by joyfulfader 101 Replies latest jw experiences
They were shocked at how different the message was from WT dogma and its isolated proof texts.
No wonder they keep pushing studying the Bible with the Insight volumes next to you and your watchtower. When have you ever seen a picture of someone studying the Bible by itself in a watchtower?
I can't recall a picture of anyone studying just the bible. I would look but I threw all my books in the trash. Was cathartic
The attitude goes all the way back to Russell, who wrote that if a person read just his Studies in the Scriptures he would be in the light but that if he went back to just reading the Bible that within two years he would be in darkness.
Thus, JWs actually consider WT publications as superior to the Bible.
In fact, I wonder why JWs look at the Bible at all, given that they believe they can't understand it without "the slave" to tell them what it means.
Since no JWs where I live now know my past JW life, I mess with them and talk to them at the door. Never letting on that I was a JW. Which by the way is SO fun. We could never speak out when we were JWs and tell anyone how stupid something sounded. But as a householder, you're allowed to get away with that while they're trying to sell you on it all.
So one day they offer a Bible study. Hmmm...., OK. More chance to mess with them. And I knew what they were going to do and was going to throw it back in their faces. They come over and want to go through the Live Forever book (big red one?). I told them no. That's not a bible study. They were confused. How else would we study it? Well, you open the Bible and start reading and discuss what it means. And if you want to, you have an interlinear and look up meanings of Hebrew and/or Greek words. Use Strongs reference numbers for the words, etc. I'm sure neither had any clue as to what a Youngs or a Strongs concordance or Vine's was. Or some Bible encyclopedia to look up things. But you start with the Bible and use other books for reference, not vice-versa.
They had no idea how to make that work. They struggled and they begged me to try their book and we did. I told them it was stupid. It was goading me into answering a certain way. Where it frames everything in black and white and you have to accept one statement, then another, then another to lead you to a false conclusion. Because each answer wasn't the complete picture. It wasn't always agree or disagree, there's shades of grey. But if you had to agree or disagree, agree is the closest.
I also said it was so simplistic. Read this paragraph, then I quote it back to answer the question. "mary had a little lamb, what did mary have"? They agreed. It quickly fell apart. But they ended it knowing how stupid what they were trying to call a Bible study was. I think that guy escaped the JWs. Would love to meet him now if he did.
@jws- that was super cool!! I would love to do that but they know who I am...... Arrrrrgh!!
@ ding-I am just starting to read COC in a PDF. Not too easy but I think ray franz mentions that. I think that's where I read that...maybe it was here somewhere...
BTTT, Peace out, Mr. Flipper
Welcome to being 40. It's the new 30, you know! And, welcome to JWN
You are on a spiritual journey. How YOU feel and think of a higher power and who is telling you what the higher power says is going to change and continue to change. I am most comfortable with those who admit they do not know the answers, and least comfortable with those who claim they do.
JWS, brilliant!
Skeeter
I must say that i am the first to say that I dont have all the answers...in fact i have found that i have very few. i am just starting because the fear of looking outside the WTS is so real that it is almost paralyzing. i swear i almost felt the elders were setting up surveillance. i know they werent but it is the fear they instill in us as we embark on a diametrically opposed journey. I often wonder if they see the TTATT and ignore it for the sake of family peace and ease of life (though lies are not easy to maintain comfortably). I sound so paranoid but i am truly not. i dont worry about seeing anyone. i have done nothing overt that could be labled as wrong. Yes i am a proud member of this forum but they dont have the right to know this info. as someone recently said on another post...theocratic warfare in reverse. dont tell people what they are not entitled to know. I am so excited to continue and learn more esp with the advice i have received from all of you on just this post alone. i have been reading so many other posts and commenting but i have found that people here seem to have a much greater appreciation for finding the truth with real study and not staged study under duress. Thanks everyone for the help and extra info from all posts. i am seeing many things from perspectives i never considered from people of all ages. Love it.
I was visiting the family of my daughters friend today and they were discussing a person that they met in field service who claimed all they taught was lies and that the NWT was a bible written to prove jws only. she was horrified that anyone could reject the truth. the best part was when my daughter discreetly looked over at me and rolled her eyes lol...as the mother of a teenager i couldnt love an eye roll more!!!!! Proud mom here :)
btw skeeter and all others...loving 40!! Really is the new 30 :)
