I studied with the JW's for two years and some time this coming week I will be making the "phone call" to tell Carol my friend, that I do not want to study any longer with the JW's. I don't know why I let them into my kitchen to begin with, except there was something about her and I don't make friends well with other women, most of my friends are guys, but Carol could tell a Irish yarn that made you laugh and feel good. She made me feel safe and she was fun to go shopping with and talk about problems too, she was like the mother I never had. As a child I had a strong belief in the creator and felt Yahweh had a purpose and plan for me and that I was his special and loved child, and I won't let an orginization separate me from him. But as we studied it became less and less about doing what pleases Ja, and more and more about obediance to the Organization. That I didn't equate obediance to the organization as loving Jehovah, showed I was not making progress according to Carol. She went home for a month when her mother died dropped back into drinking and when she came back she was not allowed to talk at meetings until it was felt she progressed. She was baker acted during this time and put into a hosipital for observation, she was eventually allowed to come back into the fold but changed congregations. Still she pressured me to make a greater commitment, but I felt more and more she needed help getting out. Three meetings a week is not feasible when you are homeschooling a child, she said I should pray about it.There is no praying to be made, I have a life as an artist and mother and Jehovah wants me to live it, instead of slaving for a secretive corrupt billion dollar orginization, which pretends to be the prophet and instrument of God. Perhaps The Watchtower is the very Chistendom of mammon they preach against, they disguise themselves that way. I do think I benefitted from study and learned better how to pray and read the bible, but I cannot continue any longer with such a totalitarian structure, any suggestions on how letting my friend know it is not her, but the orginization I am rejecting? I very much care about her feelings...........
Recently Studied With JW's--need help breaking up
by Silvia Plath 37 Replies latest jw experiences
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serendipity
Hi Silvia and welcome!
I think if you told Carol much of what you posted, it will convey your feelings about the org and she won't take it personally. Unfortunately, you may lose Carol, so please be prepared for that possibility.
Other posters here may have some ideas of a few thought-provoking scriptures to show Carol to support your comments.
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Cabin in the woods
I agree completely with Serendippity. You have a fine voice and I think that you can do it beautifully.
cab
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sass_my_frass
Hello and congratulations on staying true to yourself, and not being caught by some very effective control mechanisms. I also think that you should tell her much of what you've said here.
as we studied it became less and less about doing what pleases Ja, and more and more about obediance to the Organization.
... that bothered me too. All the best to you.
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Swan
Welcome Silvia!
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Scully
Telling her that you want to worship god but not an organization would be an honest thing to say. She might need to hear that it isn't because of anything she did or said, just that you disagree with the belief that the organization is the only means for worshiping god acceptably.
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jwfacts
Welcome, you have made the right choice, putting God before an organization.
What you wrote is very nice, and if you send something similar to your friend she should understand even if she does not agree with you. Tell her how much she means to you and how you would like to keep up a friendship, she sounds like she needs it more than you do.
Include a few scriptures. If you read http://jwfacts.com/index_files/slave.htm there are a few scriptures that it is Jesus and not an organisation that is required for approaching Jehovah. At http://jwfacts.com/index_files/mediator.htm it mentions how the WTS says we do not have a mediator and that we have to go through the WTS to God.
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troucul
be greatful that you learned alot earlier on about JW's shenanigans than most others did
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Honesty
Welcome!!!!
Another poster here came up with the perfect way to escape the JW's:
Looks like I'm another better-luck-next-time for the JWs. Got to chapter 15 in the Bible Teach book and finally worked up the guts to end my study and tell them goodbye...
I can't believe I got so close to actually being baptized. Especially since I've been reading the posts on JW forum and they all seem to be saying the same thing...
How did I end it? I used a three-step argument wherein I referred to Beth Sarim and Deuteronomy 18:20-22, the third step being the conclusion.
1. the Watchtower, under Rutherford, built Beth Sarim b/c Rutherford wrote in "Millions Now Living Will Never Die" on pgs. 89-80 "Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old, particularly those named by the Apostle in Hebrews chapter eleven, to the condition of human perfection"* If that isn't a prophesy, I don't know what is.
2. Deuteronomy 18:20-22 deals specifically with false prophets and how to deal with them. This is how it is worded in the New World Translation: 20 “‘However, the prophet who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded him to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die. 21 And in case you should say in your heart: “How shall we know the word that Jehovah has not spoken?” 22 when the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or come true, that is the word that Jehovah did not speak. With presumptuousness the prophet spoke it. You must not get frightened at him.’ **
3. Now then. We have two problems. i) Anyone seen Abraham lately? How about Isaac? ii) Rutherford prophesied, and the WTBTS must have agreed with him b/c they devoted funds to building Beth Sarim. Even if one denies the "Millions..." passages, it's pretty hard to deny a house.
4. Deuteronomy is pretty clear. False prophets must die. I'll settle with keeping myself clear of them.
My study leader didn't really have a lot to say to all this. I probably did more work than I really needed to, but whatev. Since the JWs insist on using all their own materials for justifying their claims during studies, it was fun to use all JW materials to get myself out of there.
Just thought I'd share my experience with the rest of you, esp for those who are sitting on the fence or who may still be in bible studies themselves; READ GOD'S WORD THE BIBLE EVERYDAY ON YOUR OWN!! IF YOU DO, YOU'LL SEE THE REAL TRUTH! AND THEY DON'T HAVE IT!
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ccanova
Another small point, too...Look at how crazy Carol's life is, drinking, the hospital, sounds like she lost some privilidges (sp) in the congregation. She doesn't have it all together herself. Just like almost every Witness that I know or knew. They like to talk about how perfect God and the 'truth' has made their life, but if you really look under the wrapper, it's all gooey and yucky. No one is happy and their lives are a mess.
Just tell Carol that. You want something different for yourself and the organization just doesn't offer that.
My mother (baptized and dedicated for 35 years) asked me, yet again, the other day, to go back to meetings. She thinks my life, which is fine, would be so much better if I went back. I told her that I recieved nothing from the JW's but a life of stress, craziness and dysfunction. I told her that everyone I knew and grew up with had some sort of problem (drinking, drugs, etc) that they were dealing with and NO ONE was happy. I personally would never go back and if anyone told me they were studying with the JW's I would tell them to run and run fast. Then, to thank GOD that they were not raised on that stink. It was horrible.