Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses...?

Question

1. How/Why did you become ex-JW?
2. How long were you a JW before you left?
3. (answer only if it's not the same as #1) What made you realize the JWs were wrong? What made you leave?
4. What are you now? What beliefs of yours changed?

Answer 1

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 2

My family all became JW followers together, because we were non-practicing at the time. I went to some of the meetings and bible studies, but had questions right off.

I was comparing the bible with their teachings and there were some things I felt were mistakes in understanding. Consequently I was never fully accepted.

I kept searching for a church home and eventually became a Church of Christ member. My son and daughter have now left JW, and my ex-wife has become non-practicing. The rest of the family is still JW or have passed away since all this.

The beliefs I have are strong, and match up to the concepts in the Bible. My church is scripturally sound, and I can see the logic in the scriptures, and in the messages being taught based upon the scriptures.

If you want details, please send me an eMail, and I will explain my questions I posed to the JW elders, and how they have been answered in the Church of Christ.

Answer 3

1. My parents became JWs and so they raised me that way as best they could with Dad's mood swings and general refusal to socialize.

2. I wasn't baptized as a JW but did participate in the Theocratic Ministry school, answer in the WT and other study meetings, go in field service (as often as Dad could stand without getting a complex over it.) I gave up on them when I was 12, though still held hope till I was about 14 before completely writing them off.
3. I realized they were wrong when I became closer friends with a Pentacostal girl I knew and grew up with, and with an atheist girl I also grew up with. I started to see the propaganda in their writings, the oddness of their ways. Certain things didn't make any sense at all anymore, things they'd pointed out about the bible, I mean. Plus I could just tell by how they treated others and my family that the majority weren't really Christians, and no way could they be the only true religion as I was taught.
4. I'm without a religion, though I believe in God. I'm completely confused about Jesus when in the past it was simple: he was God's son. No way is there only one correct religion. No way is there a 144,000 elect. I don't believe people should be shunned for wrongdoing unless it's something serious such as abuse. If for instance they're not straight and can't help it, but don't act on it, then they shouldn't be shunned for their medical issue and subsequent psychological issue.

Answer 4

I'm not a Jehovah's Witness, but I did study with them for a time. They do know there Bible very well and I've learned a great many things that Catholicism does'nt teach and how far astray they are.
So, why did I stop? Mainly because my wife and I had different views regarding their practices. She did'nt want to continue it anymore mainly due to the influence of her mom. Also the teachings were causing a rift between my wife and I. I did'nt think such a rift was worth any religion, so in order to keep my marriage intact, I bailed out of the teachings, meetings, etc.
Do I regret it? At first it bothered me, but in time I got used to it. I still think they have good interpretations of the Bible and I like answering questions in "Yahoo questions" about Christmas, Easter, etc. A Jehovah's Witness life is very involving that there's really much less time for anything personal. To me it's a bit excessive. In their eyes, this system is temporary and they're motivated to give their all for the reward later, hence their dedication.
My beliefs are still biased toward the Bible, but I keep an open mind to other beliefs out of curiosity.

Answer 5

When I was 2 years old, a witness woman (later we found out she had "the heavenly calling" and was one of the 144,000) asked my mom if she wanted to study the bible.
It went down hill from there. I was baptized in 1974 at the age of 11--there was an "urgency" regarding the upcoming years and a push to save everyone. I chose to leave the organization based on their misrepresentation of key doctrinal issues, man-made rules, false prophecies, and hypocricy, but mainly because of the disgusting manner in which they handle sexual abuse cases. The elder "read the letter" disfellowshipping me in 1996, at the last meeting I attended. I walked out with my head held high and never looked back.

I was baptised in 1974, disfellowshipped in 1996, so 22 years as a baptized person. But as I said earlier, it started in 1965 so add 9 years and it totals 31 years.

God's Holy Spirit "made me leave" as you put it. It was my choice, my decision to accept God's Holy Spirit's direction that where I was, he did not want me to be.

I am a follower of Christ, saved by the ransom blood of his sacrifice for my sins. I claim no denomination. I am simply a Christian.

Changed beliefs:
not only a select few get to go to heaven
there IS a fiery torment for the unsaved
confession of sins to a body of elders is unscriptural
disfellowshipping is unscriptural as practiced (I consider it men judging another person and that is God's role not man's)
the rapture is real
there is not 1 true religion or 1 organization that God uses
The WBTS is NOT the faithful and discreet slave class
abstaining from blood transfusions is unnecessary
Holidays CAN be celebrated
Jesus DID NOT return in a heavenly kingdom in 1914
JW's are not the ONLY ones that will be saved
I can go to heaven
This is really tough because I have strived for 11 years to try and FORGET what the JW's taught...

Answer 6

I became an exJw when I was shown the scriptural proof that Christ was in fact Gon in human form. John 20

I was a practicing Jw from birth to the age of 22

I now worship at a Baptist church. I chose this particular church, because the Pastor is a wonderful man of God and the most accurate biblical scolar that I have ever met...We took 2 years in bible study to research the book of Revelation alone.
I now believe in all fundimental christian doctrine..

Trinity
Hellfire
Salvation through Grace alone
Rapture of Christs Church
etc.

Answer 7

1. Born in, 4th generation
2. I was 21 when I was able to stop my involvement
3. Their lack of love shown toward those having trouble is what sealed the deal for me. If someone in the hall were having problems, for instance a sister was being abused by her unbelieving husband, nobody reached out to her. The gossip about her situation was unbelievable, and nobody talked to her after the meetings. Also, according to them, my unbelieving dad was going to die in the great tribulation. I couldn't reconcile that with what I knew of his life, a good dad who loved us, took care of us, didn't abuse or molest me or my mother, just didn't believe their doctrine. I wanted a life of joy and I could not find that in the JW religion.
4. I'm spiritual and searching.

Answer 8

Look at the webpage CARM