see....it's a good thing I'm here!
Minimus' Post Gave Me Courage To Finally Post My Questions, New Here
by toweragent 88 Replies latest jw experiences
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nochoice
Welcome Toweragent! Lots of great advice here, and similar posts helped me in the past, so I know you will benefit too.
When I was in your shoes what was imporant to me was motive. I wondered if the Governing Body was just doing thier best! It was apparent that they were covering thier tracks a bit with past errors, but I thought that maybe the good outweighed the bad. If they were truly working so hard to keep millions of sheep spiritually fed, some errors and cover ups were not that big a deal. Of course, I knew that the motives of the coverups were improper, but I still hoped thier overall motives were to save people.
But the more I read, the more errors and coverups I found. And there came a time when I could no longer be an apologist for them (in my own mind). Motives no longer mattered one way or the other! And I think that's the path you're on. Soon I could no longer think like your elder friend who was very sweet admitting there were some problems but noting that the New Order would fix them, because there were just too many problems.
You might be able to force yourself to look the other way with ONE concern, say, 1914/1918, or blood transfusions, or disfellowshipping, or Milawi Africa, or child molestation acusations, or failed prophecies, or what have you. But you can't force yourself to look the other way, and apologize to yourself for, and give the benefit of the doubt for ALL OF THEM! And you will, unfortunately find more and more with just a little looking.
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smmcroberts
He admitted that there were various things he didn't understand either, but he had decided to wait for the new system instead of abandoning his hope.
I agree with nochoice; at some point the pattern is too overwhelming to ignore. You stop thinking that there are a few things you don't understand, and come to wonder if there's anything that they are right about.
If they are wrong about so much, then there's no reason to think that they're right about a"new system" coming where everything will be explained and somehow made right. Which means these things will never be made right as long as the GB refuses to own up to its mistakes and resorts to deception to cover them up instead.
The only way to live "in the truth" is to do so here and now by abandoning an organization that refuses to admit the truth right now here today. Otherwise you're following a lie, and it seems foolish to believe that following a lie will lead you to the truth: ever.
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Sola Scriptura
To: toweragent
“Things I Could Never Believe - Trinity, Hellfire, and the condition of the dead. Those things are surefire to me.”
Outside of the JWs and the Christadelphians, no other worldwide Christian religion that I can think of, rejects all three of these. This is why I feel many, but not all, former JWs who still believe in the Bible find it hard to accept other Christian religions who teach the Trinity, Hellfire or the immortality of the soul. It is the rejection of these Big 3 teachings that fueled Russels early success, before he got distracted with that entire pyramid measuring nonsense.
I whole heartedly believe many, but not all, JWs show love among themselves sufficiently enough to be at least classified as Jesus disciples. (I address this subject more in detail here in my 2nd post from 5 years ago: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/128108/2/Do-JWe28099s-qualify-as-Christ-disciples-based-on-John-13-34-35)
I approach the JW religion as way of life that currently fulfills my spiritual needs and allows me to love and be loved by imperfect people of all races. If that ever changes, just like Ray Franz, I won’t be afraid to satisfying that need elsewhere. I use the following scripture as one of my guiding principles:
“Don't suppress the Spirit, and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 (The Message)
So I check everything out, and continue to believe what is good, then I privately reject anything that conflicts with my bible trained conscience, knowing full well that neither I or anyone else on this planet has the complete truth on all things.
I pray you find enough of the important answers you are looking for to give you peace of mind.
Agape my brother,
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"Accept truth wherever you find it, no matter what it contradicts." - Charles T. Russell
Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence. pp. 8-9 July 1879 -
Sola Scriptura
To: sir82
Now ask yourself - which description best fits Jehovah's Witnesses:
-- An organization of truly humble people reaching out to help their fellow men in any way they can; non-ambitious, non-judgmental, non-gossiping, valuing mercy over punishment, valuing conscience over law; where the God who is worshipped would never ask you to sacrifice the love of your family to please him or his organization....
That is an unfair question and comes close to being a false dichotomy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma). No group of people, including the Israelites and the early Christians, even remotely fit that description. I don’t suggest JWs simple fit somewhere in the middle, but neither do they easily fit into one of the two polar opposite choices you present toweragent with.
Regards.
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“I made an ass of myself.”
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leavingwt
Welcome!
Please read this book:
Combatting Cult Mind Control by Steve Hassan. It's available on Amazon for less than ten dollars.
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Vidiot
toweragent - "Sorry about the long post..."
Long posts are OK.
I make 'em myself once in a while.
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John_Mann
The bible is a very inconsistent book, but trinity, hellfire and immortal soul are well supported by bible. No WT arguments are OK, they're out of context.
I left WT at 24 too and a great factor was a move to another "distant" congo. The unity they claim are far far away to be true.
Welcome to board!
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cantleave
The book that killed any idea that the WTS were being by God was "captives of a Concept" by Don Cameron...
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AnnOMaly
How can I be SURE that the Watchtower organization is NOT being used by Jehovah? How can I be sure that they just haven't gone astray like the apostate nation of Israel?
I wouldn't think in these terms. The Bible has examples of Jehovah using whomsoever He wants - even His enemies when He wants to, for a particular purpose.
What I think is a more pertinent question is whether the Org's own claims about itself are true - especially with regard to their selection (to the exclusion of all other religions) in 1918/19. Naturally, if 607/1914 is bogus, then it follows that the prophetic significance of 1918/19 is bogus too. Moreover if, in the light of their own literature, it can be found they have also misrepresented their own organizational history and exaggerated their own status and divinely-given 'enlightenment' in order to 'lord it over' the household of faith, then would the God of Truth expect you to be loyal to a leadership that is not what it claims to be?
If you establish that, you can unshackle yourself mentally and explore afresh, at your own pace, what the Bible really teaches and reconstruct your religious world view. Take your time in doing so.
Edit: I see Don Cameron's book is mentioned. Well worth a read!