Hi

by heff 25 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Camay

  Sounds like the story of my boyfriend. Mom was poor with a alkie dad
  etc etc...Never celebrated anything probably because there was no
  extra money for gifts and since JW dont celebrate ANYTHING what a perfect save for not having money anyway.He als was considered a nerd at school and never fit in. Now he is really struggling with the Elders and they want him to repent yada yada.(a long story)

  I am sorry to hear your story but glad you are out and can have a normal like.

  Janet Jackson said in a recent interview that Holidays & birthdays
  brings familys together, it seems true because every JW I know NEVER
  had a close family.

  Good luck to you and I wish you much happiness.
• 

  emyrose

  hi Heff,

  You are still very young and have the rest of your life ahead of you. Many here have also had a pretty tough life. Keep reading about how
  they have managed to stay alive and find some happiness in life. This
  forum is really a great place to witness the beauty of the human spirit thrive in the face of all sorts of deaths. I hope you can find
  it in your heart to forgive your mom and build a loving relationship
  w/ her, even if she fails to help you.

  Emyrose
• 

  RedhorseWoman

  Welcome, Heff. I, too, was one of those who had no choice in the matter of being a JW. Many of us are in that same boat. That's what makes boards such as this so valuable. Here we can converse with others who understand and who can empathize with what we have experienced.

  Glad you could join us.
• 

  TR

  Welcome, Heff!

  Have you seen the Fred Hall cartoons?

  TR

  "cults suck"
• 

  d0rkyd00d

  Welcome aboard heff. Nice name. And if u are the man in the picture, all i have to say is, you lucky dog you...

  "No cool quote yet. but i'll think of one soon."
• 

  think41self

  Hi Heff,

  Thank you so much for sharing some of your story with us. It makes us feel closer to you, and realize how much we all have in common. I was born into the "truth"(yuck, hate hearing that now)also, baptized at 15, because of family and cong. pressure. So no, I don't feel I had much choice either.

  I've talked to you in chat a couple of times, and now I'll know a little more of who you are, next time we meet in there. Welcome to the board, and I hope you find friends here

  think41self
• 

  pamkw

  Hi Heff,

  My mother became a witness when I was 6, right before I started in school. So all I ever really knew
  was being a jw. And I started raising my kids jw also. But I am so glad that now we are all free.
  Most of my family are still witnesses, and most of them still speak to me. I am a walk away. But when
  I was a teenager I was df, but because I was young and dumb, I got reinstated.

  I was also baptized young, I was 13, and it was 1975 and the elders told my mom that I was too old to
  get in the new system on her works. that I had to be baptized or I would die. My mom was
  scared to death, and I was forced to get baptized. And of course after you do that you
  no longer have a childhood, they expect you to be little adults. No chance to make any mistakes.

  I felt alone for a long time too. But just remember, you are not alone.

  Pam
• 

  bajarama

  Heff,

  Welcome! Can you help find a date?

  bajarama
• 

  OJ

  Yes! It's about time you got here Heff. By the way, how come you don't invite me over anymore?
• 

  Abaddon

  Dear hef,

  Welcome.

  It's true that many people here eithet got in as adults or remained in when they became adults.

  I've only met a few xJW's other than online; they were all of the out early not thought about it and a bit uneasy talking about it catagory.

  I do sometimes wonedr what would of happened if I'd got out early, in my late teens, instead of in my late 20's.

  I found sites online in about '96-'97, some three years after walking away.

  As I'd been in longer and had really tried to believe, finding a community of people with similar experiences was very beneficial. There's loads of junk floating around the head of an ex-cultist that can usefully be cleared up.

  You might not have as much as someone who'd really believed at some point, but I'm sure you'll still find this a useful experience.

  Be aware that sites differ. This is fairly Christian, but a good mix all-told. Another good site is at www.support4xjws.org; that site is very atheistic/humanistic, although there are some Christian posters.

  Most sites will simply try to sell you a different brand of soap, or are a bit barmy and monoistic in someway, so finding good ones is hard.

  Good luck