by jst2laws 64 Replies latest jw friends
Path said:
This has been the easy part. Next comes wrestling with the difficult questions about God and the Bible.
Whew! Did you ever say a mouthful. My daughter has started to ask questions about our family's exit from the borg. Like, is there a God or not? And why did we leave and how come she can't see her old friends? I'm hesitant as to where to take things. Any suggestions?
You're right, leaving the congregation is just the beginning. But we all have to start somewhere. I have no regrets.
29 years as an elder
Wow, what a long time! Enjoyed your story please add to it as time goes on.
You were at Bethel 6 years. Did you ever read the old Wts. in the library from Russell's days while you were there? And any of his books?
Jst2laws
Thanks for the encouragement I got from your post.
I hope you can continue to endure the meetings as I try to do.
Here is an Email I have sent to Boroea.......
Hi BoroeaI live in the UK. I notice in your post to Jst2laws that you are in Europe too. What part of Europe do you live? It would be great to know if you are in the UK as well!
On JWD board you said to Jst2laws....>
"I’m still in and serve as elder in Europe, but waiting for the right moment and the right explanation of why to “step down”."<
I'm a MS and in the same position and was a budding Elder (near to giving my first public talk). Isn't it diffi"cult"! I have family that are active and worship the society. So I have to think about their feelings if I did something like DA myself.
Talk about conditional love hay! Not the mark of a true Christian body.
Thought I'd say Hello,
qwerty
((((Jst2))))
My heart goes out to you! Please let me add my thanks to the others here for the long years of tireless service you gave to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society while you believed that you were serving Jehovah's earthly organization.
I can't remember who wrote it, but I, too, remember reading a post of yours on H2O and, like Farkel, understood immediately the laws your moniker referenced, and also that you could not be long for the Society if those 2 laws were paramount to you.
Path is correct, too. Now comes the soul searching as you reexamine everything to do with the religion, discarding what is surely human doctrine, questioning the meanings of things without the WT bias, unfettering yourself from the knee-jerk responses to Biblical challenges that have been programmed into all JWs.
My advice to you is this: LOVE yourself. Do not let yourself believe that now that you have lost your position (even if you voluntarily stepped down over some right cause, you have 'lost' your position) you are a lesser being or an unworthy person. Don't let that "Do More" mentality bring you down emotionally even though you realize mentally it's a bunch of baloney! And don't let the number of the years you're gradually leaving behind daunt you. There is still life to live, people to love and to be loved by.
Yes, we all would like to know how the story ends. So it would be nice if you DID document everything, as Amazing suggested, and then recounted it to us here when it is safe to do so.
Take care, noble one!
outnfree
Jst2laws,
Thank you for giving of yourself and your experience here. I have been out of the Cong (inactive but never more to return) for 6 years now, and your story brought back a memory of one elder and his problems with trying to be compassionate among the snakes. I will post that soon. Thanks again,
Hugs,
RCat
((((((((((jst2))))))))))
Wishing you continued strength and courage! Tina
Greeting jst2
I just wanted to add my support.
I was df'ed, which is some ways is easier than the slow drifting away, at least for me. I didn't have to pretend over an extended period of time, that would be so very hard. You must be a strong and compassionate person.
If it is of any help to hear, I no longer have any family left in the org. The last of them left only a very short time ago.
Remember to take care of yourself
Cautious
..
Deacon,
I find your writing to be obtuse. You talk about your disfellowshipment being "excessive". Well, what the hell did you do. Awhile back, you mentioned that you used to make $180 an hour in the mental health profession, but then, you didn't want to talk about it when someone asked you about your work. Your whole situation is very fuzzy to me.
Now look what you have done Larc
