If I'm so intelligent how did I get drawn in to it all?

by Lozhasleft 53 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  jwfacts

  This is a great thread with insightful answers. The quote from Quandry really sums it all up perfectly.

  After reading the WTS publications it just fell into place that this religion was different and the WTS teachings about the Trinity, hellfire, war, idolatry had a ring of truth to me. Now I see beyond these teachings. I now know more about how the WTS organization operates. I see that not all their teachings are true.

  As straightshooter said, there are things that appeal. Like with any product for sale, the salespeople market the appealing "features and benefits", and avoid the shortcomings. Once you are deeply involved, you continue to sell them to yourself and overlook the cult aspects because the fear of leaving makes facing the reality (shunning and your own eventual death) too hard to bear.
• 

  Lozhasleft

  JWfacts I agree...its amazed me how much thought people have obviously given to the subject...

  Even if the person recognized something was wrong with the doctrines, the fact of meeting so many nice, friendly, smiling and seemingly intelligent people, places the Study as minority so they might consider that they've not understood something properly, further making it easier and more likely for them to suppress their doubts.

  Once adopted within the group, the new convert is treated as though there is something wrong with them if they express questions or alternate thoughts on subjects that have already been discussed previously. Their new JW friend who spent so much time on them, likely will now become upset and expresses regret for wasting time that would have been better spent converting other people

  The above rings true with me too...

  Loz x
• 

  StoneWall

  There is a poster on another forum I frequent that has a quote that I like at the bottom of their description which reads:

  There is no shame in not knowing. The shame is in not finding out.

  I have to say that is how I view it at this time. I was born in and raised around the WT organization.

  Even as a youth I felt something was just not right or what it appeared to be in the organization. Whenever I would

  question something I could always figure on getting the stock answer of Jehovah will straighten it out in his own due time,

  or now is not the time to worry with such things, that the important thing is to get to all the people before the end comes.

  As the years went by the more I started fitting pieces of the puzzle together, the less the image/picture on the puzzle

  looked like what I was told it should look like. No matter how hard I tried to get the pieces to fit in with what was told

  to me, they just would not fit. There was a few pieces that looked like they could fit, or even that they should fit, but as time went on I could see that no matter how hard I wished they would fit, they just would not match up.
• 

  Chalam

  Hello Loz,

  It has nothing to do with intelligence but spiritual sight.

  1 Corinthians 2:14 (New International Version)

  14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

  Acts 28:27 (New International Version)

  27 For this people's heart has become calloused;
  they hardly hear with their ears,
  and they have closed their eyes.
  Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
  hear with their ears,
  understand with their hearts
  and turn, and I would heal them.'

  Ephesians 1:18-19 (New International Version)

  18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

  I feel ashamed of myself that I d id and that I brought all this upon our family...anyone else relate?

  1 Peter 2:6 (New International Version)

  6 For in Scripture it says:
  "See, I lay a stone in Zion,
  a chosen and precious cornerstone,
  and the one who trusts in him
  will never be put to shame."

  Romans 8:1 (New International Version)

  1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus Blessings, Stephen
• 

  designs

  Stevie, you're criticizing JW beliefs has got to be one of the greater bits of Irony to come along in awhile.

  Miracle Rice Crispy's, Pulsating crotches, and on and on it goes............

  That's some fucked up shit.
• 

  Mad Sweeney

  While I (mostly) agree with your view of religion, designs, your stalking and hounding of Stephen is getting annoying. We get it. Religious folk are hypocrites who believe things for which there is no evidence and often try to indoctrinate others with those unsupported beliefs. Believe me, we get it.
• 

  designs

  Mad-

  Thanks, and point well taken. In the past couple of years I've had business dealings with 'Fundamentalist/Evangelicals' who cost me several hundred thousand dollars, they are vile and dishonest beyond belief, my private rant issue made public, sorry.

  Time to refocus on better things and better times ahead.

  Thanks again for the reminder.

  Peace
• 

  Chalam

  Hello designs,

  Why don't you point them in the right direction?

  1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (New International Version)

  9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

  Blessings,

  Stephen
• 

  designs

  Steve, I have absolutely Zero respect for any of your views and your sick interpretations.

  Done.
• 

  keyser soze

  Getting back on topic, I can relate to the original poster, even though I was a born-in, not a convert. I stayed in until my early thirties, despite having serious doubts years before that. I stayed in almost ten years after I no longer believed. That's ten years I'll never get back.