Let me hear a witness, agaisnt the witnesses..!!!

by LyinEyes 10 Replies latest jw experiences

• 

  LyinEyes

  I was in the grocery store and someone called my name. I turned around and it was a young ex jw sister who had been d/f several years ago. I walked up to her and hugged her , said I havent seen her in so long, yadda yadda.
  I asked her if her mom still went to meetings and she said yeah... do you and Denny ? She mentioned seeing Denny around town with a goatee and shaved head, and just wondered.

  I told her no, we don't go anymore and we d/a ourselves,,,,,,,,,, her mouth feel open.. for a few minutes actually..LOL.....

  SHe said,,,," girl we need to get ourselves right, don't we?????????'

  I said,,,,,,," I am right", and smiled.

  She looked at me and said really? I told her I had just so many issues with JW's I couldnt in good conscious be one anymore. She was a girl who got d/f when she was like 17 I think. I told her it was hard to not talk to her after she got d/f and I have always had a problem with that doctrine. I told her it was not what I think Jesus would do and it was just plain RUDE. Just rude to not even say hello when you see someone at the grocery store. I told her there was much more to it, but didnt have time to go into more detail.

  She said she didnt believe in the shunning part either. But by the way she said, ,," we need to get ourselves right",made me see , she still believes it to be the "truth" and that she is the one who needs to get herself right. I hope to tell everyone I can that they are just fine and better off away from JW. I felt like I was informal witnessing. It made me feel good to stand up and tell the truth about what I feel. I kept it inside for along time, trying not to get d/f or d/a for apostatsy. But now there is no reason not to tell the real story. I hope it gets all around, it always does, and maybe more will question ,why an elder and his wife just left so quickly.

  I guess I am starting a new ministry now. It is really sad that those who are not JW's still don't feel good enough to be JW's but still enslaved in the chains of the JW teachings, the quilt and all.

  I think it is a sad place for those who feel stuck in the middle of no where, not fitting in either group . They maybe d/f JW's but they are not truly ex JW's in their heart. They still feel they have done something wrong and one day will go back, even when they don't agree with it all anymore.

  Anyone eles out there witnessing to JW witnesses?
• 

  A Paduan

  Yeah, but I never was a witness - it seems that witness still prefer to believe witnesses even if they're ex. It's not uncommon that they just don't like to hear the truth from never-witnesses.

  But it seems I don't ever pursue practising witnesses - even at the door. Perhaps if they don't want to hear anything, why should I force them - not to say I don't rebuke them though, so I suppose that's a type of witness.

  paduan
• 

  Gopher

  L.E.,

  You just might have gotten that young lady to start thinking. Or hopefully so! The JW "guilt trip program" for ex-members is still working hard on her!! But you may have begun the reversal of such "they're okay I'm NOT okay" type of thinking.

  The only chance I really get to say that to people is here on this forum, which is why I still participate after a year and a half.

  Good for you that you were able to "witness" (or "minister") to someone in real life.
• 

  Dia

  Good for you!

  As I was reading that, I was thinking, 'there out to be an organization doing this....really reaching out to these d'fd witnesses, etc.'

  Then I realized that the WTS would be standing on their head to FORMALLY condemn it, they would indoctrinate their people to discredit, rebuke and probably be supersticiously terrified of it. Having anything to do with THAT organization would REALLY be a sign that a person had sunk into the deepest clutches of the underworld (yawn).

  Then, the more I'm thinking of it, I'm wondering....might it not be worth a try?

  How might it change things if witnesses knew there is a place to go, someone to turn to, should they get d'fd?

  How helpful it might be to hear it rumored that such organization was NOT made up of a bunch of d'fd folks, but of EX-ELDERS and their wives!

  Just a thought ;-)
• 

  LyinEyes

  Talking about a group to minister to exjw's and everyone eles for that matter , I have heard from some that have a strong urge to do just that.

