First, I wanna say thank you to everyone opening up. I can relate to all these emotions because I'm going through them now. It also amazes me how strong the hold of these emotions have on us. Even after many years may have passed.
Daringhart: I'm so sorry for what you're going through. I too feel like I've wasted, and continue to waste, so much time on all of this. I wasted many years, for example, NOT going to college that I'd probably have my PhD by now if I went to school right after I graduated high school(at 15 years of age). I too am ANGERED that I've been lied to for all this time yet I can relate to sd-7 spending hours studying, thinking that maybe I'll believe again.
Joey Jo-Jo: I can relate to how talking to your parents are a waste of time, like talking to a brick wall. I've voiced my doubts w/my mother and brought up to her early teachings by C T Russell and how these are direct contradictions to the teachings of the current organization. I specifically told her about C T Russell and the Mason symbols and his belief in pyramidology and him basing his "prophesies" on that "all seeing eye." You know what she said? She had never even heard of it and she said: "So, we all have things that we have to change when we come out of Babylon." I then reminded of her of how the organization is always talking about building a strong foundation of beliefs and reminded her of Jesus' parable of the houses built on weak and strong foundations. I asked her, "How can we believe so IMPLICITLY and teach others to believe in a religion that was built on a faulty foundation? Built on lies? If they are Jehovah's visible organization and he's guiding them in everything they do, why have their predictions and prophesies been wrong? On NUMEROUS occasions?" Deuteronomy 18: 22 says: " When the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or come true, that is the word that Jehovah did not speak. With presumptuousness spoke it. You must not get frightened at him." (NWT) So does this NOT apply because of the "new light" they always talk about? The BIBLE is my authority, not some faulty man-made organization.
There is a very well articulated explanation of why JWs use of Proverbs 4:18 "light" is faulty. Check it out peeps. It was an interesting read:
http://www.cftf.com/comments/otanswer.html
The interesting thing to me, also mentioned by sd-7, is that I also never did an in-depth study of the teachings of JWs "putting it off." My putting if off, though wasn't because of fear of finding out something I didn't want to know. No, it was because I just took the GB at their word and just went with it. It's what I've been taught from infancy. All I've ever known. There was this brother that I remember would always tell me, "Prove it to yourself, Monique." Now, that of course meant studying and researching ONLY in publications from the GB because anything outside of that are sources from Satan. I wish I had done this earlier in my life, and sometimes I really regret getting baptized at 12. It was too young. At least it wouldn't have been so hard to walk away...I can't believe I've been suckered all this time...
moe
