How Long Will YOU Identify As A Jehovah’s Witness?

by minimus 49 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  DesirousOfChange

  Minimus, I've never seen you as such an ass in the past!

  A person should leave -- DA, Fade, PIMO (leave mentally) -- however the hell they want to do so and however they feel is BEST FOR THEM! Everyone of us knows the challenge it is and the roller coaster of emotions that result in learning TTATT. Some have family issues over which to be concerned. Or, business issues. Or, emotional issues.

  YOU do what is good for YOU! And STFU about criticizing the decisions of others.

  Minimus -- You are displaying the same critical, judgemental, gossipy attitude of a JW. UNITY is no longer the ultimate goal here. We can be different. We can choose differently. We DO NOT have to all fit into the same little ex-JW mold like we had to do as JWs.

  [Stepping off of soapbox}

  Min--Thanks for your many other provocative posts that stimulate thinking.
  
• 

  Exelder

  It took me years to make my decision because I knew I was going to lose my family. It still breaks my heart to this day as I miss them very much (but I don't regret leaving).
• 

  LongHairGal

  MINIMUS:

  I am a ‘fader’ or walkaway for over eighteen years. In the early years, I may have gone to a special meeting here and there and also the memorial for many years. Now, nothing except for a funeral talk last year.

  I came in as a young adult and had no family there, so the Witnesses could not get to me. I had no business connections (thank God), so it was a clean break except for the sometime shunning I got in stores. Since I wasn’t so popular because I worked full-time, this didn’t matter much because I received semi-shunning even as an active JW!..I’m retired now and these people can go take a hike.

  I wouldn’t normally make a judgment about whether other people ‘fade’ or DA, but it does seem to me the numbers of the remaining Witnesses are not true because some know it’s garbage but are faking it. I’m just glad I didn’t have to do that.
• 

  zophar

  There are a variety of reasons that may make leaving difficult.

  Some find it easier to just, go to Church at the Kingdom Hall. In other words, you will agree with some of what is said and disagree with much. Christendom has had people doing this for years. How many Catholics really believe birth control is wrong?

  Even a person who is basically PIMO might choose to remain an elder to try to plant his beliefs on others. It will eventually end because he will be called out for individual thinking, something totally forbidden for hard liners.

  Live and let live.
• 

  Phizzy

  Thanks for this thread Min, I do hope it makes those still in the Org that get to read it review their position.

  First off, before someone starts a character assassination on poor old Phizzy, I was born in, became an " appointed man", and was in for nearly six decades. The one thing that became part of my character, and very being, was, I am first and foremost a Lover of Truth.

  I hate lies, half-truths and therefore people pretending to be what they are not. Now I know it takes time,and courage, to make the decision to leave, and I had the fear of losing my dear (then JW) wife and all my family, but, I simply had to do it. I could not support such a terrible Org full of lies.

  The problem of remaining is now larger than when I made the decision, now we know about the huge Paedophile problem too, and to continue to support the Org, in any way, should be unconscionable.

  Fear of losing all sorts of things should not dissuade a person of integrity from doing what is right.
• 

  minimus

  Phizzy, thanks for you comment! Like you, I was a Witness for about 5 decades. I struggled with staying in as an elder to “help” people but I realized this simply doesn’t work. I believe there are some people who are presently attending meetings and do not like feeling two faced. They may go for their family and friends. I appreciate that you as an individual can decide to do whatever you choose. It still doesn’t make it right to contribute to a religion that is corrupt and filled with falsehoods. And I reiterate that especially if you are an elder and you KNOW it’s a religion that is detrimental, you should do the courageous thing at some point. Help people to see through example that they should examine their course in life. Having principles and integrity is laud worthy.
• 

  DesirousOfChange

  It still doesn’t make it right to contribute to a religion that is corrupt and filled with falsehoods.

  I may fell that way about paying taxes to support wars or to support the current (not this one, but any current one) administration's policies, but I'm going to think long and hard before I refuse to pay taxes or pack my bags and move to a different nation (or even State) because there may be consequences to me even WORSE for leaving than there are for STFU for the time being.

  YMMV
  
• 

  minimus

  Doc not even close.
• 

  ThomasCovenant

  ''It still doesn’t make it right to contribute to a religion that is corrupt and filled with falsehoods.''

  I agree.

  And as I believe that applies to every single religion and religious belief I struggle to have too much respect for non atheists.But I try.
  
  
• 

  minimus

  I agree Thomas