Greetings group
Looking back at my experience as a JW, I can now see all the things that are similar to other organizations that I thought were cultic, although I justified such activities in my own organization, as we were programmed to think by the organization. What amazes me is that there are so many otherwise intelligent, rational, and cogent men and women in these religious organizations that can point to cultic corruption and mind and behavior control in other organizations, yet cannot see the very same exact tactics being used upon them.
I know because I was once in the JW's and viewed the teachings, and history of the Mormons and scientology as false and filled with distortions and errors, yet still believed that Jerusalem was destroyed in 607 against a vast amount of historical data that said otherwise, that Jesus came in 1914, and appointed the brothers as his slave in 1917, that the bible was not written for all Christians, that salvation was not possible without the WT, that the bible spoke to the modern issue of blood transplants, that we as JW's were the only true Christians, that the name Jehovah was in the Greek and the NWT accurately restored it, that Rutherford’s talks in the 1920's were a fulfillment of biblical prophecy, that birthdays were pagan, that the Watchtower was both not inspired yet spoke as Jehovah’s earthly organization and was directed by Jehovah’s spirit to speak in his name, that Armageddon was always right around the corner and if I was not at the meeting, it might happen, and many other teachings.
I feel blessed to have been able to be freed from a very powerful and intelligent control group like the WT religion, its just so amazing to me that we as humans are so easily able to fall susceptible to so much that should be very questionable. I often wonder, how many JW’s would began to at least question the 1914 doctrine if they had really studied non-Watchtower publications about the proofs that Jerusalem fell in 587 bce? How many JW’s would hold to 1914 if they knew that up until the 1930, the WT was teaching that Christ’s invisible presence started in 1874? How many JW’s would accept blood transfusions to save theirs of their loved owns life if they had really studied all the information about the WT’s changing history on this subject, as well as read deeply other bible commentaries about the interpretation of these verses? How many would accept that Jehovah appointed the Watchtower organization in 1917 if they knew that the vast majority of Russell’s teachings, including his pyramidology and interpretations of prophecy, have been completely abandoned and even called satanic, and today he is buried by large pyramid that calls him the ‘Laodicean messenger?’
How many today would trust the WT to provide food at the right time, if they had studied its history and doctrinal changes and flip flops, if they had taken the time to read about the blood changes, the alternative military changes, the organ transplants are cannibalism teachings, the 1914 generation will die changes, the re-writing of their own history, the misleading of peoples hopes for Christ return to promote extreme organizationism, while denying there family of time and financial resources, the many people who were DF’ed for not believing things that the WT itself later agreed was wrong, and the many countless families that have been destroyed by the WT and its teachings and control of people and there hopes. I wonder how many JW’s would stay in the religion if they were to investigate for themselves whether or not Carl Jonnsons publication on the Gentile Times and the 607/587 issue was being truthfully and historically taught by the WT, or if they were able to read Ray Franz publication ‘In search of Christian Freedom’ and still have a free conscience when they attended meetings. Could a JW read Stafford’s ‘Three Dissertations on the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses’ and continue to believe that the WT does not need to change and reform its teachings that are not clearly articulated in the bible from being viewed as Gospel?
Can there be a well education Witnesses, who understands everything about what ex-witnesses have wrote concerning, and who yet remains loyal to the Organization?
Perhaps there is valid reason for the WT to be very concerned about the JW community reading books by critics, informed Christians, as well as the growing group of ex-members who don’t seem to be just going away quietly!
In Christ,
AliveinChrist