any former Jehovah's Witnesses here?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Winston_Smith
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
W

Winston_Smith

Guest
If you are a former Jehovah’s Witness, or know of any, I would appreciate thoughts about your journey to the Catholic faith. How did you cope with shunning, and shock, from family members and close friends? How were you helped by the Church? In my heart I am on my way but have a long way to go.
 
Winston_Smith said:
If you are a former Jehovah’s Witness, or know of any, I would appreciate thoughts about your journey to the Catholic faith. How did you cope with shunning, and shock, from family members and close friends? How were you helped by the Church? In my heart I am on my way but have a long way to go.
Click to expand...
I am an outsider from both but if you do want to make the journey, just present yourself at a nearby parish, tell them your situation and they are very likely to go out of their way to help you.

May the Holy Spirit guide you on your journey.
 
Welcome to CAF. Im not an ex-witness but I have multiple family members that are current JW and we are in their beliefs, below them. They stay away from us even at family events (non-religious). May the Holy Spirit guide you on your journey. It will not be easy as the devil will try and turn you away from the Catholic Faith. But be strong and ask God for help!!!
 
I too, like kimg901, am not an ex but have family members who are currently JW. There are a few ex-JW’s who will soom greet you I’m sure. Welcome to CAF and I pray your journey home will be a plesent one.

God Bless!!!
 
Get in touch with a Catholic priest and explain your current situation to him.

It is very easy to do so: locate online the closest Catholic parish to your home, and go there or call and ask to see a priest or to make an appointment with one, for spiritual advice. It does not matter that you are not a formal member of the Catholic Church.

Do not rely on yourself alone, because it’s very hard to break free from the Watchtower Society.
 
First let me say Welcome Home! I converted to Catholicism when I was 19. My husband is the ex JW. He joined the Catholic Church at Easter of 2010. His father has shunned him. His ex wife and her parents have tried everything in their power to turn his children against us. We have kept the faith and showed by example the true meaning of being a child of God. It is not an easy road and sometimes can be painful and confusing but hang in there. Turn to God for his guidance and he makes the road so much easier to follow and by trusting in Him, He will make the path according to His will. As the years have gone by, things are easier and devotions become stronger. Your local parish can help with the answers you seek. Some will be very hard for a former JW to understand due to what you have been taught, but the true light does shine the brightest in the end. Good luck to you on the journey. Believe me, it is so very worth it!! God Bless you!👍
 
Leslie12012003 said:
First let me say Welcome Home! I converted to Catholicism when I was 19. My husband is the ex JW. He joined the Catholic Church at Easter of 2010. His father has shunned him. His ex wife and her parents have tried everything in their power to turn his children against us. We have kept the faith and showed by example the true meaning of being a child of God. It is not an easy road and sometimes can be painful and confusing but hang in there. Turn to God for his guidance and he makes the road so much easier to follow and by trusting in Him, He will make the path according to His will. As the years have gone by, things are easier and devotions become stronger. Your local parish can help with the answers you seek. Some will be very hard for a former JW to understand due to what you have been taught, but the true light does shine the brightest in the end. Good luck to you on the journey. Believe me, it is so very worth it!! God Bless you!👍
Click to expand...
I don’t mean to judge but if you are married to a man with a living wife, in what sense have you kept the faith?
 
Indifferently,

He was granted a Pauline Privilege from his first marriage, my first marriage was null and void due to lack of form then we were married in the Church once that was granted. Sometimes people have difficulties in life but do find their way back to the Church with a greater understanding of things than they had before which is what had happened with me. My sense of faith is much stronger and my understanding much deeper so please do not make assumptions based on a few encouraging words offered from having been through the experience the OP is going through. 🙂
 
I am an ex-Muslim who was forced, if that is the correct word, from kin and country for leaving Islam (first for Mormonism, no less - outright polytheism, which goes over even less well than Christianity to tawhid-obsessed Muslims) under the possibility of the Shariah’s sanction for apostasy - death. So, I know a good deal about shunning, again, if that is the correct word, or being sanctioned, to use a broader term, for the leaving of a system of religion in order to pursue truth (my father was a very secular Muslim pan-Arabist Marxist sort, so little opposition came directly from them, my parents, if not through them). If you want me to expound, ask, and give me some pointers, as the general conversion story/testimony I give is much condensed and completely passes over the personal aspect, dealing only with the doctrinal and philosophical.

I do not believe I am not called to marriage and have not had children, so I can not comment on that aspect of shunning (as one mentions above, the turning of children against parents, of wives against husbands), although I was technically married under the Islamic laws of nikah for several weeks.
 
Marcus Grodi has a website where you’ll be able to bring up the struggles of other JWs. You could probably write to them for support and advice.

Grodi hosts THE JOURNEY HOME on EWTN each week with encore presentations during the week. Each week focuses on a convert’s story, his trials and tribulations.

Again…God Bless!
 
