What Does A Gilead Grad Write In His Resignation Letter?

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Written by Jeffrey Byrge

Thursday, 19 March 2009 18:07

I am sharing my resignation letter with anyone who cares to read it. I know some people had to read it, and I hope it did some good. Maybe it will do good for some readers here too. I don't call my leaving "disassociation", because thats a JW term of convenience. I resigned my membership from this group, nothing more. They did the rest. Here is why I left, not even one year after graduating from Gilead...

To whom it may concern:

In early September, I came across a man in the ministry who was curious as to how Jehovah's Witnesses got the date 1914. As I explained to him in basic terms, it started with the count of the gentile times, (2,520 years) from 607 BCE. He was intrigued by our calculations, but was puzzled as to why we say Jerusalem was destroyed in 607 BCE, when "everyone else" has it as 586/587 BCE. Confident that I would be able to prove the date of 607 BCE, I went about to research further this date and to use whatever secular sources existed to prove it. He wanted to see proof beyond what Jehovah's Witnesses have published, so I therefore researched this thoroughly.

Imagine my surprise to find that while Jehovah's Witnesses use certain ancient secular sources from Babylon and Persia to arrive at 539 BCE as the fall of Babylon , we at the same time dismiss these very same sources for EVERYTHING else related to the fall of Jerusalem . I couldn't understand this, but resolved that the "faithful and discreet slave" would no doubt have gone to great lengths to make sure that such an important date as 607 BCE could be verified. I also continued my research.

I will not detail my findings, as I have since come to learn that the Governing Body has refused to look at such evidence or even acknowledge it. The Governing Body above all others knows the controversy of this date and of their own efforts at first to prove 1914 through historical references only to fail in that, then to squelch anyone who even suggested otherwise. At some point, it will be in the Governing Body's best interests to address this. Suffice to say that I have seen abundant and real proof that both 607 BCE and the related date of 1914 is a date propped up by questionable use of bible scriptures, questionable theology, and white washed history relating to the "modern day history" of Jehovah's Witnesses.

The use of the word "bible chronology" in the Watchtower and Insight on the Scriptures always was impressive to me. I now see that it is a misleading "bait and switch" phrase that is designed to stop a person from looking at real historical evidence. The use of one date as a pivotal date by Jehovah's Witnesses, 539 BCE as the fall of Babylon is stretched and distorted. We discard the very same sources used to arrive at 539 BCE as the date of the destruction of Babylon and say they are inaccurate when it comes to the date of the destruction of Jerusalem!!!. Why? Because it doesn't fit with a preconceived idea, that of 1914 as being significant. At best, 1914 will go down as a great coincidence between World War I starting, and what a few people who followed C T Russell were looking for. This is disingenuous, misleading, and unfair.

I am not disillusioned at all! I feel relief for the first time. My only strong feeling is that of disgust; that a few men who are themselves married to 1914 yet at the same time unsure of it, will use that "prophetic" teaching as a source of authority to appoint themselves as some kind of "faithful and discreet slave", and then try to use this authority control the thinking and actions of so many in the name of god!!

Having gone to the Watchtower School of Gilead, I could never get over the fact that almost everything in the bible according to Jehovah's Witnesses, "prophetically points" to the "faithful slave" and its governing body. You even go so far as to compare the administrations of Rutherford to the prophet Elijah and Knorr to Elisha!! How arrogant!! What an unbelievable stretch to say that the bible "prophesied" the existence of Rutherford and Knorr!! I use this as one of many examples used by the governing body to keep their power base "scriptural" in the eyes of those that follow and support this organization! I am only disappointed in myself that I didn't scream out loud at the time this was being "taught". This is how one must study the bible to get close to God and Christ??? Absolutely not!! Yet you clearly go beyond what is written in the bible itself, saying that to be disobedient to the governing body is the same as being disobedient to Jehovah himself, though the governing body neither admits to being inspired or perfect. What a double standard!

