This is more of an introductory post discussing my views and background than anything else, really.
I was, unfortunately, born into this religion. My mom was, and still is, a pioneer (or as some call it: "piousneer"), and my father is an elder. Admittedly, up until a few months up to a year back, I was indeed a zealous "servant of Jehovah". I always had my doubts and problems, but I still believed this was "the Truth". I gradually came to the point of realizing that this religion is a sham and is full of lies, and this is thanks to me realizing all the illogical contradictions found in the Watchtowers and general beliefs in this religion.
One that spoke out to me was what Jehovah's Witnesses used as "evidence" against evolution and "evidence" that supported creation. They claimed that since the chances of someone rearranging lettered blocks into the alphabet while blindfolded is extremely unlikely. They used this comparison in relations to the chances that the Universe blindly organized itself into the form it is today. They use this as reason to prove that evolution didn't happen. What? How could you use the slim chances of something happening as reason for claiming it didn't happen? People get struck by lightning, people die in airplane accidents, but the chances of these events happening are slim. Does that mean that these things couldn't possibly have happened because the chances are slim? No. Unless you use the same logic as Jehovah's Witnesses use. This untied me from the chains as described in Socrates' (or Plato's) "Allegory of the Cave". As I found more and more contradictions and illogical reasoning, I eventually have gotten free of the chains and found the true source of "truth" and that this religion isn't the "truth". I believe I am still in the cave itself, but coming out into the outside, since I generally have come free by myself with generally no one else's intervention, and am rather lost in terms of where to go and what to do.
I was baptized at a young age because I fancied a girl who was baptized shortly before I decided to get baptized. Sure, I did believe this was true. I was zealous. But I wasn't zealous so much in my mind as I was in my actions. I would always help out at the meetings, be it carry microphones or pass around Our Kingdom Ministries and generally made myself look like an exemplary young Witness, but I never actually enjoyed going to the meetings or conventions. My mother was strict, as many JWs are, and so my social abilities were not well developed, and it is one of the things that I truly hate and am ungrateful for. I can make friends, yes, but I always do something I didn't realize and lose them. I can barely talk to girls because I was held back by my parents because of the stupid rules against dating imposed by the organization. Because of this, my hold onto the "world" isn't firm, so I can't just leave the organization now. I need to be able to still have a life after I leave, because I know my family and friends will abandon me. I'm still young and haven't quite finished school, so I have hope that I can soon develope those abilities.
My online research about Jehovah's Witnesses started last Thursday, I believe, as it may as well have been Friday, and it led me to this and many other websites. My view on the organization deteriorated a lot more than it was before. I hadn't looked online about JWs before because JWs were essentially said to refrain from doing so, and made it sound as if there would be radical claims about JW such as perhaps making JWs look like cannibals. I was mistaken.
Through the months thinking about Jehovah's Witnesses, I've generally come to this conclusions.
- The organization WAS NOT made to be an organization for making money. This was evident as it doesn't quite seem as though the Governing Body actually used the money donated to them for themselves, otherwise Anthony Morris III would fix his ridiculous haircut, as seen during his contrevorsial "tight pants" talk. Has anyone seen the hair behind his head? It's horrifying.
- The purpose of the organization is otherwise unknown to me. It doesn't make sense that a group of people would go through all the trouble of printing out all these magazines and literature in hundreds of languages around the world for personal reasons. There are better ways to do that. So I do think that the Governing Body actually believes what they are preaching.
- I don't think the Bible is "inspired". This is because JWs claim that since the Bible has links to accepted and proven history and science, and since it has practical solutions to problems that work, then it HAS to be true and HAS to have been inspired by God. Charlotte's Web also has things that resemble the real world, besides the talking animals, but it certainly doesn't mean it's true. Another thing that shows to me that the Bible isn't "inspired" is Noah's Flood. I'll just let you all reflect on the fact that the Bible claims there was once a flood that completely covered the Earth's surface.
- Jehovah's Witnesses who genuinely believe in the "truth" have at least slight mental disorders. Just go to a meeting and observe those who attend, ignore those who appear to be not "into it".
- Many more I can't think of right now.
Please tell me about your thoughts and feelings, I'm a very open minded guy and reflect on criticisms.