Why Do You Think People Become Jehovah’s Witnesses? (page 2)

Tameria2001

I can tell you why my mother became a JW. My older sister had died, she was 5 and a half years of age. Before this time my mother detested the JWs and even stopped her brother from becoming one. When my sister had died, my mother's cousin, who was a JW, somehow convinced her that in the fall of 1975 that she would be reunited with her daughter, but she would have to be a baptized dedicated servant of Jehovah. She fell for the lie hook, line, and sinker, and refuses to ever walk away, even if she learned it was all a lie. Yes she told me that after I left it, but before the announcement of my leaving was announced at the kingdom hall.

Simon

Most of the ones I saw join while I was in were either uber-zealous religious types, slightly eccentric, seemed to like that they were not "mainstream" and the rest were usually uneducated with dysfunctional lives / families and suddenly realized they could have access to a ready-made group of straight-living friends, some of them "middle class" that they wouldn't normally associate with. The religion was a crutch to them.

smiddy3

Neither my mom or dad were religious but they made both my sisters and I go to sunday school when we were kids.

When I was about 10 or 11 I rebelled and said I was not going anymore ,it was bad enough I had to go to school 5 days a week and I wanted the weekends for play.Sub consciously the Bible having had it drummed into me as being the word of God I was very curious about it.During my teenage years I always knocked around older people than myself and in the group I was with a couple of them had actually done time in jail.And I was able to start drinking in pubs with them when I was only 17 and by the time I was 19 I did have a drinking problem .In spite of that I still was able to keep my job that I started when I was 14 .A job paid money and money bought me tobacco and alcohol plus anything else I wanted to buy .

It was a workmate who bit the bullet his words when I commented on how I thought the body was an amazing thing and how it functioned .That thought and those words changed my life forever .I still look back at that sometimes and "wonder" how such a thing as a simple sentence can change one`s life .I was an avid reader in those days and I took any and everything I could that the WT org. had published and lapped it all up .

Two things struck a chord with me .It was the first time I had ever heard that the God of the Bible had a personal name JEHOVAH ,and the other was that Jehovah`s Witnesses never had a Clergy class and that everyone was on an equal footing .A person gave a talk from the platform and when he finished he came and sat down in the audience with the rest of us.Within a year to 18 months of my first contact with the JW ,I was baptised and not only that I brought my girlfriend in and she was baptised with me at the same circuit Assembly in the Altona area of Melbourne ,Vict. Aust.Another year passed and we were married in a KH in Brunswick Melbourne ,called the Flemington Congregation. their were few KH`s available in those days.

In the 32 years we were in this religion we brought up two boys in the religion ,my wifes sister and her 3 daughters and a nephew .

None of which are in the religion today .I`m one of the lucky ones.And I`m the only one who has any interest whatsoever in what goes on in the religion or what I consider ,doing what I can to wake people up or give them something to think about or even to validate the reason someone has left the religion.

I have always worked my entire life , even before leaving school I worked as a paper boy selling newspapers after school and on Saturday a/noons,now retired and living a comfortable life with the idol of my life ,my wife approaching in about 8 months ,60 years of marriage.

So up yours WTB&TS ,we live a happy successful life away from the BORG.

I apologise for being so long winded.

I would love to hear from others who have converted and not just born ins.

smiddy3

Within a year to 18 months of my first contact with the JW ,I was baptised and not only that I brought my girlfriend in and she was baptised with me at the same circuit Assembly in the Altona area of Melbourne ,Vict. Aust.

I could not remember the name of the suburb where we were baptised and I talked to Mrs smiddy3 and at first she couldnt remember and then a flash of light ,it was St. Albans circuit Assembly in 1960 about November .12TH ?

The reason I wanted to get this right ,I always hope to know of somebody that was there and who can relate to these experiences .

phoenixrising

Most are born in. Some come in because of the instant friend club social network.

eyeuse2badub

Heavy recruitment! JW's being at the "right" place at the "right" time.

just saying!

Giordano

I came in without a choice at age 12. My Mom was all about not dying......she and her close family would survive Armageddon and live forever. Sounded OK to me.

My sister died for want of a blood transfusion. My mother-in-law died for want of a blood transfusion needed to prepare her for a much needed open heart surgery.

My wife and I left the religion because of four things, Armageddon which was utter nonsense, the resurrection utter nonsense, the ban on blood the dumbest teaching the Society still pushes. And it's one of the most boring religions ever.

What's to like or be inspired by?

I read this blood issue thing during another discussion on this forum and it cracked me up........ It's one of the truest things I've heard.

The HLC...... Hospital Liaison Committee All male JW's will counsel you to not accept a life saving blood transfusion and there-by lose everlasting life.

The same three idiots who counsel you will be outside the hospital washing the windows.

Become and stay a JW at your own risk.

Vanderhoven7

DESIRE FOR TRUTH

I think many nominal Christians gradually become impressed by Witnesses' apparent biblical "knowledge " and ability to support their exclusive doctrines "logically". When these Studies finally conclude, "this must be the truth!" mental conversion has taken place.

minimus

Very few “ normal intelligent “ people join the religion. Those that did were pretty reasonable people and they didn’t believe everything Mother taught them.

UnshackleTheChains

My mother became a jdub when I was 16. She changed from a devout Catholic to a devout jw. She constantly preached to me. At 22 decided to have a study. I was young and questioning life. The jdubs 'seemed' to have all the answers.

I believed, I truly believed. I was ablaze with what I was learning for the first year. I had some doubts just before my baptism and wanted to allow more time before making a commitment, but my study conductor coerced me into getting baptised sooner as Satan's ploy was to put me off. Still angry about this to this day.😠😠.

Instead, I focused on all the good stuff... You know everlasting life, happiness, paradise earth. I had no idea about all the goodies to come over the years... The cruel shunning policy, the disfellowshipping policy, the break up of families, the level of control over our lives, the judgementalism, the rules etc etc etc

Ministerial servant for about 12 years. In for 28 years. Faded on and off over the years. Last in a kh 2 years ago. Lying low just now as can't officially leave because of their disassociation policy. Blood is thicker than water I'm afraid.

Watchtower is a very clever manipulative captive high control group. I wish the Internet was around in 80's and 90's, as would definitely prevented me from getting involved in this bs high control publishing corporation 😔

Why Do You Think People Become Jehovah’s Witnesses?

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