by hatchetsup 45 Replies latest jw friends
hatchetup,
My suggestion is toget Crisis of Conscience when you go to chapters. it is not at all the JW bashing book witnesses claim (although most have never read it) is. It is a very kind, gentle account where Ray backs up his claims of how the organization operates. You will find it quite revealing and comforting.
If you want to talk about this pm me.
Sorry about your Grandmother. I agree with the other posters, check out the "Best Of" section. You will enjoy it.
BF
....... as for Armageddon, like Awakened at Gilead said on another thread (Bonafide's Miscarriage Chat with Sister)...The WTS's unofficial new : WE DON'T KNOW!
I am glad you have found us! Marking at 12 is wrong, I should know since I was marked at 7!
Many here have given great advice about checking out 'best of ' and reading Ray Franz' CoC and ISoCF. I want to suggest Randy's (posts as dogpatch) site Freeminds.org too.
I think you will find yourself among friends here and I look forward to reading your comments and observation!
Yknot
Welcome to the board! I am sorry to hear about your loss. I understand the need to come to terms with the death of a family member. And for those of us, like myself, who were raised JWs, that is what we naturally think about during a time of grief and loss.
In processing my own JW experience, I was helped tremendously by reading the book Combatting Cult Mind Control by Steven Hassan. I had no idea that the WT was a cult until I read that book (which doesn't mention JWs but describes how cults work). It was very eye opening for me. And since people are especially vulnerable to that kind of manipulation during periods of loss in life, it is important to be informed about it before submitting to a bible study with JWs.
Best wishes to you.
Welcome to our board. Don't rush into ANYTHING. If you do the bookstudy, go beyond the Q&A's they want to ask and the verses they want you to read.
I am sorry about your grandmom. It is hard to lose people we love, and it does make us think about eternity and God. That's good. Think about it:) But don't buy what any religion tells you, do your own research, and don't think, like my relatives, that you can leave all the hard research to 'the experts'. If someone is claiming that they have done the thinking/research for you, then double up on your double checking!
I hope you enjoy this board-I know we will enjoy having you here! Again, WELCOME!!!
Yes welcome to the board! IMO, it sounds like you have a level of fear and confusion going on and this is exactly NOT the time to have a Bible Study with JW's. You are exactly the type of person they go door-to-door looking for, the type of person in your frame of mind and you would be easily indoctrinated, it's all part of the mind control process. You should read some things that bring you to a place of a nuetral perspective on JW's and religion in general. Ray Fraz's books are a must read, and as mentioned maybe something on how mind control works like the book by Steve Hassan that's been mentioned. And a word of caution to your frame of mind even visiting here on this site, don't look for a set of 'beliefs', just take what works for you and leave the rest. I really think it would be a huge mistake for you to study with them now. If you get to a nice, nuetral place and then want to invite them in, I assure you you would hear an entirely different message, one that would not resenate with you anymore. But this board is a great place for you to start your journey...........wf
If you believe in Christ then I would say a simple prayer to God asking forgivness and confessing Jesus as your saviour. After that go to a different church every week (especially non-denominationals) until you find one that fits. JW's take adavantge of your vulnerability and will offer you answers that will not yield any real truth. Are you looking for faith or looking for answers? If it is faith that is something that you will only get by learning to lean on God and asking him like a Child for what you want. Good luck, and sorry to hear about your Grandmother.
What you're feeling is very normal. Death of a loved one makes a person vulnerable, but part of being an adult is accepting the fact that we won't have a sure answer about life after death until we experience death. Many of us on this board, including me, have suffered greatly by being a jw, so most won't defend the "truth". But please keep in mind that if you become a jw and then change your mind, your mother, sister and anyone else who is a jw will no longer be allowed to associate or speak with you. This is a mind controlling cult, so if you decide to study, please be careful and keep your wits about you.
As for attending church, I haven't been able to bring myself to do it, and I've been out for 21 years. From what I've read, the Unitarian Church is the most liberal. Before you make any decisions, take some time to talk with people on this board. Being that you were labled as bad association at the age of 12, I would say that you probably have some issues to work out. It doesn't sound like you were beaten or molested, as many of us here have been, but that doesn't mean you escaped abuse.
