Watchtower has been wheat with weeds?

Star Moore

I have just left the org. after 26 years. I would like to make the point that the reason it is hard to leave the org. is because there have been good and faithful slaves mixed with the "evil" slave. For instance, Russell did not want an organization that is ordering you what to believe and how to dress, etc. He was given truths from the bible that the other religions honestly don't have. Such as that Jesus isn't God, no hellfire, no immortality of the soul, no priests, no man to be called father, the ransom, the paradise earth, kingdom being a government, etc. The other religions are really in darkness as to doctrinal issues. So in comparison, JW's seems to be the true religion. Also I believe Ray Franz and some of the others that got disfellowshipped were faithful slaves. But with the wheat growing in among the weeds, it's hard for your wife to understand that the org. is evil now. Like this scripture...

Math. 24:48 But if ever that evil slave should say in his heart, My master is delaying, and should start to beat his fellow slaves and should eat and drink with the confirmed drunkards, the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and in an hour that he does not know. etc.

Mysterious

Actually I don't find JWs to be universally right on doctrinal issues either, and I certainly would not say they have the truth. They just engineer their teachign methods in such a way that it makes it seem logical that they are right. An objective look at many of their teachings shows otherwise.

I do agree that Russell had a vastly different organization in mind than exists today. But he also believed in a lot of weird things, pyramidology for one, that were not supported in the bible which he worked into his teachings.

Bottom line is that the JWs are not the truth and I feel bad for anyone still trapped in the religion, as I imagine from your post your wife is.

prophecor

Observation noted and greatly appreciated. If no one else has welcomed you, I say, welcome.

Art

A Paduan

He was given truths from the bible that the other religions honestly don't have. Such as that Jesus isn't God, no hellfire, no immortality of the soul, no priests, no man to be called father, the ransom, the paradise earth, kingdom being a government, etc. The other religions are really in darkness as to doctrinal issues. So in comparison, JW's seems to be the true religion.

It remains a matter of opinion - for myself, I believe there are few so clueless as those involved in jwism - in all the earth, that is.

garybuss

It's a great accomplishment after 26 years to even look at a totalitarian, high control group, that reflects our core beliefs . . . let alone leave it. Congratulations! I applaud you!
Welcome to the forum. How is your family doing? If there's ever anything I can do to help you, please ask.

metatron

I'm not sure how much of a "faithful slave" Russell was either. He likely had some probelms with other women, besides his

failed marriage. He was into the occult - phrenology, pagan Egyptian symbols, pyramidology, etc. As for doctrine, I can't accept

the Society's deconstructionist explanations of the Bible anymore, even if they result in the Bible contradicting itself.

If the Bible says ( Rev. 20) that the wicked will suffer torment day and night, forever and ever, then I think that early Christians

believed that the wicked would suffer torment day and night, forever and ever. That viewpoint agrees with early Christian history

as well ( even if I don't think there's a "hell")

metatron

cheezy

He was given truths from the bible that the other religions honestly don't have.

If the truth is in the Bible, then everyone was "given" it - yes? Or are you saying that he was divinely inspired? To my thinking, with all due respect, he formulated an interpretation of what he read as we are all free to do. I do not think that God would kill us for not agreeing with someone's interpretation, not do I think he "gave" someone the truth. Why not just give us the straight story with no (corruptible) middle man?

greendawn

The JWs/Bible Students and the Mormons are trying to play it big with doctrinal issues and the so called early Church apostasy, in order to give themselves some importance despite the handicap of their late appearence in history. If these unknown newcomers can discredit the old established churches then they can do some business.

However Russell took most his doctrines from other existing sources they are not original to him.

Narkissos

When I first read the thread title I thought: miracle wheat with miracle weeds?

Star Moore,

Perhaps within a few months of reading the Bible and hearing other viewpoints you will realise that the doctrinal issues are... well, not so obvious as they seem to you now.

But you have a great point: it is not all bad. There are very nice people with some spiritual experience and insight, and it is all the more painful to leave them. This is the reason why, I think, too negative a picture of the organisation cannot reach those inside: inasmuch as they are experiencing some good in it, it is simply unbelievable to them.

fullofdoubtnow

Hi star moore, glad to meet you

I have also recently left the org after over 25 years of associating, and it is hard to leave. I did so because I no longer believe that they have the truth. Their theories do seem plausible if examined superficially, but, in my view anyway, do not stand up to close examination. However, most jws don't examine the Scriptures closely, nor are they encouraged to do so, just the opposite in fact. They are told to look only to wt publications for their understanding, and that is all most of them do. It's all I did for most of the time I was in, and I just blindly accepted everything I read as the absolute truth. Even doctrinal changes, like the 1995 generation change, which caused more than a little disquiet for some, were accepted by most when they were explained away as "new light". It was only when I started doing research on the forbidden internet that I started to see things as they really are in the wts. I used to believe that only jws had the truth, and everyone else was wrong. I no longer feel that way anymore. True, their beliefs conflict with most other religions, but that does not make them right - just different, that's all.

I admire your courage in leaving, and wish you well for the future

love, Linda

Watchtower has been wheat with weeds?

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