It wasn't a year ago that I almost died in service to "Jehovah" while in Cameroon as a missionary. Now, I see that my service was to nothing more than a group of misguided men. I was even considering taking up a difficult and economically questionable move to help out a congregation our circuit overseer said was in need! I have done all that I have done for Jehovah's Witnesses with real zeal, belief, and sincerity of heart. I willingly and happily sacrificed much. But now, I have learned that this is just another crazy group using the bible to fit their own agenda.

I therefore find it necessary as of the date of this letter, to officially resign as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Because of personal issues, I am also divorcing my wife, -------. For her benefit, I will provide her with the evidence allowing her to remarry as a Jehovah's Witness if that is her wish, when in fact, I have such evidence honestly to give.

My only regret is knowing that I will be leaving behind hundreds of friends that I have come to love very much. I realize how I will hence be treated. While I must accept this for the time being, it is my hope that all whom I have ever loved in this organization are or will be happy one day, although I have come to learn that such happiness will likely not result from their association with Jehovah's Witnesses.

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written by Lost but Found , June 04, 2009

Thank you Jeffrey for sharing your life story...may the Good Shepherd
continue to lead you.

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written by jonathan , June 11, 2009

Can you tell me from which WT magazine,... I can find the name of the above missionary in the WT Gilead graduate photo?

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written by Jeffrey Byrge , June 11, 2009

January 1, 2006 WT....

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written by Diane , June 12, 2009

kiss

The wonderful thing about Jehovah God is that he gives us free will, and allows us to make our own choices in our lives... Our choice is to serve Jehovah and respect the Governing Body, or go our own way.
I have a feeling that your wife probably had a huge party in her brain after you left, because of your life of lies... Lying and Cheating... Scriptual Divorce means that your most likely gay, or cheated on her. So you lived a lie, and you want us to believe you now?

sad

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written by Jeffrey Byrge , June 12, 2009

My response to Dianne:

I am actually glad you brought up my marriage, so that I can clarify. Frankly, it is THE great heartbreak of my life. As I am sure anyone who has been married can understand, there are aspects in a private relationship that can only be understood if you were in the relationship. Trust me, I myself can see several mistakes I made, but the biggest one I made was going to Gilead and missioanry service. In that, I was not honest with myself and honoring the very real doubts I had about my former faith.

I have no idea if my ex wife threw a party in her mind when I left her. If she is in any way a real human, I kind of doubt it. We went through a lot, and while her conduct during my troubling times in Cameroon broke MY heart, I am sure that my leaving her broke her heart too. There was no happy ending in our marriage. I simply made a decision. Today, I am happily remarried, using the experience of a life lived to partner with a fine woman.

It goes without saying that I wish my ex wife well. I know that she is most sincere about her faith, and though I cannot possibly support her faith, for her, if it grants her happiness and fulfillment, I would be the last person to stand in her way.

For anyone reading this, to a Jehovah's Witness, a believer can only remarry if their former marriage partner has sexual relations with another person, thus granting a "scriptural divorce" to which I referred to in my letter. When I left, this was most certainly not the case. I left her because I personally made the decision that my ex wife was hopelessly lost as a JW, and I didn't want to drag out several years of our life determining what we both wanted. I judged that she wanted to stay a JW, so I simply excused myself out of her life, as my life was and is, heading in a much different direction.

Because I didn't want to leave her "in limbo" with regards to her future prospects, I notified her via a phone call, which was verified by another elder, that she was free according to the standards that the Governing Body has put on Jehovah's Witneses to remarry. (i.e. a "scriptural divorce") Whether or not she is remarried or if she will choose to remarry is unknown to me, although I wish her all the best and all the happiness in the world.

Otherwise, I don't appreciate or respect your personal insinuations about me, although I do respect your right to continue to follow the leadership of the Governing Body. It is not my responsibility to make decisions for you, although I do accept my responsibility to honestly report what I have seen and know.

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written by jonathan , June 15, 2009

I translated the above sharing in Chinese and post it on my blog.
http://16millonjw.mysinablog.c...=1768891

You may take a look.
If you want me to remove it, just leave me a message on the blog.
Thanks
Jonathan

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written by jonathan , June 15, 2009

Thanks Jeffrey, I found you in the photos, the 8th row from the front, p15 WT,1/1/2006, Chinese edition.

