my parents learned the truth when i was about 2 years old or so and they got baptized when i was 4.. they came from ukraine from the former soviet union and i was born months after they came to brooklyn.. they started studying with a sister who was american and joined the first russian group in brooklyn.. my brother was born when i was 5. we moved to staten island when i was 8 or 9.. ever since i was 14 or 15, i realized an attraction to guys.. of course, i kept on putting it off as a phase or an "everyone feels this way" excuse.. and yes, i had lots of crushes on guys, but i didn't tell others because it was hard to face the facts.. around 18 years of age, we were having our family study and my dad said that if a person even has gay thoughts then they can't be a pioneer, etc.. and he was an elder and a coordinator of the body of elders.. i got depressed and cried for days and eventually this got me to feel the need to tell someone about it.. i told my 14 year old brother (the other younger one is 7) about it because he keeps his mouth shut all the time.. he didn't react at all really.
eventually i felt like i had to tell my pioneer mom about it (by the way, i've been pioneering since 18 years of age due to knowing that that would be the only reason why my dad would pay for my college education).. she reacted with mixed feelings of denial, also attacking me and making it look like i'm disgusting, immoral, this and that.... eventually i told someone my age about this in my congregation, as he was also a neighbor of ours.
he was a bit more feminine acting, though i wasn't sure if he was gay or not (though the sisters had their rumors) (i'm more of the masc type it seems).
If you tell the elders and your dad that you are celibate and haven't acted on your feelings, they shouldn't be able to df you. Do NOT confess to anything! Say that you pray to Jehovah to give you the strength to fight these feelings, blah, blah, blah.
You can also check out A Common Bond, a support group for former and current Witnesses.
just got back from an awesome time in maui.
today we got a call from my fil.
my mil has been in utah for the last week or so and found out that her family past was full of "demon activity".
Have you thought about having a family study night where you just read the Bible? Next time your wife starts in on you, tell her that maybe she's right. Tell your wife that you feel lost, want to "regain your faith", and want to study the Bible as a family- and just the Bible.
Start in the beginning of the New Testament. Others on the board have said that studying just the Bible helped them and their families realize that the Society does not follow what the Bible says.
This may also smooth things over with your wife, since you'll be showing interest in spiritual matters and acting as head of the household by "providing spiritual nourishment".
Edited to add: That last bit almost made me gag as I was typing it.
were you shocked?.
was it eye opening?.
did you think these "apostates" were pretty much right?.
I felt relieved. I realized that other people's cogregations were just like mine, and some sounded worse!
It wasn't me, it was the belief system that was wrong.
hello, jwn!.
like other newbies, im a long time lurker, first-time poster.
recently, i created a profile, but then hesitated on submitting my first post.
Welcome to the board and thanks for sharing your story!
The more life stories I read on here, the more I know that the JW faith is seriously lacking in the "showing love for others" department.
in a recent thread i started on music i couldn't help noticing how many had to throw their alleged " worldly music " out because parents, or elders told them their music brought them " under the influence of demons ", or listening to music was how " the demons got inside us ".
this superstitious belief that " satan " is to blame for each witnesses demise is really a passing of the buck of responsibility so it sidesteps real issues involved.. for example : check these familiar expressions out we all heard while we were jehovah's witnesses .. .
1. if a person was stumbled and said, " i don't want to go to meetings anymore.
I remember sitting at a convention and one of the speakers was talking about how Satan had caused his medical problems and the financial problems that followed.
Of course, then Jehovah supported his continuing to pioneer instead of getting a real job and health insurance.
My mom made the comment, "You know, that dumbass just got everyone in his congregation to pony up for his medical expenses. He should be thanking his congregation!"
how do i make a long story short?
i am fully aware that if anyone in my area were to read this that they will know who i am.
i was disfellowshipped on january 28th 2010 after an "interview" about an evening of bowling with friends and family back in november 2009. i was among 4 who were disfellowshipped and 6 who were publicly reproved.
Maybe they were also jealous that they weren't invited to your excellent sounding parties
I'm thinking that they decided to df you before they even had the meeting with you. Why else would they have a third elder waiting to form a JC? It also explains why one elder was texting during the meeting- he didn't need to pay attention because he already knew the outcome. All they had to do was wait for the smallest excuse to kick you out.
Sounds like if you hadn't been df'ed that night, they would have waited for you to make some other mistake or they would have made something up.
how do i make a long story short?
i am fully aware that if anyone in my area were to read this that they will know who i am.
i was disfellowshipped on january 28th 2010 after an "interview" about an evening of bowling with friends and family back in november 2009. i was among 4 who were disfellowshipped and 6 who were publicly reproved.
DH = Dear Husband
how do i make a long story short?
i am fully aware that if anyone in my area were to read this that they will know who i am.
i was disfellowshipped on january 28th 2010 after an "interview" about an evening of bowling with friends and family back in november 2009. i was among 4 who were disfellowshipped and 6 who were publicly reproved.
Welcome to the board!
Sounds like maybe some elders had it out for you, or just wanted to make an example of you. That would explain the third elder waiting for your JC.
gumby here, thought i'd say hi to everyone.
my nutbag is still intact but it's a tough road to please others in order to keep a family.
really tough.. i'm glad this place is still here as it's a haven for you ex-es and a means to help others to see that when man (governing body) is a mediator between christ and oneself, it becomes a cult.. .
Welcome back!
i wanted to start a post just for you.
you put a smile on my face everytime i read your expressions.
Judging from his avatar, he's hot too!
