by slimboyfat 79 Replies latest jw friends
I don't doubt this couple have good motives. I believe my 27 years as a witness were motivated by genuine love and care as well. I think I even made being a JW exciting. I was charismatic as well, quite often complimented for my speaking ability. The fact remains though:
IT IS NOT THE 'TRUTH'
It is a mind controlling cult. To return, when you know it is all so false and devastating would be foolish.
I have to say that Vinny's post was really something to reflect on SLIM. The very same people that you hold in high regard will be knocked out from their high and mighty horse riding ass when confronted about everything that you know as WTBS.
The question is how are you going to handle the responses regarding the wtbs, faulty logic, ect. from the very ones that "inspired" you? It's something I want to do, but for the sake of wife who some what attends, perfers the fade over submitting a DA letter.
I guess it's the last hurdle in confronting the facts. It's hard for me not to address these issue I have about WTBS with elders due to the wife's slow fade. I'm not expecting any inspiring answers or being swayed by the WISE elders if I did have the chance, bringing closure. Seeing it first hand how the very ones you respected, fumble their words or dance around the issues is something I need to witness first hand.
Good luck with your journey....
Hey SBF, I think this says a lot:
By the way, I went to the meeting last night and I got a bit bored half way through. I went to the toilet and read some of your replies on my iPhone. JWD really helps relieve the tedium of the meetings.
If you're entertaining the idea of going back to meetings, just go ahead and save your seat ON THE CRAPPER!! You may encounter a few good talks, but mostly it is pure drudgery. If you like spending the time and effort to dress up for meetings and service, that's your choice. But if you're bored half way through and look for relief reading JWD in the bathroom, that should be your clue already.
Just be careful you don't get caught in the bathroom during the meeting browsing the Interwebs... we'ze full of deemunz and porn!
B the X
SBF...
I am fresh out of the bOrg... and a former special pioneer and former missionary...
A few years back my wife and I could have been the couple visiting you... and I was hot with zeal... burning... and I was damn good at encouraging the flock and being a good elder. I visited every single one of the friends in our congregation of 120 pubs...The friends loved us...
But that doesnt change that it's all a bunch of BS... I was completely sincere, but totally misguided.
Are you able to speak with freeness of speech with them about what you have learned about the org? And have you done all of the research about JWs that you should have done? Can you tell them about JWD?
Just a few thoughts from a former charismatic JW...
Oh well we had their visit. I am a bit exhausted from it emotionally. They are really friendly people and they told us a lot about their background we did not know. They have been through a lot in their lives (I won't go into details) and they feel Jehovah has helped them through it. The brother says he has started some good Bible studies and he wants to take me on them. I told him I have not been on the ministry much for quite a while, but he is not put off by that. It makes me sad because I would like to get involved and be happy as a Witness as they obviously are. But it is hard for me having been exposed to so much apostate propaganda to go along and believe what the Witnesses teach again.
Plus one thing I really hate about Witnesses coming over is that they tend to scrutinize my books. We have about 8000 books in our small flat and it is impractical to hide them all. The best I can do is hide the obviously apostate ones and hope none of the others offend too much. But I can't realistically censor so many books. I got away with the Dawkins books I reckon as that is borderline acceptable, but then I noticed the brother picked up this book to look at while I was in the kitchen:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140443649
I know that when I was a believing Witness I think I would have been very disturned if I had found that on a brother's shelf! But the weird thing is he never said anything to me about it. He just acted like it was no big deal and continued to be very friendly for the next two hours or so.
They acted a bit funny about having been to university saying "this is not something we tell all the brothers here because some brothers frown on it you know".
I never really got to discuss anything substantial with them and it was a bit of a let down from that point of view. But they are really genuine and lovely people. I wish I could join him in the ministry and start the meetings regular again, but it would require a real change in mental attitude. Plus my health does not always allow me to do all the things I want to anyway. And then maybe for the brother finding that book has marked me out as a spiritual danger from day one. If I did not know better I would think Jehovah directed the brother straight to that book so as to warn him about me that I am not a good Witness.
I can't get excited about a lie.
I don't care how many delusional or misguided people get excited about a lie, once I know it is a lie, if I continue, that makes me irrational and confused.
When you set aside your childhood heroes
And your dreams are lost up on a shelf
You're at the age of not believing
And worst of all you doubt yourself
You're a castaway where no one hears you
On a barren isle in a lonely sea
Where did all the happy endings go?
Where can all the good times be?
You must face the age of not believing
Doubting ev'rything you ever knew
Until at last you start believing
There's something wonderful...
Truly wonderful in you
I'm still not sure if what you're writing is authentically your own experience or if you're trying to get a point across by pretending to be the one who struggles with these issues so that we can provide good replies to them for whoever is lurking.
However, I'm going to reply as if you are the one struggling:
They have been through a lot in their lives (I won't go into details) and they feel Jehovah has helped them through it.
Since you have so many books, you must have read Crisis of Conscience, in which you'll see Raymond Franz and his wife (and others) endured quite a lot as well for "the truth". Jehovah didn't bless them in the end.
I told him I have not been on the ministry much for quite a while, but he is not put off by that.
It makes you the prodigal son he can help back into the fold. So, for now, they won't be put off by it.
But it is hard for me having been exposed to so much apostate propaganda to go along and believe what the Witnesses teach again.
This is most likely just a slip up, but I don't think you've been exposed to apostate propaganda, and I don't think you think so either. It's the JW in you talking without you realizing it.
Plus one thing I really hate about Witnesses coming over is that they tend to scrutinize my books. We have about 8000 books in our small flat and it is impractical to hide them all. The best I can do is hide the obviously apostate ones and hope none of the others offend too much.
This gets to me. They are books. Why should we live in a world where we are afraid of what books we have in our library?? What books we're allowed to read? Having to hide books from our best friends? If you've read something that doesn't agree with the 'truth', the 'truth' should easily be able to counter any argument found in any book. And where does it end? Probably at 'only literature provided by and condoned by the WBTS'. Quite a bonfire you've got there.
But the weird thing is he never said anything to me about it. He just acted like it was no big deal and continued to be very friendly for the next two hours or so
Prodigal son again.
They acted a bit funny about having been to university saying "this is not something we tell all the brothers here because some brothers frown on it you know".
-Do I even need to comment?
I wish I could join him in the ministry and start the meetings regular again, but it would require a real change in mental attitude. Plus my health does not always allow me to do all the things I want to anyway.
Mental attitude? Mental deep clean and rinse, more like it. Out with the old, in with the new. Out with the old books, in with the bound WT volumes. Plus your health would give you a bad conscience, just like anything that hinders 100% full time service will.
And then maybe for the brother finding that book has marked me out as a spiritual danger from day one.
Prodigal son. They'll cut you some slack for now.
If I did not know better I would think Jehovah directed the brother straight to that book so as to warn him about me that I am not a good Witness.
But you do know better.
But on the other hand Jehovah may have concealed the title of that book from his eyes to pave the way for him to call back and strike while the iron is hot - bet you didn't think of that slim.
I read somewhere that your wife sometimes reads on here too - hi to your wife from me
Slimboyfat , what you just received in your home is what psychologists refer to as love bombing, particular revolving around religious cults, I'm sure you've heard
of that phrase before , the whole visit sounded text book right to the tee
Really you should have expected that since JWS are indeed mind controlled psychologically by the WTS.
It may seem sincere at the onset but if you take a strong evaluation on the whole situation all that JWS love is tritely pretentious
door to door book sellers always have a big warm smile too
Love with ignorance behind it is just ignorance with a smile placed on it..... a warning
