What was the last meeting you ever went to?

I figured out it's been 4 months and 5 days since my last meeting ever. July 10th, it was a Sunday. I hadn't been there in 2 months or so and decided to see if anyone noticed I'd been gone. I decided to wear PANTS after a heated debate on Facebook with my JW family, kind of just to prove them wrong. I was given cold stares and angry glares and people who knew I've been baptized for 8 years asked me who I was studying with. ONE person talked to me (for longer than one sentence) and that was one "brother" who was nagging me about turning in my time. He handed me a time slip and I wrote fake hours down and smiled and handed it back. I went to talk to one of my "friends" and she looked down at my pants and shook her head at me and turned away. I decided I would never go to a meeting again.

My outfit, by the way, was completely modest and even classy. I've heard people say you should wear what you would wear to an office so I did. I wore a blue blousey shirt with a nice jacket over it, black trouser pants that were not too tight or too baggy and not too long and some heels. The blouse was not too low and my hair was how I always wore it to the meetings.

I stopped going because of how I was treated and a couple months later signed up on this website which was the first of many "apostate" sites that really opened my eyes. I read CoC too. And I "ain't" going back!

What was your last meeting, how were you treated, and what was your reason for it being your last?

Memorial 2008.  I got a lot of "looks" ran out at the amen...  one sister ran after me gave me a hug and said "i hope this is just your 1st meeting back"  I laughted...

I remember it was the Sunday public talk and Watchtower Study.  I remember before and after the meeting no one spoke to me...at all.  Mind you, I have never been disfellowshipped.  Although I do believe I may have been "marked".

The only reason I believe this was I remember the second to last Circuit Assembly I went to.  There was a talk which had an example of a brother who drifted away because of his involvement in his union at work.  I thought, "Hey!  That's me.  Wow!  I'm being used as an example of what not to do."

November 2008.

It wasn't planned, though we had been going to fewer and fewer meetings.  We were given a new venue for our Tuesday night Group which we never attended so weren't missed at our usual Group and since we never ever went to our new assigned Group weren't missed there either.  Also, my husband did shift work so we were never able to go to every meeting anyway so I think this all helped us getting away with fewer meetings before anyone really noticed.

They kept hounding us at home though, I tried mostly not to answer the door.  We have since moved house so we are well away from everyone we knew thank goodness.

A fresh start in a new are has really worked for us.

I'd say around the time I found out I was 5 months pregnant.... and his 8 months now... you will have to do the math cause I'm not sure. haha

I was wanting to go back to get my family out but now it's all on them now to get their selves out...

I have a family of my own I need to take care of now! :)

November 19, 2010. I had told the elders weeks before I wanted to stop pioneering. They didn't want that. They called me into the backroom after the meeting. One thing led to another I told them I no longer wanted to be a ministerial servant either.  They pressed me into telling them what I really thought of the doctrine. I told them I wouldn't be coming back to the meetings. Man, the PO who I looked up to all those years looked so lost and befuddled when I brought up legit points to say Watchtower doctrine was wrong.  When I had another elder visit me a couple weeks after I got so enraged. I am normally a cool collected person when put under pressure but I definitely raised my voice at him. "The WT is lying and they know it! How can you support them when they are knowingly misleading people? Its the same dishonesty that the WT accuses false religion of!"

got suckered into going to the 05 memorial

now thinking of it....  I lied it was the 2009 memorial  It just feels longer then that...

memorial 1993 and I nearly walked before the opening song, nothing until a brief visit to the 1994 DC(too hot) then nothing until the 2010 memorial where I partook at my local cong (Sutton Surrey).

Unfortunately last night.

Last night? Wow, that surprises me. Nearly 12 years for me.

I learned a lot of great stuff, like 10 different ways to give money to the society.

Hang in there, boc.  Hope you get to fade or leave soon and on your own terms. 

I don't have the date memorized but it was early March 2010 on a Sunday.  I just walked out during the middle song and never went back.

I think it was 23rd March 2008 for me, it was the night of the first TMS/SM after the memorial that year. A Tuesday.

I just stood outside the KH just after the "Amen" was said, and I thought, I am never, I can never, going back there again.

It was strange, I had been born in 58 years earlier, so it felt weird to say to myself that I was leaving the only world I had known, and maybe leaving all my family behind in that world. I felt free immediately though, I had made the decision, on my own totally, even my wife knew nothing of this, and a new life awaited.

There was a feeling of sadness too, I had grown up with the people in that Hall, I had seen them married, seen their children born and seen them grow, most were lovely people in so many ways.

I had no choice though, I  could no longer be a part of it, even in a small way, now I knew TTATT.

Last regular meeting for me was May of 2006.  I attended 2 memorials after that, out of respect for Jesus Christ.  As I learned more about the Watchtower I could no longer even attend their memorial, since I had become thoroughly convinced the WTS in no way represents Jesus Christ.

It was a circuit assembly where the metaphors were offensive.  I didn't even go back the 2nd day. 

The last time I was at a meeting was when I was 22, now 21 years ago.

I had been "fading" for a few years prior to that

Can't remember my last meeting...............

remember my last Dis. Assembly.....

the Force was telling me it would be the last one.........

I felt a disturbance......4 months later ....I was a SITH!

@ lilbluekitty - 

I stopped going because of how I was treatedand a couple months later signed up on this website which was the first of many "apostate" sites that really opened my eyes. I read CoC too. And I "ain't" going back!

First, please accept my belated "welcome!" to the board.  I admire you for wearing a pantsuit to the KH...rock on!  Sorry to hear how you were treated (it sure is "eye-opening" when you really see what their version of "love" is in practice...yeah, 'cause nothing makes me want to stick around and hang out with folks that give me the evil eye ), but am glad you are here     I celebrate your steps into freedom!

What was your last meeting, how were you treated, and what was your reason for it being your last?

Let's see - my last meeting was sometime in '01.  Went to visit my JW father.  Mind you, I'd been DFd for almost 10 years by that point (and had long stopped trying to go back as I was "discouraged" by their "encouragement" via their barbaric practice of shunning...oh wait..."TOUGH LOVE"). Yet, I still "wondered/worried" if They Were Right (before I really learned the TTATT, both through this wonderful forum and Freeminds).  So, I went along to go along, to see what was up and also to please my folks.  

It was a Sunday meeting and overall - pretty "meh"...same old dreariness, same old talks, same old song and dance (well, no dancin', but you know what I mean)   It was what happened after the meeting that did it.  Unbeknownst to me, my dad invited one of the elders over to his house to visit and talk with me.  This "Loving Shepherd" couldn't have been more obvious in how utterly detestable he found my presence.  Oh, he was all fine words and flowery speech.  But he sat as farrrrrr away from me on the couch as he could...almost on the edge of the couch, leaning forward, like he was ready to bolt (I really thought he was going to fall off the furniture, he was perched so precariously).  What, was I THAT bad????  Was I so vile and base and low and horrible, that he couldn't even really look me in the eye?  It was like he couldn't get out of my dad's house fast enough.  A land speed record for shepherding calls was set that day, I think.  His body language told me everything I needed to know (the whole "You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act" deal). Because I was in a fragile place at that time in my life, I'll admit to initially feeling devastated (yet AGAIN by them), so low, so worthless.  But...it was the tipping point for me.  I decided I would never go back to that kind of treatment.  EVER.  Shortly thereafter, I found and began lurking on this website....and learning what I have since then has been crucial about any "2nd thoughts" about going back to that cult.  From there, my path was set...onwards to better emotional/mental health and inner peace. 

Thank you for sharing your experience and initiating this thread!  I look forward to reading more of your posts. 

~ RTA