Questions Directed Towards: YOU (ex-JW)

by RAYZORBLADE 34 Replies latest jw friends

Sadie5

1. How long were you a Jehovah's Witness?
First contacted when I was 19, baptized at 25 in 1981. 2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life?
Later
3. Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry?
Yes, also worked with several JWs 4. Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then?
their friendlines, "knowledge of the Bible".
5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish.
1981 at 25yo.
6. When did you start having doubts?
1995, generation of 1914 changed, local congregation's actions.
7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving?
Blood Issue 8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated?
never officially that I know of, but treated like I am 9. Have you ever been reinstated?
no 10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd?
there are certain ones that will speak to me if they are out alone, in a group all will shun me. 11. Have you ever protested/picketted a JW assembly/convention?
No
12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness? there are certain parts of it that are missed.

13. Do you still have family that are active JWs?
no 14. Do you believe in god/God etc.?
yes 15. Are you politically active or have voted?
yes 16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left?
yes 17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble?
no, but I think it has gotten weaker
18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say?
I would tell them to stop running the scam 19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW?
Ray Franz's books, this board and other sites dealing with JW issues..
20. Anything else you'd like to say/add?
For some it takes years to get over it.
Englishman

1. How long were you a Jehovah's Witness?
18 years
2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life?
Raised in it from age 8
3. Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry?
My father was converted on the door to door work
4. Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then?
Bugger all! I absolutely hated the whole damned shebang!
5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish.
1958
6. When did you start having doubts?
I always had doubts, I stopped attending meetings almost as soon as I was away from my parents.
7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving?
Umm, loving my neighbour!
8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated?
1972
9. Have you ever been reinstated?
No! To my horror, it was offered to me about 2 years ago.
10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd?
Sometimes they approach me, usually when they visit my pub. Witnesses often drink inpubs over here.
11. Have you ever protested/picketted a JW assembly/convention?
Not yet!
12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness?
Like I miss having a broken leg!
13. Do you still have family that are active JWs?
Oh God..tell me about it..
14. Do you believe in god/God etc.?
Sometimes.
15. Are you politically active or have voted?
I voted for Tony Blair.
16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left?
Yup! And I'm not gonna argue about, get it?
17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble?
Yes. It will re-form as something different and then we will hear about how some "misguided one's" used to believe blah blah blah.
18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say?
Do you like sex and travel? Then F***off!
19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW?
My family, my wife and sons, that is.
20. Anything else you'd like to say/add?
Religion / drugs etc all IMHO, stop natural maturation, because the addict relies on these things totally and never learns anything for himself.
Englishman.
Azalo

1. How long were you a Jehovah's Witness? 17 years
2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life? raised
3. Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry? no
4. Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then? scared of dying in armageddon
5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish. around age 13, biggest mistake i ever made
6. When did you start having doubts? all my life i think i just tried not to think about it
7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving? wanted freedom
8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated? dont think i have been, but i dont know
9. Have you ever been reinstated? n/a i think
10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd? i emailed a few of my old friends but thats it, theo ones i try to talk to are pretty cool with me
11. Have you ever protested/picketted a JW assembly/convention? no, and i dont think i would but i definitelt support those that do
12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness? no i just miss some of my old friends
13. Do you still have family that are active JWs? my whole family and more are converting all the time unfortunately
14. Do you believe in god/God etc.? no, not really
15. Are you politically active or have voted? yes and i am in the military although i think that too was a mistake (military is very similar to the WTS in many ways)
16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left? yes, when i went to college i became more toleratant
17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble? i think it will eventually hopefully soon for my family's sake
18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say? admit you dont know what your talking about, keep your money if you want but stop ruining lives
19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW? information
20. Anything else you'd like to say/add?
Iron Eagle

