by rune 40 Replies latest jw friends
welcome to the forum, Daniel.
Yes, there is life --good life--to be had beyond the JW borders. It will be what you make of it---a freedom not allowed within JW land.
I was raised in a tight; controling; suffocatinig JW enviroonment and escaped in my early 20s. I am here to testafy that you can do it.
You are lucky to be free of it at such an early age. Life truly is a gift; now you can do something with it besides going door to door selling religion for the Watchtower.
good luck, Frank
Dad was in the truth mom wasn't. Had to go with dad till I was like 12. Went to the memorial every year. Constantly lived with the fear that I was going to die at Armagedon. At 19 decided to try the truth out with full vigor. Married a JW, worst mistake ever (but have a great son out of the deal). Continued for a while. Stopped going, sinned, confessed sins to elders and went back with full vigor. Almost lost the most loving caring woman in the world because of it, but thought it was right. Currently in limbo land deciding what is best. I think the witnesses as all religions have faults, but still live with the fear that I am going to die if not a witness. Somedays I tell myself confess my sins and go back, others I question whether I need any relgion to be a witness of god. I also live with the fear that I am leaving the truth because I am too weak to follow all the standards needed. I struggle thinking man I am loosing out on eternal life because I am a weak individual. So that is where I am. I come on this board to read and see what is going on with others in similar situations. I feel no need to bash JW or anyone... there are a lot of good people that are JW.
If it was not for the fear of dying and lettig down Jehovah I would have to say I am happier then I have ever been in my life. I pray hard to give me strength and wisdon to do what is right and try to be the best person I ca be.
Welcome Daniel.
I was raised a JW from age 4. When I was about 50 years old, I learned the real truth. We took almost 3 years to fade, successfully. I am now 59 and FREE.
My husband was an elder for 25 years, and we faded together. All of our children are also out of the WTS.
Daniel, welcome to the group.
To you and the others who are new, obviously you see a lot of things that are not right. You need to do some more investigating about this "truth" you have been taught, and you probably won't lose that sinking feeling you have until you are resolved that this is nothing more than a mind-controlling cult, much like others out there. It took me a couple years, bits and pieces, and then I thought, I have so many doubts and at this point, there is no going back. I am not going to be convinced again that these people are the only good things on this earth! I also couldn't live a lie, and didn't like the superficial person that I was. It isn't easy though.
I was raised a JW, and along with my husband, we left completely last year, with our 3 kids and have such a heavy burden lifted off of us. Yes, we both lost our families, parents, siblings, grandparents, etc., but we have filled our life with others who care about us.
This is a great place to come for support while you are going through this. There are some people who are VERY bitter against the religion, and they have good cause to be, and there are others who have a good time making fun of it, but don't let that stop you from coming here. It isn't all about bashing the JW's, it's about getting support and understanding from others who can relate.
Hope you stick around!
Krissy
Yeah man, glad you got out of the Watchtower. Lots of us Raise-In-The-Truths eventually get vomitted up by the fish that ate our parents, but its a stinky ride out of that gullet. Glad you made it through, now have fun.
Welcome Rune!
Yes, I was born and raised a JW, but it took me a long time to realize that things just didn't smell right. When the WTBTS denied saying 1975 was the year of the great tribulation, I was about 20, and I knew what they had said. To mitigate the 1975 prediction with this denial seemed like a lie to me. It took me another 8 years of apostasies in Brooklyn, hidden pictures in the Watchtower, bad weird science in the Creation book and other inconsistencies for me to realize that something was really wrong and that this wasn't the life for me. It took another 7 years for me to get to the point where I could let go of my family and disassociate myself. Even then, with my faith seriously shaken, I still believed most of it was the truth, but somehow doubted that Armageddon was really going to come. If I was wrong, I would still rather live my remaining years free. Everlasting life in their paradise would be pure hell for me.
Tammy
I was 7 years old when my parents became involved. I left at age 25. I was also convinced that I was the smartest thing since sliced bread right up until my mid 40's when I had the rudest awkening possible, which made me realise that the old witness precepts were still operating.
Englishman.
Wecome to the board Daniel and figureitout!!!
Yes, I was raised in the "truth." I was DF'ed when I was 18 (19 years ago). I knew that I would never return - but didn't really know all the flaws in the cult. I often had the feeling "what if they're right?" Then, just this summer, I read Crisis of Conscience by Ray Franz and started reading stuff on the internet. Boy were my eyes opened! This discussion board has been a lifesaver in dealing with the new reality. For the first time in my life I have support from other people who know EXACTLY what I'm talking about! That means a lot to me.
Figureitout:
but still live with the fear that I am going to die if not a witness
I can relate to that. I also read Realeasing the Bonds by Steven Hassan. He says this is called a phobia - instilled by the JW cult. All cults do it. So you are SUPPOSED to be having that fear as you consider leaving. It's part of what keeps people from leaving. I don't know if they do it on purpose - but nevertheless - it's a very effective part of mind control. Good luck to you in sorting this all out and finding true freedom for yourself.
I was raised as a JW from age 5 to 18. It always seemed that some things just weren't right with the religion. I began rebelling big time when I turned 18. Finally, 6 months later, my parents quit forcing me to attend meetings, and I was taken off the list of Publishers after a nice shepharding call where I was told I'd be toast at Armageddon.
I've never looked back since.
There's so much that you need to catch up on when you leave. The holidays are a big one. Social skills are another. I wish you luck on your new path of life!
I was raised a witness, too for forty years till till my wife of 20 years ran off with a known child abuser who attended meetings; and she let him abuse my daughter, and still to a degree defends him. I was healing from a bad head injury at the time, and with the help of my older daughter we put his rear back in jail. The elders offered NO help for me to seek justice for my daughter, so, sense then I realized (brain storm) the witness's are FUBAR. But that is not to say it is not hard to shed their ideas and thinking in general. I look over my sholder even now from the elders from every corner; now this was a big misteak I had a old elder study with me and my new wife for a few months, that was a big misteak, cause those old feeling came flooding back when he defended the WT policy on child abuse, I hate feeling like I am under their thumb and if I don't like, it then I am not a good person in the eyes of God, hell with that! Anyways welcome my friend to this list, their is good people here who refuse to wear rose colored glasses any longer and have WT pharaohs make bricks in the mud pits with a controled cult like happiness.
