Posts by Gordy

we have read threads where statistics show that 2 out of every 3 people raised as jehovah's witnesses eventually leave once they get in their 20's to 30's and out on their own.

my children and my nieces and nephews are between the ages of 21 to 35 .

out of those 8 people - 4 of them have completely stopped attending meetings .

Gordy

palmtree67

I agree with you.

In the last say, 2-3 years I've been surprised by the number of young JWs I have met, when I've been out for a drink or in a club.

They usually come up to me and ask if I am (name one of my children) father.

Then they go on about how they don't really believe even half what the JWs teach.

50

How Much of an Impact is Being Made by Young JW' s Leaving the Cult ?

by flipper in

jw
friends

we have read threads where statistics show that 2 out of every 3 people raised as jehovah's witnesses eventually leave once they get in their 20's to 30's and out on their own.

my children and my nieces and nephews are between the ages of 21 to 35 .

out of those 8 people - 4 of them have completely stopped attending meetings .

Gordy

Well out of my 7 children, only 2 are still JWs.
Of the others 2 dissassociated, 3 never became JWs.

Many who they grew up with, in the congregation, have left also.

Even now we occasionally hear of ones, who were teenagers when I was there, now late 20's or early 30's, who have left.

It seems to be a case of "if not sooner, later" but it eventually happens.

41

R U disfellowshipped 2

by DFshipped in

hi people.

i am a df'd person hoping to return to the fold.

i am not critical of the decision to df me nor of the loving organization i believe to be in the palm of jesus hand.. i would find it most encouraging to hear from others who feel the same and would like to "hold hands" on the way back.. this board is hailed as a supportive respectful place so if you do not fit this description may i ask you to move on and not hinder the participants here in following their god given right to pursue their goal.

Gordy

DFshipped

Just what is the reason you want to go back ?

You say you have done research and made you decide where you want to be.
If you have done any kind of serious research into the Watchtower then you would know it is a false and devious organisation.

I was a JW for nigh on 30 years then at a time when I had severe depression and attempted suicide , and my family and I needed their help and support.
What did we get ? I was reproved, removed as a Min Servant. Then 6 months later was told to move out the family home because I was a "spiritual danger" to the family.

This above all was a shock to me, were was "Jehovahs loving organisaton" at a time when we needed it?

This is what caused me to go down the road and question about the Watchtower.
I spent nearly three years researching the organisation and its teachings etc. (how long did you spend?)

Eventually I stopped attending meeting because I no longer believed in what they taught.
I now regarded them as False Prophets and in lying about what the Bible really taught.

Incidentally in that time of research I was still attending meetings and doing field service.
I never spoke to anyone what I was doing or what I was finding out and learning.
Also only once in those three years did I receive a "shepherding call" or any help from the Elders.
Even after I stopped attending meetings no Elder came to see me, not even a phone call.

Eventually after two years I disassociated, and by this time two of my children had already disassociated.

The consquences of me disassociating were that my JW wife and two JW daughters have not spoken to me for the
last 8 years. Not even being invited to one of those daughters wedding earlier this year.

So what is your reason to want to return to such loveless, controlling people?

41

Among the Most Destructive of JW Core Ideas!

by AK - Jeff in

'waiting for the real life'.

they exploit the biblical text to mean in essence that jw's 'put off' normal human life until the new world.. i never thought of the damage that does until i began to review my life history.

i have discovered that i am 35 years behind.

Gordy

It can be difficult to think what our lives might have been if not JWs.

I became a JW in 1971 aged 20, left when I DA'd in 2001 , 30 years later.

For most of that time my life was "controlled" in the sense I knew what I was doing practically every day, meetings, service, study.
Then I suddenly found myself at the age of 50 , in the "world"

Yes I had a job, but that in a sense was routine that I could cope with.

It was the "outside" I had difficulty with dealing with those "evil worldly" people.

I have some family members who followed me out, so have not been completely alone.

But there is still that bit of me that has trouble "socialising" with people. I have no problems going out , say for a drink or whatever.
But I still have trouble holding conversations with people.

Yet I have given talks at churches and seminars on the JWs, a 45 minute interview for local radio, a brief TV appearance with maybe couple more in pipeline to give my testimony on.

Yet somehow I still feel apart from the "world"

Anyone know what I'm trying to say.

35

All right, do JW's REALLY do not marry outside of their faith?

by dgp in

jw
friends

i've been a lurker in this site for some time.

i am not a jehovah's witness, but was here because i wanted to know more about the organization, since i am in love with a jw woman.

she recently rejected me, on the grounds that "she would not risk her relationship with jehovah for someone who would die in (snap fingers)".

Gordy

Yes JWs do marry non-JWs, but very rarely from my experience.
Usually the couples I have met, the one who is a JW became one after they were called on by JWs.

I've known non-JW couples who were having a study, wait until they were baptised before getting married.
One guy waited a year while his girlfriend had a study so they could be baptised together.

One point is that the lady in question said she would not risk her "relationship with Jehovah" marrying a non-JW.
I wonder seeing she has been divorced, she is more worried about her "standing" in the congregation.
As this also comes under "relationship with Jehovah" if the congregation doesn't approve, neither does Jehovah.
She would be viewed as being "spiritually weak" and the JW gossip mill would start up.

74

THE REVELATION, ITS GRAND CLIMAX AT HAND"

by maputo95 in

jw
friends

do you have the revelation, its grand climax at hand" book"?

it is a fascinating book backed up throughout with scriptures will open your eyes but you must read it from beginning to end.. the above is a quote from my jw friend, inactive for 30 years and thinking of sheepishly returning.

is the book cited above a scholarly and dependable commentary on revelation?.

Gordy

DO YOU HAVE “THE REVELATION, IT’S GRAND CLIMAX AT HAND" BOOK"?
IT IS A FASCINATING BOOK BACKED UP THROUGHOUT WITH SCRIPTURES – WILL OPEN YOUR EYES – BUT YOU MUST READ IT FROM BEGINNING TO END.
The above is a quote from my JW friend, inactive for 30 years and thinking of sheepishly returning. Is the book cited above a scholarly and dependable commentary on Revelation?

"Scholary - dependable" Sorry nearly fell off my seat laughing at that.

Why all the changes they made to it a couple of years ago? I think a few of the things it taught have now been changed.

People have been trying to understand Revelation for centuries.

Yet here is a group of people who apply practically every verse in Revelation either to themselves or to their teachings.

20

How will the Watchtower change as OLDER MEMBERS DIE OFF?

by nicolaou in

the 'old-timers' generally carry a congregation.. .

i grew up in a cong' with six members of the 'anointed' - only one remains, a lovely lady with genuine warmth and interest in people who is now in a nursing home.. .

what happens when the depth that these individuals bring is lost?

Gordy

In my old congregation the older members who I knew have all mainly died off.
When I was there we had Elders who were 60-70+ years old.
These were guys who did have a love for the congregation, and did care.
When they died off younger ones became Elders , a couple of them only in their 30's.
A few who I had known from when I became a JW.
The attitude of these was everything had to done the Watchtower way, no leeway.
Yet over the years since I left quite a few of these have either resigned as Elders, or even left.
I can think of about 3-4 of them who 10 years ago I would have said they would never leave the WT.
They were good strong spiritual mature brothers, brought up in the "truth".
Yet in the say last 5 years they just upped and left.

So is it a case of will the WT change as older ones die off.

Or a case of they are already losing ones, even younger ones, not through death, but walking away from the WT.