I'm new here and have lots of questions

by jaada 42 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  jaada

  Hello, I am new to this board, I am not a jehovahs witness however I studied with them for years, I went out into service a couple of times, but I havent done anything in 4 years. I am so confused. I always have been scared of the last days thing, but I could never accept the fact that while I was in the meetings, my husband and parents were all at home and the witnesses would tell me that unless they changed and started coming to the meetings that they would be killed! I also remember being told that when I was in my last marriage, my husband was very abusive, they would tell me that I couldnt leave him except if he cheated on me, it was horrible, I was also told not to go to college because I needed to focus on going out in service because the end was near. so I didnt go to college and I didnt encourage my children to either until the last 4 years. I have gone back to school and encourage my children to go as well. I only wish I would have started earlier. 3 years ago I found my birth mother, ( I was adopted at birth) I found out I was of native american decent, I have always had a calling to it and I have been searching to learn all I can, but now the tribes are talking of a sort of gathering an armagedon, and that we are in the last days and now I am rethinking everything. Also, I have always had some psyhic abilities, I was told that those are demons telling me things and that scared me to death! I would pray please Jehovah let them leave me alone.

  I was introduced to the witnesses when I was 17, I am 36 now. I always believed most of what they taught, except my ex husbands family was JW and I remember how they treated me and how they never did anything when he would beat me up, I remember siting in sunday meetings and his brother would be talking about how after the meeting he was inviteing all his JW friends over and they would have a tequila party. His Jw family members were all drunks, child abusers, wife abusers and no one ever said a thing, I even told the elders about this all and nothing. so you see, I am a mess and in need of some really good advice. I really like this site and enjoy reading all the posts. thanks
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  AlmostAtheist

  Welcome! Glad you decided to tell your story!

  Unfortunately the culture of Jehovah's Witnesses just leads to oppression for wives, and turns some JW's into alcoholics. Christianity is supposed to be fun and refershing ("My yoke is kindly and light" said Jesus) but they turn it into endless rules, like the Pharisees.

  Why would anyone listen to JW's?

  Fear, just like what you experience. But you can let it go, JW's are wrong. The world is not coming to an end any time soon. Truth is, they've been predicting this world's imminent end for over a century now, with no success yet. They've even named dates -- several of them -- all false prophecies. No need to let them scare you any more.

  Dave
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  skyman

  Hi welcome. I don't think the JW's are correct and if you stay around here long you will see why very fast. I am sorry that your ex: husbands family and him were jerks. I was raised a JW and now in my forty's. I know what you say has happen but I don't think it is normal for this not allowed with in the JW's but for some reason happens. With that said they do hide child abuse but think they are doing GODs will by doing this. Many on this board including my own daughter has been sexually abused by a Witness and the Witness got away with it. Stay around and you'll learn alot of things that will remove any doubt that may haunt you.
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  Double Edge

  I've never been a dub myself. Just being on this board for the past four years, it sometimes astounds me how some people could stay with such negativity as surrounds the JWs.... it's just not healthy, and that should give you a clue as to their validity. This board is made up of believers and non-believers in a Higher Power. Myself, I believe in an Almighty Creator who indeed has a plan. You need to run away from the negative (darkness) and go towards the positive ... that's some good advice I learned long ago just for just living in general. If you need some scripture for reasoning, think about this:

  2 Timothy 1:7
  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

  Almost all of Christianity believes in the Last Days ... not many (meaning NONE) believe like the JWs do .... so relax.
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  apologetics

  
  Hi :P

  my names Dan , Im 22 from New Zealand , Im a christian ,thanks for sharing about yourself :P it sounds like a super tough situation you have been in..... but you are not alone.

  I myself was at the same place as you at one stage of my life except it was not my partner hurting me, it was my father in law. Growing up was tough , I didnt give to much thought to God I was off the rails doing my own thing. I had the mindset of, if he loved me this wouldnt be happening ( I formed that opnion from the very little I knew about him :P )

  Eventualy I met some christian people ( long story :P). who were always willing to answer any question I had. I came to a place in my life when I was truly broken I cried to & looked to the lord in my heart. I'd like to say and the rest is history........ but its not, I still face many things in my life that ive brought with me from my childhood etc.

  The more the lord teaches me though, the more I understand his commitment to us is enduring ,unending , and his love is abundent ever waiting and he a very present help/strength/ 24 hours a day 7 days a week. the lord is faithfull to his promises. We have the hard years of our lives,in trials & suffering and we also have the good, Jesus knows exactly where YOU are at in your life! Give him your burdens he will sustain you.

  I would be more than happy to help you with any questions you may have. you are in my prayers

  Dan

  I understand there are non-believers/ believers here, all my postings are views relected from my walk with the lord.
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  Saboteur

  I have a question myself, for all who posted after jaada. I wish to understand the reasoning you are using.

  You're in school, and you have an environment class. The teacher teaches you all about the environment and how mankind is messing it up, from the greenhouse effect to the ocean polluting to the cutting down trees to the gases cars use to strip mining to smoke, everything. The teacher goes to great lengths to tell you how all these things are bad.
  
  Later on you find out the teacher doesn't recycle, smokes a lot and she drives the most gas guzzling car you can find, not the electric cars she kept preaching to you about in class.
  
  Does this now make everything the teacher told you about how the environment is ruined false? If so, how does her actions make it false, I.E., "I say smoking contains things that makes the air unclean" but then you see me smoking, so now smoking doesn't really damage the air. How is this deduced?
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  apologetics

  
  hey sab

  sab wrote "Does this now make everything the teacher told you about how the environment is ruined false? "

  No .

  What reasoning of ours are you trying to understand? " you said for all those who posted after jaada I am trying to understand your reasoning........ you are very vauge.
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  AlmostAtheist

  >> Does this now make everything the teacher told you about how the environment is ruined false?

  No, and you're absolutely right (in my opinion) that you can't judge the Jehovah's Witness doctrines by the way the JW's themselves act.

  However, the doctrines themselves are also flawed. I took apart their forbidding of birthdays in this document: http://thebentinel.com/jw-birthdays.html. Other doctrines of theirs are dissected and refuted on this site and many others around the web.

  Of course, some things are simply "faith" and can't be technically refuted. But others are simply wrong, and it's on those doctrines that I usually concentrate. (They're insane view of blood, for instance.)

  Thanks for drawing this distinction, it's an important one.

  Dave
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  apologetics

  hey seb ,

  click........

  :P
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  jgnat

  Welcome, newbies! Great timing!

  We are undertaking a recovery series to help work through the remnants of Jehovah's Witness training that might be messing up our lives. I highly recommend it:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/9/105062/1.ashx