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written by Carlton , July 08, 2009

I think that was very unfair what Diane wrote about you. Unfortunately so many think that just because you left the JW that makes you automatically evil, although many of them are quite vindictive, unlike yourself. I did not grow up as a witness and I am very happy and cannot imagine being anywhere else. I made a careful very logical decision (I am logical by nature which is why I am a scientist by profession). But I can see from your response that you are a sincere, really very nice person and for Diane to make such a comment was extremely unfair and cruel. Personally, I think you could have stuck with your wife even in spite of everything, but that is just my opinion and I respect yours and your decision, although I do not agree with it. However I cannot, and will not, and neither will Jehovah, force anyone to believe or do anything else.

However, I really believe you are making a mountain out of molehill. And I believe you will come to regret your decision. But anyway, so lets say 1914 is wrong. The society recently specifically stated (I will have to find the reference) that they believe the preponderance of evidence strongly points to 1914, not that it absolutely positively is 1914. So if you are correct, then the beginning of the presence is 1933. SO WHAT!! It is obvious that we are living in the last days, surely you would agree with me on that. So they were off, big deal. What on earth difference would it make other than that the end would simply come later! And the society never claimed to be under direct inspiration from JEhovah.

I have just seen too many incredible, unbelievable, convincing evidence that God is backing this organization. You can find mistakes that servants of God made all though the old and new testament. Imperfect people are going to blow it. But Jehovah is perfect and whatever blunders were made he will correct. So if they are wrong. SO WHAT!!! Jehovah will correct it all in the end.

I know that no matter what I say, you are convinced of your correctness. But I would like to suggest another opinion.

I really think you are being very petty and getting upset over a small matter. But that is just my opinion.

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written by Jeffrey Byrge , July 24, 2009

Carlton

I thank you for your comments. It might not matter to you about the date of 1914 and all that is associated with it, and I would personally dispute your charecterization of the Governing Body's not claiming to be inspired, yet spirit directed, as if that makes the false prophecies all right.

Nonetheless, if you have peace there, I wish you the best, but would remind you that many are not at peace for the precise reasons you seem to be at peace, JW doctrines. So please be kind to those with doubts, and for heavens sake, do not engage in the shunning that takes place and destroys people. That is the last thing from Christian.

I don't begrudge you your beliefs, although I would expect someone who is truly Christlike to treat all as loving as can be. As you have already admitted that this organization isn't inspired, I hope you will consider some of the more harmful dogma of the Governing Body as something to be rejected.

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written by Diane , July 31, 2009

Jeffrey,
You realize that there are millions of Mixed marriages in the world right? You and your X having different religious views does not mean you have to split up. I really do not understand why you would walk away from a marriage that you say was your biggest heartbreak, just because your decided to change your religious beliefs. You just bowed out because she was not conforming to your new whim? If you really loved her, you could have stayed and worked on it...Lots of people change their religion in the middle of their marriage, Honey Im becoming a JW happens all the time, but no one leaves! So, I feel that in your blog above, you are not being honest with us. Also, scriptural divorce comes from other avenues as well, that is besides having sexual relations outside your marriage. I myself have a scriptural divorce, and no one had a spring fling in our case.
I wish you all the love and happiness in your new marriage... I just do not like to see Jehovah being talked about. You realize you didn't leave the organization, you really left Jehovah, and if the governing body is wrong with anything, Jehovah will clear it up sooner or later. They are only human, and when they do makes mistakes, they are human and humble enough to admit to it. If I had a problem with the governing body, Id be patient enough and trusting enough in Jehovah and wait for him to fix it.

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written by Jeffrey Byrge , August 01, 2009

Diane

First of all, I will forward your request on the name to the admin of the site. I don't seem to be able to do this.

I can only take your response as your opinion, to which you are entitled to and I respect. (except for your character assasination attempts on me, which reveal more about your character then mine)

I have to say that I find it odd that since you "don't like seeing Jehovah talked about" this way, what you hope to accomplish by perpetuating a discussion?

