by ozziepost 34 Replies latest jw friends
Doctrine and chronology was first on my list.
Doubts in general about many other things unnamed here.
Treatment by the elders, attempting to enlighten me with their room temperature IQS, while my own is, um, somewhat higher than that.
No matter, I had identified the WTBTS as cultic before and that was the death knell.
Francois
Ozzie,
I was pointing to the American Athesit Logo in my signature.
Howdy Ozzie,
I was *turning away* for several years because of the gross treatment received at our elders hands, but didn't leave.
Then I clicked onto the web out of desperation (as all confused jw's are lead to believe they're the "only ones" with this "rare occurrence.")
Didn't stop reading for about two months. Printed volumes of information out. Btw, later sent that information to my sister, and said she was free to pass it on to her son who was then "coming out."
It is more than doubt. It is total disbelief in the Witness chronology/prophecies. - larcAnd that's what happens when one reads freely without blinders.
waiting - who would NEVER go back!
1. Stumbled by the elders' conduct toward others
i.e. mishandling of several molestation cases
The way women & children are treated in the bible (when we were supposedly closer to 'perfection'
Once out I began to recognize all the doubts I had about their beliefs
closer
Solid stone is just sand and water, baby
Sand and water, and a million years gone by - beth nielsen chapman
1. Stumbled by the elders' conduct toward you
Yes
2. Doubts about doctrines of the WTS
Yes
3. Doubts about WTS chronology (like 1914, etc)
Yes
4. Just doubts!
See Above
5. Found something better
Yes, Freedom From Religion (How did JFR put it?)
6. Other (feel free to give details)
Blood doctrine: On my death bed being told that all the fractions were approved, but not the whole of the fractions. I could not die faithful to such an absurd set of rules that were obviously man made.
I also came to realize at that moment that this organization that prides itself on the education of its members had not given them substantial education in this life and death matter of blood.
Sam Beli
"...religion opposes the commandments of Almighty God." Violence by J. F. Rutherford 1938
1John 3:18, ".....let us love, neither in word nor with the tongue, but in deed and truth."
Guest 77
3. Doubts about WTS chronology (like 1914, etc)
Yes, after reading Jonsson's GTR, and then a bit of 6, seeing how the WBTS deliberately misdirect its readership on the issue (eg the let your kingdom come appendix).
6. Other
Personally, I had no direct bad experiences during my periods of attendance (I'm another walkaway, never baptised), but I've read some truly harrowing stories on this site in the past week (since I came across this site), and I see no reasonable reason to disbelive them. Therefore, I do not see God in this organisation, and so I would never go back.
IG.
"You want the truth? You can't handle the truth. No truth-handler, you. Bah! I deride your truth-handling abilities!"
Side Show Bob
My answer to your poll is items:
#2, 3, and 4.
Ronin1
I would have to say that when I left 25+ years ago, it was because I was stumbled by the elder's treatment of others. I didn't see a devotion to Truth or Agape or Principle in their statements and deeds.
Now I wouldn't go back because I believe that all of it - from Genesis 1:1 to the last word in the last Watchtower ever to be printed - is a lie.
They've built their moral edifice, not on sand, but on helium.
I would say it's a whole lot more than doubts. Proven falsehoods. We finally got tired of hearing the same old things, that we knew, for a fact, were not true. We couldn't keep a straight face at the KH.
The way we were treated as we began to pull back, made it absolutely certain to us, that this could not be an organization approved of, by God. Why would we want to be part of anything, where people are treated like that.
Marilyn (aka Mulan)
"No one can take advantage of you, without your permission." Ann Landers
