Hi Independent Thinker, and welcome from Flossycat, Melbourne, Australia. Just want to say hi, and agree with everyone's comments here. Good on you for taking the initialive to think, reason, and utilize your right to use your brain.
Want honest answers
by independenthinker 73 Replies latest jw experiences
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outsmartthesystem
Welcome. Please be assured that we were all in your shoes at one point in time. The best analogy to your situation right now is that of the Matrix if you've ever seen it. You had the choice to take the red pill or the blue pill. The blue pill allows you to go back to life as it was. Accepting continually changine doctrine without so much as a question. Refusing to read anything no approved by your leaders. The read pill shows you just how deep the rabbit hole goes. You chose the red pill so fasten your seatbelt.
The Truman Show-like illusion of "truth" that the governing body has created for it's 7 plus million people is both impressive and sad. And you are exacty right. It is no wonder why the governing body doesn't want you reading anything not approved by them. If you listen to them....you continue to believe that they and they alone are directed by God and that you have "the truth". But when you dive in an investigate....you see it for what it really is.......a sham. It is no wonder why they demonize university educations......because you are taught HOW to analyze and HOW to think critically. Severing peoples' ability to think for themselves is what keeps them growing and relevant.
I started my search over 2 years ago. I was sick. Literally. The more I read the more I was in disbelief. How could I have been so blind. When I first read Crises of Conscience....I was terrified. Terrified that someone might somehow find out. Even holding such a book in my hands (on written by an "apostate" former Governing Body member) made me literally tremble at first. It is all about control and fear. Sever your ability to think critically. And keep you in fear.....fear of "the end". Fear of being disfellowshipped and losing all your friends and family. Fear of losing your relationship with God. For my first year of research....I was sure that witnesses did NOT have the truth.....but were just like any other religion. For the next year......I studied cults. What makes them tick. What their characteristics are. Etc. The watchtower society is a cult. I was nearly in denial when I came to this conclusion. I mean....how could I really be in a cult for 30+ years and not know it? That's the power of mind control
The most important advice I can give you is to take your time. PLEASE don't feel like you have to figure everything out overnight. It won't happen. I am more than 2 years into my fade from the witness scene and I am still not completely sure what I believe (in terms of God/Christ/Evolution/Life etc). But I do know that I am mentally free from the shackles of the Watchtower society and that in itself is a victory.
Take your time
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outsmartthesystem
"i just dont know whos telling the truth :( ive been told this is all lies to take me away from jehovah, but what if they're lying?"
Independent Thinker - The best thing you can do is do research on things that YOU can prove. Research 587 BC vs 607 BC (when Jerusalem supposedly fell). There are a wealth of FACTS to be found. Research what Russell really taught pre 1914 vs what the society SAYS was taught. Read the book "The Finished Mystery" (written in 1917) and ask yourself "would Jesus really have approved this book as being "timely and accurate spiritual food" when He supposedly chose the Watchtower Society as his faithful and discreet slave in 1919? Do research on topics that YOU CAN PROVE.....not that come down to "he said this.....she said that.....so I don't know who to believe".
"why?"
Because the leaders of the organization have basically forced themselves to believe that in spite of facts......God chose them and is blessing them and them only. Even if it means quoting authorities out of context. Even if it means printing lies about the early days of the organization. Even if it means suppressing evidence. Somehow someway.....they convince themselves that it is all ok because this is what God wants. Once they are convinced that God chose them and them only as his one channel of communication.....then anything and everything they do is justified because God must have approved it.
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outsmartthesystem
One more piece of advice:
Do NOT overwhelm your mom. When I joined this site.....people pleaded with me to NOT "show a bunch of facts" to my wife. (I am the only one in my family that is free from the borg) I reasoned that my wife is a good woman and she loves truth.....so she'll be interested and actually thankful that I am showing her all these facts. Wrong. I didn't realize it at the time but all witnesses are trained in the same way. They are trained to shut down mentally when their trust/belief in what the governing body teaches gets called into question.
Even if you have an encyclopedia of information.....do not show it to your mom. At the very least....she will simply discard the information as being "speculative opinions of apostates". At the very worst....she may share the info with an elder.....hoping he can talk some sense into you. If that happens.....you are ripe for a judicial committee.
The ONLY way to reach her is to ask her true....heartfelt questions that get her to think. Make no mistake....if she gets the feeling like YOU are trying to TEACH HER that her beloved watchtower society is wrong......her mental wall will go up and you will make no progress.