by minimus 37 Replies latest jw friends
blondie: "I left the same day and never went back. Right in the middle of the first day of a circuit assembly. No meetings, assemblies, conventions, memorials, weddings, receptions, funerals, visitation, special events, etc. I have never regretted it. That was 20 years ago."
Was there any particular issue that affected you the most right before your exit?
The emotion I felt wasn't one of disappointment - it was one of relief! No more meetings, no more door to door work and i could finally say goodbye to that rather unpleasant person with whom I was sharing my life.
I remember that feeling. If I could feel that all over again I would. What a drug!
Too long. 20 years.
Edited to add: I had the "feeling" it was all BS at the end of the 70's, and talked myself into staying because of the "brotherhood", (yeah...right).
After the 1995 generation change, the feelings were confirmed it was BS, they were making it all up. 6 years later, during a meeting I just felt I didn't belong there, left and never went back. During those in between years I started paying closer attention to the Watchtower, and looking up scriptures quoted in context.
After leaving I read CoC, Penton's book and Carl's book, which basically confirmed everything I felt I already knew.
Started seriously questioning and researching towards middle of 2010. Meeting attendance and service became sporadic a couple of years later. The memorial of 2013 was the last thing we ever attended, although as far as I know we aren't officially DF'd. We are a "do not call" though haha.
Dagney - "...CoC, Penton's book and Carl's book, which basically confirmed everything I felt I already knew."
Yup. Like I keep saying...
...reading XJW material doesn't turn you into an "apostate".
It just helps you realize you already are one.
^^^This. Absolutely. If you have questions or doubts, just pay more attention. Don't shove it down and make excuses for the corporation. They don't care about you. They make this stuff up to keep to control you.
@Wonderment
What I really learned was the lack of love in any congregation I had been at for the last 40 years, and at Bethel, the circuit/district overseers, the publications saying to show love, and then making abusive comments about how to treat people in your congregation. Occasionally, there was one or two individuals who actually exhibited the kind of love the gospel seemed to talk about. But they were jws who were considered on the fringe by the more elite jws. Elders who beat the sheep, and never felt going after the one lost one, was more important the 99 still "in," going through the motions of shepherding but doing as my husband, who observed this in the elder meetings. He was taught the drive-by technique. Drive up to the house, determine from the street if anyone was home, hope to catch someone doing a df'ing offense, such as smoking outside, and then driving on to the next drive-by on their list to check off as done for the CO.
Here is a quote from a 2006 WT Comments about how I left at the announcements in the morning on the first day of the circuit assembly. I left in 2001 never to return.
I can say that when I stopped attending all meetings at the KH and conventions and assemblies that my despondency disappeared. How quickly the oppressive fog lifted. No more hearing that I was an elephant conditioned to stay chained to a post, that non-JWs were only corpses, and that Jesus only picked up shiny new quarters and left the dirty pennies on the sidewalk. No more wondering why the love of God and Jesus weren't seen at the WTS gatherings. If you haven't already, why not take a vacation from the WTS grind?
i grew up in the cult--and childishly belived it was the true religion because we were in it. i left school early and pioneered--became a servant and married at 20. i was a bit of a blue eyed boy.
at 23 i was about to become a dad. i thought about the blood transfusion issue--in case my wife or our baby might need it. i didnt think too long.
it hit me i had no interest in religion--didnt believe there was a god--or a devil--evil spirits--the whole shooting match.
i was gone.
never looked back.