1. How long were you a Jehovah's Witness?
20 damn years man, 20 damn years
2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life?
I was raised in it bro. By my mother alone, my dad was wise; he wanted nothing to do with it. One day he just said out of the blue : ' If I win the lottery, Im going to have a study ! ' Me and my mum looked at him so happy and amazed. He then said ' A study room in my new house' .
3. Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry?
My mum was drawn into it through scare tactics ; those pictures of people falling of cliffs and burning to death seemed to strike a cord with some young people.
4. Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then?
As above . Yet for me I always knew it was the truth, until I found out otherwise
5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish.
Never baptized. Phew !
6. When did you start having doubts?
A couple of years back, when I read about that business with the UN. More study introduced more doubts.
7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving?
The fact that I never seemed to have any friends in the congregation. I was quiet anyway; so It was hard for me to associate with others. Also I could never imagine myself being a visiting elder giving a talk, with his wife and kids in the audiance. Or making any kind of advancement for that matter. Besides, there were no Asian girls in my congreagation , and I just LUV asian girls hehe The hypocritical nature of those that went also put me off .
8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated?
Well technically, Im not. But I think they have got the message by now that Im not going; not that it matters, a lost sheep gone astray means nothing if the lost sheep had no influence in the congregation ; daddy not an elder, no other family besides his mother attending meetings. You are either in the sh!t or you arent.
9. Have you ever been reinstated?
If above ever happens, whoever reading this has my personal blessing to SHOT ME if ever I return. Thats a promise.
10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd?
I had to contact an elder to see me once I had been gone for 3 months. Nobody came to see me, yet I still welcome religious discussions with anybody, even if they are often in vain.
11. Have you ever protested/picketted a JW assembly/convention?
Nope, but If anyone has any plans to do so in the UK then call me up, i'll be right there.
12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness?
Not at all. Not one bit, I feel such freedom now im not ruled by men, sucking up to members in the congreagtion for silly reasons and not having to listen to totally hypocrites speaking on the platform that are so far up their own backsides its unreal.
13. Do you still have family that are active JWs?
My grandmother is, yet I have nothing to do with her because its the way our family is !!!
14. Do you believe in god/God etc.?
I do. I know he is there for me; I know he shown me the way out of that hellhole. I prayed and asked him to show me the truth, and he did. Now I just need to stay on the straight and narrow, which is hard to do. In a way, Im still searching for God
15. Are you politically active or have voted?
I love politics yet would not vote as they are all as bad as one other. The UK is a joke anyway; we have Blair on one side who is finished after this war, Iain Duncan Smith leading (?!?!) the opposite side and some drunken Scottish bum who cant decide black from white on the Liberal side. In England, knowing black from white is very important ! It's funny, you can perfectly mimic politicians and their personalities, yet when you come to Duncan Smith you have to give HIM a personality. What was the question again ?!?!
16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left?
Definatly. Through the years of being a JW, ask anybody that knew me I wasn't the most tolerent person on Earth, even being very racist in my outlook which I hang my head in shame for today. I accept people for who they are now; I actually show kindness to everybody not just a certain few. Its easy to be racist, especially in Leicester England; if you have ever been here you would know why. Yet I seem to have been cured; I thank God for that.
17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble?
I really hope so, these are all very good questions Rayzorblade. I really want to do all I can to help it crumble; I want to say adios to that false prophet. I'd say in 10 years time the Watchtower will still be going, religion is big business.
18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say?
Id thank them for making me into the person I am today. I would also beg them to apologise to their followers and ask them to admit their faults so some uptight Watchtower followers ( mentioning no names ) can see that the Watchtower is made of glass, instead of blindly believing in the sh!t that they come out with.
19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW?
The Lord helped me through it all, I strongly believe that. This forum and other sites really helped; Ray Franz placed the final nails in the Watchtower coffin.
20. Anything else you'd like to say/add?
Yeah. Sue me.
dedalus

1. How long were you a Jehovah's Witness?
Age 2 through 24, with a brief interruption at 18-19.
2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life?
Raised.
3. Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry?
Parents converted as a result of ministry.
4. Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then?
Nothing, absolutely nothing.
5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish.
Baptised at 13.
6. When did you start having doubts?
When I was five.
7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving?
The belief that all non-Witnesses would die horribly at Armageddon.
8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated?
About two months ago -- disassociated. Had been inactive for about three years before that.
9. Have you ever been reinstated?
No. Privately reproved.
10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd?
None with whom I care to have contact.
11. Have you ever protested/picketted a JW assembly/convention?
No.
12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness?
No.
13. Do you still have family that are active JWs?
Yes.
14. Do you believe in god/God etc.?
No.
15. Are you politically active or have voted?
Yes.
16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left?
I would say I've been more free to act on the open-mindedness I'd had as a Witness.
17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble?
No.
18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say?
Halt the disfellowshipping/shunning process.
19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW?
My wife, also an ex-dub.
20. Anything else you'd like to say/add?
No.
Gordy

