, learn the truth about bad JW policies and beliefs, and find real freedom and happiness. So yes, It’s Never Too Late!”

“Nothing could prepare me for the trauma of shunning, and it still haunts me at times. It did not help that I truly wanted to be out of that high-control religion, and even back then I could not imagine returning to it. I no longer believed the things I had been taught and I couldn’t bear to have others control my life. During those first quiet two years, Carl and I spent all of our free time together. We loved having our evenings and weekends to ourselves, quality time in our sanctuary.

“In those early days I felt like a tree with no roots. I had the sunshine of Carl’s love, but there was an entire network of rootstock missing. It took several years, but eventually I felt my roots returning. And these new roots were real. They were based on relationships where people liked me for me. There were new relationships with non-JW relatives, who accepted me into their hearts and homes. There were relationships with ex-JWs, some who we had known for years. We socialized with fellow artists, workmates, former co-workers and schoolmates, and neighbors. And during this time we have forged some close bonds with many amazing people; friendships that have been tested and found true.

Miss.Fit

Moving story. Really made me think about some things.

Powerfully heart-wrenching experience by FORMER BETHLITE

darth frosty

Auntfancy