I know this is because of the indoctrination that takes place, but all JW's are taught to believe that the only reason a person could want to leave is pure evil, that Satan has caught us, and that there exists no good reason to leave.

Diane, I am afraid that this also is a lie. I will let my letter stand on its own merits, all of the facts contained in it are verifiable. The GB did none of the things I describe in there by accident. They are culpable for a great deal of misery and for the lies they perpetuate. That is why I left.

I wish you could see that there are hundreds of thousands that have left, millions really. Why is it do you think that between 2-300,000 get baptized each year, but the organization only grows at a fraction of that rate? I don't make up the numbers, see for yourself in the yearbook? Do you really think everyone who leaves is an evil apostate with no reason to leave?

As far as my personal life, I will comment no more about it. This blog contained a letter of resignation, with a couple of references to my ex. Your approval or disapproval of my personal decisions is not the point of this, and I have nothing futher to add. Your opinions, while wrong and lacking context, are duly noted.

Kind regards

Jeff

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written by Diane , August 05, 2009

Thanks Jeff for the help with the name... I do appreciate that a lot!

So, Lets say you really really love someone, and you over hear someone talking about him. You love them, so on hearing these things, you feel hurt and upset, and sometimes you blurt things out in your anger... Yea I might have blurted. I am not trying to commit a character assasination. You really do that all to well on your own. You are bad mouthing the GB who represent Jehovah. Oh my! I can hear you now... So, lets say your wrong and they do represent Jehovah? You have become something evil...Against GOD. And if they do not represent Jehovah... well then, your ok then, you wont have to worry about GOD holding this public resignation letter and soap box dis of Jehovah and his organization against you. And yes this is all my opinion and to you my opinion does not count really, but that is ok. You put the letter up as a public resignation, which sets you up for public commenting.
I myself do not feel like the only reason people leave is that satan has caught them... I feel that many many many just give up.. it is a lot of personal work to keep up with the moral standards that Jehovah has set for us, and a lot of personal study, and dedication and love to make it to all the meetings each week. Not everyone can do it! You have to have a lot of love to do all that for someone. And you cant see God so, that makes it even harder, because at this point, there is no one to answer to.
Morals the way they are today are null and void.
So, lets say your at work, and the little chippy winks at you and starts flirting with you and making you feel young and alive again! If you dont have a lot of serious love for Jehovah, enough to turn away and leave it alone, you will fall into the trap, because it feels good to be wanted and the excitement of a sexual relationship just sucks you in... Many leave because of sex. Falling into a sexual trap does not make one evil... its just makes one weak, and sooner or later you will have a bad concious, even if it is ten years later, it will come. ((Number 1 reason is Sexually related)
There are so many reasons why people fall away or leave... Only one though is considered to be evil. It would be those who leave and make it their new life course or mission to drag as many others away with them as they can. Those spreading what is considered to be apostate or against what Jehovah has set in place.
""s far as my personal life, I will comment no more about it. This blog contained a letter of resignation, with a couple of references to my ex. Your approval or disapproval of my personal decisions is not the point of this,""
What was the point of this?? Why did YOU feel you needed to let the whole wide world in on your personal resignation? When I left my Catholic Faith... I did not post my private resignation letter for the whole world to see, and neither did any other JW's who resigned from their former religion. So... what was your motive? To try to drag any innocent people away from Jehovah that you can? Maybe you will catch a newly intersted one? Or a teenager on the internet curious of why a person would publish their private resignation letter? Whos work are you doing today? Id ask myself these questions... Is it Gods work?
Diane

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written by AllTimeJeff , August 06, 2009

Diane

I will address your last paragraph as it has your most concise thoughts.... But before I do, allow me to say that you as a former JW are acting as you feel you should. I am neither surprised nor offended by this. If you are defending JW's, then defend them against the accusations I make in my letter. Don't insult the intelligence of people reading by implying my goal is to work against god.

You mention that you used to be Catholic. As a JW, you go door to door to do exactly as I do by posting my resignation letter, that is, to expose another religion for the lies they tell. Surely you can see the irony as a JW in your preaching work, looking for people to leave one faith, to destroy that faith, so that you can rebuild it in the JW mold. The only difference between you and me is agenda. I have no desire to put people on a path to anything specific, only that they think for themselves as they go their own way....

