Brought up as a Witness

by newbie-australia 26 Replies latest jw friends

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  dh

  Everyone gets dumped as far as I know. I have heard of some whose family still speak, I havent spoken to my JW family since the day Ieft,

  My dad is an elder, my brother is df'd, my dad goes around to help my brother on his house, when we are all in the same place we sit and eat dinner together, even when I'm not there my brother will go and have dinner with my parents and grandma (grandma who is roman catholic). My mother said that if anyone tried telling her she had to stop seeing her son/s, she would tell them that she would never stop, and if that got her df'd, so be it.
• 

  Brummie

  Yes I have heard of some whose family remained close, but only a few compared to how many are totally cut off.

  My mother said that if anyone tried telling her she had to stop seeing her son/s, she would tell them that she would never stop, and if that got her df'd, so be it.

  My mom eventually decided to take the same course of action as yours did, she decided to speak regardless of their pathetic rules. I used to live right opposite the KH and would purposely go walk past it when they were all going to the meetings just to see my family, they never spoke.
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  peggy

  I was for the most part brought up a witness, although my dad was not. I raised my kids as witnesses, although I was liberal in my thinking. I am inactive, my husband, son, and daughter are inactive. My oldest daughter is active but very nonjudgemental. I would never shun my family, I would die for them, why would i stop speaking with them because of what they do. I know that I do not think like the average witness. Therefore I am not sure if I am truly one.
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  AloneinOh

  Welcome!

  Yup....born and raised in it. I left in 83 and haven't been to a meeting since. Not dis-fellowshipped, but dis-associated as I was never baptised....just couldn't bring myself to it. Both of my parents were raised in the truth as were my grandparents. I even had a great-grandmother that was one of the annointed. My whole famn damily is in it.

  I was also dumped by my family. I have seen my parents about 3 times in 20+ years.
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  under74

  Newbie-
  "And are most here DF'd or disassociated themselves?"
  
  Well, everybody is a little different...as for myself I was never baptized. My mom DA'd herself when I was a teen and me and my siblings left when she did. Although it was a while, I found myself here at the forum after I realized I wasn't quite over my upbringing in the WTS and needed to converse with some other people that have been through some similair experiences.
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  phil78

  I was born and raised a witness. All the meetings, witnessing, 1st talk when I was 7, parts on assemblys, multiple assignments and privleges. Got confused with some teachings about 3 years back, and now, at nearly 27 have been out for the most part of a year. Was pretty slack for a couple of months before that, untill i worked up the courage. My wife has left with me. She hasn't been to the hall for 5 months.

  -Phil
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  under74

  Newbie- Just wanted to add...
  
  My mom wrote a 4 page letter to disassociate herself and all of her kids help her write it. She's never regreted it and neither have I nor any of my siblings.
  
  None of my mom's grandkids know much about the WTS and they're so well off because of it.
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  Heatmiser

  I DA'd by way of getting DF'd. What I did was tell the elders that I did something that was a DFing offence (which I never did) and to never come to my house again. So I never attended any JC's or stepped into a KH ever again.
• 

  Mulan

  My parents became JW's when I was 4, so I was raised in it.

  Is it just my zealous family, or does everyone get TOTALLY dumped when DF'd?

  I am not df'd but my brother has been since 1978, and the family still talks to him, and always did.
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  cyber-sista

  aloha Newbie,

  welcome...I was never Dfd nor am I D'Ad but I have been dumped by some family and 20 years of friendships too. I left because I began to see much that was wrong, I was hurt by it and I stopped believing that the WT was god's spirit directed organization. Glad you got out when you were young. anyway, there is a lot of support here if you need it. It's rough to lose family and friends because of the WT conditional love program (we will only love you if you love the WT) But we soon find out that there are people out in the world who are open hearted and wonderful human beings and we seek them out and have to leave the adherents of the WT behind.

  the best to you,

  cybs