Striking Out On My Own (page 3)

zeb

Good for you and congratulations on the rental deal. True friends. What are you studying at college if I may ask? pm if you wish.

Saethydd

Don't hold out any hopes of a normal family relationship in the future though. It'll only get you more and more frustrated. Don't tell them anything about your new life whether it be good or bad. Because they'll latch onto the bad and say "see what happens when one leaves Jehovah's organization".

I know that a normal relationship with my family is virtually impossible at this point, and even just getting one member of my family to communicate with me is unlikely, but knowing that I've left a path for them will make me feel better about the whole thing regardless.

#2 Go out with a bang, big time letter, a lot of good arguments that will not, in general, move a single JW.
Why? Because this is a club and it's due's paying membership and their good standing counts for more then a non believer's truth.
#3. Move out...... say goodbye to your close family relationships and count yourself lucky because you will no longer be in their pathetic lives or under their influence. I know....... it's Mom and Dad....Sis & Bro...it's been your life....unfortunately if you don't think as they do....... they think less of you.

I've been thinking about what I'll put in the letters, and I've decided that I'm not going to present the specifics of my argument there because I don't think it would serve a purpose. Instead, I will offer to explain my reasons to them should they wish to resume contact with me, however, I will also tell them that they don't have to listen to my explanations to get back in contact with and I would be more than happy to simply leave it as something we disagree on because I don't have to force everyone around me to believe what I believe.

WeatherLover

Congratulations on your progress! I would also like to see your letters. Since I would like to avoid being disfellowshipped if possible, I'll try to avoid presenting too many logical arguments to my parents. I do plan to write a letter to them to assure them that I do love them, to thank them for all they've done for me, and to thank them for raising me to the best of their ability.

snowbird

Saethydd and WeatherLover,

You two are some aw'ight young people!

Sylvia

Saethydd

Some of you have requested to see the letter which I drafted for my family and friends on my departure from the religion. Here is a first draft. I will probably adjust it slightly to be more personal for some individuals.

Dear [Insert Name],
I am writing to inform you of a major life decision. After careful research and a consideration of all the relevant evidence, I have come to the decision that I no longer wish to be a member of the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I find myself in the position to pursue reinstatement into the congregation, but I feel that to do so would be dishonest because I do not believe that they have the Truth. Make no mistake, this has been the hardest decision I have ever made in my life, I know that it will almost certainly mean that you and others who I care about will shun me, but I have chosen this course because I believe it is the only path that will allow me to maintain my own intellectual and moral integrity in light of the information that I have discovered.
Nonetheless, I do not wish to lose you from my life, so I leave you with this open invitation to resume contact with me anytime you wish, whether it is immediately or ten years from now. Any shunning which takes place will only ever be one way. If you hope that by shunning me you will be performing some sort of discipline which will guide me back, know that you are wrong in that. I am not ashamed of this choice, while not an easy path, I truly believe it to be the correct one.
My purpose in this letter is not to try and rip your faith away from you, so I will not discuss here the reasons for which I have made this decision. If you, however, you wish to understand them I will gladly try to explain after you have contacted me, or not, the choice is yours. If you wish to be a part of my life without discussing this matter that is perfectly acceptable to me. Believing everything I believe is not a requirement for being in my life.
If you ever wish to accept my offer the following email address and phone number should be a reliable means by which to reach me for the foreseeable future.
Email:[Insert Email]
Phone #: [Insert Phone #]
Sincerely your loving friend,
[Insert Name]

Striking Out On My Own

zeb

Saethydd

WeatherLover

snowbird

Saethydd

Vanderhoven7

dubstepped

nonjwspouse

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