I am an ex Jehovah's witness. AMA

[gem584848838]

Not sure if this will be of interest to anyone! As per the title I am an ex Jehovah's witness that had been disfellowshipped from the religion. AMA

[AnneLovesGilbert]

Do you celebrate your birthday?

[elQuintoConyo]

What made you become an ex?

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

Do you believe in any god still?

[Lagatha]

Are your family still in?

[gem584848838]

I do celebrate my birthday now but I didn't while I was in the religion. My first birthday I ever celebrated was my 24th and I have now celebrated 7 birthdays. It was so exciting to be able to celebrate it so for me even though I am an adult my birthday is a really big deal

[howrudeforme]

Do you miss any aspects of your previous faith?

[AnneLovesGilbert]

Happy all of your birthdays then, past and present

Is there anything you miss?

[gem584848838]

I had been having doubts for many years but because all my family and friends were in the religion I just pushed them to one side as I knew that I would lose them if I left. I moved to a new area with hardly any friends and even though I still went I realised I needed to get out as it was so controlling and I didn't believe any of it. I also at that time fell in love with a non believer which also made my mind up to leave

[gem584848838]

I don't know if I believe in god. I guess I would say I am agnostic really as I am still unsure. I would like to believe there is more out there. If I did believe in god I would say that you don't have to worship him through organised religion and can worship him in whatever way you feel suitable. Organised religion has a lot to answer for in my opinion.

Yes a lot of my family still in. My siblings have also left the religion though which is nice for me. Parents still in unfortnaly and badly brainwashed

[gem584848838]

I don't miss the faith and beliefs but I miss the sense of belonging. I miss my family and friends that no longer speak to me. I actually appreciate the bible but more as an interesting book rather than a holy book

[Thatmusicusedtomakemesmile]

I just wanted to say i knew a family of JWs (for personal reasons) and they were never pushy or anything other than lovely to me despite me having different views to them

[Namechangenecessity]

I went to see the film Apostasy , which if you have seen it is about JW. Is is accurate, I found it a difficult to watch though brilliantly acted film.

[gem584848838]

@AnneLovesGilbert
Thank you! I miss my friends and family a lot. It's so hard. They all cut me off when I left.

[Lagatha]

That must be really hard

[gem584848838]

@Thatmusicusedtomakemesmile
Jehovah's witnesses aren't bad people as a whole. A lot of them are lovely and I had lovely friends growing up in the religion. Unfortunately a lot of their teachings are awful though and their followers are brainwashed into following this even when the affect is detrimental e.g. refusing blood transfusions even when their child may die without one

[InkyFingersInkyFace]

I'm starting to guess it's because I'm still somewhat childlike, probably as a result of various traumas in my life, but I'm over thirty and my birthday is still important to me. Heck, we wouldn't go mad for big something zero birthdays if they weren't important somehow.

A girl in my class was JW, she looked mortified the day she was taken along and her mum knocked on our door. She was lovely. I don't think she will have stayed.

If leaving has made you happy, then you've done the right thing. I believe no one should be cast out for being their own person in this way. I hope you have other people in your life now.

[verytiredandstressed]

When you say your parents brainwashed what do you mean ? I mean people wouldn't say that about a catholic for example .
So were you pushed into it so really you never made the decision to be Jehovah's?

[gem584848838]

I watched the film apostasy with my sister and we cried through a lot of it. It was very very painful to watch. A lot of it was true like the shunning etc but there were small things that were not accurate. But to be honest these were only very small things and I assume they were changed for dramatic effect. I was so glad they made it and others outside the religion could see what goes on

[AllTheWhoresOfMalta]

No question OP but well done for getting out. I have a close relation who is a JW and her husband left her for another woman. Despite the fact that she was the injured party in this scenario, her congregation shunned her. She’s moved areas and found a new congregation now but won’t tell them that she was (still is, in her eyes) married because she’s worried they’ll shun her too. Dreadful religion in my opinion.

[SamBeckettslastleap]

How did you feel as a child not being asked to parties. How did you feel knowing heaven was full?

[Thatmusicusedtomakemesmile]

I agree. My former partner was not allowed to take part in activities with non JWs (wordly people) growing up. However, they as an outsider, they were not as people might think to spend time with

[Caaarrrl]

Did you used to try and convert colleagues at work?

DH used to work with a JW and he was always sending us the magazine and leaflets to read. Maybe he thought we particularly needed saving!

[gem584848838]

It's been incredibly hard. I guess I'll never get over everything that's happened and losing people that I loved all because of a religion. But yes I have some amazing people in my life, my siblings and my nephew and my beautiful daughter. One thing that religion taught me is that she can live her life however she chooses and as long as she is happy and not hurting anyone else then I will be happy

[MrsGrindah]

I went to a Jehovah’s Witness wedding once and when I told another guest that I wasn’t a JW everyone around just turned their back on me. Is that typical?! I left cos I was so uncomfortable

[Alpacamabags]

My question is about birthdays. JW I knew made a big thing of not celebrating them but then announced that they did "celebration." days for the kids where effectively they got a load of presents and the day was all about celebrating them. It just could happen at any time.
Is this a thing? How is it different from a birthday?

Also I assume the reasoning behind blood is a biblical reference. How does this apply to vaccinations/IVF etc. Would they also be banned?