Winston_Smith said:
If you are a former Jehovah’s Witness, or know of any, I would appreciate thoughts about your journey to the Catholic faith. How did you cope with shunning, and shock, from family members and close friends? How were you helped by the Church? In my heart I am on my way but have a long way to go.
Click to expand...
Welcome! Hearing that you are considering the Catholic Church is truly an answer to many peoples’ prayers. You may want to contact a group called Catholic Ex JW (catholicxjw.com/index.html). The founders are ex-JW’s who entered the Catholic Church several years ago. I understand that they are a terrific source of support and information for others who are now where they once were.
 
I was a baptized a JW in my late teens and remained one through my mid 20s. I’m in my 40s now so it was a long time ago. My family were not JWs - I started studying the Truth Can Set You Free Book (that’s how long ago it was) and also the You can Live Forever on Paradise Earth because a boy from school whom I liked was a JW. I was a very active - was out in service every weekend, led bible studies and loved attending the conventions and fellowhsiping with my brothers & sisters. Unforunately I sinned - won’t get into it but I was disfellowshipped by my elders. Requested a meeting after 6 months of sitting in the last row - they said I could not be reinstated - that Jehovah hadn’t forgiven me yet. I cried a bucket of tears and begged them to reinstate me - explained that I had totally repented. They said no - and when I asked how long I might expect to be disfellowshipped they said it could take years. I was devestated. So… since I believed Armageddon was right around the corner - (the generation of 1914 was quickly passing away) what was the point? I had already distanced myself from my natural family (bad association) and I had zero friends who weren’t JWs so it was a very sad time in my life.

Eventually a coworker started talking to me about her relationship with Jesus - I came to realize through my own study of the Bible only (no extra books) that the scriptures did not support the JW beliefs. After the internet became available, I could search the very old publications and read from the actual AWAKE and Watchtower magazines all the failed prophecies, I realized the organization was not Jehovah’s mouthpiece because they got it wrong over & over again. In the book of Deut God says if a prophecy fails one time ignore the prophet - he is not from God. They had so many failed prophecies - clearly they were false prophets.

It took me several more years to become a Christian - and then another decade to become Catholic. The whore of Babylon thing was hard to get over.

I look back at my time as a JW as the best of times/worst of times. I wish their beliefs were true - but they aren’t - of that I’m certain. I do think they are good people trying to do what’s right, but they’ve been misled from the beginning. I think Russel was swindler and unfortunately his lies caught on - and were passed on and on and on.

I do wonder though - JWs today - what do they make of that generation totally passing away? Those from 1914 are gone - and yet here we are. Surely the elect are all in heaven? There were only a few thousand alive 20 years ago… now what? Armageddon was supposed to have happened before all the 144,000 died. How in the world do they explain that? Boggles my mind.

I won’t deny that it is very hard to leave. But it’s so worth it. The JWs were right about one thing - the Truth does set you free.

Sincerely,
Sister Yellowbird 😉
 
Thanks for the replies, each one helps and I really need it. Yellowbird, regarding JWs and the “generation passing away” teaching: They behave as if the changes in doctrine never happened. Those who were around when the changes began in the mid 90’s, don’t talk about it, and newer JWs don’t know about it / don’t understand the impact. Incredible flipflops in teaching on this subject. Currently they teach the old “generation” overlaps with the NEXT “generation”, which is awkward and JWs don’t seem to understand or really believe it. The 1914 generation teaching was presented as rock solid truth, so it broke my heart when they dropped it and can’t come up with a good explanation. One of many things that helped break the spell for me.
 
Winston_Smith said:
Thanks for the replies, each one helps and I really need it. Yellowbird, regarding JWs and the “generation passing away” teaching: They behave as if the changes in doctrine never happened. Those who were around when the changes began in the mid 90’s, don’t talk about it, and newer JWs don’t know about it / don’t understand the impact. Incredible flipflops in teaching on this subject. Currently they teach the old “generation” overlaps with the NEXT “generation”, which is awkward and JWs don’t seem to understand or really believe it. The 1914 generation teaching was presented as rock solid truth, so it broke my heart when they dropped it and can’t come up with a good explanation. One of many things that helped break the spell for me.
Click to expand...
Wow. That really is an incredible flip flop. I’m honestly shocked. It was such a foundation of our faith. Everything was winding down because that generation was getting so old.

I wonder how they explain the Millions Now Living Will Never Die of 1925 - the sweet old woman who studied with me was at that World Fair and although she was advanced in years, she was confident that the system would end before she died. I suppose that’s the case with that entire generation - they HAVE passed away and with them, most of the memories of those failed predictions.

I experienced a hint of :hmmm: in 1990 when the Organization announced they were buying more property in upstate NY… I recall my congregation being very confused - why would they do that with such little time left? Soon we can have all the proprety we need - after all the people are gone. But of course nobody voiced that very loudly…

I remember - a young man he’s a senior in HS, super smart. Gets a full ride scholarship to college and not only decides he’s not going to take it, but he’s going to drop of our HS before graduating to go to Bethel. That didn’t work out - so now he’s a HS drop out - marries a young sister, and they have two children. He’s working landscape and they barely get by … I get to know him & his wife at the Tuesday night meeting … gosh I forget what it’s called now - the one that met in homes. Anyhow, now he’s in his mid 20s and he says he loved science wanted to be a dentist and sometimes thinks that his life would’ve been so much easier if he had accepted the scholarship because landscape is hard in the hot Florida sun - but he knows he did the right thing - the system is ending soon. We all nod in agreement - college would’ve been a total waste of time. So what if he lives in a single wide moble home with his wife and kids? Fast forward all these years - that guy would be in his 50s. … I wonder if he’s still doing landscape? And then I wonder how many others are just like him… who passed up opportunities because they believed what we all were told.
 
