Jehovah's Witnesses with ASD

I grew up as a witness. Babtised around 15 years old. I'm disfellowshiped.. I have been 3 times. At 51 years of age now, I'm just learning I have ASD. To make it very clear, I know Jehovah God is real and the only true living God, and the witnesses are his people.

I'm an alcoholic and recently got sober. I quit smoking as well. I am working on coming back and get reinstated as a witness.

If anything, learning I have ASD has helped me a LOT to understand all the questions I've had about myself since I was a kid.

Jehovah's witnesses do not try to convert anyone as other religions do. Even being disfellowshiped 3 times now, the Elders, not even knowing I have ASD yet, still treat me with love and respect. No, they only seek to help others understand the truth for themselves. To encourage others to do honest research and make a well educated and spiritual decision to become babtised and then, in turn, help others to come to know Jehovah to.

I was disfellowshiped for alcohol abuse. It wasn't immediate. They went months of trying to help me with not drinking.

I was only disfellowshiped when at that point, I wasn't trying to quit my alcohol abuse. I wasn't following direction to benefit myself. Being disfellowshiped is actually a blessing. One, it keeps the congregation free of a bad influence I may have had on others, especially the young ones. But also, it was a blessing to me, because it gives me time to get my head straight and figure out what I want. No brain washing. This has helped me build a relationship with Jehovah. Jehovah does NOT abandon his people. Even if disfellowshiped. It's a disciplining from Him, as a loving father would do. I'm not cut off from Jehovah. Even with all my bad decisions and sins, I know he's been helping me anytime I've asked for it in prayer and even when I was incapable of asking. He knows who belongs to Him and He understands and always understood me better than even me understanding me.

With research in and around the Bible, and looking at the World Seen for 5 decades, I can tell you, it's very obvious that this is the truth. I wasn't forced to believe anything. I wasn't given a tradition to follow because others blindly follow it. I wasn't threatened with Hell. Every babtised witness became a witness because of a personal choice and because our loving creator drew them to HIm because He saw something in them. That's an honest heart.

ASD has caused a great many problems for me. It does tie in to my behaviours as a child and as an adult. However, having ASD is not an excuse to blatantly go against the wishes and requirements of God. I still have free will and free choice. When I lean on Jehovah to help me and forgive me when I do sin, He clearly, as night and day, stretches out His right hand to help me, even as disfellowshiped. He just wants to give me a chance to come to my senses and take His hand.

At times, I do see it as difficult. My ASD convinces me I have sinned too much or that time has just simply run out for me. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Jehovah is eager to give help, to strengthen, to give peace when all alone in a chaotic world. I only need to be honest with myself, pray honestly, I really try my best to do good, to do His will. When I make those efforts, Jehovah is very pleased and He makes that apparent by the help He gives. He sustains me. Jehovah understands ASD. He understands it's hard to pay attention for me, it's hard to deal with frustrations, it's hard dealing with social skills and looking at people in the eyes as it is uncomfortable. He has also known the loneliness I have felt as a child all the way to now. Jehovah is my best friend and my father. He doesn't expect perfection. He lovingly guides me back when I stray. He understands that even at age 51, I still have a hard time seeing a man in the mirror. Ultimately, it is Jehovah's adversary, the devil, who is the cause of all illness, calamity and hurt. The devil would want nothing more than for humans to just give up. I will not. Jehovah is my helper, and I will always lean on Him.

Hi Chris,

Thank you for your honest answer about your struggles to serve Jehovah. After reading the day text today, I went down the rabbit hole of not being "good enough" to be a JW. Your answer taught me to hope and to continue to do my best in the last days! 

In Jehovah's love,

Cathie️

Hi Chris,

Thank you for your honest answer about your struggles to serve Jehovah. After reading the day text today, I went down the rabbit hole of not being "good enough" to be a JW. Your answer taught me to hope and to continue to do my best in the last days! 

In Jehovah's love,

Cathie️