The Long Version

Meeting the Jehovah's Witnesses

Joining the Watchtower

Life as a Jehovah's Witness

Expelled! Shunned by God

A new life "in Christ"

Parting thoughts

More Information

FAQs

Informational Links

Selected Visitors Comments...page C

I READ WHAT YOU wrote ABOUT JW AND I DONT AGREE WITH it AT ALL.  I KNOW  JWS PERSONALLY AND THEY ARE THE MOST LOVING AND CARING PEOPLETHEY SPEND TIME, MONEY,AND THEIR OWN RESOURCES IN PRO OF OTHERS AND THEY KNOW  JESUS CHRIST IS
the only means of salvation that JEHOVAH GOD provided.

Hi,
I left the organization about 10 years ago.  I am also a lesbian.  I haven't
gone back to any religion, although there are a lot in the gay community.  I
don't like the "burn in hell" banners at the gay events.  I don't agree with
"free love" and changing partners.  I am in a committed relationship and I am
faithful to this woman.  Do you think God hates me?

How Are You doing Mr. Manning? I wish to commend you and congratulate you for your excellent web-site.  You provide the reader with some real life experiences as a J.W. and encourage the reader to study the Bible with more diligence and sincere effort.  And you do this with no bitterness or resentment. Many ex-Witnesses provide information that is tainted with hate and bitterness.  It is truly sad that a large number of J.W's experience difficult,heart wrenching experiences with the Watchtower and their religion full of laws,rules and unkind, unloving treatment. I am sorry that your experiences with the Watchtower trained elders had been so unkind,unloving and disappointing.  I am sorry that your first marriage ended.  I have been an active  witness now for more than twenty five years. Being raised in the truth since the age of 6, I fully understand the flaws and shortcomings of the Watchtower. Jehovah God and Jesus Christ sustain me with their spirit to continue to be patient and endure the serious flaws of the WTS. I continue to be faithful not to  men or an organization but to Jehovah God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I hope your experiences helped you get closer to Jehovah God and Jesus Chist.  I gather from your website page that you are now happy and for this I am happy for you. The WTS is not perfect, however it does provide a lot of people with joy, happiness and fullfillment.  A large amount of people with disadvantaged and marginalized backgrounds find the Society to be a source of emotional upbuilding and fullfillment in their insignificant lives.  I understand why  people are attracted to the WTS. I pray that sincere and good hearted people keep their minds focused  on their relationships with Jehovah God and Christ Jesus. 

You mentioned in your web page Mike that you now attend a christian church.  Can I ask you a few questions?  Do you teach and support doctrines such as the Trinity, hell-fire, inmortality of the soul, etc? If you do, please be assured that I am not interested in debating or getting into an arguement regardting the validity of these doctrines.  I simply would like to know if teaching these things make you happy?

 If Jesus was an elder, what would be his main concern?
The hours on your service report? That pioneer title you earned.

Would he spend all of his energy on those who want to stay?
or would he kindly help the sheep who have seemed to go astray?

Would he joke and laugh about those who've fallen into sin?
Or would his love and compassion try to win them back again?

Let's go back in time now, to when the lord was here.
Would things have been different, if he was an elder or pioneer?

Or even just a publisher or ministerial servant too.
Would things have been much different? would it effect me or you?*(I don't know if I like the second part)

Would he have been as approachable when one fell into sin?
Or would he shame and humiliate so he couldn't be approached again?

Would he have spent his time with children by his side?
Or would he fear how it would look to those gawking from inside?

Would he have told the sinner "You'll be with me in paradise"
or would he turn disgusted saying "you don't deserve the prize.

you celebrate the holidays, you say "God bless you" when one sneezes
You celebrate your loved ones birth, do you think you really please us?

You were never even baptized, nor any meetings did you go
You didn't take my magazines, which really hurt, you know."

Would he have raised up lazarus, from his death on the fourth day?
Or would he say "Why bother? he'll be back in the new system anyway."

When Mary Magdeline washed his feet with heartfelt shedding tears
and with her hair she made them dry while his apostles spoke in jeers.*(I love this verse)

Did he join them in rebuking her and make her feel much worse?
Or did he look with eyes of love and tell her of her worth.

When children beckoned to be near him, did he get angry and upset?
Did he say,"I'm too busy. I'm not finished my public talk yet."

Or "let the young ones come to me. I want to hug and bless them
The kingdom is for such like ones, to enter, be just like them".*(Good job, by the way)

When the rich man asked to follow him, what did Jesus say?
"Give all your belongings to the poor, and follow me today."

No thoughts of a fine new bethel home, all that money would buy.
Or Brooklyn hotel buildings that tower in the sky.

He saw the plight of the poor, a sight that broke his heart.
It was now, not in some new system, for charity to start.

You may feel very comfortable in what you call your "true religion"
With all it's titles and its rules, customs and positions

Its vast amount of real estate - "It's a blessing from Jehovah God"
But are you sure you're walking in the shoes your master trod?

We may look foreward to our prize, in heaven or on earth
But without true love for fellow man, what is our service worth?

Did our savior suffer torture and shed his blood for *(us to live?)
so when we fell short of his glory, *(first the elders must us forgive?)

Why is his blood not good enough when we've fallen into sin?
Elders, please think about that, before you judge again.

Jesus tought us not to judge, back then as well as today.
But when we consider our brothers and sisters, what does he hear us say?

