Question

by inbetween 57 Replies latest jw experiences

• 

  inbetween

  just have a question,

  when you found out about things regarding the WTS, maybe on the internet, on this side or another, or you had serious doubts by yourself, did you talk to somebody ? Maybe an elder or a good friend ?

  and how was their reaction ?

  I`m asking this, because I seriously think about discussing some points with another elder, some teachings/doctrins really bug me...cant stand to be silent, especially since I ought to be a teacher, how can I teach things, I do not understand (or even not agree) anymore...

  please share your experiences, thanks !
• 

  allelsefails

  I tried to talk to one my very best friends(a fellow elder) and someone I respect very much. As soon as he figured out what I was talking about he said "You should write the branch." Then told his wife (one of my wife's best friends) that she couldn't come to our house anymore. I haven't heard from him since. Tragic. He's a good guy trapped in something he can't understand and I have nothing but pity for him and those like him. DON'T talk to anyone about "your doubts" If you want ot talk about the subject and see how JWs answer things try the "I was asked this question in service and don't know how to respond" Then you can ask any question you want and the person you ask will feel obligated to help and not think you are an apostate. Good Luck.
• 

  MrsPeaches

  when i started finding things out i freaked out so much i didn't dare look for another 3 years or so! LOL... but then i found someone local (via the board) who I was able to talk things out with...

  I knew that if I talked to the elders I would be d/a'd and that would create issues between me and my family members.
• 

  Balsam

  I learned early on one does not question the Faith Discreet Slave's rules. I had questions and was encouraged to write the branch office and all they did is turn my question over to the Elders in my congregation. Of course they had no answers and puzzled over what they were to suppost to say to me.

  I let it go for a few years and tried again, same result then they more or less had the elders hounding me for every little thing.

  I knew in the in I dare not express my questions out loud and ended up researching them online without even my then JW husband knowing it. I got my answers here at JW discussion. I left not long after that, but it ended my marriage which was ok with me.

  Ruth
• 

  reniaa

  would you asks questions you already know the answer too?

  Most questions are covered by what you should already know as a witness and you will know the scriptures that have motivated that position by our leaders.

  If the questions are on the history of Jws well like any religion full of imperfect men then you will find them. The bible is the same there it's unrelenting adherence to telling it as it happens, means we know David hailed as a great king was also an adulterous murderer forgiven by God we know that among men only Jesus from then until armageddon is free of sin and the mistakes that come with it.

  I am pro-witness because I believe in Jehovah and Jesus his son and the Jw doctrine of one almighty God Jehovah, that for me reflects the bible teachings with a purity the rest of christianity has lost but we all have to decide what makes us be part of group of other humans in shared belief.

  Reniaa
• 

  yknot

  Inbetween:

  I always questioned things so I knew what the responses would be officially. Unofficially many JWs have doubts or some issues regarding the WTS or it's history. The thing here is are you expressing doubts and hoping to validate them-thus possibly creating division or are you seeking 'encouragement'? Are you an apostate or simply being stumbled by Satan? Ultimately Elders are suppose to be men who keep the herd moving, they really aren't suppose to go beyond the WT Word. Reniaa is correct you should already know what the official responses will be and if you aren't for sure the answers can be found on the CD.

  Reniaa :

  (With full sincerity).......But Reniaa the WTS condemns other religion's histories and their mistakes past and present as proof of them being not from or serving Jehovah. And just because you are an Arian Christian isn't enough in DubbieLand to make you a JW. If that was all it took to be a JW then most of us wouldn't have any issues or even be on JWN and the Bible Students would all still be in the fold. What if more denominations woke up and decided to become Arian too, would that make them acceptable in your opinion?....
• 

  inbetween

  reniaa

  I read some of your posts already, surely I still agree with some, but I found one important misconception in your defense of the WTS: you compare them with servants of God in the past, who made also mistakes. However, they never once made a mistake regarding their inspired prophecy or counsel or whatever. They themselves were imperfect, but not what they wrote under inspiration ! Thats the difference, the brothers at the GB are imperfect and make mistakes, this is no problem for me, but their writings is also flawed, and this is a problem, because they claim to be guided by Gods spirit. So in effect they say, everything we write is from God, except those things, which are changed later, these are of human error. This is the same as I would say, everything I do is perfect, only when I do something wrong, Im not perfect...whats the logic there ??

  Additionally the writing of the GB is taken by witnesses as coming from God, so it has a tremdous impact in their life. Granted a lot of advice is given in a rather foggy way, pretending to leave matters up to the conscience of the brothers, but others are even disefellowshipping offences (blood for example).

  inbetween
• 

  GromitSK

  inbetween: it is hard to know whether what you say regaarding prophecy is true given that the so called New Testament is for the most part constructed according to the politics of the ruling party of the day and the Old Testament contains many references to books that are no longer in it. I'd have more faith in a recipe for Tomato Soup than the Bible.
• 

  Chalam

  cant stand to be silent, especially since I ought to be a teacher, how can I teach things, I do not understand (or even not agree) anymore...

  I think that is a sign of integrity which is a godly thing.

  Those who have been open with their valid questions have been dealt with an iron rod of "discipline", that is clear from the responses here. You are either out of the door fairly rapidly or you shut your mouth and tow the line.

  Intimately, if you stay you are going to have to sear your conscience and have your spirit crushed.

  However, there is hope, but then I am biased in that direction!

  1 Corinthians 13:13 (New International Version)

  13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

  All the best,

  Stephen
• 

  AnnOMaly

  Most questions are covered by what you should already know as a witness and you will know the scriptures that have motivated that position by our leaders.

  If those questions stay on a superficial level, yes you're probably right, reniaa. Knowing the prooftexts that motivate the Witness position is frequently not enough to answer questions that require more detail or depth - especially when it comes to the 'sacred cow' Witness distinctives.

  At the beginning of my paradigm shift, I'd scour the WT CD-ROM for answers to my specific questions but often came up against silence or an answer that skirted around the issue or repetitive assertions that would all raise more questions. The Bible seemed to be indicating one position; the publications took another. What to do? That's the point when I'd get curious enough to read non-JW and ex-JW works to see if they had any insights - and they often did!

  inbetween - my $0.02: Keep your doubts to yourself in real life. Too many times people have got burned. Express your doubts online, in anonymity.