Why did YOU feel you needed to let the whole wide world in on your personal resignation? When I left my Catholic Faith... I did not post my private resignation letter for the whole world to see, and neither did any other JW's who resigned from their former religion. So... what was your motive? To try to drag any innocent people away from Jehovah that you can? Maybe you will catch a newly intersted one? Or a teenager on the internet curious of why a person would publish their private resignation letter? Whos work are you doing today? Id ask myself these questions... Is it Gods work?

Diane, I highlight this primarily because it shows how indoctrinated you are, and your words do a better job then I could ever do.

You have been lied to by the leadership of this group. You have been indoctrinated to believe that everyone who leaves and speaks up is evil, wants to work against Jehovah, and only bring others down.

I find it interesting that in "defending" Jehovah as you have, you have not addressed one single item in my letter. The main point was the use of an incorrect date that the Governing Body knowinly lies about to promote and protect their authority. Instead, your best idea is to try to make the one who posted this letter somehow bad, evil or wrong. There isn't one wrong item in that entire letter.

Diane, I wish you the best. It seems you are determined to believe that former JW's who expose the Governing Body are evil, and I can only disagree with you there. I know for a fact this is the last thing from true.

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written by Diane , August 12, 2009

Actually I do not think you are evil at all... Thats just what you wish to believe so that you can go down your happy martyr trail. I am actually happy you left the organization! If you do not want to be there, You should not be there, bringing the whole congregation down.
Never has the GB said they are perfect, and they do make mistakes. If they do make mistakes, when they realize it, they do publicly announce it. If I personally felt that they had made a mistake, I myself would just wait on Jehovah God, because he in the end is all that really matters. In the end, and there will be an end, it will all come out in the wash. And I personally would not have wanted to offend Jehovah. So, if GB had mislead anyone, they will answer to God. And if you have mislead anyone, then you will have to answer to God.
Im gonna put my money so to speak on the GB... I love Jehovah, Love the bible and what it has in it. I think it is amazing what is hidden in the bible to those who do not know what a gem it really is. I am so happy that I stumbled upon the truths in the bible by over hearing a bible study and overhearing so many wonderful things that I had never learned while being raised in the RC religion. I went week after to week, and never really learned anything. The day I overheard about God actually having a name! That was a really special day for me!! I went home and looked up that scripture and was shocked to see that Jehovah was in MY bible! After sneaking and listening to someone else's Study, I finally came out of my closet and asked for one. When I did study with the JW's, I came with a few bibles and looked up every scripture in each bible to make sure that it was not just the JW bible that said these things. The bible has so many wonderful things in it... Why dont you blog about those? Maybe instead of bickering about dates, maybe you can bring some joy into someones life? Maybe you can help someone who is down and tired of life, see that things will change. Maybe you can blog about a God who really does care about us? Do some good...
I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses and I try my best each day to live up to the standards I have learned to love. Having Jehovah in my life, has given me a reason not to smoke and over drink, and a reason not to smoke pot and do drugs. My studying with JW's made me realize that there is a god who cares about us, and that when we do things that are morally wrong, it does actually hurt his feelings. I mean enough to god, that the things I do can either make him sad or happy! Thats amazing!
I do wish you the best... Just try to do some good with your life, and you blogs. Im sure you have a lot of knowledge in there... Use it for good.

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written by AllTimeJeff , August 12, 2009

Diane, you said

"Actually I do not think you are evil at all... Thats just what you wish to believe so that you can go down your happy martyr trail. I am actually happy you left the organization! If you do not want to be there, You should not be there, bringing the whole congregation down."

I don't wish to believe anything. I am the last thing from a martyr, as evidenced by me getting the hell out of JW's.....

For you personally, it seems that you have found fulfillment in mostly buying into the JW dogma as supplied by the GB. I say "mostly" because if you bought into all of it, you wouldn't even post here, as this website is a no no. So I am glad that you seem to be able to think for yourself, even a little. That small amount of "mental air" that you allow yourself is certainly healthy.