"He doesn't seem very spiritual, he misses a meeting a week.
When it's time for us to comment, so seldom does he speak.

I can't believe she'd wear her skirt an inch above her knee.
Next she'll be showing cleavage for all the world to see.

Or what about that elders wife? the one with the drinking problem.
For that we'll look the other way, help!)...(an ode to Debbie)

And what about that brothers hair, I think it's much too long.
He'll never be a publisher, he'll never quite belong.

I think Jehovah loves me more, because I pioneer.
Besides, I hear great gossip, so I know from who to steer clear.

hi,
  my name is ________. I just finshed reading your little story.I was actually quite shocked. Maby i'm wrong but you are giving the impression that once you have made a mistake jehovah is never gonna forgive you so it's ok to leave the truth. Let me tell you something i am 13 and i love jehovah with all my heart. And you better hope that what your story says doesn't give other whittnesses the wrong impression about jehovah. Maby i'm wrong ok? maby there was more to your life that you didn't say that might of led you to get disfelloshiped but let me tell you something i've been through a heck of alot in my life to. Now i'm gonna be honest with you i have thought about leaving the truth but look around you. You would rather be in a world with killing and murdering and violence trust me bud it goes on and on and on when jehovah is willing to protect you and save your life? Why don't you think about it ok. I am not a mean christian but i hate knowing that this is how some christians want their
life to be. Think about it ok? and then HOPEFULLY you'll get my point.
see ya round.

Thank you for your story. I feel so alone and frightened.  It's hard to believe that only 5 years in the truth has turned me into a withdrawn, lonely, scared, scattered,suspicious,paranoid, and completly miserable person.  I'm not sure what I can do but I see that there is a lot of places to go for help on the internet. You'll understand when I say I'm even reluctant or gun-shy of these sites. But your story helped and I just wanted to say that. Thank you.

I found your site most interesting as I am living with  a former JW. She intends to return once our "living arrangement" is normalized. She removed herself from the fellowship when her marriage, to another JW, went sour. We met during her "period of transition". She has encouraged me to "know Jehovah" and as a former RC I must say it has been an eye opening experience. I did not know God very well or understand the "Big Picture". What concerns me is her "Blind Obedience" to the movement. To me the JW religion is still a manmade interpretation of the word. Like any religion there are bound to be errors in interpreting the Bible. Or perhaps, agendas. She tells me that Satan orchestrates many of the scenarios that create doubt. We get into some heated discussions. I find it all very confusing at times. I encourage her to return as I realize it is very strong for her self-image. I, on the other hand,
follow no man...
I would appreciate your thoughts on this subject.

 I thank you. I am amazed that your thoughts before and after your disfellowship from the JW are so simaler to my own, I have no Idea why I even looked to the internet, but I am relieved I have. I have looked at other web pages of ex JW's, and I am concerned about how resentful and angry they sound, it is a relief to hear your story. I am an ex Jehovah's Witness, although I was not disfellowshiped I did write a letter and quit, after long thought and study, I am sorry that I have not found the peace, or support you seem to have.  I'm sorry to ramble, I just wanted to say thanks.

My 45 year old son, wife, and 3 daughters are firmly ingrained in Jehovah Witness' theology.  I've tried to argue with them, but as you said that's not the way to go.  My son was raised in Baptist and Presbyterian Churches, but a few years after he was married they became members of the Watchtower Society.  They won't read any literature I give them.  What can I do besides pray?

You are really sick. I am a Witness myself and it really makes me sick that you have the heart to post this garbage. The former witness no doubt knew Jehovah's and the Society's requirements as far as smoking, and he disobeyed them. He got what he deserved. But to make it sound like it the elder's fault....well, that just plain stupid.

As former JW's we all seem to have similar stories.
I was given advice from my father not to pursue college. Accepting the scholarships offered to me would betray a lack of faith. In the spring of 1971 when I came to my father about this matter he asked me "what year would you graduate from college?" I replied "1974 or 1975." "Just in time to get your diploma and die in Armageddon" was his comment. The following year I got married [still married]. Never pumped gas like you did but I worked as a parking lot cashier for 5 years waiting for Armageddon to come.
I had my own thoughts on things as many Witnesses did back in those days. The Society couldn't be right on everything, `75 proved that. But something new [actually quite old] was taking place among the brothers --- "Organization worship." I was taught as a little child that all attention and devotion was to go to Jehovah and Jehovah alone. This meant No flag salute, No pledge of allegiance, No birthdays, and even those who wrote the magazines did so anonymously. I was seeing and hearing standing ovations for members of the governing body, prayers thanking Jehovah for the "Faithful and discreet slave," and far more time giving praise to the "brothers in Brooklyn Bethel" than was ever given Christ. And suddenly it seemed that Kingdom Hall building became a "gift of the spirit!"
My sinking into my shell and just being an observer was looked upon by some as a reason to heave sighs for others as a reason for suspicion. This only deepened my ways. I was still a believer [in the Witnesses] but I just didn't my heart in it. Still I waited for the "Great Day of God Almighty"

I believe my son  is caught up in the JW - and wants to marry into the 'faith'.  Please can you tell me what to do?  I live in Calgary, Alberta Canada and I need to talk to someone firsthand regarding this.  We had two upsets over this last year.  Steve was upset and came to us for advise but now he seems to be back again.  This is all heard through the 'grapevine' as since moving away he does not confide in me anymore.

Email Here!