Is there a breaking point for JW?

by BonaFide 24 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  BonaFide

  In 1989, when the WT said, "the preaching work will be completed before the end of this century", I believed it. Then when they changed it in the bound volume, I was a little nervous, but I didnt say anything.

  But then when I was a missionary, and I personally went to the branch office about a pedophile, and they told me to leave it in Jehovah's hands, and that Jehovah will erase the girl's mind and to stay out of it, that really bothered me. I couldnt sleep.

  Then my brother who used to be a JW said to me one day, "How many years before you start to realize what is really going on?"

  Then the body of elders tried to delete me for "divulging confidential information" even though there was really no proof and the person who accused me is a known troublemaker that they all couldnt stand and told their families to avoid that person.

  I used to always google JW's, but only the news articles. But then one day I was googling something, and this website came up.

  But even then I was scared, freaked out and mad. After a while though, it all started to make sense. The fear is still there, and I am still active, for several reasons, but I realize now what is going on.

  Is there anything that the GB could decide, or say, or do, or is there anything that could happen that could actually cause mainstream, active, believing JW's to see what is really going on?

  What would it take?
• 

  SnakesInTheTower

  for the Organization or the Individual JW? What are you asking?

  (me, I left before they could snap me in half)

  Snakes ()
• 

  WTWizard

  The organization: As long as they can use the power of law, no. If they could, they would seize control of the governments and implement their rules as laws. At which point, they could hijack every country in the world and do the same thing, effectively plunging all mankind into the Second Dark Ages. That would be good for the Washtowel Slaveholdery, which would own everything and everyone. It would be the end of the world for everyone else.

  Individuals: Definitely. Most of us on this board have had that happen, and that is why many are mad at the organization. Some people turn apostate. Some refuse to look at apostate boards--they only beat up and kill their children or molest other children. Some turn to drinking excessively. And some turn to beating the flock (those are the ones that get positions where they can beat more and more people at a time).
• 

  shamus100

  Yes - there is definetly a breaking point for JWs.

  It builds up - seeds of doubt. It becomes your fault if you still have doubt.

  Logic? Pray - it becomes your fault if you cannot believe JW's version of logic.

  Love? Pray - it becomes your fault if you cannot accept that agape love "JW style" is complete bunk. They would rather throw you under a bus than help you if you're spiritually 'weak'.

  Throw it all in, over the years.... yes. It becomes a breaking point.
• 

  yknot

  ohhh I am imagining the b*tch-smack Smalley got for that comment !!!!!!

  Now back to your question.......

  As a whole: Yes the WTS could decide to close shop, selling off all their investments (read-close KHs) and equipment, disperse the money to dummy non-profit corporations in other countries who had much more lax laws for closing those non-profits until the money flowed into the pockets of the WTS overlords...... for a couple of years (maybe a decade) some would view it as Satan's machinations to prevent the 'troof' but then might begin with the help of others to accept the whole things wasn't about being a prophet but profit.

  On the individual level.....we each have our breaking points. Mine was the mouse slipping and accidently clicking this site instead of the watchtower.org which was directly above. Once I knew beyond a doubt that 1918-1919 didn't happen (via reading the era) I was mentally unshakled from my WTS chains. My KH has a decent older library and I am always encouraging others to ""appreciate"" our treasure of books in light of the WT pubs only directive.
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  passwordprotected

  There is a breaking point, I believe, for individuals. It may be some spurious piece of doctrine, or a harsh elder, or a story in the news re. child abuse or the like.
  
  As I've said before, my breaking point was binning the BSG due to 'gas prices'.
• 

  reniaa

  Lets be honest the breaking point of it would be if armageddon doesn't come but christianity as a whole suffers from that, its 2000 years now and nothing! although the bigger christians faiths have dealt with this by ignoring the prophesies and neatly saying your reward comes after death but smaller ones like JWs that are more biblically literal have deal with people going "when?" Newer christians faiths have an easier way of dealing with it by clouding the whole bible using love scriptures and being more social animals, I give it a 1000 years if armageddon doesn't come were the only religions left will be ones that don't give any promises in life maybe making it a testing ground and offer salvation only in the next life, reincarnation probably has a good shelf life.
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  passwordprotected

  @ reniaa - when you say Christians are you including JWs in that, because they're not Christians. Just thought you'd like to know.
• 

  Satanus

  For me, the straw that broke the camel's back was reading half way through ray franz' crisis of conscious book. It would have taken something really drastic, like shutting down a bunch of branch offices, to snap me out of it.
  
  People are funny. It's not just the jws, although, they are worse, in the brainwashing sense. Take the average 'nominal' (sorry for using a wt word) christian. In trying to understand, i have asked some of them about the religion that they are supposed to be. Basically, they have put it in the background and do not really think about it. They live how they want, ignoring the rules of their religion. I ask them, if it's true, do it, if it's false, throw it away. They lock up.
  
  It seems that human nature is to live w dissonences (dissonii?). There is a minority of humans who come out of it and face truth, or lack of it. Perhaps, it's because there is no real apparent truth, and they/we have adapted to living in ambiguity.
  
  S
• 

  StAnn

  I was DF'd for awhile. During that time, I started going to an Episcopal Church. Eventually, family pressure got to me and I started going back to the KH. I couldn't believe the drivel they were teaching. I am a "born-in" and didn't realize how un-Christian and ridiculous their doctrines were. After I'd been exposed to Christianity, it became abundantly clear that the JWs weren't Christians. Also, sad to say it, the elders whom I admired growing up, once I'd been gone awhile, seemed like real losers. No education, no real training, and yet they were supposed to shepherd the flock? They weren't remotely qualified! They were somewhat pathetic and sad. It was an embarrassment to be associated with them. I faded quickly and never looked back.

  So, for a born-in, I'd say exposure to real Christianity and being able to hold up Christianity and the WT, side by side, was what I needed to finally release any hold the Dubs still had on me.

  StAnn