I've been studying with JW's for a few months..

by MichaelM 101 Replies latest jw friends

  • bernadette
    bernadette

    Hi michael

    I mean who really knows? They could be finally getting it right. I don't know.. I'm just a lost person.. wanting to please the creator but afraid that one way is the wrong way, and i'm too stupid to find the right way. Blah. Why is this path so difficult?

    Please take the warnings on here seriously and trust your gut feeling that something is very strange and not quite healthy about JW teachings.

    We all feel lost and ask ourselves 'why is the path so difficult? its part of being human - make friends with that feeling.

    Jesus described the kindom as being within you. Sit quietly and meditate on that. Gain confidence in your own intuitive spirituality.

    The problems with the JW's is that they will exploit your feelings of being lost and they will use that to build confidence in their own organisation and then they will tell you the organisation (posing as God) wants you to do more and more and more.

    best wishes to you

    bernadette

  • monophonic
    monophonic

    some great replies here. a couple of points to consider. once you're in, you're in. if you have disagreements, 'sin' (which includes some really minimal offenses), decide it's not for you, everyone giving you love right now will shun you in an instant if the elders decide to df you. not the biggest deal if you've only invested a little time in the wtbts, but buying into the dogma of not hanging out with 'worldly' people, would cut off contact w/ all your old friends....then if you're in for a while, you've lost all moral support if things go bad. and i'm sure you've heard of 'crisis of conscious' by raymond franz who was a governing body member. definitely read that, and don't tell anyone w/in the org. that you're reading it, they're not down with 'researching' unless it's with their own publications. it takes years to realize the whole picture...elders are secretive and their meetings are filled with power wrangling and there's a lot of bs that happens behind the scenes that most wits don't see or don't chose to see. franz's book gives an excellent look into the org. and how blatant the leadership is about protecting the organization over the individual....going directly against jesus' counsel and illustration of the looking after the individual, sheperd and lamb illustration. also, the extra rules imposed get really nitty, gritty and unchristian. jws think that everyone is going to die at armageddon unless they're a jw. god will kill everyone. it's a form a racism, not apparent until you're in for a while....and then it's so common-speak it won't feel like racism.

  • sass_my_frass
    sass_my_frass

    Keep your mind open. You'll settle into something that makes you comfortable, that's all that matters. Every human alive just believes the particular combination of things that appeals to them the most.

    Why would a loving god permit eternal torment? it's illogical and hateful

    I personally don't understand why a loving god would murder children for calling an old guy a "baldhead" either.

  • MichaelM
    MichaelM

    Well thanks for some helpful posts.. Ill check back on this tommorow, gotta go to sleep then get up for work.

  • jwfacts
    jwfacts

    Welcome to the forum. You have written an interesting thread. The thing to realise is that being a JW is not about doctrine, it is about unquestioning obedience to the Governing Body. There are other religions that don't worship the trinity or believe in Hell, such as Christadelphians, yet the Watchtower Society still classifies them as part of Satan's system. What you need to test is whether or not the Governing Body is directed by Jehovah, and they quite obviously are not once you become aware of the changed doctrine and false prophecy. A quick article that will help immensely is at http://jehovah.net.au/key.html

    Dying on a steak makes more sense because you actually suffocate when your hands are that high, on a cross your diaphram is fine. Wearing crosses and having pictures and idoltry and whatnot seems kinda goofy too.

    Your reasoning is right, except your conclusion is wrong. The reason Romans hung people on the cross is to prelong the time it took for them to die. There is significant indication that Jesus died on a cross. See http://jehovah.net.au/stake.html

    You sense something is wrong. What you may be feeling is the effects of it being a high control religion. What makes the WTS damaging is that it does not allow a person freedom of thought. To be able to identify what makes a it a high control and hence damaging relgion see http://jwfacts.com/index_files/mindcontrol.htm

  • brinjen
    brinjen

    Welcome back MichaelM,

    As I recall, I responded to your thread last time. I apologise if I came across a bit too strong.

    Yes, at least some of their teachings (at least) appear correct. I may be the wrong person to dispense this kind of advice, since I'm not really sure if I believe in God. I do know this much, any reservations you are having about them need to get sorted out. Your way, not theirs. As posted before, read your bible without their study aids. Compare it with other bibles. Look into what other religions teach, you'll find many others that teach the things you mentioned.

    Whatever you do, please don't bury your reservations and carry on regardless. They will not disappear over time and once you're baptised, you will not be permitted to question their teachings.

    All the best

  • eclipse
    eclipse

    If you want to learn more about the history of New World Translation:

    http://www.bible-researcher.com/new-world.html

    Definitely READ all of the responses.

    They contain pertinent information that you should be aware of.

    Also, if you really must know, all of the above doctrines that the JW's teach are not new to them, they did not come up with them originally.

    Charles Taze Russell, Prez of the watchtower society borrowed the doctrines of non-trinity, etc, from this movement.

    http://www.answers.com/topic/millerites

  • ozziepost
    ozziepost
    im trying to find info on the supposed school brochure

    http://www.freeminds.org/sales/wtpubs.htm#broc

  • emptywords
    emptywords

    jws think that everyone is going to die at armageddon unless they're a jw. god will kill everyone. it's a form a racism, not apparent until you're in for a while....and then it's so common-speak it won't feel like racism.

  • emptywords
    emptywords

    jws think that everyone is going to die at armageddon unless they're a jw. god will kill everyone. it's a form a racism, not apparent until you're in for a while....and then it's so common-speak it won't feel like racism.

    Sorry bout' that, no they have changed that view also, they don't believe everyone that is a JW will die at arma....so kind of them isn't it. I have met some really horrible people in the org, and have some wonderful kind and loving people that never put the JW down, but have nothing in common with them. Figure....

    Also, what I noticed when being out for 17yrs then coming back it that the LOVE which is suppose to be the identifiying mark of a christian and the JW's will brag how they stand out above all in this.. is bull, they are colder than ever before, the control tactis the turning their head on one thing and not the other is cleary hypocritical. I have learnt so much coming back, and before I ever came on this site.

    So called apostates dont' have to really do much to turn anyone against the WTBTS, they are doing and have been doing a marvelous job themselves, it's only since the net I and many others have been able to SEE the truth within the troof.

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