Beyond that, I note your disagreements with both my substance and my attempts at posting both facts and opinions. At this point, we will have to agree to disagree. While you can defend in your own mind why you are there as a JW, it doesn't change anything regarding the facts and history of Jehovah's Witnesses, nor why dogma continually, and conveniently, changes for the GB's benefit.

I wish you the best!

Jeff

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written by Donna , September 03, 2009

Matthew 28.18
said jesus approached his disciples and spoke to them saying all authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth.
So if all authorty was given him by God at his resurrection what authority was left to get in 1914...... Answer is NONE!!!!
Everything they base their 1914 theory is propaganda and lies. FALSE PROPHET.

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written by Bilgie , October 22, 2009

I think I love you Jeff, I have so enjoyed your interaction with "Diane"... and you are correct in asking "Diane" why she is even on this site? As a former JW, 4th generation bred, born and raised,with family still in, I know their instructions (or should I say indoctrination) regarding T.V., books, music and the internet.

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written by Crystal , December 07, 2009

I think I love you too Jeff. You handle yourself so well. I thought to myself, I was once a lot like Diane. Wanting to defend "the truth", but to do it in such a format is just so surprising to me!! I would have never dreamed of looking such a website up when I was fully involved in the JW life! It took 4 years of being inactive and my brother showing me such websites for me to feel safe to look at them and still the first words out of my mouth were "Uh oh...scary." I would never attach my name to any of these websites when I was active because, what if I was found out? I would have been questioned as to why I would even be exploring such a website. Diane should really be wondering why she is looking at such a site if she is truly "dedicated to Jehovah". The fear of being found out seems like such a real fear. It's so irrational, but for a true "Witness of Jehovah", I would think this would be a fear. It really makes me wonder what her motives are. Strange. Jeff, you weren't trying to mislead anyone, you were simply stating your experience in the watchtower society in what you thought was a safe and appropriate forum. Instead if being noted for being brave for putting out such a personal letter, you were criticized for being on a mission to mislead "newly interested ones and young people". If a young one or newly interested one is looking this kind of stuff up...they are already deciding independently that they have some questions...Jeff doesn't really have the first hand in that...now does he Diane? I find you very sad Diane...you can't just let people live their life and say what they are going to say because they do have free minds and opinions of their own, you'd rather ridicule them for being honest and true to oneself. Isn't it everyones choice to "be saved" or not? There will always be reproach on Jehovah's name...why did you choose Jeff to pick on from this whole site and all the other sites you could have picked from? He must have struck a nerve with you? You just had to have Jehovah's name represented in some way? Don't you think the elders would be all over monitoring sites like these and representing Jehovah's name if they think it is worth their time to refute such talk? You were wrong for thinking you should interject anything in this blog that Jeff posted. A true witness would not be here...period!

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written by Chris , December 07, 2009

Well said, as a Jehovah Witness I've noticed that the brothers are really going down hill. Most are sick and tired of waiting for the end of the world. In one congregation the Presiding Overseer is a Skinhead Thug who is about as loving as a sledgehammer. I am not inpressed with Jehovah's witnesses and will be leaving myself soon. The brothers are not loving, I have been stabbed in the back twice by the loving elders when moving congregations. Jehovahs witnesses have shattered my dreams about god and religon. they go on about apostates, yet Jesus and Paul were apostates from the Jewish religon and russell was an apostate of the Adventists so they are hypocritical. JW's do not have the truth because they tell too many lies, change their minds to suit and god knows what. Please keep spreading the word about how corrupt and hypocritical Jehovah's witnesses governing body are. God would not be pleased.

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written by Victor , December 07, 2009

Great to see someone else WAKE UP!

By the way, the bible DOES in fact talk about Rutherford and Knorr!

"Let no man deceive you by any means:" - 2Thess. 2:3

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written by Julie , December 09, 2009

Well thank goodness Diane decided to pipe down finally!I also thoroughly enjoyed your simple and truthful response to someone who obviously was feeling shaken by the fact of coming onto this site and then feeling the need to defend her beliefs which had no bearing on why you were posting information. Which totally misses the point as to why you wrote your letter in the first place - to acknowledge historical facts that do not coincide with what has been tatooed in JW's brain, and the ability to question such items by going outside what the GB present and seeking out history. Which by the way, thank you for being informational about it. This was always one of my own issues with Facts and signs of the times that are used as scare tactics. Please feel free to add more insight on the things you have found!