Please check your private messages. Click on the envelope in the upper right hand corner of the screen. You may have to do it two or three times, but it will eventually work. I'm sending you a pm.
Ray Franz's book is just excellent a must read! Jim Penton does a great job on history of the watchtower.
When there is a major crises in a family, death, divorce or major sickness that usually makes people think of God since they may subconsciously see themselves in that situation or they just wonder if there is anything beyond today's life. Religions or cults which don't differ by much, they really use these opertunities to capture people who are lost and confused. Before you start a study with witnesses read Ray Franz's book. Do some research on the watchtower's deceptive dealings with it's members. At least if you study with the witnesses you will have good questions to ask to which you won't get proper answers but nonsense that these things are old light or that these things are lies brought about by apostates. So before you do have a study do your own research so you know facts for yourselves. All the old Watch Tower publications you can find at:
http://www.archive.org/details/WatchTowerBibleandTractSocietyofPennsylvaniaWatchTowerpubs_0
or
http://www.a2z.org/wtarchive/archive.htm#magazines
or
http://www.watchtowerdocuments.com/
By the way don't think my post is to discourage you from reading and studying the bible but it's the information you need to know about Watch Tower's leaders and what they don't tell the rank and file. Anyways here are some things you may or may not have known:
Russell taught (not thought as WT makes it sound)
1799 - start of last days
1874 - Christ returned invisibly
1878 - Christ began ruling as king
1914 - end of gentile time (used 606BC as a destruction of Jerusalem and it's temple by Babylon)
Pyramid Of Giza - God's witness in stone which pointed to 1914 and all other datesmentioned above.
Russell died with these beliefs
Rutherford took over and pointed to 1925 as a date more evidents in the bible than 1914
1922 - Rutherford changed Christ's start of ruling to 1914
1925 - Time when Abel, Abraham, Lot, Noah and other faithful bible characters would be resurrected to the earth
1929 - Pyramid of Giza announced to be demonic
1931? - Beth Sarim (House of Princes) was build in San Diego. Rutherford spend much time there and that's where he died. Another bonus of the mansion was the 2 Cadillacs that were used by Rutherford. The mansion was deeded to Abraham, Noah, etc....
1930s - Rutherford changed Christ's return, start of last days to 1914
1939? - Beth Shan (House of Security) build during WW2 and sold soon after Rutherford died. 2 bunkers were discovered on the land by the new owners.
1960s - While Malawi witnesses were killed, raped and beaten for not buying a political card since Watch Tower said no compromise allowed, Mexican witnesses were bribing officials to obtain military service card so they wouldn't have to serve in the army but would be able to obtain passports and because of that were placed on a reserve lists in case of war. Also Mexican Kingdom Halls were called Cultral Halls and witnesses were not allowed to sing songs or say prayers in these halls because they were not registered as a religion but as a cultral group. This happened until 1989 when watch tower officially registered as a religion in Mexico. Reason was because since 1917 Mexican constitution, religions could not own property but the freedom of religion was a right of all Mexicans.
1975 - Since 1966 the year was promoted as end of 6000 years of human existance and promoted as major date where it would make sense for God to bring in the new world. Some small apolagy was issued in 1980 or 81 watchtower.
1990 - Watchtower became NGO (UN branch) and stay as such until 2001 when UK guardian newspaper revealed their activity and upon the article release Watchtower cut it's ties with NGO. Other branches of Watchtower (European branches) still are NGO members or were members in 2007
2007 - multi million lawsuits paid out by Watch Tower to the pedophile victims.
THese are just the highlights of the Watch Tower's dealings. Have fun researching these for yourself. If you need help where to look just ask.
this is weird to say, but ive never felt this kind of support from stangers before, i read posts on here and i get goosebumps from it, dont know if that sounds stupid, but i do, lol. i guess becuase we all have this in common and it takes longer for some things to surface, but all my memories are flashing back. i was talking to my wife about this site tonight and telling her all kinds of things from my childhood that ive never told her before and she was shocked.
thank u to all who have posted, u have made me feel so welcome, this site is already in my favourites list so u will be hearing more from me. im kinda scared now if they do show up for a bible study with me.