  Like form a bible study group, with no rules on dress, conduct would be on your own shoulders, your own conscious. Just the words of Jesus would be the main theme. The group would be open for group participation, even if you disagree it can be discussed and scriptures looked up.

  Kind of reminds me of what a college course would be like, with desk, and charts and things that will really teach.

  The group doesnt have to be large, "where two or more are gathered, there too, I shall be", Jesus said".

  I do miss the studing as a group and hope to that certain ones in my area do this very thing.
• 

  ashitaka

  I would love to be on the front line of helping old friends free himself from the Watchtower, but I really don't think it's realistic. Even DF'd people with the JW mindset hate "apostates".

  I've just given up. It's too much work for too little reward (not personal reward, just the reward of seeing people happy again)

  ash
• 

  scootergirl

  I "witness by example"...........

  When I left the borg, I knew that people thought my life was going to go downhill. What "good" could actually come about from and after leaving the borg. Of course, I did have bad things happen to me, but absolutely not one thing bad happened because I was no longer a dub. Bad things just happen sometimes.

  I know that there are dubs that keep tabs on me-my parents for example. My life is great. I have the normal ups and downs as everyone else, but for the most part, I am very proud of how far I have come and how my feet have landed firmly on solid ground. I let everyone around me see how happy I am......much happier than they remember.

  I remember a night when my mother wanted me to call another sister in the congregation and talk to her about how "terrible" the world is......how "unsafe" and "unsatisfying" being on the "outside" can be. I did, listened to her, but still made the decision to leave. I only hope and pray that someday someone will call me and ask how WONDERFUL and FULFILLING it is to leave and start living a life of your own.
• 

  Valis

  I "witness by example"...........

  Me too...

  Lyin...did you get her info so you can do a return visit? Or maybe invite her over for a couple of glasses of cheap spiritual food? If not we may have to call for a JC meeting....

  scoot...I always hated that and my parents learned rather quickly that "You don't look happy" bullshit never worked with me either.

  Sincerely,

  District Overbeer
• 

  NeonMadman

  Like form a bible study group, with no rules on dress, conduct would be on your own shoulders, your own conscious. Just the words of Jesus would be the main theme. The group would be open for group participation, even if you disagree it can be discussed and scriptures looked up.

  What you've described here is pretty much the "small group" model being used by a lot of Bible-believing churches nowadays. One of the lies we were told by the WT is that the only things they talked about in churches are man-made dogmas, politics and money. That's far from the truth. When I first started attending a Baptist church after leaving the borg, I was astonished that the only textbook they were using in their Bible classes was the Bible. And there was no requirement to accept Baptist doctrine in order to participate. In fact, one of the elders of that church was also an ex-JW, and he still believed largely as the JW's do about the condition of the dead. He was teaching the new believer's class!

  The model now being used by many successful churches is that of small groups meeting (usually mid-week) in private homes for simple Bible study, fellowship and prayer. I'm sure there is a church in your area that has such a program; call around and check it out.
• 

  LyinEyes

  Good replys from all.

  It sure feels good to speak the real "truth" now, I even get a rush........ a flush feeling talking about it.

  And yes, Valis, I did invite her and anyone eles who is on the so called "outs" to come over to visit. I told her where I live and she knows the location so I expect to see her soon. I am sure she will tell her mom, which i am hoping for and the word goes all out at the kingdom hall. Oh I can hear it now,,,,,, that Dede is now just as bad as those she once condemned........LOl if they only knew. I never condemned that girl and even spoke to her often if stores and held her out of wedlock baby,,,,oh my how they would have hated to see me do that. They make me sick with their self righteous BS. I never looked down on her or anyone who was d/a or d/f,,,,,,,, i figure it was not my business. I have to admit i had to be discreet hubbby was an elder, and I didnt want to cause trouble, I was still a believer, but I never felt Jehovah would hate me for speaking and not being rude. Wild and I agreed on that point the whole time, he never shunned people the way he was told to do. He never had the heart to turn his face or a kind word away from someone who dropped their head and felt ashamed. He made a point as I did that we still cared.