Dear Moanzy,
I wasn?t going to join the forum; was just enjoying reading the postings. But when I read your experience, I felt compelled to write to you. You are a lot younger than I am, so maybe it is with a motherly-like love that I am reaching out to you.
My life?s story is way too long to go in to detail, but after 20 years as an adult witness, I finally got tired of the brainwashing and the control freaks.
What they did to you was make you feel like a subhuman that didn?t have the brains to make your own decisions and they have deprived you of your right to be happy!
What you have to do is take back that right! Heard of that saying, ?What doesn?t kill you makes you stronger!?? Well, it?s true! W alk away while holding your head up high! You are stronger, smarter, and better than they are, and once you put your mind to it, you can kick ass!
You have every legal right to go to any wedding, funeral, or any public gathering, and there is nothing that they could do to stop you! I know it would be hard, but you could do it! I wished that I lived closer to you so I would take you myself!
After leaving the organization, I also had to start a new life. They are not the only people in the world; which means you should make new friends. It will take time, but it will happen. You are making them here on the forum, right? After a while, instead of feeling hurt and bitter, you will feel sorry for them. Although there are some very nice individuals, as a group, they are pathetic! Remember that t hey have been brainwashed and that is a hard thing for them to see. You, on the other hand, have seen the need to escape and you are the strong one, but you haven?t seen that side of yourself yet.
I would like to make some suggestions as to how to make your sad heart into a happy one. and maybe some of the others reading this can do the same.
You do not need an organization to be a happy spiritual person! Just because you would no longer be a JW, doesn?t mean that you cannot read the Bible when you want to or that you can?t pray.
After making your break, find something interesting to do with your life aside from the job and a family. How about walking in a marathon, if you can?t run? I had breast cancer in 2001 and in 2003, my son who is now 28 walked with me in the Susan Koman walk for breast cancer in