Ditto Flower! I was actually looking for j.w. sites when I started reading *apostate* material!!! The more I read, the more I had to read, I couldn't stop! I mean, I would stay up till 2 and 3 a.m. reading info. Then I read c.o.c. Then I started reading In search of Christian Freedom and couldn't read anymore! I think I'm still going through the shock of learning the real *truth*. I'm so glad to be out and actually be free of the guilt. I just wish I could get my family out!
How many found the REAL truth from the internet?
by Leander 61 Replies latest jw friends
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Reborn2002
Addressing YouKnow aka Robert King is an absolute waste of time.
When confronted and trumped by obvious presentation of information which exposes the WTBTS for the false prophet and murderer it is, he either conveniently vanishes or goes off on some raving tangent which has absolutely nothing to do with the issues at hand.
His presence here is a contradiction and a demonstration of blatant hypocrisy in that the WTS makes its mandate very clear that any JW "in good standing" should under no uncertain terms associate with known DF, DA, or so-called "Apostates" yet he does so anyway, and on an almost daily basis.
He expressed irrational thinking time and again in that he states in his posts thoughts and beliefs which obviously contradict WTS Society current doctrine and philosophy, yet he defends them to no end and claims he is a active, loyal JW.
He comes to this board for the attention. Nothing more. He gets his rocks off in thinking that he is superior to others or in that he can debate with someone and win an argument, when in reality it is obvious to the majority of this board that he makes himself out to be a joke everytime he opens his mouth.
The same can be said for others who post here then irrationally defend their beliefs with no evidence or proof.
VioletAnai, MavMan, and Yadirf come to mind.
With any website or community, you have people that are either not welcome or not logical in that they contradict themselves profusely. Our dear friend Robert here fits that bill perfectly.
Can he stay away from this "Apostate" board? Obviously not. While he may fade away temporarily he always make a grand re-entrance denouncing what someone else says or spewing his ludicrous philosophies or predictions. Anyone who does their own research into the Archives of this discussion board can determine that fact for themselves.
Undoubtedly he will respond to this with some flaming insult or denouncement directed towards me. Do I care? Definitely not. Any opinion coming from a raving lunatic should be regarded with about as much weight as no opinion at all.
Then again, YK does serve a purpose here. When he vigorously defends the WTS and then rants with insane ideas and evasive tactics when confronted with the REAL truth, he exposes himself and the religion to any "lurkers" who visit here in doubt of their own conviction.
Kudos to you You Know! I propose a toast to all the anonymous individuals you have aided in either NEVER becoming Jehovah's Witnesses, or exiting the cult as quickly as possible.
It is not religious persecution for an informed person to expose publicly a certain religion as being false, thus allowing persons to see the difference between false religion and true religion.
WT 11/15/1963 page 688 paragraph 3 -
Gozz
Leander,
I think we have some bits in common. About two years ago, having full access to the iNet at work, I was experimenting with search engines. Then I typed 'Jehovah', and 'Jehovah's Witnesses'; my life hasn't been the same since then. The first site I hit was a site critical of Jehovah's Witnesses (I don't presently remember the name). There were many of them, and I remember getting upset and logging off - I knew I was doing something wrong. That day, I couldn't attend the meeting: how would I shake hands with the brothers and look them in the face: I was defiled. But I was hooked. I didn't visit those demonic sites again, but found the generally mild Witnesses.net site. Ha! Was the site good? There was a bunch there; I lurked for months. I was impressed that all the posters were active witnesses; or so I thought. I would print spiritually upbuilding discussions and share with a trusted friend...
That was before my world started to fall apart. Two things: there was a lady at the site; very outspoken. I felt she was irreverent; she would criticize establiched positions as taught by the Society; and she was still attending meetings. Quite a number at the site knew her; her screen name was her real name. Her real name was Lisa Davies... Then enter a man called Friend (who knows Friend? Where is Friend?) and his discussion entitled "Question About Blood" (or something to that effect). It was a long discussion. A man with the handle Bobcarl tried to derail the thread. Friend was convinced of his position. And so the thread ran into hundreds of pages (I still have a copy saved on Word; about 144 pages of discussion in small characters). The thread lasted for months. Someone was saying things about a question I'd been asking the elder brother who studied with me just three years before; and he was saying it articulately.
What was spectacular about Friend was that he wrote like someone from the Society; so that as you read his comments, it sounded like Watchtower material. It was then that I began to see that it was humans writing the material we read on Sundays. My conductor had convinced me that the writers, memebers of the Governing Body did everything they did under Holy Spirit influence. And here was Friend, writing like them and knocking off their arguments. Friend's thread ended with a whimper; the foundations of my faith was shaken; and I
continued my reading of things on the iNet...Today I still attend meetings; I'm planning my exit. I still do some bits; give talks, refuse some... Weeks ago a friend started a rumour about me being an apostate. Some prominent elders came to my defence. The rumour's almost dead; a battle won...When I do what I have to do, they will disfellowship me. That's inevitable. I know my days within the Watchtower are numbered... The Internet has been good.
