EX Jehovah's Witnesses what was the hardest most difficult part of leaving?

Question

thanks

Silenced Lamb - The reason I am asking is that I have a friend that is a JW. He tells me he has considered leaving, but there is so much to consider. He wants to take that step, but does not know what to really expect. He knows about dis-fellowshipping but has never been on the receiving end.

I figure, the more I can learn then the better I may be able to help

Answer 1

losing everything...which is the point......Family.... friends..... Jobs....Believing............................................................................
( until God steps in and saves you ) that you are evil for questioning anything ..........you are literally and completely left.


But true salvation from Christ is an awesome thing and now life is spectacular....I am enjoying some of the best years of my life right now

http://towerwatch.com



I am curious as to why you want to know?


after having time to ponder your question, I am going to change my answer....the hardest part about leaving was having the witnesses and members of my family try to take away my child....they told me that unless I gave my son to my sister to raise, that he would die a horrible death at Armageddon....after this little bit of mind control, i tried to commit suicide.....which resulted in my sister getting my child for a short time......when I go over the terrible things that were done to me in the name of religion, it is a miracle of God that he has delivered me to be the Christian that I am today...but ...as you can well see..I still have great amounts of anger.

Answer 2

...Help your friend find a Spirit Filled, full Gospel believing non-denominational Church, where the "Love" of God is manifested...not by the might of a "cult" or not by the power of a "cult" but by His Spirit... The Brooklyn NY based headquarters of the J.W. has over the years "skewed" and mis-printed and mis-represented Gods Word in their attempt to keep "their" followers captured by "fear" of Gods Word (as "they" print it)... "they" keep their followers in "religious" bondage by "works"... Gods "gift" of Salvation is clearly explained by the Apostle Paul... You can identify a "cult" very very quickly... when "they" have their own translation of the never-changing Word of God and forbid their followers to simply follow the Scriptures of the Hebrew and Greek lexicon that have stood the test of time over the millennium... "cults" like the J.W. has wrongly predicted the "end of the Word" many times and now attempt to make excuses for it... "they" will always force "their" dogmas and doctrines upon you thru their "religious" gymnastics, not allowing you to follow the Words of Jesus, who is The Christ....... "You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free"

Answer 3

achtung_heiss apparently spends more time copying and pasting from the Watchtower's website than listening to the stories of real men and women who have been set free from the organization—and found Jesus Christ outside the walls of the Kingdom Hall. But not without a price.

See the link below to hear EXCELLENT audio stories from people who have left the Watchtower organization.

Answer 4

It was hard knowing that my friends and family wouldn't speak to me anymore. But even given that, I was not willing to let them hold the rest of my life hostage.

I don't even have the words to express how happy I am now compared to then. It's like I was suffocating for the first 18 years of my life, and now I can finally just breathe and live.

Answer 5

making it clear to both sides of family that we weren't willing to discuss returning to the JWs or willing to discuss anything religious, for that matter, but if they wanted any other type relationship with us, that was ok.

It was not ok with his family. To this day they do not know their grandchild nor do they speak with their son. I think their clinging to this JW stance is just an excuse to shun a son they never understood, anyway, but that is my opinion.

my family, well... I think my mother is too smart to be involved, but I see it gives her emotional comfort and a sense of belonging, so I'm at peace with her decision. I'm sad she cannot find it any other way, but I can't live her life for her. We fortunately have a relationship and she has a relationship with my husband and her grandchild.

I must say, we have an incredibly happy marriage and a wonderful family life... and our child is amazing. God has surely blessed us for following Him. God bless you in your search for Him, too.

Answer 6

I don't wish to run them down as they are the best religion i have ever been involved with.
My biggest issue with them and it still hurts after 25 years was not being listened to fairly.
I don't blame the religion just the ones who judged me wrongly.
After all this time i have forgiven them as they are only human.
What i miss the most is fellowship and my relationship with god

Answer 7

First off to the paste and clip ignoramus Achtung above me, why don't you use your own brain and come up with your own words instead of mindlessly posting the same worn out drivel over and over?

Secondly. The hardest part was leaving my family. They are super uber programmed JW cultists and to this day the only reason we are talking again is because of my kids. My whole family is in and I am no longer part of my family because of it. However that being said, it was STILL one of the best things to ever happen to me.

Answer 8

Having my parents reject me for the rest of my life

Answer 9

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 10

Finding the door.