"The Devil is at Work!"

HeyThere

I consider myself a christian. I was raised by the bible. But not JW. Seriously did not even think that JW was that much different...but now I know better and it has my mind spinning. I just can't do it. I can't fake it for long. I have stopped answering questions, say my own prayers to God at the meetings, and plastr on a fake smile. I play games with the WT wording, listen carefully to the Elders speaking for wordplay, etc. And it makes me sad, because so many good people are caught up in this crap. Including my husband, a raised dub. He was inactive when we met and married several years ago...now active and I was active enough to become a un-baptized publisher but I will not be taking it any further. And he knows that.

So, getting to the reason why I titled this thread what I titled it...a few days ago my husband and I got into a JW Teachings vs. the bible debate. I also told him about what church is like, all the missions trips I went on as a child and the wonderful memories that I have from the help I was able to give and the friends I made. I told him I have a relationship with God. I also read him the different versdions of Matthew 24 and the "faithful and discreet slave..." vs. other versions "the faithful and wise servant..." and others where a word or two is changed to make the verse completely different in meaning and that I just can't get with that! And all the blown dates, child abuse, lives lost to organ and blodd issues, disfellowshipping people when they need support the most...It went on for a long time, and I was looking stuff up and giving him answers, even read crazy stuff from the jw.org site itself. We weren't fighting, just debating, nothing bad. We ended it, went out to lunch and spent some time together just running around. Then I had to go meet a friend. When I came home he tells me he talked to his mom about my "doubts" and told her "The Devil is at work!"

I had absolutely nothing to say to that. Because I was too sad, mad, disappointed...just not worth it. I m not mad at him, but mad at this so-called religion that takes advantage of people.

The next day he said something along the lines of me not believing in the bible...and I told him straight up, I believe the bible, just not what the WT publishes as bible truth. Then he went on to say that he can't believe I picked this time, when I am facing major surgery, to have these questions about the borg. I explain, I am fine in my relationship with God. I don't need a JW publication for my relationship with God. ANd JW will not be in control of my medical treatment.

So at this point, I hope he does mention my "apostate thinking" to the elders so he can see what will happen. I hope they come in and see I don't have a "No Blood" bracelet on my wrist. He honestly doesn't believe they would be negative to me in any way.

I am not worried that he will completely turn on me. His brother is disfellowshipped and he is always talking to him and visiting him. So I know there are some things he doesn't follow when it comes to expectations with family. Oh, his mom didnt speak negative about me, either. She told him some people just have to go at their own pace.

Can anyone help me with specific WT material that could help me gently show him TTATT considering he was raised in the borg? I want as much crazy WT stuff I can to show him so he cant excuse it as "an apoostate's word." I want to ease him into knowing that all other religion does not come from satan's system and just because you don't agree with a JW pub doesn't mean you don't believe in God...

compound complex

Welcome, HeyThere!

Wishing you well regarding your medical issues.

Give the situation you describe time and patience. Sometimes a simple question is enough to get another thinking. Remember:

"A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." Benjamin Franklin

What matters is that you two can talk. Keep those lines of communication open.

Best regards.

CoCo

westiebilly11

undoubtedly the devil is at work......the only question is..on which side of a kingdom hall door?....

Podobear

HeyThere: Hi!

Maybe those of us that have been Out of the WT a little longer can see a huge "turn around" in Major doctrine over the past 30 years.

Has your partner ever considered, that much of the Doctrine of Today, was the "Apostasy" of 30+ years ago? So, who are the Apostates? Those that stand up for what they believe what is right and true, according to the Scriptures... or those that blindly follow the "Teachings of Men", and fall into the "Pit" with them?

For me, I simply found myself spending over 100 hours a month... insisting this was the "Truth" only to find the rug pulled under me, as "New Light" altered well established Doctrine.

We have here a Religion, that encourages folk to "Read the Bible Daily"... then, chokes them out when they start to reason for themselves and form a relationship of their own with God.

The issue that started the Ball rolling for me, was an article on Cannibalism, shortly after an airplance crashed in the Andes in Peru. At first, I thought..."wow" what sound reasoning.... No Biblical edict to sanction a person if they chose to Eat The Flesh of those that were Dead.... then I thought, well if they can reason that way over such gut wrenching choice... what about the difference, eating blood for food... against the use of blood in Medicine, for the Saving of Life? Shortly after that article, I found myself in field service, consoling a Surgeon from Nicaragua, in tears because he let a 16 year old... a few days beyond the age of Majority... die, when he felt he could have saved her. Though, I shook his hand and attempted to console him... I walked away with my head and guts in turmoil... thinking, there is something really not right here...

You, are responsible before God, for your own Conscience ... go with it... and be at Peace.

Best wishes.

carla

Please make sure your doctor has in writing that you will accept blood. Have a non jw friend or family member there to make sure you get blood if needed. Do not rely on your jw husband to allow blood. You can find forms or even write your own giving someone else medical power of attorney and get in notarized. Carry a copy on your person (wallet), make sure doctor office and hospital have a copy and give copies to friends and family so everybody knows you will accept blood. I repeat, do not rely on jw husband to keep you alive. Sad but true.

Zoos

HeyThere, as I was reading your post I thought of the experience provided in this thread by Don Cameron, author of Captives of a Concept - highly recommended reading for you.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/229474/1/Applying-Chapter-21-e2809cCaptives-of-a-Concepte2809d#.U1Jlq_ldXdd

Sounds like you're very fortunate in that your husband and in-laws don't appear to be hard-core against what you are saying, taking more of a Christian-esque approach to your difference in understanding. Use that card wisely. It is unique. May I suggest you get Don's book and try the method used by the guy in this experience.

And best wishes on your surgery.

KateWild

Can anyone help me with specific WT material that could help me gently show him TTATT considering he was raised in the borg?-Hey There

The May 15th 1984 Wt is a classic mag that many use to show WT make unrealistic predictions. It talks about a generation of people that will not pass away before Armageddon comes. Most of this generation of people are dead now, but WT has changed their teaching to an overlapping generation.

Kate xx

KateWild

You can show hubby the mag from google images. There are plenty more WT examples on jwfact.com but your hubby will not want to go on that website.

Sometimes spouses just have to live with the fact one is in the BOrg and one is out. There are many here who live happily like this.

Kate xx

Ultimate Axiom

HeyThere, you face a difficult task, because even when you point out some perfectly good advice in a WT publication, a JW will find it almost impossible to apply it to the FDS. e.g “when exposed to unscriptural teachings, regardless of the source, we must decisively reject them.” (Watchtower, July 15, 2014, page 14). “Of course, it is easy to say that this group acts as a ‘prophet’ of God. It is another thing to prove it. The only way that this can be done is to review the record. What does it show?” (Watchtower, April 1, 1972, page 197).

And this Awake! paragraph is absolutely correct - “there have been those in times past who predicted an “end to the world,” even announcing a specific date. Yet, nothing happened. The “end” did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying.” (Awake! October 8, 1968, page 23).

And as all fulfilment of the 1914 generation prophecy has now passed, a quote from one of Rutherford’s books fits perfectly, “If these prophesies have not been fulfilled, and if all possibility of fulfilment is past, then these prophets are proven false”. (Prophecy, 1929, page 22).

But as Kate said, JWfacts.com has got loads of this sort of material.

Oubliette

HeyThere: Can anyone help me with specific WT material that could help me gently show him TTATT considering he was raised in the borg?

Here are two excellent resources:

jwfacts.com
Watchtower Society Quotes - A collection of quotes from literature published by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society

"The Devil is at Work!"

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