Thanks for being yourself and having the guts for being so open. I've been out for quite a while now - it certainly does take time to get over losing friends & family - the initial pain is difficult to deal with. BUT it gets better! The peace of mind I've experienced since leaving the Watchtower has been incredible. No more fearing demons, no more peer pressure, no more idiotic gossip, or feeling the need to disclose information to the elders about what others have done (or haven't done!).
It's been 20 years and my "weak in the truth" mother still hides when they come to the door to check up on her. I doubt it will ever stop. Anyway, I do have a story about how I have helped so called weak/asleep J. dubs. My daughter introduced me to a co-worker of hers who happened to live in my apartment building for many years (Right across the hallway!) who happened to be raised Jehovah's Witness but never baptized. We never crossed paths before that. We kept running into each other and she told me that she believed the WT was the truth and was getting weekly bible studies. Despite the fact that I'm disfellowshipped and fiercely and openly opposed to the Watch Tower Society and let her know it, she still wanted to be friends. During our long conversations I warned her that at some point they would begin to pressure her to convert and they would rule her life from that point on. She didn't believe me, was in denial and felt that the bible study was good for her spiritually. So I left it at that and we continued to be friends. Several months later, I moved out of state but we stayed in touch. Then one day she called me freaking out on the telephone that they were guilting and bullying her to go to kingdom hall meetings and about baptism using the fear tactics we all know too well. I didn't give her the "I told you so", but simply listened and supported her. Her plan was to let them cut her off (she was too scared to do it) and to get on with her life. Then we lost touch. I think I'll look her up and see how she's doing now that I've seen this video. Great video by the way.
Thanks Eric! I totally agree with letting our voices be heard! Been out 20 yrs & shunned the last 10 yrs (family got wind I was attending a nondenominational church) I decided not to let the org "dictate" who I can speak to! When I see family or friends I make a point of chatting! Even though it's always a one sided conversation . I want them to know I'm happy & doing really well. It may not bring my family back, but it's hard for them to treat me as if I'm dead when they hear my voice on a regular basis.. I call & leave voicemail mess.. Reminding them to do research! I'm always very loving & kind! If we don't make our voices heard, they tend to forget about us.. It truly is like a real death. I want them & the GB to know that shunning isn't working. Yes, it shattered my family, but won't ever bring me back! If all of us X's stand together & let our voices be heard on Utube & in real life.. We have the power to wake people up, bring the org down & get our families back someday!
We are all here to help anyone going though the process of speaking or waking to "TTATT" It dose get better hang in there bro! After 12 years my heart still pounds at the mere sight of the ones I used to know, it's just PTSD and I hope with more time it to shall pass...
Javi/Xavier right here! Happy to let you know I'm out for good now! Much love man you've helped me so much. You've helped me to wake up my best friend and my girlfriend. Thank you
Cont-that they follow you, Mike and Kim and all the other Apostnestas. The pain is the same, shunning too. Many LDS people watch the videos also because the escape from control, getting your life back is the same. You all have created a safe, understanding resting place, for all hurting people. The church names differ, the experiences are the same. Thanks for your work and great heart, Bud
Yes my dear brother eric, we all have power when we speak up, just recently another good friend of mine, who went where the NEED is Great, so to speak with me in the 70's is starting to listen to me, after ALL these years. He's finally waking up as well, we should never give up on our old friends in the so called TRUTH. It's over time they start waking up to the false hoods of this evil organization. And they will. Lets not give up. I'm getting happier evry day about it. God Bless........Bill
Thank you Susie. For three years, I have been online looking for anyone who might be still searching for the rightness of faith and have only found those who gave it up and those who went back to tradition with a vengeance. So it is refreshing to find someone who is open minded. Of course, I believe in the rightness of knowing Christ through the words of Holy Scripture. But I see people leaning on Holy Scripture to believe IT in Jesus Christ name. Proverbs 3:5.
Thank you for the vid Eric. I hope your doing well. Please stay regular in your prayers for others,I find that's the best way to help those who are spiritually blinded or awake but have to balance between jw relatives and friends. You showed true friendship in trying to be supportive to a jw having spiritual problems but at this point in time your both looking at spiritual life from two different vantage points so perhaps praying about it and leaving it in God's hands is one option you may want to consider. By the way how is Isaac doing these days? Am still wondering about the outcome of his judicial hearing ?
I think you have the right idea and attitude. We should always be willing to offer a helping hand to anyone who needs it, perhaps especially those feeling abandoned by the JWs. There are so many negative ideas floating around the organization in regards to those who have left the "truth" so being a person who is offering love and support to their struggle may dispel some of those thoughts. I feel timing is everything and each person has to go through their journey being honest with their true self and not just the self the organization projects upon them. It is very difficult to separate. The point I am trying to make relates to some of my favorite lyrics: "There's a natural flow that's attached to your soul, it don't ask you to go it just gradually pulls. It's always now and you're never not you, so follow yourself cause if nothing else your existence is true." I know that held true for me. To this day I do not know what caused me to pull away, it was just this force that played out and little by little I was ready to admit to myself that I wasn't living my own life - I was living the life the organization wanted.
