Low Key Warnings in the Truth

The wanderer

Awake to the Watchtower

Most individuals on this discussion board probably had
a number of low key warnings regarding whether or not
they were in the "truth" while they were in the organ-
ization.

The Questions Begin

From my own perspective the signals were that the
Watchtower Society always made an effort to actively
condemn other religions--and rather harshly!

Personally, my thoughts were "doesn't the Watchtower
ever see the flip side of the coin regarding other religions
or do they focus primarily on all the negative factors?"

Giving Themselves a Pat on the Back

Things were too "perfect" in the Watchtower World
"good news" was always being reported and a different
perspective or a contrasting view was rarely, if ever, seen.

Jokes by elders, or circuit overseers would be laughed at
almost as if the laughs were orchestrated or on cue. Most
of the time the jokes were really not that funny at all.

The Clucking Hens

One thing that was learned in the kingdom hall was that
it was the best place for gossip. It seemed that everyone
knew everything about each other's lives. This was a
complete turnoff.

Imagine this "brother" is supposed to lay their life down for you
should the occasion arise, and yet they had no problem ripping
you into pieces behind your back.

The Beginning of Doubts Spelled the End

These were some of my underlying points while in the
organization. Although, they may seem petty to some,
to my way of thinking, it started a flood of questions.

Recalling the generation change of 1995, as the "new
understanding" as it was referred to, started to make
me an "on again, " "off again," Jehovah's Witness. It
was my personal turning point regarding the "truth."

Did anyone else feel similarly?

Respectfully,

The Wanderer

serendipity

HI Wanderer,

I agree with you. The judgmental attitudes, the gossip, the lack of love and general negativity have bothered me for years. I compared JWs to 'Christians' I worked with in terms of kindness and attitudes, and JWs didn't compare favorably in most cases.

vitty

What used to really get my goat was when someone had a letter published in the Awake, saying the WT had got something wrong in an article. They would never, ever just apologise and say sorry we got that bit wrong. No they would go into this elaborate crappy answer about how they were right all along.

It used to get me really mad, especially if it was someone who was an expert, like a doctor............

They can never say sorry, that bothered me for years

And this arrogant tone they used when talking about the humble Fand D Slave.............they were talking about themselves WTH

troubled mind

I agree very much with your summary . When the brother on stage would say something bad about another religion I woould actually feel embarrassed and sink low in my seat . I had the experience yesterday to speak with a relative that is not a witness, but has just returned from visiting her JW aunt . While visiting she attended the KH and the speaker that sunday was talking about bad associations. She said a major part of his talk dealt with how unbelieving relatives are BAD associates , and how we need to limit our time spent with them ! She then said her Aunt was host that day ! Never once did the Aunt mention to this Brother that her neice was not a witness . I felt so bad for her . She was to kind and cultured to really speak her mind to her aunt . The extreme gossip and slander that goes on in small halls is rampant . It has always been the biggest turn off for me . Service became unbearable , I would get so depressed learning about everyones problem and weaknesses .I would always think to myself ,wow what are they saying about me when I'm not around . At assemblies I thought it very shameless to hear the fake platitudes spewed forth such as : The mayor of this city has declared today to be JW day !!! yeahhhhhh wow we are so great woop woop .

sspo

always putting down every one as bad association if not a JW.

Yet when dealing with "worldly people" at work, most of them were respectful of your belief,their morals were just as good as any JW, they truly were good people trying to make a living and taking care of their families.

Not everyone was immoral or sleeping around with everybody.

Seeker4

The constant need to put a positive spin on everything also got to me. Everything had to be seen as somehow showing Jehovah's blessing, and I think it is a case study in psychology of how something good can be made of anything. Believing humans are capable of making anything seem like it's god's will.

I have former friends who are still JWs that this sort of thing also bothered. They hated the fake applause at assemblies, the brain-dead sisters who, after every assembly and convention, always said, "Wasn't that just the best assembly ever!?" I remember more than one friend disgusted with how the Society made Abraham lying about his wife being his sister into a positive thing because he knew he was protecting the line of the promised seed! More than one Witness told me, "Why don't they just say what everyone can see from reading the account, Abraham was scared to death!"

I also could see that the Society constantly berated other religions for things that were a part of the WTS's own history. I didn't hesitate from making that point at times when I was the Watchtower study conductor.

And Wanderer, the 1995 change of the 1914 generation was also what moved me to leave the Witnesses.

S4

LongHairGal

Troubled Mind:

I felt as you did about F.S. There was so much gossip going on. I felt the worst offenders are the pioneers, of course, because they are out all the time and some of the older busy-body women felt it was their god-given right to know about everybody else's business. They were "eldresses".

But what really got me was how if they were around somebody who was not a pioneer they would put on a holier-than-thou attitude - like they took it seriously about "older women" being an example. Yeah, right! An example of what not to be!!

I also felt F.S. was a trap and that I had to keep my mouth shut because I would say the wrong thing and I would get a phone call from some over-righteous idiot.

You can rest assured that when you left the group they would start talking about you. Somebody might say something nice to start out but it always degenerated. The only time it didn't degenerate was if a FRIEND of yours was still left in the car group. They would have to watch what they said then.

I never really thought it was a brotherhood. They PURPORT to be a brotherhood but the "brotherliness" or "love" was only seen in cliques or extended family members. It was almost never extended to somebody who was alone or on the fringes of the congregation. Maybe a kind person here or there but certainly not most.

I thought it was a joke how they said "we might have to die for our brother..." Yeah, sure. I don't expect them to but I cannot stand the pretense.

LHG

Warlock

More than one Witness told me, "Why don't they just say what everyone can see from reading the account, Abraham was scared to death!"

Seeker,

That's one of the things that got me. Couldn't they just take some things at face value? Why an explanation for what is obvious?

Warlock

fullofdoubtnow

The gossip always bothered me, especially as you were considered a bit aloof if you didn't join in with it.

The arrogant way the elders dealt with certain situations which arose bothered me a lot towards the end as well.