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cyrano
I can say the internet did it for me. I had started to drift away after the 1914 generation change and started to do my own research over the internet. Needless to say, I was totally shocked at discovering the 'real truth' about the so called 'truth'.
I found a new sense of freedom then but I was mad as hell at the Borg for years of deception. Perhaps, one positive thing that came out of all this, I look at everything now with a healthy skepticism (EVERYTHING).
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WildHorses
I as a few others here had my doubts from the beginning. The internet comfirmed those doubts. Had I followed my intuition in the first place, I would have never became a JW. We have doubts for a reason.
Lilacs
I don't want someone in my life I can live with. I want someone in my life I can't live without.
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Seeker4
The Internet was incredibly important in my actually deciding to leave the JWs. I'd had doubts and concerns for some time, but was willing to give them the benefit of time to see how things worked out.
I remember going to the library and typing in "Jehovah's Witnesses" in the search engines time and again. The most important thing I discovered was that there were LOTS of former JWs out there who had the same doubts and concerns that I did. I wasn't just being too critical, all those things I was struggling with about the WTS didn't make sense to a lot of people. I would read some of those writings and have to keep myself from shouting "YES!!" because I knew the things I was reading on apostate sites were just absolutely true.
And instead of the bitterness and lies I'd been told by the WTS to expect from ex-JWs, I found that their experiences resonated totally with my own. These were folks like myself, heartsick over learning the truth about "the truth." I'd come home physically red-faced due to the emotions I was going through as I read this info and knew it was accurate.
DocBob, Alan F., and Randy were especially important to me. And the opportunity to compare real science with the scientific claims of the WTS.
I've said it before many times: I feel that the WTS and JWs began to collapse in 1995 for two reasons - the change in the Generation teaching, and the beginning of the widespread availability of the Internet. The WTS has good reason to be scared to death of the Internet - it is a key factor in the WTS's demise! And the Net and the info on it are simply becoming more powerful everyday.
S4
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ShaunaC
I started my search on the internet about 1 1/2 years after I had left the Org. But I wasn't searching for "Apostate" sites. At the time I was suffering from severe depression. Over a period of a few months I would go into hysterical crying fits. These episodes were starting to become more frequent. No matter how much I tried to explain my feelings to my boyfriend, Nick, he simply just couldn't understand. Really I couldn't understand what I was even feeling myself.
So I went to Borders Books to find some psych help for my depression. I wanted to find something or someone with knowledge of JW's. No luck! So later that day I began a search on the net. While searching for ex-JW therapists I found links to the old H20 and Freeminds. Those sites and the people on them became my therapists without me ever even speaking a word.
On those sites I found out for the first time about Ray Franz and immediately ordered both of his books. I was completely engrossed in reading them, as well as being on the websites everyday. I don't much believe in the Bible anymore but it is right about one thing...The truth shall set you free! The REAL TRUTH that is.
At the time a fellow ex-JW friend of mine couldn't seem to really understand my fuss over the internet. But 2 years later after reaching her point of depression from the JW aftermath, she too is finding comfort and understanding on this site.
I am very thankful for all of those like Randy, Simon, Kent and the countless others who spend so much of their time helping other fellow JW's and ex-JW's through these websites. I don't know where I would be emotionally at this point without all of you. THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
And thanks to all who post. I've continued to learn and grow as a human being because of all of your research, kind words and love.
ALL HAIL THE INTERNET!!!!
Shauna
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lv4fer
I am so thankful to these sites! I already had my doubts but they really helped me to know beyond a shadow of a doubt the TRUTH about the truth.
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Trotafox
Yep. Internet did it for me. I bought a new computer and was finally able to get the Internet at home. I was playing around late one night and typed in "Jehovah's Witnesses" in www.mamma.com and whoa. I ranted and raved for 4 days. Here I was killing myself for 11 long years trying to keep up with everything, feeling guilty when I couldn't, and beating myself up for not "measuring up". I was s-o-o-o- a-n-g-r-r-r-ry (still am but I'll get over it). I quickly followed up with Library research, book stores, and read Crises of Conscience and In Search of Christian Freedom books. If only 10% of what I found out was true, it was enough to leave that organization. AND I DID. Nobody lies to me and treats me like a sucker for very long!
"Wicked men obey from fear; good men, from love".... Aristotle. You can love and obey Christ without intervention from an organization.
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DanTheMan
this topic is a few days old, so nobody is going to see my post, but I just have to respond. Leander, you said:
Logging on to Yahoo and typing in Jehovah was the best decision I made within the last few years.
May I say, AMEN, HALLELUJAH, WOOHOO, SPOT ON, and every other superlative that has ever been spoken. I typed "ex-jw" on Google, that was what got me started. At first I was scared shitless, but the more I read, the more I wanted to cry and jump for joy at the same time. Peace!