Some JWs Are "In The Closet" (page 3)

eyeslice

Min,

There is no straight JW answer to that. If I give them no bother, I am no longer a brother in their eyes - I am someone who has 'fallen' away. If word gets back that I have done 'something wrong', then they are always likely to consider me a brother in order to get at me. It's just the way it works in JW land.

minimus

JEREMY---WELCOME!!!! Frank---great points. I know you have no problem flaunting and flouting. Putting your own pic shows this too!.....Eyeslice, would you try to not let a JW see you smoking, as an example, so that you wouldn't have to deal with them? Are YOU totally free around THEM?

Sunspot

** Once with someone actually moving three steps away from me sideways, as if I had something contagious.

Gill, This made me think of an incident that happened when I was "out" for a couple of years. I was at the pharmacy window waiting for a prescription, and this store aisles are rather crowded back there. Here comes a old-time brother and he must have recognized me from the back.

I spotted him and took a few steps towards him, and he ept moving the same way as I did (his back was to me) every little step I took--he adjusted the way he was standing to make sure his back was directly facing me. I almost said hello to him just to see if he'd turn around or whatever! But they called my name and I went to get my prescription.

It was really funny! A tall grown man in his 60's acting like he was afraid of little old 5 foot ME!

**I have to tell you, I am deffinitely out of the closet and I now look forward to the knock at my door so I can use my knowledge of truth with what I was misled with and stop any JW in there speach

Hello and welcome, Jeremy!

LET'em knock! Even let'em KNOW that you are home! (car in the drive, lights and TV on, etc)

You know what they're gonna say anyway so why bother? Congratulations on getting out of the WTS!

**Actually I would consider myself in a figurative crawl-space or attic instead of a closet. I hoping to move to a closet soon though....

XBEHERE.

That was cute!

hugs,

Annie

minimus

Sunspot, can you enlarge your print??

Bluegrass Tom

Minimus:

I usually don?t respond to threads, because I don?t really have anything to say beyond what others have already posted, and there are some really smart people out there like Blondie and Neo who say it all very succinctly, and much better than I could. However, I do want to contribute to your thread because I sympathize with your state of mind. Here are a few general things to keep in mind that may prove helpful to you.

You are not required to say or do anything you don?t want to, and don?t allow any of the Brothers or any other human to manipulate you into doing or saying anything you feel uncomfortable with. This is true for any Publisher or human being.

You have freedoms and rights under

The WTB&TS contends that when a person willfully becomes baptized and wants to be known as a JW (by publicly answering the baptism questions), they place themselves under the ecclesiastical authority of the religion. This means that the person must follow all of the rules that the Society has developed, if the person wants to remain a JW. This is the whole point. If you don?t want to be a JW anymore, remove yourself from that authority by controlling your actions and speech. What you think and believe is only your business. You don?t have to tell anyone anything more than what you wish. You don?t have to write a letter of Disassociation if you don?t want to. A letter of Disassociation is part of the ecclesiastical authority. It is a procedure created by the WTB&TS for their expediency. You actually remove yourself from the authority by not doing it.

If you are not at the meetings, in the field service, associating with members of the Congregation, or generally know as a JW in the area, you are not a threat to the Congregation and they will leave you alone particularly as time passes. If any of the Brothers call on you, you can politely tell them that you wish to be left alone, and you will let them know when and if you desire their help. They are obligated to do this, unless they are pursuing you in a judicial matter. Even then, you don?t have to meet or talk to anybody. If you tell them you will initiate a legal action against them unless they leave you alone, you will see how fast they forget about you. Their direction is to avoid lawsuits and logically so.

If you want to keep it light and go to a meeting or two here and there (they are free and open to the public only at the KH) and say hello to people that you might bump into out in public, just be cautious what you openly say to members of the Congregation pertaining to what you believe or don?t believe. Control your options. If you need to vent or have a sounding board for your head, get a non-JW therapist.

minimus

Tom, I enjoyed your thread response. I agree that we do not have to respond to the "authority" of the organization. If we shy away from coming out and telling everyone that's a JW that we don't believe in the doctrines or the religion, we must contend with certain losses. For some, at the time, these losses could be devastating. Such ones are still in the closet because being outted could mean that no one in their families would have anything to do with them. Not everyone in this situation is prepared for this reality. My contention is that if a person refuses to renounce their JW beliefs because of other circumstances, they are in their right but that the organization still does exert some influence. Not eveyone can simply 'out' themselves.

steve2

Surely "coming out" of the Watchtower is a hugely personal matter, with the repercussions being different for everyone.

Readiness to come out and timeliness of coming out are two factors. E.g, for a lot of us, the doubts came first, but often weren't sufficient to cause us to leave; we weren't ready. I also think of those who have really close family in the religion, such as spouses, parents and children; the costs can be formidable in terms of finances and even employment.

Sometimes, it's also better to wait for the "right" moment (e.g., when others are also planning on leaving). The right moment can have really dramatic impact value.

I and many others are not 100% "out".

Well what percentage of you is still in, min?

Some JWs Are "In The Closet"

eyeslice

minimus

Sunspot

minimus

Bluegrass Tom

minimus

steve2

PopeOfEruke

stillajwexelder

prophecor

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