1. How long were you a Jehovah's Witness? First contact March 1971 - 2001

2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life? Later when I was 19.
3 Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry? Through a friend who worked with one.
4 Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then? Friendliness, use of Bible
5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish. January 6 th .1972
6. When did you start having doubts? A fter about ten years. Couldn't match up their teachings on Jesus with what Bible was telling me.
7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving? Depression, the way they handled it. By telling me to leave home. I was deemed a "spiritual danger" to the family.
8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated? Attended last meeting August 1999. Disassociated September 200
9. Have you ever been reinstated? No, they did make an attempt to get me back.
10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd? Yes in fact they contacted me.
11. Have you ever protested/picketed a JW assembly/convention? No
12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness? No
13. Do you still have family that are active JWs? Yes, wife and two daughters. Have no contact with wife since beginning of 2000. Daughters not since beginning of 2002.
14. Do you believe in god/God etc.? Yes now a Christian, belief stronger now, than as a JW,attend a Pentecostal church. I left a man-made organisation, not God.
15. Are you politically active or have voted? No never been politically minded
16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left? Yes
17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble? Crumble yes, but not disappear all together.
18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say? Do they rally know how much they have affected peoples lives by their legalisitc rules especially the shunning policy.Do they really know who God is?
19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW? Contacting groups like Reachout Trust, plus other ex-JW’s
20. Anything else you'd like to say/add? That someday people will see the Watchtower for what it is, nothing more than a man-made organisation. That has made false prophecies, lied about its dealing with UN, its wealth etc etc.
teenyuck

1. How long were you a Jehovah's Witness? From Age 4 through 20
2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life? Raised
3. Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry? Mom was contacted door to door, however, her mother and her father's parents were dubs
4. Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then? Nothing, I missed out on: birthday parties, friends at school, being picked for kick-ball, taking education seriously, and sooo much more
5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish. Age 13, in 1975....spring. Before Armageddon in the fall.
6. When did you start having doubts? When I was 10 and no one could explain why god would kill all these seemingly nice worldly people
7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving? Got to college and realized that they were full of crap, hate, arrogance and intolerance
8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated? Never DF, or DA. Drifted away. Everyone in my immediate family was DFd; not me.
9. Have you ever been reinstated? See above
10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd? Did not think that there were so many! When I stumbled (no pun) across this site, I was amazed by the sheer number of people with such similar stories
11. Have you ever protested/picketted a JW assembly/convention? No
12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness? NO
13. Do you still have family that are active JWs? Yes, mom and all her sisters and all their kids
14. Do you believe in god/God etc.? No
15. Are you politically active or have voted? Yes
16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left? Yes, very
17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble? No. Too may people want to feel superior and that somehow they have god's ear. There will always be people who need to have their psyche fed this way. They also want to be told what to do and how to do it. WTBTS is a perfect fix for them. Instant morality....just go door to door.
18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say? Why are you so hateful and intolerant? Why do you enjoy people being hurt by your policies; all of which are man-made and open to interpretation? I don't think any of you would survive if god decided to do an accounting of people's lives. Telling people about god is worthless. Do good deeds. Help people with physical, mental, emotional, financial and spiritual problems.
19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW? This site. Knowing I am no longer alone.
20. Anything else you'd like to say/add? No matter how many *nice* JWs there are, I despise you all. You are weak, inferior people. You don't have the mental or emotional fortitude to research and make your own decisions. You bury your head in the sand about everything. Something goes bad, it is Satan, something goes good, it is Jehovah. GET REAL!!!
SpiceItUp

1. How long were you a Jehovah's Witness? Forced to be one for 18 years
2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life? Raised in it
3. Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry? N/A
4. Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then? N/A
5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish. No
6. When did you start having doubts? In my teens (maybe 13 or 14..I attribute it to my "bad association)
7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving? The way women are treated
8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated? Nope (My parents cong still talk to me)
9. Have you ever been reinstated? N/A
10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd? N/A
11. Have you ever protested/picketted a JW assembly/convention? Not yet
12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness? Nope
13. Do you still have family that are active JWs? all of my immediate family
14. Do you believe in god/God etc.? Still working on that question but mush closer to no
15. Are you politically active or have voted? I have voted in 2 elections (alot of good it did this last time )
16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left? I always have been very open-minded. Probably why I didnt make it as a good dub.
17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble? Yup
18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say? I would tell them that they are not inspired by god
19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW? "worldy" friends and writing
20. Anything else you'd like to say/add? the WTS can kiss my white cracker arse
rocketman