Winston and Yellowbird:

God bless you both! I too am a former Jehovah’s Witness. It’s been a long journey for me. I am in my mid 40s now, but was born and raised in the so called, “truth”. In my early 20s started questioning some of the beliefs and had a family member who was dis-fellowshipped. I could not understand the shunning as God is LOVE and is a forgiving God. This caused me great distress. I soon left the small city I grew up in and moved to a metropolitan city due to a job. Although I had not attended meetings regularly at that time, and had no other understanding of the bible, I still considered myself a JW. A few years later a horrible tragedy occurred. My father was having routine surgery and due to complications from him not accepting a blood transfusion (one of the JW beliefs), he passed away at 54 yrs of age. I was devastated. I could not get over his death and began to build up resentment toward this organization. I no longer attended meetings and often questioned my Mother about their teachings.

Fast forward about 10 yrs later. I found myself in the same situation again. My mother was now in the hospital having knee surgery. And again, she held on in ICU with no blood left inside her. The doctors were amazed she was still alive. The reason she held on was because she knew that my sister and I would do whatever we could to give her blood. We were not going to go through this again with another parent. She remained steadfast and made sure there were no blood transfusions. During one of these times when she fell off to sleep after we pleaded with her and she refused, a priest stopped by and asked my sister and I if we would like him to say a prayer over my mother. We agreed. After, we grabbed a bible and asked if he could talk with us. We asked him to “interpret” the scripture which the JWs base their belief on abstaining from blood. Our world changed at that moment. He politely closed the bible and said, “it is not what I believe this scripture to say or what you believe it to say. It’s what your Mother believes it to say. And it is HER beliefs you must honor”. My sister and I were not capable of rationalizing this until then. In that moment, it felt like a heavy boulder was lifted from our shoulders and we both felt peace. Although very, very difficult we walked in my Mother’s ICU room, held her hand and told her that she could let go. We were going to honor her wishes and not force a blood transfusion. We cried and prayed, but felt peace about this decision. She passed away the next morning.

There were many things that brought me home to Catholicism, but I believe that my Mother and Father brought me home. They are my angels. I was baptized and confirmed in 2010. My faith grows each day and I thank the Lord I found his Church!

May the Lord be with you in your search for answers and peace.
 
@Winston…courage and good luck in your journey home
@Yellowbird and JWtoCat…great testimonies.May God continue to bless you people and strengthen your faith.
 
Hello!I am in a similar situation, I am 17 and I have been studying with my JW grandmother for about 2 years. Still haven’t got baptized (thank god). I used to have a deep hatred for Catholics but then I started looking into this 2,000 year old Christian Church and found that there is no WAY the JWs can be the true religion since they were Established in the 1800s. They have made many false prophecy’s but deny it, and just a simple google search of NWT mistranslations clearly shows that the translators delibraltly twisted words to fit there theology. I cannot wait to turn 18 and be set free from this messy false prophet religion!

Let me assure you, if you are baptized and you join Catholicism and your parents are devout JWs they will shun you without questions unless you re convert. Its sad really, the JWs use emotional blackmail to try and win members over…
 
yogosans14 said:
Hello!I am in a similar situation, I am 17 and I have been studying with my JW grandmother for about 2 years. Still haven’t got baptized (thank god). I used to have a deep hatred for Catholics but then I started looking into this 2,000 year old Christian Church and found that there is no WAY the JWs can be the true religion since they were Established in the 1800s. They have made many false prophecy’s but deny it, and just a simple google search of NWT mistranslations clearly shows that the translators delibraltly twisted words to fit there theology. I cannot wait to turn 18 and be set free from this messy false prophet religion!

Let me assure you, if you are baptized and you join Catholicism and your parents are devout JWs they will shun you without questions unless you re convert. Its sad really, the JWs use emotional blackmail to try and win members over…
Click to expand...
God bless you for your open mind and conviction. It is good to know people actually investigate the history and teachings. You mention you are studying with your grandma: How exactly, if you are planning to become Catholic? Or are you sharing with her what you found? I hope you don’t mind my asking…
 
Well I cant get my license til l’m 18. So when I turn 18 next April I will just have to tell my Grandmother that I no longer want to do anything with her religion, she’ll probably never talk to me but I would rather not be miserable in that cult. Luckily my parents aren’t JWs, they aren’t religious at all.

Anyways the day I get my license I am driving my butt over to a Catholic Church and request to become Catholic (obviously I have to go through RCIA) but still atleast I can attend Mass.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top