What "hooked" you?

roybatty

I’m not sure if this has been discussed before but I’d be interested to read some comments from those who became JWs later in life. Why did you? What caught your attention and sucked you in?
My parents became JWs when I was 5 years old, so it was pretty much the only way of life that I knew. I finally escaped three years ago at age 31. The longer that I’ve been away, the more obvious it becomes that the JW life is a sham. Though I now have the benefit of 20/20 vision, I can’t imagine being an adult and getting involved with this religion. How can someone grow up as a non-JW and then suddenly throw all that away and join some obscure religion? What was the “hook” for you?

JeffT

I became a dub in 1973, the year I graduated from college. Why?

Short answer: I was stupid.

Longer answer: I had gone through a period of very intense personal problems. I had very nearly had a nervous breakdown in 1972, my relationships were mostly a mess, I was suffering from the effects of drugs and alcohol. A chance conversation with a friend who had become a dub led to a bible study. It was a small close-kint congregation, I liked my new friends, they had all the answers, and it gave me something to do (my degree is in English/Education, at the time my prospects of getting a job were zero).

And the cult-like parts are carefully hidden until you are so far in it is impossible to get back out easily.

RedhorseWoman

Since I was 7 at the time my Mom joined the JWs, I, also, knew nothing else.

Obviously, I'm not totally certain of the reason why Mom initially joined, but I can certainly postulate on it.

My sister had received the WT and AWAKE! from someone doing street work, and she shared the mags with Mom. Shortly afterwards, a brother came for a return visit (guess my sister had given him the address...not really sure about this).

My mother was quite interested in getting a religious education for her children, and when the brother invited her to go to the public talk, Mom specifically asked him if there was "Sunday School for children", to which the brother replied "yes, this IS a Sunday School for children" (LIAR).

Mom was interested because of that and also because the brother offered to pick us up and take us to the Hall. Since my mom didn't drive, and my dad was generally working on weekends and was not at all religious, this was a plus in her mind.

I can remember sitting through my first Sunday meeting, thinking, "this is NOT a Sunday School", and being totally bored. However, Mom got love-bombed bigtime by the brothers and sisters. Since she had almost no social life, and since living with my father's temper was very difficult, she was sucked right in.

The brother continued to pick her up for meetings, and she just went along with the whole thing. I had no choice.

Solace

Born into it.
No choice either.

TheStar

I'm almost too embarrassed to share my story... but here it is... maybe it'll help a lurker.

I had never done any kind of theological research. I was at a very vulnerable point in my life, my boyfriend of 5 years (whom was raised a JW but never was baptized) had broken up with me. I was mortified by it and felt I needed to find God. Thanks to him I decided to look into the JW faith, hoping it would help me understand him better and give me an answer to why he could have broken up with me after 5 years of dedicating myself completely to him. They gave me easy answers to hard questions, they convinced me they were God's only chosen organization. After all, I had never talked to anyone of any other religion that could explain the scriptures so well and I knew it was true that no other religion offered free home bible studies. This to me showed clearly that they had to be the right religion.

Yes, I was entirely ignorant, gullible and stupid. I didn't do the research… I didn't question enough. I needed hope, they gave it to me and I just ate it up.

If I could do it all over again....

Oh in case any of you wonder, no I didn't end up with that guy. I studied and got baptized and he left me anyway. As far as I know he has never gotten baptized. I'm entirely grateful I didn't end up with him though, he was an alcoholic in major denial, probably resulting from the JW upbringing.

meat pie

I really thought the Bible research was genuine.I did not join for the company as many do. I could live without that. I am concerned that I was never told some of the 'rules' I've heard of only since I've been here! some things probably slipped by me unnoticed, such as the mediator thing recently mentioned here.I honestly believed they were trying to get at the real meaning of the Bible, of course now I know differently.

Andyman

I was a recovering alcoholic, been clean and sober for years at the time, and was looking for something more in life. My sister had studied with the JW's for some time and encouraged me to read some of their literature. It sounded like they had the "answers" to every thing so I gave them a try and started going to meetings.

It was very different. Everyone seemed so friendly, and interested in me. It was a great feeling, the old love bombing thing. I was invited to homes for meals, to conventions, assemblies, etc. it was what every ex-alcoholic needed and I bought it hook, line, and sinker.

Once I was baptized things changed. I was just another one of the JW's then and all that JW "love" was for the new guys. I met my wife and got married and we had children, that's what kept me going for the last few years we were in.

Thank God my eyes were opened and later on so were my wifes and we finally got out of the organization.

Take care.

Andyman:

SPAZnik

Born into it.
Believed it.
Baptized (aka officially assimilated) at age 15.
Bugged by bondage of borgdom.
Broke free!

SPAZ

coffee_black

I was born into it, and so was my Dad. His parents had arrived from overseas, very young and naive, and friends of theirs started associating. They got involved out of loneliness, being in a new country so far from home.
My Mother wasn't born into it. She started studying because her first fiance died 2 weeks before they were to be married, and witness relatives of his were at the funeral with all the right answers about his tragic death. She met my Dad not too long after that, and they dated for 10 years, because at that time you were supposed to wait 'till after armageddon to get married. Finally someone high up at headquarters married, and it seemed to give permission for others to get married. Dad was 40. Mom was 33. I came along 2 years later.
Didn't mean to write a book here. Sorry. Just seems loneliness and tragedy can lead you right into the clutches of the borg.

cb

D8TA

Born in to it.

D8TA

What "hooked" you?

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