Eric, please keep us updated about the great people you have interviewed, the great young guy who was in the Coast Guard, a Paramedic, we just watched his judicial meeting, Ricky from Texas, need more updates, all great people. You recall the radio preacher Hubert Armstrong WorldWide Church of God after he died his church split into something like 12 small splinter movements. The way many of these are operated are as controlling and as restrictive as the JWs. I have suggested to many COG refugee
My opinion is , you are right. We should all speak as we have the wisdom and knowledge. I pray for wisdom from our Heavenly Father to help other jws that I might find the appropriate scripture or words curtailed with loving kindness to help anyone to wake up. I have found a few excellent scripture to point out to jws that may plant the seed to help them wake up. I can hardly wait to have it all fall into place that I may help someone to wake up.Jesus said he came to set the captive free. I focus on that now. We are truly the blessed ones as we have been loosed. Listen to me I am sounding like a pro. Just a few years ago I was too afraid to open my mouth about anything concerning this cult. I still struggle with calling the society a cult. The friends. The brothers and sisters. What a stronghold they had on me. Jesus will call His sheep. Jesus said He will call His sheep and they will hear His voice. Do you hear Him? God said ,No man shall pull them out of His hand. Aren't you blessed!
This video is beating my mind. You mentioned your heart was pounding. Gandhi said Non-cooperation with evil is as much a duty as is cooperation with good---- NEVER GIVE WATCHTOWER THE POWER!! Never, I say Never Cooperate or participate in the Shunning GAME. SPEAK OUT !! JESUS Spent MORE TIME with the ones expelled from the synagogues than he did with the Leaders. Not Speaking to your Brothers is Anti-Christ in Nature. COWARDS Listen to MEN! SONS OF GOD Listen to JESUS!
JWCRISIS Thats what I do. I visit their memorials and sing songs outside which exhalt Christ. When they come out I tell those who shun me no matter what I'll still love them and will always be there for them. It is excruciating to see them ignore, shun and walk away sometimes laughing at me with their friends but my witness of love towards them stands ! Christ is my Saviour, He is beside me and I feel so close to Him at such times. Praise God !
Your reaction "pounding heart etc" is NORMAL and is commonly experienced by many of us who have gone through the process of leaving the JWs or any cult. You are demonstrating the physical symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This condition is a normal reaction to a set of abnormal event/s that have induced past trauma either physical, mental, emotional ,spiritual or all of them. Physiologically your body is reacting to the threat stimuli that the JW response (from others) may induce. You produce cortisol and Adrenaline in order to help you prepare this has an effect upon your body. Things will get better but it will take time. There is also a variation of PTSD called Post Cult Exit Syndrome. Check these out. Sometimes understanding why we react as we do helps us to conquer these things. Please know I am praying for you and for this man you contacted. Thanks for your honesty and openness in sharing this ! Be kind to yourself you're doing GREAT !!!!!
Darlene Smith Hi Darlene I looked at this but the woman who came up with this "diagnosis"is an atheist and appears very much against Christian exhortation. She makes some good and valid points but it must be remembered just because a particular organisation is abusive that does not make our faith in Jesus Christ invalid and thats what I got from this person's attitude. Many thanks for your consideration in posting .
Thanks for sharing with all of us your thoughts and experiances...you're very inspiring and I consider you still my brother ;-) Thank You very much for your support...Please don't give up and keep on spread the truth about the "truth". All my best wishes to You. ;-)
Isn't it all about survival, when we get through the deprogaming, our first instinct is to help others, because we know how hard it is. Your emotions, and mental process takes forever to recover. And for alot never do. Just like you listening to a song, and it brnigs back memories. They don't have to be bad memories, but it opens your eyes to how controlled you were, at the hands of the governing body. I use to be scared of them. But now that I am out, if I had the opportunity, I would tell them all to fuck off. Thanks for posting this video. Really enjoyed it.
emptythepain Anger is natural and understandable. I smiled when I read your swear word. I've felt like that trouble is I still love them and always will ! You're out , so many think thats the end of the journey but its just the beginning. Your doing okay ...you're still out !
emptythepain Yes...but every journey starts and continues with just one step in the right direction. It's not a journey you need travel alone. There are lots of us ...all taking one step at a time....with miles to go but what joy and fun can be had along the way when we hold hands with those who genuinely care. xxxx
My husband was unshunned on two separate occasions,one guy went out of his way what should we be doing? we also know an exJW but she is still asleep and doesnt want to wake up due to family members still in!!
You should have gone to his house Saturday morning.----- Nothing will separate us in the LOVE we have in Jesus Christ. If we understand that then we act accordingly. Regarding your last part . It is a difficult proposition. Yes we have Power BUT JW are Organized. You have to give them that. It has to be an organized effective program. The thing is exJW understand 'Religion is a Racket" ( 1930's remember) Many exJW are hesitant. Anyways "something" is in the air. and that "something" is good.
