Wide Awake
Well-known member
We are a married couple who have been lurking on here for a couple of years. We are fortunate enough to both have woken up together. It has been a process and are still somewhat in due to caretaking for elderly parents. One seems to be PIMQ giving us hope. We have a lot to say but for now will keep it to an overview. This is the first online platform or outside online forum we discovered and really helped open our eyes.
We are thankful to Robert for having created this space for us to have a place to finally speak.
This is the first time we are speaking out. We have wanted to for a while and finally allowing ourselves to do so. Everyone has their reasons and pace and we will not encourage anyone to go any particular route. Everyone has to go at their own pace for their own reasons and if there is anything we have learned now it is not to judge others and to show more love. We were die hard pimi’s. We both have had “special privileges/titles” for many decades.
There are things we have read on some posts and we can answer some questions.
What woke us up? VAXX pressure. The absolute insanity and pressure to encourage people to take the VAXX which is a personal medical decision was beyond distressing. We do not say that lightly. The ENORMOUS pressure and HORRIBLE statements it allowed the “brothers and sisters” to say were beyond hurtful and unloving. In time, hopefully we can explain more, but for now know we are still seeing double talk. This weekend’s current one-day program with the branch representative literally said “…with health issues , how sad it was to see that even simple matters of public health such as wearing masks or hand washing or physical distancing or vaxxs, those things became controversial , even political, but those are all things Jehovah has given us direction on.” Yet a few days ago they just put out a letter saying they no longer require VAXX for theocratic schools. The requirements for those in special service were extremely strong. We could write a novel on this subject, but not now. We knew something was seriously wrong and this allowed us to give ourselves permission to research other things. We believe that if it is truth, it should be able to withstand scrutiny. The ARC was especially powerful. One of us has had this experience personally and believed it was a rare or not a common occurrence. Well, one of us sat and watched the whole thing straight with tears, hurt and anger and the other saw enough to know this is not Jehovah’s direction and knew what their spouse had been through. The husband stepped away from his position and would love to have unloaded but couldn’t. We also downloaded the court documents from the ARC. We are forever grateful to the ARC and even Geoffrey Jackson for showing who he really is as well as where the GB and WT stands.
The ARC led to the rabbit hole and while trying to fade finally during a zoom one of us stood up (after a ridiculous comment by an elder who has to talk about the VAXX still), and said I can’t do this anymore! So, in our own way though already we had started slowly fading for a year (at a snails pace), we stepped it up and though still connected we are hanging in barely for our parents and cannot fully detach at this time. You will understand later and it KILLS us to feel like we are living a double life. We still love God and believe Jesus is our mediator! Yes, we didn’t even realize the GB had taken that upon themselves. We need an outlet to speak more freely and with those who still have faith, though we do not judge anyone who has lost theirs. Its amazing anyone still has any faith after all we have seen. So, we believe each person can choose their own path as we want to walk on our own path. It has been a difficult, painful process, but we are in a better place now. We need friends with whom we can communicate freely. There are things we appreciate as JWs brought us to each other and helped us with other things, but this org is not directed by Jehovah in our opinion. As Jesus said: “You will recognize them by their fruits.” We have been reading the bible without the WT lens and are enjoying it.
Additional comments:
We are thankful to Robert for having created this space for us to have a place to finally speak.
This is the first time we are speaking out. We have wanted to for a while and finally allowing ourselves to do so. Everyone has their reasons and pace and we will not encourage anyone to go any particular route. Everyone has to go at their own pace for their own reasons and if there is anything we have learned now it is not to judge others and to show more love. We were die hard pimi’s. We both have had “special privileges/titles” for many decades.
There are things we have read on some posts and we can answer some questions.
What woke us up? VAXX pressure. The absolute insanity and pressure to encourage people to take the VAXX which is a personal medical decision was beyond distressing. We do not say that lightly. The ENORMOUS pressure and HORRIBLE statements it allowed the “brothers and sisters” to say were beyond hurtful and unloving. In time, hopefully we can explain more, but for now know we are still seeing double talk. This weekend’s current one-day program with the branch representative literally said “…with health issues , how sad it was to see that even simple matters of public health such as wearing masks or hand washing or physical distancing or vaxxs, those things became controversial , even political, but those are all things Jehovah has given us direction on.” Yet a few days ago they just put out a letter saying they no longer require VAXX for theocratic schools. The requirements for those in special service were extremely strong. We could write a novel on this subject, but not now. We knew something was seriously wrong and this allowed us to give ourselves permission to research other things. We believe that if it is truth, it should be able to withstand scrutiny. The ARC was especially powerful. One of us has had this experience personally and believed it was a rare or not a common occurrence. Well, one of us sat and watched the whole thing straight with tears, hurt and anger and the other saw enough to know this is not Jehovah’s direction and knew what their spouse had been through. The husband stepped away from his position and would love to have unloaded but couldn’t. We also downloaded the court documents from the ARC. We are forever grateful to the ARC and even Geoffrey Jackson for showing who he really is as well as where the GB and WT stands.
The ARC led to the rabbit hole and while trying to fade finally during a zoom one of us stood up (after a ridiculous comment by an elder who has to talk about the VAXX still), and said I can’t do this anymore! So, in our own way though already we had started slowly fading for a year (at a snails pace), we stepped it up and though still connected we are hanging in barely for our parents and cannot fully detach at this time. You will understand later and it KILLS us to feel like we are living a double life. We still love God and believe Jesus is our mediator! Yes, we didn’t even realize the GB had taken that upon themselves. We need an outlet to speak more freely and with those who still have faith, though we do not judge anyone who has lost theirs. Its amazing anyone still has any faith after all we have seen. So, we believe each person can choose their own path as we want to walk on our own path. It has been a difficult, painful process, but we are in a better place now. We need friends with whom we can communicate freely. There are things we appreciate as JWs brought us to each other and helped us with other things, but this org is not directed by Jehovah in our opinion. As Jesus said: “You will recognize them by their fruits.” We have been reading the bible without the WT lens and are enjoying it.
Additional comments:
- Regarding cart witnessing- actually, yes it has been effective in some areas and that is why they are doing it. We personally started studies, Rv’s and know of many who returned to the org from it.
- Cart Crashing- you can do what you want but know it just re-reinforces in their minds persecution for the sake of Jah and they shut down their minds. Maybe ask a simple question and do not act like you know more than them as you know they think they know everything and honestly, we use to be those people.
- Hawaii dress code: yes, last fall they allowed for Brothers to wear Aloha shirts even during conventions due to the “culture”. Instructed not to post on social media.
- We are constantly reminding ourselves we were those people and to have grace as we know ones who are questioning, but don’t know if they will ever do anything about it. We are trying to be compassionate to the R&F as so many just don’t know. We have both been baptized between 30—40 yrs
- They are reaching out to see where people stand and following up on inactive ones. We are preparing ourselves.
to be real until these last few years!