Well today is the day that I leave the WTS

by Leander 39 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  arachnia

  Congratulations Leander...enjoy your freedom! :)

  Cheers,
  ~arachnia

  "The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers."
  -Princess Leia to Governor Tarkin in SW:ANH
• 

  outnfree

  Leander,

  Praying that you continue to find the wisdom and strength to keep your silence, and have it your way!

  outnfree
• 

  airwlk149

  good luck-
  i am also out and free. they are currently trying to disfellowship me because my mother told the elders about my relationship with stephanie(my ex girlfriend)
  i changed my phone number.
  but now they are going to try and find me through work. (i work at a local grocery store)but i will not talk.
  stay strong!
  my thoughts are with you.

  thank god i'm out-
  katie
• 

  Marilyn

  All you have to do now is refuse to discuss ANYTHING with them. They will generally disregard these requests for a while and
  they will pour on the 'niceness' and concern, which is often genuine. Keep in mind they WILL NOT UNDERSTAND so it is best not
  to explain ANYTHING.
  _______________________
  Pathofthorns is 100% correct. Please don't be tempted to deviate from his advice. It isn't worth it. 20 yrs of being shunned by my family isn't what I would recommend to those having a choice. There is no value in talking to them. There is no safisfaction. You may have fleeting excitement, but it fades very quickly and then you get to live with their lack of ability to comprehend where you are at. What they don't understand they disfellowship. I envy where you are now. Please be very very careful not to say anything at all. Especially do not answer whether you still consider yourself a JW. If you must answer then answer yes. They lie, so play them at their own game.

  With regards your wife. We women are great talkers. We love to talk things thru. So be patient and wait for her to question you. When she does, remind her that she is pushing you to talk about things that you feel would be better left unsaid. It would be much better is by the time you answer her, she is really, really pushing you to. That way she might be more open to what you say. It's much better than you trying over and over to make her see your point of view.

  enjoy your new life - it's pretty good (from one who has been free since 1979!)
• 

  wokeup

  Leander, I too was a MS ,literature servant for many years.I turned in my "resignation" a while back. I used the cognitive dissonance approach. The lack of references,the anonymous quotes,quoting dead people,works no longer in circulation as prohibiting me from "making sure of all things" causing me distress,losing sleep etc....
  I had one meeting with them afterwards.They threw the "do you believe its Jehovahs' organization" question at me. I said I did(past tense) but my conscious would not allow me to teach anymore. That was 2 years ago and they have left me alone. One word to the wise,DO NOT openly criticize if you want to do the 'fade away'
• 

  out4good3

  Leander

  I've been following your story with great interest. Congratulations on your newfound independence. I've already recounted to you the hell they put me through on the way out, and I wasn't even a MS. I'd like to comment on a few things.

  We women are great talkers. We love to talk things thru.........remind her that she is pushing you to talk about things that you feel would be better left unsaid

  I took this tact with my wife and it didn't work even in the short run. Actually it only encouraged her "all the more so" to coin a phrase. Understand that in their self-assured arrogance, they feel that they can counter or that there is a logical excuse for anything the society does.

  I had one meeting with them afterwards.They threw the "do you believe its Jehovahs' organization" question at me.

  Ahhh...the old "are you wit us or agin us" question. All or nothing. I suspect that answering this question with anything other than an emphatic YES has gotten many a person disfellowshipped when in fact all they wanted was control of their life back. But JW needs to pin that label on you to keep the flock towing the line.
• 

  Mulan

  Good job, Leander. I've been following your situation too, and am anxious to hear how it progresses.

  They aren't inclined to let MS and elders go so easily though, so prepare mentally, for some attempts to get you back.

  Marilyn (aka Mulan)
  "No one can take advantage of you, without your permission." Ann Landers
  
• 

  rmayer32

  Congrats Leander!!!!

  Just don't give them anything to chew on and let them frustrate themselves in trying to figure you out. Oh, and keep us posted too

  -Rick
• 

  Southland

  Congratulations ... I hope it all turns out well for you!
• 

  bajarama

  Freedom!!!

  Congratulations Leander.

  baja