Crisis of Conscience

by Freeatlast2024 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Freeatlast2024

  This is my first time posting to this forum. Let me start by saying I was born and raised as a Jehovah’s Witness. I’m thankful that I was raised this way, because I feel it protected me in some ways, especially with regard to moral issues. However, with all the recent changes starting late last year (2023), I started really questioning whether the GB was just making shit up. What really threw me over the edge was when the disfellowshipping changes came just two weeks after losing the Norway trial. Meanwhile, there are witnesses imprisoned right now throughout the entire globe for trying to follow the rules, but the GB can just change policy to win an appeal so they can hopefully one day get more money from the Norway government. I haven’t been back to the meetings since, but I was constantly questioning my decision to leave the organization, feeling that I didn’t have the right to question the GB. Also, well-meaning friends have been texting me warning me that I will die at Armageddon.

  Then I came across this book online, called Crisis of Conscience, which I already knew about, but I found it free for all to read. I wanted to share the link for anyone feeling guilty about questioning their beliefs:

  https://friendsofraymondfranz.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/CC2004-Eng.pdf

  As most of you already know, it was written by Raymond Franz, a former member of the GB, who eventuality resigned from the GB and left the organization because of what he saw as a GB member.

  A lot of good people are leaving the so-called “truth”, because they know it is a lie. John 4:24 says that God wants us to worship him “in truth.”

  I just want you to know you are not a bad person for questioning everything. In fact, you are in good company with a lot of people who love God and want to do what’s right.
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  Gorb

  This is not new, for me it started with this generation change in 1995, and reading Raymonds books and website.

  Before us, there were many others making the same progress. Once there was xjw.org with many stories. Offline now.

  Gorby
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  Touchofgrey

  Welcome to the forum

  Jwfacts.com is a good place to visit for information about the history and changes over the years. Also the search history on the forum helped me when I left the jws.
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  Beth Sarim

  Freeatlast:

  Welcome to the forum.

  Crisis of Conscience is a must read. Not the easiest first time around. It can be tough. But a must read.

  I followed it with Ray Franz's 2nd book. In Search of Christian Freedom. This book I managed to track down at a reasonable price. Its not in print anymore. It takes some hunting around now to find one reasonable

  Crisis of Conscience is readily available on kindle and amazon. This book is usually all it takes to ""snap out of" the JW trance pretty much.
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  Ron.W.

  Thanks for posting Freeatlast2024.

  Ray was an absolute gent.

  We established an email friendship until he sadly passed away.
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  Jeffro

  Freeatlast2024:

  What really threw me over the edge was when the disfellowshipping changes came just two weeks after losing the Norway trial.

  The changes were most likely planned months earlier (as is generally the case with content on ‘JW Broadcasting’) and possibly also filmed in advance (particularly given that they need time to translate into various languages), though it is possible it was planned to enact those changes only if they lost the Norway case.

  However, the changes to the shunning policies do not fully address the issues raised by the Norwegian government. ‘Unrepentant’ individuals including minors are still shunned, and social contact is still not permitted with disfellowshipped individuals beyond awkward meeting invites and greetings at meetings. And that’s only if the person shows interest in returning, to the exclusion of ‘apostates’.
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  Listener

  Welcome

  I just want you to know you are not a bad person for questioning everything. In fact, you are in good company with a lot of people who love God and want to do what’s right.

  I'm not one, but there are many athiests on this website. They also like to do what is right.
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  MeanMrMustard

  However, with all the recent changes starting late last year (2023), I started really questioning whether the GB was just making shit up.

  Be honest - you've been questioning a lot longer than that.

  And that's perfectly fine.
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  DesirousOfChange

  Now that you've read CoC, run out and get (or click on Amazon) Steven Hassan's book, "Combatting Cult Mind Control". I kept putting off reading and when I finally did, I was SHOCKED! Hassan is actually writing about his time in the Moonies, but it paints WT/JWs as though they are the Post Child of Cults.

  Welcome to the Red Pill Journey.

  
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  LongHairGal

  FREEATLAST2024:

  Welcome to the forum and that’s a great user name you have.

  ’Crisis of Conscience’ is a great book. I read it when I was already Out (since 2001). It certainly sealed the deal in my mind that I was right to leave. The 1995 Generation teaching was the last straw for me.

  The recent changes in the religion do make some wonder if the religion is just making it up as they go along.. Since I’ve been out so long, they make no difference to me.. But, the one about no longer counting time made me Glad I worked and never caved in the frenzy years ago to be in the ministry!

  I have a feeling more JWs will be ‘fading’ or leaving. They have had six months or so to let these changes sink in and maybe have done a lot of thinking/research and decided to call it a day.