I am just interested in your stories. We were raised as small kids as JW's but we left after about ten years. The brothers treated my mom very poorly when my then teen brother began to have teen issues and blamed her for not having a husband around. Also they were in the process of disfellowshipping her because of her interest in astrology. Just curious..
2007-02-02 05:56:05 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Although many of them were very kind..
2007-02-02 05:56:50 · update #1
Linedancer I will even give you a thumbsup to show you I am not just some jerk looking for a cheering section. The kingdom hall was a huge part of my life for YEARS. I merely want to know the reasons for what I saw and heard from my own ears. Sent you an email.
2007-02-02 06:51:48 · update #2
Can't help you except to suggest you try Goggle to see if you can find a support group.
2007-02-02 06:03:16 · answer #1 · answered by Mr. E 7 · 1⤊ 6⤋
Disfellowshipped JW
1982 Corning, CA Congregation
For cause, but not the ones some ex-JWs who want to put themselves on a pedestal, want you to believe, and know you will without question.
Your mother left or was disfellowshipped for violating the teachings of God?
As for what you may or may not have heard as a child, I've worked with divorced and single fathers for 20 years and know just how easy it is to get any child to believe they have seen or heard something that did not take place. This is not to say you didn't, but simply saying you heard things does not make it true. If you were to simply believe that, than 80% of all divorced and single fathers trying to get custody or visitation rights are sexual abusers of their children, as that is how many get accused of it. Only 5% are found to be true, but since there is no law making it illegal to make allegations, or to convince your children that such things took place, nothing ever happens.
As for being treated badly, I was caught with two females in my semi truck sleeper. They were looking for me, just was at the wrong truck stop at the wrong time, over 1000 miles from Corning. An elder from the congregation was on vacation and stopped there for gas. He saw my truck and decided to see if I was inside.
When I was notified about the decision, two elders drove 300 miles to inform me of it, and that I could appeal the decision. They didn’t treat me badly and neither did my parents. Probably because I don’t make it a point to condemn or make up false claims against them. I spoke with my mother this morning at 3 AM when she IM’d me in my taxi using Yahoo Messenger. She couldn’t sleep and wanted to access my windshield web cam to watch the parade of drunks leaving the bars.
I don’t know what to say to you, only you know what is true or not in your case. I will say one final thing. The two females who were in my truck, one became a Witness in the 80s, and I just learned the other one, which I married, and was together with for 13 years as team truck drivers, is attending meetings at the Kingdom Hall in her area. We’ve been divorced since 1996, but still remain close, though her boyfriend doesn’t like it. My youngest daughter, from my first marriage, think of her as a mother and grandmother.
2007-02-02 15:54:07 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 2⤋
I don't believe a word you say. We don't blame anyone for not having a husband around. All you are looking for is a cheering section to make you feel important. More than likely you will get it in this forum. Are you happy now?
2007-02-02 14:41:50 · answer #3 · answered by LineDancer 7 · 4⤊ 4⤋
You can always try meetup.com. In montreal there was a meetup but it got dissolved. For now we have a yahoo group for exjws in montreal but you are welcome to stop in and join up.
here is the link
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/MTLEXJWS/
Hang in there, we exjws are there and ready to support those harmed and hurting from that organization
2007-02-06 12:04:02 · answer #4 · answered by jeepnuk 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Jehovah's Witnesses make every conceivable effort to assure and ascertain that their students know what Jehovah's Witnesses teach from the bible and what Jehovah's Witnesses expect from baptized members. The process that must be followed before one can become baptized as a Jehovah's Witness requires many many hours and lots of hard work, and a typical minimum of six months.
A person is *NOT* expelled from Jehovah's Witnesses for personal misgivings or confusion regarding some teaching. In the matter of doctrine, it is only those who ADVOCATE unscriptural teachings who disqualify themselves from continuous spiritual fellowship with the congregation.
Jehovah's Witnesses actually encourage a student to resign from any false religious organization rather than to begin a campaign targeting one particular former religion. Jehovah's Witnesses encourage those who learn bible truth to join in preaching Kingdom "good news" and not to indulge in the human work of vindictive retribution.
Jehovah's Witnesses do practice the Scriptural practice of disfellowshipping for unrepentance of such serious sins as fornication, drug abuse, stealing, and apostasy. Baptized Witnesses who join the military or publicly engage in worship with another religion are considered to have disassociated themselves from Jehovah's Witnesses.
Contrary to the misinformation of anti-Witnesses, it is quite possible to become inactive in the JW religion without becoming disfellowshipped. As long as one's lifestyle does not bring reproach upon the congregation, and as long as one does not advocate one's disagreements with the religion, the congregation has no interest in "investigating", exposing, and disfellowshipping an inactive former Jehovah's Witness.
For those who are disfellowshipped or disassociated, a primary goal is to shock the person into recognizing the serious of their wrong so that they rejoin the congregation in pure worship. Since the primary bonds that are broken involve friendship and spiritual fellowship, it is well understood that family bonds remain intact. Parents, siblings, and grown children of disfellowshipped and disassociated ones sometimes choose to limit what they may feel is discouraging or "bad association" but that is a personal decision and is not required by their religion.
