Hello and Thank You!

Vintagewife

I've been lurking here for about 3 months and decided it was time to register and become active. I left the organization 17 years ago. Like so many of you, I had endured less than Christian behavior from the strong cliches that ran our congregation. When I have more time I will post more about my waking up to TTATT but the final straw for me was having a "brother" threaten to kill me. Like, for real! He was serious. This alone was bad enough but the fact that an elder and ms were egging him on, slapping him on the back, smiling, and nodding in agreement while he told me how he would kill me was, well, frankly surreal. My only response was "This is not God's organization and I won't be back". I walked out the door, shook the demons and dust off, and into a new life. No one ever contacted me and, of course, my own family shunned me. That congregation was disbanded sometime later with those in charge being removed from their positions. Many were found to be adulterers and drunkards. My life got better and better everyday and I never looked back! I want all who are suffering to get free from the bondage. Your life, your health and happiness depend on getting clear from mind control. Was it painful? Yes, but not as painful as the abuse being dished out weekly by hateful people. My family came around eventually. I have been blessed with a wonderful husband and a beautiful son. Life is good. You deserve to be happy. Thank you all for sharing your stories and struggles.

Ding

Welcome!

That's quite an introductory post.

Glad you not only survived the threat but that you and your family escaped the organization.

quellycatface

Thank goodness you got out.

Thank you for sharing. A real encouragement to those wanting to break free from the watchtower.

Vintagewife

Thanks Ding!

Vintagewife

Thank you Quellycatface. I have read so many astounding, heartbreaking, and inspiring stories on this board. Life is too short to live with the WBTS insanity.

skeeter1

Welcome. Why did the brother want to kill you? They were trying to control you. I met a few with anger issues, so it's no suprise.

whathappened

All I can say is "WOW!" I have no trouble believing your story as the brothers are all sickos. Glad to have you on board.

bigmac

hi--welcome to jwn. i do hope you stay around and get involved here. that death threat sounds crazy--so--must be true ! tell us more x

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Welcome!

SAHS

To “Vintagewife”: Welcome to the forum! Even though you have left the organization 17 years ago, I believe that it is still quite important to share your experience with others in similar situations because having been in the Watchtower cult has to have affected people on different levels. I myself have been in a strongly-JW family since my birth (in 1966), and I know only too well that much of the damage done remains with us on a subconscious level. (I’m actually still stuck in the damn thing, as I am currently living with my JW folks under their roof.) I still have the occasional dream about a slowly-approaching storm, obviously representing Armageddon, of which I never had any confidence of surviving since my early teen years. Like they say in any kind of support group, “You have to get it out.”

I too have seen how some of these “elders” really act, toward their spouse and children. They have that “headship principle” thing hard-wired into their noggins and thus feel pretty much compelled to play the part of the “alpha male” in the family and treat their wives as just another dumb child. (Sickening, really.) Let’s just say that their speech and vocabulary at home are not exactly the same as at the Kingdom Hall!

You mentioned about “those in charge being removed from their positions” and that “many were found to be adulterers and drunkards.” The JWs are really just as bad as everyone else, for sure – but the only difference is that they just think they are so much better!

Hang in there. It’s always encouraging to see so many others like yourself having had the courage to step off that whacky ride on the JW merry-go-round. Take care.

Hello and Thank You!

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