I received this original email from [email protected] in regards to post I had made on the JW Discussion forum on www.beliefnet.org
hello mpatrick , ya know alot of the things that you quote i question are still in the truth , i am sorry if i affend you. im 26 from new jersey and where are the true witnesses . i fell away for about seven years i was an unbaptized pubisher born in the truth that had gotten stumbled by some fellow christians but i was youn g but still loved jehovah some how i was swiped up by the world and now im back trying to work my way to baptizm i know that this is the truth ive seen how jehovah can operate and i hope you still have that same zeal and love when you were baptized.
My response was:
Thank you for your concern, but I choose to see the world beyond the Watchtower walls. I see corruption and dishonesty within their walls and I choose to be no part of an Organization that claims to be God's sole channel, yet lies, false prophesies and misinterprets the scriptures. I choose to follow God rather than man and I have never been able to find a single scripture that speaks of an "organization" that God dwells within. God gives us freewill to choose, and I choose to believe in the holy spirit that he pores out to me. If you are happy with following the JWs manmade religion, please do so. I have no intention of forcing my views upon others, just to tell the truth about the Organization and let ones make their own personal choice. Good day.
Here was the loving response I received back:
oh yeh i figured you were an apostate. ya know whether this matters to you or not yeh there are elders, family members and other baptized christians who have stumbled me many times, and i left the truth for years because of it. ya know if you spent more time reading the bible and developeing more of your own relationship with jehovah and more of an updated version on jesus , you would change your mind , i cry when i see people who were forced to be baptized because they never get an understanding of what jehovah is really about. im not gonna give you that everyday witness excuse that people arent perfect because these hypocrites that you speak of know what they should be doing and arent , and believe me i have stories. my father is a ministerial servant who drinks hard doesnt live up to family responsibilities. but ya know what i had gotten so far out in the world that i almost died and it took a while for me to feel like jehovah was hearing me but ya know after a while it took a long while but im getting better now. and i as an adult now have a better understanding of what he wants from me . it says nowhere in the bible that the elders have to know all our bizz and this and that . but you do know what is right and you know that it's not right to be defacing jehovah and his people , it will be worse for you, you know i had to stop being a baby and crying this brother did this and did that . but you know discourageing other people from the true knowledge of jehovah is god. even worldly people know what his name is , i am totally upset by this , and ya know when i was 16 i was ready for baptizm really they told me no, that hindered me along with other things but i am an adult now and i went straight to jehovah about these things. you know that you shouldnt be doing this . seems like the truth was never able to reach your heart. i cant read hearts but jehovah does. be like jesus , suck it up , be bold and humble for jehovah , you will make him happy who cares about everyone else. i still go well now and there are still the same people who give me cocky looks , gossip and no we are not perfect but while your sitting home not taking in the accurate knowledge those hypocrites are still getting the vital info to change. pray to jehovah dont let anyone hinder you , i live with one and if i give up and let him hinder me , i will end up loseing my life. you are not the only angry person , pray about these unjust things look how jesus was prosecuted , who are we not to undergo prosecution by our own brothers and sisters. we are mere dust. it is to close to the end for you to turn this way . why lose someone who could be a fine brother and fine example.stay updated on the info. the info is vital..im sorry for you that you use this way , you are not spiteing anyone but yourself .. im doing it all alone, and i dont feel like i have much support but i am seeking it, and i am attending meetings , and i pray pray pray, and read read read. the bible from beginning to end is vital.