Ozzie's Weekend Poll (page 3)

DakotaRed

For me, the arrogant, unloving and unchristian attitudes of many elders is what led me to DA in the first place. Although I don't toally agree with every aspect of the dub theology and doctrine, I really don't have that big of a problem with it.

But, Jesus said the sign of his true disciple would be the love shown amongst them. By and large, many elders are not in the least loving and the Watchtower will not act on them, even when informed in detail.

They preach "pure lanuage," yet argue amongst themselves constantly and actually divide the congregations. One told me that since he felt I had a "forceful attitude," I would make a good member of "his team." I thought we were aligning ourselves with God and His Son, not choosing sides in an elder battle. When I declined joining anyones team, my downward spiral out of the dubs continued, with a big assist from "king jerk" elder.

I am out and free and he is still seeking "soldiers" to join his team.

If God's Spirit is filling a Kingdom Hall, how is it that Satan can manuever the ones within that Kingdom Hall at the same time?

Gopher

Combination of #1 (elder's unloving conduct towards me personally) and #6 -- other. The other is that love does not mark the body of JW's as a whole. I see backbiting, competition, gossip, just lots of mean-spirited actions and attitudes. I found more 'unconditional' acceptance among the non-JW's (friends and family) than I knew in my entire lifetime before leaving the JW's. (Since coming to this forum, I see that this problem is a worldwide plague and not just isolated to my home territory.)

-J.R.

This post was not evaluated by any mental health professionals.
Any opinions expressed are those of a fuzzy, cuddly rodent.

SYN

There was just none of that Christian Love (TM) that I read about so much in the Watchtower. Sure, there were very loving people in my Cong, but they were loving entirely by themselves. It was obviously not the religion it was trying to be. Never will be, either.

Now I know the real TRUTH, and any Dub that comes to my door is going to get slammed with the anti-doctrinal payload I've been assembling from the Internet. Bye bye, Dubland.

Seven006: "Have you tried drugs? Shooting up a little heroin might do the trick, it's hard to type when your stoned out of your mind. I don't know how TR does it!"

Cygnus

Well ozzie, your question was not what got us DF'd or forced us out or why we left, but rather what KEEPS US FROM GOING BACK.

To answer THAT question, it is because I don't care about "the truth" or religious truth at all for that matter. I am pretty sick of arguing my positions on things because there are always intelligent people on the other side of the issue that can argue their position so obstinately that it just becomes an exercise in futility.

I am not an opposer of Jehovah's Witnesses. In fact I am a proponent of JWs, especially liberal JWs like Greg Stafford. BTW, I finished reading his first dissertation and 15 people who have responded to this thread might not have left the Witnesses if Greg's ideas were implented into the organization's policies and mindset.

Amazing

Hi Ozzie:

1. Stumbled by the elders' conduct toward you To some extent, and this became very clear as I was making my long and twisted exit.

2. Doubts about doctrines of the WTS Doubts wuold not cause me to stay away. Strong understanding and abundant evidence that they are false is what keeps me out.

3. Doubts about WTS chronology (like 1914, etc) Same as Item 2 ... no doubts about their failed chronology.

4. Just doubts! No.

5. Found something better Freedom of the mind and heart. I wold never again surrender that to any religious system. So as I am evolving through my views of God and Christ, some type of Christian Deist, I could never return to the Watchtower as long as they are rigid, controlling, and abusive.

6. Other (feel free to give details)

Perry

Everyone has given such wondeerful reasons. I wish that I could say that I had some intellectual lightening bolt. Yes, I had my doubts.....all them of a linguistic nature from the literature.

But for me it was simply this:

It was too hostile of an environment for me to function in. I know that might sound silly. But the mechanicalness and lack of creativity would in all liklihood have taken my life. It's really that simple. Otherwise I would have probably stayed and buried my character. I'm ashamed to admit it. But it's the truth.

Mulan

Great post, Perry. Very well said.

Marilyn (aka Mulan)
"No one can take advantage of you, without your permission." Ann Landers

think41self

What keeps me from going back?

#'s 2, 4 & 6.

As for the other, my doubts about the WT's teachings, then doubts about ALL religious teachings, led me to do research on a lot of religions and the bible in particular. Reading "The Age of Reason" by Thomas Paine convinced me that the bible was a book, just that, nothing more.

Of course, the shunning that's been done since by my "loving family" certainly doesn't encourage me to go back. At one point in my life, I may have considered doing it just to keep in touch with them, but now I don"t even want that.

That doesn't mean I disparage others beliefs, and I have had stimulating conversations with current Bible believers. We can agree that to live your life in such a way that you try not to harm others, and give something back to the world, is a good way for us to sum up our current belief systems.

think41self

She had the vocabulary of a brothel owner specializing in service to sailors with Tourette's syndrome

ozziepost

G'day all and thanks for your comments. I found them interesting and I hope they were for others too.

Thanks Cygnus for 'bringing us back to the topic' for I guess that what may have led us out may not be the same as what keeps us out.

My hunch was (and is) that the manner of handling your 'case' only served to validate your decision to leave. Unfortunately we haven't got a sufficiently large sample to make any definite statement. But it's my hunch......

Cheers,
Ozzie

"If our hopes for peace are placed in the hands of imperfect people, they are bound to evaporate."

- Ron Hutchcraft Surviving the Storms of Stress

RR

That would be 2 and 5, I had doubts about the Watchtower theology and eventually found something better in my research.

Ozzie's Weekend Poll

"If our hopes for peace are placed in the hands of imperfect people, they are bound to evaporate."

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