Is becoming a witness the right thing for me

by marketman 62 Replies latest jw friends

  • marketman
    marketman
    I've been struggling for quite some time now about continuing my exploration of the Jehovah Witness Faith. I am a "cradle" catholic and have been very involved with the Church. I started to become disillusioned several months back with all of the tradition, habits, and teachings of the Church--which I began to seriously doubt. At that time, I met a guy whose become a good friend. He's a witness and he introduced me to the faith which I knew of but knew very little about. I started a study but then stopped because my spouse is so against it. I've tried to not think about it, but I do, everyday. I honestly believe some of the basic doctrine. I have always dooubted the trinity and believed that there was only one true God. But, there are still several things I am unsure of ... blood transfusions, celebratory days, is or is not Christ God incarnate... I am so confused, and with a very strongly doubting spouse, I am not sure where to go from here... Has anyone been in this situation? If so, your guidance would be greatly appreciated...
  • darcy
    darcy

    I wish you the best of luck in your search. I, myself, am an active Witness; however, the majority on this website are strongly anti-Witness, to put it mildly.

    Take what you get here, and put it through the same refining tests that you would put any other source of information through.

    Again, best of luck with your search and struggle, and here's to a peaceful end.

    Darcy

  • anewme
    anewme

    Welcome Marketman! Sorry, I cannot make that decision for you.

  • anewme
    anewme

    Since others are slow to join this discussion I would like to extend the invitation to enjoy our forum for a while and read and ask questions. This group has left the JWs for various reasons. You may be interested why and how they cope with the very same mixed feelings you are expressing.

    But relax, sit back and soon you will be talking with a huge group of fine people.

    You can also search through the vast archives of stored discussions. It will amaze you!

    Anyway, welcome and enjoy!

    Anewme

  • Dismembered
    Dismembered

    Greetings marketman,

    Welcome to JWD. Only you can answer the question you pose. But you can read of many here who devoted their life to watchtower only to discover (much to their chagrin) they wasted their time. In the end for many it was like donning pilliwinks

    Dismembered

  • sammielee24
    sammielee24

    marketman - I was not raised a Witness...nor was I ever baptized as a Witness. Much of my family is Catholic but I was raised to believe that whatever choice you make as far as religion goes, is a personal one and your relationship with whomever you deem your creator also remains personal. That being said, I studied many religions, joined many church choirs and have enjoyed the journey along the way. Included in my years of learning were Watchtower studies. I too believe in one god and a few other basic bible principles....however...and this is a huge HOWEVER....I realized in a fairly short period of time that there was something inherently wrong inside the Kingdom Halls. Sitting through Sunday meetings where the Elder giving the talk kept harping on 'us' against 'them'...only made me angry and I soon realized that this is one of the beliefs of the society. I did not choose to belong to any organization that felt so arrogant in their own existence that they would find it constantly necessary to judge and condemn every other person in the world as unsavory or unclean. Not to be associated with. As soon as I realized this one fact - for me - I did more and more research on the actual orgins of the society. What I found was that there was no consistency and that the whole organization was based on nothing more than one mans voice claiming he was the speaker of the 'truth'. I know a few mentally ill people who will claim to say the same thing. If the originator of the society had the truth and passed that on to his followers, then those followers don't exist today. The Watchtower spouts a far different truth than it originally did and this must be questioned since they have always claimed to be the directed and appointed channel of God. My research has shown me the doctrines like blood and shunning - both death sentences - are not scriptural at all but simply a way to control the members. There is so much more that is wrong. This is not a religion - it is cult and in my mind, if any person chooses to become a baptized Witness after knowing what it is really about, there must be something severely lacking in their life to draw them inside. The bottom line is - if you have a family - a husband or children, parents, siblings or friends - you will at some point in your life be forced to give all of it up should the time come when you elect to be baptized. They will not allow you to study with them forever before you make a choice. This is not an organization you can walk into and back out of. Please remember that - the Catholic church you can walk away from and simply not attend, ditto the Unitarian..ditto the Anglican..and so on and so on - this is not a house of refuge..this is a mind controlling organization. Beware. sammieswife.

  • Wordly Andre
    Wordly Andre

    Marketman, I was born into a JW family and was divided because half the family was JW and the other half Catholic, I spent years after I left JW, with so much emotional problems, I didn't want anything to religion, god or JW. My Cathloic family has always been so nice and so I later joined the Catholic church. If you stop going to mass for a few months and then decide to come back, no one is pointing at you or calling you inactive Catholic, or accuse you of being on the side of satan, no infact they welcome you as if you were just there last sunday. Try doing that as a JW, your family will not talk to you and people who you thought were your friends will turn their backs on you.

    Welcome to this website, take the time to look around and read peoples stories, Think long and hard about leaving the Catholic Church, because it may be the last time you ever feel welcomed, secure, happy, or not scared for the rest of your life.

    Oh by the way there are a few videos on this website that you should check out.

    Andre

  • sspo
    sspo

    If you want to get rid of your spouse continue the study if you care for him/her stop the study.

    Keep on getting both views, those on this board and others such as davidgladden.com and you will make the right decision

  • SirNose586
    SirNose586

    Well, you've come to a good place to find out. Any J-dub can tell you how wonderful it is to be a witness. But to make your decision, you need to evaluate the good and the bad. Here, we quite openly discuss the Society's history and the doctrinal changes. This is the side of being a witness that you will not be exposed to by current witnesses.

  • Stealth453
    Stealth453

    Welcome.

    Only you can answer that question. If you feel that it is the right thing for you, then...

    Personally, I would run hard and fast in the opposite direction.

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