Help!! I am extremely confused. (page 2)

bboyneko

You ever seen an apology for 1975? Me neither. We could go on for pages and pages.
Leander, Take your time.

That's not totally true, they did publish a short 'apology' of sorts, but all it does is blame the rank and file for the error and not themselves. I forgot the exact issue date and page

-Dan

There's little I can add to the other answers. What I can see as your biggest problem is what Biblexaminer said: you're still seeing the world you with JW eyes. If you go on that way, the next wrong question you're going to ask is: "OK, if the JW aren't the true religion, then which one is it?" And you will end up in some fundamentalist born-again christian group.

So my advice is: take it easy, take your time, read, and learn how to think logically. We've all been there. There's no need to rush, because Armaggedon is not coming.

Best wishes,

J.J.

borgfree

Hi Leander,

Everyone has made good points. I would like to just say one thing about the Society's claim of preaching. There are several good Christian preachers on radio and TV. ONE of those TV preachers proclaiming the real 'good news'/ gospel of the birth,death, and resurrection of the Savior will reach more people than half of the entire WT organization, the witnesses are usually met at the door with 'I am not interested' while people listening to the radio or watching TV do so willingly because they want to hear the message.

borgfree

"You can fool some of the people all of the time" especially if you are a member of the WT GB

msil

re 1975: "That's not totally true, they did publish a short 'apology' of sorts, but all it does is blame the rank and file for the error and not themselves. I forgot the exact issue date and page."

The piece you refer to is embedded in the end of a paragraph n a yearbook. Thats a joke - not an apology.

Leander

Thanks for all the replies, I think over the next week I'll really put more time into investigating the Society and its beliefs.

Already I'm at the point where I can't in good consience give anymore talks, which means I'll probably be stepping down as a ministerial servant. One of the difficult things in a situation like this is that all of my family and friends will tell me I'm doing the wrong thing. Its just a tremendous amount of pressure, and to make it worse my wife is definitely not buying into anything I'm telling her. At this point I don't know how our relationship is going to turn out. To be honest I'm not even sure how I want it to turn out.

Joseph Joachim - Do you believe armaggedon is never coming, or do you believe its not coming in the near future?

Hmmm

Leander,

You are now where many of us are or have been. Congratulations on making it this far. Honestly, I don't think many who allow themselves to question their JW beliefs to this extent (to actually, <gasp>, do independent research!) last much longer in the bOrganization.

There have been extensive discussions on all of your concerns here and on other web sites over the years. One site that has helped many come to terms with these nagging doubts is freeminds.org. Give it a look-see.

I'd like to just offer a few rebuttals to some of your points. You can look up the information for more detailed explanations

But on the other hand I can't ignore things like the fact the organization is growing while other religions are on the decline

Growth is no indication of God's approval. In the US, Mormons are growing faster than JWs (JW growth rate is actually decreasing) and worldwide Islam is growing a gazillion times faster than JWs.

JW's have learned many things about the bible that other religions don't know

That's debateable. I used to think the same thing, until I started really looking into it. You mentioned 1914 for example. Do you realize how many JW teachings stem from or depend on this one? You've already mentioned that there's no historical evidence that Jerusalem was destroyed in 607. If 1914 is wrong, then not only does it show they don't have God's approval (this is no minor issue to be wrong about) but their whole doctrinal house of cards tumbles.

Also their seems to be a certain unity and cohesiveness within the organization

This is a point that I used to believe wholeheartedly, and nobody could tell me differently. But is it unity if you're afraid to voice an opinion that's even slightly different from the GBs? Is it unity when you're made to feel disloyal for even THINKING they might be wrong about the tiniest issue? People have to put on a smiling face at the meetings because if they don't, they'll be labelled as spiritually weak. Also, ask the thousands who are disfellowshipped every year for making human mistakes how cohesive and loving the organization is.

The preaching work is done all over the world by witnesses.

It they're not preaching the truth, it really means little. Besides, the world is a mighty big place, and there are HUGE chunks of it that've never heard of Witnesses. It's not nearly as extensive as they'd have us believe. (Almost 1/3 of the world's population lives in China and India, where there is virtually no preaching being done by Witnesses)

Keep up the search, Leander. I have little doubt that before long you'll be on this side of the fence, wondering how you ever bought into all that stuff.

Hmmm

Leander

One more question for the people here.

This is not to say that I doubt any of the replies that were made here but why do the majority of the people who are associated with JW's have such a hard time shaking the feeling that they are doing something wrong by leaving the organization?

Do people who leave other religions have the same kind of doubts and fears?

JBean

I've GOT to get some work done today : ) but Leander, I feel the same way you do... that I'm doing something soooooo totally wrong by even questioning... what happens if I DO decided to cut the strings??? I have this feeling as if Jehovah is sooooo disappointed in me right now and then logically I think: HOW CAN HE BE? Not true! He's probably right there behind me saying, it's ok, you can research, you can think. I don't know about how other people in other faiths feel if/when they decide to leave, 'cos I was born into the 'truth', but I do know that it's basically a DEEP ROOTED FEAR that has been instilled. No one wants to die of course. And we've been made to feel that not only will we lose family and friends, but we will DIE! VERY hard to shake. These are just a few of my thoughts. Love, Jbean

Pierced Angel

**Do people who leave other religions have the same kind of doubts and fears?**

Well, if it's a cultish religion they do!

A friend of mine was a mormon years back and she said it really did a number on her. But, she's glad she left, but she still has doubts sometimes.
The more you learn, the less doubts you'll have.
My whole family is sooooo much happier now. I feel a great weight lifted off my shoulders and I think that God wanted me to find the truth and have that freedom to live life to the fullest. I've always felt like he really cared about me. I still do, but my image of him is changing.

Be true to yourself and your heart. Do you really love the "truth" or do you do it because of fear and guilt? Truth isn't just information, it's living in it too.

Anne

AMarie

Leaner:

As Witnesses, we were taught that leaving the JW religion is equivalent to leaving god himself. After having that belief pounded into your head for many years, of course you feel uncomfortable for awhile, questioning whether you've made the right choice. This feeling will follow you around until you begin making friends outside the organization and seeing how many wonderful people are out there who aren't Jehovah's Witnesses. In my experience I truly didn't know how to love my fellow man until I left that religion and saw that there are Christians, Catholics, Buddists, etc... out there who have just as strong morals, kindness and love as the Witnesses, if not more.

Good Luck on your journey out. It will be difficult at first, but I guarentee it will be the best decision you make in your life.

AMarie

Help!! I am extremely confused.

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