Former Jehovah's Witnesses - how did you feel the day you decided to stop being a Jehovah's Witness?

Question

How did you family treat you when they learned of your decision? Thanks

Achtung - can you provide statistics for you claim?

Answer 1

I was a Jehovah’s Witness for nearly ten years. I would say it took me about 6 months of really difficult searching to finally arrive at the truth, and that truth was that I had been deceived!!!! Talk about a shock, it was like the blinders were removed.

It all started when a Christian ask me if a person would read the bible alone, could the come to the same beliefs if they read the bible with Watchtower literature. Of course I told him, “we only go by the Bible.”
Then he did something amazing, he showed from our own literature, where it said if we read the bible alone we would fall in to “Christiandom” theology. That was the start of the “wake up”.

I was mostly mad at myself to being deceived. Also I was real mad at my “friends”.The real truth was presented to me, but in the “training” I received I just ignored it all. Nice people who had a real concern for me would show me the contradictions, false prophecies, historical revisionism, yet I just ignored it. I refused to even look at the clear evidence presented to me for a long time.
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Ignore the poster who said most fall in to fornication or whatever. That is a lie I was told over and over and over and over.

Answer 2

I was never a witness, but studied hard for a while. Then I actually read from other sources including their old books, which had completely different doctrines that actually costs the lives of former members. There was a ban on certain vaccinations, organ transplants, a women getting her tubes tied etc. that were changed later on, some changed back again. I found out how absurd and cultic it was. Then I felt embarrassed for almost getting duked into such a cult. I feel so bad for those members that don't realize it.

Answer 3

I am so glad to get the chance to answer this question. I grew up as a JW from a very young age; going from door to door with the Watchtower and Awake, having Bible Study every Tuesday and on Saturdays and learning to speak on topics on Thrusday evening Thearocratic (sp) Ministry School.

My mother decided when I was about 16 years old that being a JW was not what she wanted for herself and for her children (my father never joined because he saw it as a racist organization) .....she left for many reasons, one being that she realized it was indeed a cult and not a ministry that served God. My mother studied the Bible carefully before she made this determination.

My feelings at that time? Relief, as if a load had been lifted. I was smart enough to read and learn that what I was being taught was not the true interpretation of the Bible. Why do you think that they publish their own version of the Bible?

I am now 54 years old; and have been a member of a Pentecostal Church for the past 17 years. In this religion; I am taught that God still loves me even in my sin. I am taught that Jesus died for my sins and if I repent for them in His name; I am forgiven. I am also taught how to live Holy without being judgemental towards others. I am filled with the Holy Ghost and can actually feel the presence of God in my heart when I pray and when I worship Him. I never felt this way as a JW. I have never regretted leaving this cult.

My oldest sister remained a JW (have to admit that she is more of a hyprocrite than any of the rest of us) and does not have much contact with the rest of us. Her daughters have a relationship with the family but we only see my sister at weddings and funerals. Because we believe in the Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, she believes we are full of sin and will burn in hell. We know different.

I am very active in my church; we do outreach ministry to feed and clothe the homeless, help drug addicts become drug-free and develop a personal relationship with God, assist women in crisis in the community, boys and girls clubs for the youth and many other programs to help people in their secular life while encouraging them to have a spiritual life.

NEVER as a JW did I do so much for the community nor did I try to live my life to be more like Christ.

So tell me that I will perish in Armmageddon (sp) and I will tell you that you are a fool who is a victim of a cult that has brainwashed you with many untruths...

We are all worthy of God's love as He cares for the most wretched of us. It is in our sin, that He loves us the most so that He has an opportunity to transform our lives.

To God Be The Glory!

Answer 4

I felt like I was finally thinking for myself. I didn't make my decision overnight. I studied a lot and did a lot of thinking before making that choice. My parents still have contact with me partially because of my daughter and because my father is dying. They told me I'll always be their daughter, they don't care that the elders say. My two sisters have nothing to do with me. I don't even know my own nieces and nephews. If I see them in a store, they turn and walk the other way. I live in a small town so I see members of the congregation quite a bit and they started rumors about me like I'm a witch, I'm a lesbian, all kinds of stupid hateful things. Yep, I definitely made the right choice and couldn't be happier!
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Some people can't read, I did base my decision on theological reasons. I'm a big girl and don't make life changing decisions because I got upset with someone in the congregation. You are free to believe what you want but I prefer to be well educated and make coherent thought based decisions. If you actually read something other than information from the WTBTS, which is biased, you might learn something new.

Answer 5

My family responded lovingly with 1000% unbridled REJECTION. The day I finally stopped living the lie though I was so freaking HIGH on life that I did not really care. Seriously it was like I was balancing a fully loaded tractor trailer on my shoulders my whole life, and then that very moment I told the witness to F--- off it was like that truck was lifted away in a tornado. Man was that awesome.

Edited to add: Twisting My Mel...Its ok. See we are not the losers. You and your kind are the losers when, in the end, and you wither up and die,you will have looked back and said "Damn. My whole life I made some corporation rich and I never truly lived." See thats where we shine. We know what its like to live behind that veil of brainwashing and fear. WE have broken free from that cult and the lock it had on us. Because we have that insight , we can really,honestly,and truly have an actual zeal and total appreciation for life. Life as it was meant to be lived. Not life as you know it,serving some man made fairy tale making your life miserable and making a multi million dollar corporation richer.

Answer 6

Mad as hell....I lost all of my family and every friend that I ever had for a lie....All of those years of going door to door and feeling that Jehovah hated me because i wasn't good enough.......

It took 18 long and diffocult years to understand God and what he wanted for me to do...I knew that the Jehovah's witnesses were wrong but I had no idea who was right...I spent years just out on my horse in the hills talking to God because I couldn't trust anyone to direct my theology.....
The Witnesses drove me to try to commit suicide....When my son was born, I had left the religion, but I still believed the Dogma...They told me that If I didn't Give him to my sister to be raised as a Witness, then when Armageddon came, that the terrable things that are described in Revilation, would happen to my child, and It would be my fault!
In, my believing this (crap) and loving my son, it put me in quite a paradox....If I loved my child, How could I be selfish enough to keep him to raise myself...I tried to commit suicide, because i could not live with the selfish guilt!

those of you who do not think that this is a Dangerous Cult, think again...I was raised in this cult...sexually abused by my father the Elder and driven to attempt suicide all in the name of TRUTH.....Some day I will write a book....many many witnesses commit suicide..or die denying viable medical help...Be very afraid.....Oh I forgot one more thing....My Mother told Child Protective services, that I was a drug dealer, to get custody of my son......And that is the TRUTH

Answer 7

Bad , my feeling of empty and knowing that I have sinned, and all the consequences that I suffered, thanks God, I Came back cause there is nothing out there that can fill the gap.

The majority of us were expulsed for fornication (99%) and having a double life but many recover the judge and come back.

Answer 8

Former Jehovah's Witnesses who become anti-Witnesses are fond of pretending that they left over theological differences with the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses. Yet, an astonishing percentage seem to discover fornication along with their other discoveries.


Some Jehovah's Witnesses become inactive because they feel unable to continue preaching or certain other Christian obligations for a few months or even years. These are not counted in any JW statistics, but they are considered "brothers" and "sisters" by active Witnesses. Their standing is entirely different from those who are disfellowshipped or disassociated.


Jehovah's Witnesses 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.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/19880415/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/19970101/article_01.htm

Answer 9

What's weird is that they don't quit because of any theological truth. It's because of dissatisfaction with some aspect of JW behavior, not the theology. THEN they find something else.

Answer 10

Always been Jewish