Are You Afraid To Be "Outed"? (page 3)

kwintestal

Yes, I'm am worried about it. People might make fun of me because I used to be a Jehovah's Witness

Kwin

The more time that goes by, the less I am worried about it. Not that I'm going to march into a KH and announce my DAing. I's still prefer to remain "inactive" so that I don't have to worry about my family being forced to shun me.

garybuss

Being not socially acceptable to the Jehovah's Witness community was old stuff to me by the time I quit trying to fit in with them. There's no danger to me by Witnesses shunning me. They fractionally shunned me for most of the time I tried to associate with them.
There's a bigger danger seeing ex Witnesses as a community and perceive being snubbed or shunned by them. My Ex Witness context is shrinking. I don't fit with Trinitarian Christians very well, they don't want to hear from me. Non Trinitarian Christians don't want me. There's not a lot left. If I see the ex Witnesses as a community, and if they reject me, the Jehovah's Witnesses don't look quite so bad from a social perspective anymore.

Cygnus

Don't worry, Gary, you'll always have me and AlanF as buddies. :)

I outed myself a long time ago on Hourglass2 Outpost when I posted my real name and picture. It was around April of 2000. I'm still posting links of pics of myself. I did so this morning and I'll do so again here.

http://members.aol.com/cygnus97/pics/me81705.jpg

bavman

I'm not gay.

stillajwexelder

Yes it would make things very awkward

thom

I think I've been tempting it. Posting my picture here, talking about stuff in my life that people that know me would easily recognize. Sometimes it seems like something to just get over and done with.
---"Don't worry, when you're inactive, they make up stuff."---
Exactly!
The only JW's I associate with at all are my father, grandmother and business partner. They would all still talk to me, but they would get pressure to stop and I feel bad for them. Any other JW's that recognize me in stores already shun me and make faces. I know the rumors going around, they get back to me. I also know where they start, my dad's wife, who hates me to no end.
I think the main reason that I just don't out myself is because that's what she wants to see, she'd love to see me get df'd, it would make her day.

damselfly

Seeing as how they kicked me out years ago, not really.

I do not want them to label me apostate and lose the shaky and limited family contact that I have. That is what I am afraid of.

Dams

Rayvin

i am just not wanting my dying mother to really know so she can die feeling that me and my kids will be alive in the paradise! If they were to announce it and make it harder on my parents uuugghh! They already dont have many friends there anyway.

Stress Free

My wife and me have never been disfellowshiped we just gradually slipped out. However, our families know what we think of the troof, that it's all B.S. We had to spell it out to them about 18 months ago, it wasn't easy but we had to let them know as they just wouldn't stop hounding us about not attending meetings anymore. The majority of my family shun us now anyway and one day we will write a D.A. letter. I am no longer afraid to be outed as the damage has already been done, you just move on with your life.

I fully understand though how some would be afraid to be outed. It really depends on your situation and what you have to lose if you are outed i.e. spouse, children, parents, somewhere to live, etc.

Are You Afraid To Be "Outed"?