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The Long Version Meeting the Jehovah's Witnesses More Information Visitor's comments
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Joining the WatchtowerMy Dad dove into the organization head first. I graduated high school in 1975, the year Armageddon hit :) College was not an option for me because Watchtower "light" at the time forbid the pursuit of higher education. Dan, the JW who studied with Dad, told me college was "chasing after the wind" (Hosea 12:1). So I found work at a gas station/car wash. I also found some new friends...the kind 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns against. I want to speak a moment about my Dad. This guy was wonderful. He was a Navy veteran and a printer by trade. And handy...he could fix or build anything. He made Mom a sewing desk, he made us kids toy airplanes, go-carts, and he built my sister a full-size doll house complete with shutters and counter space! We had original Christmas decorations including a huge wreath with "lit" candles and a snowman that tipped his hat to all who passed by. All that changed when he became a Witness. It enveloped his life. All his time was absorbed by the Watchtower and the "friends." He did not become mean or nasty...but my Daddy, the Daddy I grew up with and loved ceased to be, consumed by this religion. I guess it was the stress and pressure from the tension at home, but I turned rebellious. Drugs, sex, alcohol, and of course, cigarettes. I never hurt anyone but I grew ugly. My old high school friends hardly recognized me. I embarrassed everyone in my family. Chasing women, driving drunk, coming home at all hours of the night too stoned to find the bathroom. I was the proverbial party animal. Emphasis on animal. In 1979 I met my first wife. We married in May...she was 6 months pregnant with our first daughter. Within a few years, daughter number 2 was on the way. It was then that my Mom died...and my heart broke. The Witnesses, who Mother hated so much, filled her home and conducted her funeral. My sister was livid. I went to the Kingdom Hall. I just knew the Witnesses were right. Hopefully, Mom would be resurrected during Christ's thousand-year reign. I figured I'd better stop goofing around and make sure my family and I would be in Paradise too. Dad quit work (retired early) sold his home and moved South to knock on doors where the "need was greater." By 1985, I'd talked my wife into having a "Bible Study"
with two lovable JWs I knew. My wife and I had talked talked about religion off and on
during our marriage. I always gave her a hard time around birthdays and holidays
(Witnesses do not observe any special day except wedding anniversaries). Our study went
real well. Too well in fact. Within 6 months, my wife wanted to get baptized...and she
didn't want to wait. I stopped swearing and drinking wasn't really a problem (Witnesses
are allowed to drink "in moderation.") but smoking. Gak! I just could quite seem
to leave those butts alone. Again t |
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he pressure was on. The thing I thought I really wanted: my family in
Paradise was on the line. So I went underground. I just stopped smoking around people...it
was assumed I had quit. I reasoned Jehovah would help me stop eventually. Smoking became
my demon, my secret sin. By June 1985 we were about ready to take the plunge. Our family
and friends, including Dad, his wife and Ray, our study JW, helped a neighboring
congregation construct a "quick-build" Kingdom Hall. That's where a completely
functional (although drab) meeting facility is erected in two days. We answered the
"eighty questions" the Watchtower requires as a prerequisite to baptism and by
September 1985, we were baptized Jehovah's Witnesses!