By the way I just wanted to add that people do get divorced over difference of religion and many other reason of changing points of view. My husband goes to AA meetings where a speaker talked about leaving his wife after she had put up with him as an alcoholic for years and then he realized she was no longer in agreement with his new found beliefs and left her. My dad who became a JW in his late 20's was married to a non believer and seemed fine until she divorced him for difference of beliefs and cheated multiple times so that he could remarry. He of course views it as the tribulations he had to go through as being in the true religion. I think it was admirable of you to stay true to yourself and yet be able to be honest with the fact that your former wife would not follow in your way of thinking and give her the opportunity to carry on with her own way as you were doing for yourself.

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written by H Davis , December 14, 2009

Thank you for posting up your resignation letter Jeff. I left "the truth" in 1999 after pioneering for 11 years from leaving school including moving abroad (within Europe) to "where the need was great". Where are we now...ahh 2009. Yes for nine years, despite leaving the organisation and my husband (for the same reason that you left your wife, and changing from a "theocratic career" to a career as a laywer here in the UK, I still didn't have the courage to look at any websites about Jehovah's Witnesses because it felt too "disloyal" and the indoctrination that anyone that has left must be apostate, evil, etc is so deeply ingrained. Gosh that was a long sentence, not good drafting at all! :-) Anyway, suffice to say that when "letter of resignation from Gilead graduate" came up in a search result, I felt that was something that I could look at as I was intrigued that someone that had been through Gilead would (a) resign and (b) post their resignation for all to see. It was good to read. My own epiphany was also about 1914 and the "change of thought" about survivors of the generation that saw 1914 still being alive when Armageddon came. Combine that with first hand knowledge of utter hypocrisy witnessed firsthand within every body of elders that I came across (let's not even go near the elder who had lost his licence through drink driving and the elder and pioneer whose computer was clogged full of porn), timed perfectly with a period of severe ill health that stopped me pioneering and by extension destroyed all feelings of self worth and I was pretty disillusioned. Anyway, I am conscious that I am far less lucid and objective than you when I put my thoughts to writing so I will draw this to a close. Suffice to say I rarely let myself think about these things as the implications of the level of control that the "Governing Body" and organisation have over ordinary families, just blows my mind. I have two sisters and a mother who are devout witnesses and I have to see my lovely neice and nephew being brought up the same way and it is very difficult to observe. I only hope that as my nephew and neice grow older I can be there to support them should they ever try to think for themselves. I wish you and your new partner the very best for the future. I am delighted to be very happily settled down in a funny, warm and happily bonkers family with two lovely stepchildren, who demonstrate on a daily basis what it means to be a good human being, without being the slightest bit religious...!

All the best.

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written by ampm , January 26, 2010

We all have the right to be heard, and steps should be taken so that takes place. Even if we doubt some of the teachings the Faithful and Discreet Slaves has written in it's publications, we should be heard!

I served at bethel for many years, I was there as a single man then when I met my future wife we got married and got accepted to serve together at bethel. This with out a doubt was the happiest experience of my life. I'm the person that I am today because of what I learned at bethel. One thing I think the organization lacks is what we preach the most, LOVE. I can't forget all the lies my wife spoke of me to the elders, just so that would get disfellowshiped. But sadder was the fact that at the end they believed her more then me. All those years of faithfulness down the drain. I clearly remember my youth I tried to be a really good brother, but well.

Some three years after being separated I committed adultery and was disfellowshiped. I guess at the end she won. The thing I don't understand is why procedures in some cases are never followed. A Watchtower a year and a half ago, I think it was the december issue, clearly said: 'any brother that admits their sins will not be disfellowshiped' and according to the same paragraph this were words from the Governing Body. Strange how if you don't suck-up to the elders or befriend them you get the but...

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