Hi all
I had been studying with the Jehovah's Witnesses for the last couple years. They have been interesting study sessions and have learned quite a bit about them and their beliefs. Much of what they teach is what I had learned through personal Bible study.
Growing up was normal. I was raised by Christian parents and did the whole Christian thing. I could not buy into the concept of the trinity and hellfire so about the age of 17 I started reading the Bible on my own without any outside influences. The stories were nice and the sermons helped me think about my Christianity but I could not fully endorse that God was three people in one. We had arguments at our Bible readings about the name of God and finally was asked not to come back because I was disruptive. Nobody bothered to even to check on me. I eventually moved away to college and never went back. I have not stepped into a place of God since then. I did not like organized religion of any sort until.... I debated and had discussions with "Christians", "Muslims" and others via BBS's and then the internet. I was an outsider. Many called me a cult and that I will be go to hell for my beliefs. Since I found out the real truth about hell and torment these comments did not bother me.
I did not start to study with the Witnesses until I was 42. To tell you the truth, I dodged them all these years. I had one person come to the door on a regular basis but I never listened to him. From what I knew from outside sources they expelled and shunned people and would not use blood to save the lives of themselves or family. They did not interest me.
I had been noticing the change of people in the last 10 years and also how natural disasters have increased in size and capacity of destruction as well. Then the fellow came to my door and we had a lengthy discussion about this. I started studying with them and started attending the Sunday talk and WT study along with their weekday meetings. I also started talking to those who oppose them and started comparing their complaints to what I have observed. I also have read much of what the opposers will foist upon the unsuspecting reader. This has been two years in the making. My weekly Bible study has ended and recently I have stopped attending the meetings and the service in the ministry to see what would happen. It has been two months. So far I have had a couple elders swing by with encouraging words a few times. Nothing bad has happened.
What have I found? The JWs are normal people doing their best to please Jehovah. The opposers are normal people trying their best to stumble the JWs any way they can.
I will give an example of my findings another time since this is the "Personal Experience" forum. But a little bit food for though is the accusation that the WT joined the UN. Even an outsider like me can read through the blather that the opposers produce in regards to this.