How long were you a Jehovah's Witness? Still am, 30 years
2. Were you raised in it or become a JW later on in life? Raised
3. Were you contacted via the door-to-door ministry? N/A
4. Initially, what intrigued or drew you to the Jehovah's Witnesses then? Their seemingly good Bible knowledge
5. When were you baptized? Or if you weren't, mention that if you wish. 1973
6. When did you start having doubts? Mainly after the Generation thing of 1995; my doubts actually increased as I served as an elder, because I saw a side of things I had not seen before
7. What else perhaps contributed to your leaving? I am still "in", but in heart and mind I am just about out. Seeing the lack of real love, the obvious shaft with regard to the Generation teaching, and several other things.
8. When were you disfellowshipped/disassociated? N/A
9. Have you ever been reinstated? N/A
10. Did you attempt to contact or have spoken with other active-JWs when you were DF/DA'd? N/A
11. Have you ever protested/picketted a JW assembly/convention? No....I don't attend them any more either
12. Do you miss being a Jehovah's Witness? I don't miss the full involvement I had; it took over my entire life for all intents and purposes
13. Do you still have family that are active JWs? Yes
14. Do you believe in god/God etc.? To some degree, but I am open to evolutionary thinking as well
15. Are you politically active or have voted? I am registered as non-affiliated; I just did so and I have not voted yet
16. Would you say you have become more tolerant or open-minded generally speaking since you left? Yes, for sure. I no longerbase my view of people on how they perform religously. It's nice just seeing people for what they are - humans with strengths and weaknesses just like me.
17. Do you think that the WTBTS will crumble? I doubt it, though given the passage of enough time, and I would think that holding some of their doctrines together will be tough. But, they have been able to do that thus far, even though over 100 years have passed since they've been predicting 'the end'
18. If you could say anything to the WTBTS and be listened to, what would you like to say? Drop the shunning. Drop the DFings that have no scriptural basis. Apologize, for God's sake! Drop the blood issue as Bible law and let jws make a REAL choice, not one coerced by threat of automatic DAing. Be nicer, for God's sake! Put emphasis on helping the needy. Cut the friggin meeting schedule down to once a week so people have a chance to live a normal life and breathe a little. Stop requiring counting time in field service....geez, the list goes on, and I didn't even start with the child abuse issue....
19. What has helped you to cope, post-JW? This board, making new friends at work, keeping friendships intact with a jw friend who sees stuff in a manner simialr to myself.
20. Anything else you'd like to say/add? Great thread, very revealing. If there are jw spies out there: yeah, read this thread and see what you've done - see what fruitage your religion has borne.
Granny Linda

l. from 3rd grade until I left home at 18/19 years of age.
2. Raised
3. N/A
4. N/A
5. sometime in my mid teens...don't really remember the year. I only did it because I thought it was expected of me.
6. I never was a "good" jw. I Had to pretend to be someone I wasn't because my mom would haul any one of us off to the elders for discipline. UGH. I hated! that.
7. When getting out of high school (not graduating even after 4 years), and getting a job in the real world.
8. age 19, I believe it was.
9. no
10. At first. But as time wore on I simply had no desire to be around such non-thinking people. And they certainly would not have approved of my life-style, so we all made a choice. Of course they really don't make the decision, they are told what to believe. Sheesh!
11. No, but the thought has entered my mind on occasion.
12. Absolutely not!
13. Yes.
14. Not as taught by main stream christianity...I do not believe the Bible is inspired by any loving entitiy.
15. Active, yes. Why vote for my task master, eh.
16. Absolutely. Perhaps that has been one of the major obsticals I've had to overcome. That incessant judging that I learned as a JW...it is sickening too say the least. But I'm much, much better, thank you.
17. As someone already mentioned, there will always be people who NEED these type organizations, so it won't matter what happens today with that corporation because it will take a new face tomorrow. Personally I'd like to see an end to Christianity, period. As a whole it has caused more death and misery then any one thing. But then it takes research and a willingness to investigate the very foundatiions of such. I don't care if its jw or not...people are so smug in their belief that they have no need to question anything. Just have "blind" faith.
18. Fat change. They just don't listen, period. I'd not waste my time and energy.
19. I have to chuckle at myself thinking about that one. Truthfully? As crazy as this may sound to some it was by consuming alcohol at first. It allowed me NOT to think about the insane life I lived as a JW. Of course what really helped was when alcohol forced me into a recovery group where I began dealing with religious abuse issues. Which to this day is my favorite topic for writing. I read COC, and with the help of many great writers who shared their stories...ah, it's been a wonderful adventure of learning about my self.
20. It has been nearly two years ago that I first found these type forums. I guess JWism will always remain a part of my life, but in a postive way because I'm out - forever. My older sister had expressed her "having doubts" so I took it upon myself to research on the internet. Boy! I've been addicted sinceHad it not been for these type forums its doubtful I would have known about the UN, pedophiles, depression, etc.
This has been a good thing. Thanks, Razorblade for posting.
Love Ya'll
granny

Questions Directed Towards: YOU (ex-JW)

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