Former Witnesses who are disfellowshipped or disassociated are typically treated in accord with the Scriptural pattern explained in these Scriptures:
(1 Corinthians 5:11-13) Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. ...Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.
(Titus 3:10) As for a man that promotes a sect, reject him after a first and a second admonition
(Romans 16:17) Now I exhort you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who cause divisions and occasions for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them.
(2 Thessalonians 3:6) Now we are giving you orders, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition you received from us.
(2 Thessalonians 3:14) But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked, stop associating with him, that he may become ashamed.
(2 John 10) If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him.
(Matthew 18:17) If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations
Becoming baptized as a Jehovah's Witnesses is not a trivial step. At a minimum, a student must demonstrate months of regular meeting attendance and public ministry, then must himself express the desire to be baptized. The candidate then spends hours answering hundreds of bible questions wherein he expresses both a clear understanding and personal conviction regarding Jehovah's Witness teachings in at least three separate interviews with three different elders. The candidate must vocally agree to be baptized in front of hundreds or thousands of eyewitnesses, and must be publicly immersed in water. This is not a momentary emotional decision by an unreasoning child. Dedication as a Witness required hard work and determination at the time.
2007-02-02 18:10:05 · answer #5 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 6⤊ 3⤋
Well I am a Christian, and Im gonna go to heaven. I would ask God and read the Bible. I am 12 yrs old, and I have always been a Christian, and I have am great friends with God.
2007-02-02 14:05:54 · answer #6 · answered by dinosaur hunter 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Jehovah's Witnesses make every conceivable effort to assure and ascertain that their students know what Jehovah's Witnesses teach from the bible and what Jehovah's Witnesses expect from baptized members. The process that must be followed before one can become baptized as a Jehovah's Witness requires many many hours and lots of hard work, and a typical minimum of six months.
A person is *NOT* expelled from Jehovah's Witnesses for personal misgivings or confusion regarding some teaching. In the matter of doctrine, it is only those who ADVOCATE unscriptural teachings who disqualify themselves from continuous spiritual fellowship with the congregation.
Jehovah's Witnesses actually encourage a student to resign from any false religious organization rather than to begin a campaign targeting one particular former religion. Jehovah's Witnesses encourage those who learn bible truth to join in preaching Kingdom "good news" and not to indulge in the human work of vindictive retribution.
Jehovah's Witnesses do practice the Scriptural practice of disfellowshipping for unrepentance of such serious sins as fornication, drug abuse, stealing, and apostasy. Baptized Witnesses who join the military or publicly engage in worship with another religion are considered to have disassociated themselves from Jehovah's Witnesses.
Contrary to the misinformation of anti-Witnesses, it is quite possible to become inactive in the JW religion without becoming disfellowshipped. As long as one's lifestyle does not bring reproach upon the congregation, and as long as one does not advocate one's disagreements with the religion, the congregation has no interest in "investigating", exposing, and disfellowshipping an inactive former Jehovah's Witness.
For those who are disfellowshipped or disassociated, a primary goal is to shock the person into recognizing the serious of their wrong so that they rejoin the congregation in pure worship. Since the primary bonds that are broken involve friendship and spiritual fellowship, it is well understood that family bonds remain intact. Parents, siblings, and grown children of disfellowshipped and disassociated ones sometimes choose to limit what they may feel is discouraging or "bad association" but that is a personal decision and is not required by their religion.
Former Witnesses who are disfellowshipped or disassociated are typically treated in accord with the Scriptural pattern explained in these Scriptures:
(1 Corinthians 5:11-13) Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. ...Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.
(Titus 3:10) As for a man that promotes a sect, reject him after a first and a second admonition
(Romans 16:17) Now I exhort you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who cause divisions and occasions for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them.
(2 Thessalonians 3:6) Now we are giving you orders, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition you received from us.
(2 Thessalonians 3:14) But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked, stop associating with him, that he may become ashamed.
(2 John 10) If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him.
(Matthew 18:17) If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations
Becoming baptized as a Jehovah's Witnesses is not a trivial step. At a minimum, a student must demonstrate months of regular meeting attendance and public ministry, then must himself express the desire to be baptized. The candidate then spends hours answering hundreds of bible questions wherein he expresses both a clear understanding and personal conviction regarding Jehovah's Witness teachings in at least three separate interviews with three different elders. The candidate must vocally agree to be baptized in front of hundreds or thousands of eyewitnesses, and must be publicly immersed in water. This is not a momentary emotional decision by an unreasoning child. Dedication as a Witness required hard work and determination at the time.
Source(s):
Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/19880415/article...
http://watchtower.org/e/19970101/article...
2007-02-03 16:03:49 · answer #7 · answered by Answer Champion 3 · 3⤊ 4⤋
Hi. I am so sorry you had a rough time. Please remember we are all human and subject to making mistakes. I hope you/your mom one day will give us another try.
2007-02-03 02:09:06 · answer #8 · answered by Ish Var Lan Salinger 7 · 4⤊ 3⤋
they are out giving BLOOD
2007-02-02 14:04:31 · answer #9 · answered by COSMO 4 · 0⤊ 4⤋