Talking to a friend (ex-elder) today whose wife was (is) a close friend of mine
She's still a JDub but won't talk to me now I'm DF'd (apparently it hit her very hard when we left) and so she busied herself with ministry and meetings in search of comfort and affirmation of her faith. This didn't work for her and she came out with an unexpected question...
"So, if it really is all wrong, what else is there?" Out of interest - how would you answer this most common question?
He replied "Perhaps there's nothing?".
I am so excited at the prospect of her finally coming to her senses and realizing that she's been living in a fantasy world.
It seems that JW;s need 'something else' - the prospect of leaving for an undefined belief system scares them... erm...witless...
fader's wife expresses 1st doubts....
by sweet pea 27 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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sweet pea
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ex-nj-jw
Hey sweetpea,
That my friends (jw friend) favorite line - what else is there? He always says " no body can convince me of the trinity" so what else is there? I just don't understand the need to have an organization or belief systems to be happy and lead a good life.
It's crazy if you ask me. Sorry I didn't answer your questions, but I have the same question, what do you say to them?
nj
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La Capra
That's how I ended up being able to leave. The idea that if nothing "out" there was "it," then the WTBTS probably wasn't either. Just because there isn't anything "else" out there doesn't mean that what you are in is something. This argument is probably most effective on those born and raised in the cult, who haven't seen or experienced what else is out there, rather than people who became members after becoming adults. How would they know what else is out there and how people involved are impacted by it? Shoshana
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iamfreenow
I think your friend answered very well, sweet pea. You are right, it is a very common question for JWs to ask, we were taught that there is nothing beyond the organisation, or nothing worth having anyway. It's a difficult one to answer, of course because, as JWs, we assumed that we had all the answers. I would perhaps ask "why don't you look and see"?
Who knows, maybe she has seen that you haven't turned into a sad individual since leaving, and is puzzled by that. After all, that's the picture that the Watchtower paints of those who leave, and anyone not conforming to that stereotype is going to be a mystery to the average JW. Or perhaps she sees that her husband is happier now he is fading, and doesn't appear to need anything beyond the Watchtower.
Whatever, if she's asking questions, it's a start.
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journey-on
Real living.... that's where you head!
Waking up on Sunday morning and deciding to go for a nature walk and not worrying about knocking doors or
attending a boring meeting.
Volunteering in a charitable fund raiser.
Inviting friends over and not feeling like you have to walk on eggs because someone might "slip up" and tell a dirty joke or something.
Voting for the first time because you want to.
Embracing your life NOW rather than waiting for some cataclysmic annihilation of the rest of humanity in the future.
Reading anything you want to!!!!
Talking to anybody you want to talk to!!!
Speculating.....oh, yes! You are allowed to speculate, ask questions, research even on the Internet.
Share ideas with others even if they are totally opposite from yours and being okay with that.
A million other things.
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megsmomma
If she wants to know where to "go" for spiritual "food"....that is the Bible....not the watchtower. Now, understanding the Bible is a personal journey.
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dogisgod
What you can encourage is to study about history and the bible, translations, doctrines on your own. The society doesn't get information from God. They research, interpret and sanitize. In most religions I see people studying to validate what they believe rather than for facts.
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ninja
tell them theres always....JWD.....woo hoo
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Sheri
Where will You Go? That is what my friend asked me when I told her where I was spiritually and knew the WTS was not the sole channel. I really didnt know much more at that time other than I would not put everyone to death but JW's to death at the Big A.
When asked that I just said "who said I had to go anywhere" she had no response. I think the mind conditioning is if you are not one of us you have left God. I was just starting on a great journey that I am still on finding my God.
Peace & Love,
Sheri
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quietlyleaving
sweeptpea - I took refuge in what the bible says about Jesus Christ and grace. That provided me with a safe haven for a while and bought me time to enable me to adjust to the fact that we don't need an organisation.