Couple questions....like if JW's not the right way then what is?

by world 57 Replies latest jw friends

  • DATA-DOG
    DATA-DOG

    Welcome! You know, back in the day you could get a great hamburger at a local Diner. Then you could visit another town and have a great burger at their diner. People had their own methods of preparing a juicy hamburger. They were all good, just different.

    Then came they guys who invented the formula for fast food. Two such men are the McDonalds Brothers. They had a vision. Anytime a customer ate at their burger joint, he would have THE SAME experience. Go to the McDonalds in California and get a burger, then that same week you fly to Florida and go to McDonalds. Guess what?! It all tastes the same! The customer feels secure, knowing that no matter where his travels take him, he can count on a BigMac tasting like a Bigmac. Gone are the days of experimentation at the local diners.

    So, is there one true hamburger?? Does conformity make McDonalds the one true burger joint?! What about all the health issue associated with regularly eating from their menu? Wouldn't you be better off making your own burger with decent ingredients?

    DD

  • millie210
    millie210

    Wekome BeFree!

    There are a lot of smart people here that will patiently answer your questions and reason with you kindly.

    At least that has been my experience.

    Draw up a chair and read the threads that interest you. Or start your own if you like!

  • Hortensia
    Hortensia

    Hi, and welcome to JWN!

    1. if jw isn't the right religion, then which one is? Or is it basically believe in God, the bible and you'll be fine?

    Is it possible that no religion is "right?" That they all reflects the beliefs, fears and ambitions of the people who created the religions? I find it very compelling that people tend to believe the religion they were born in is the true religion. So if you had been born to a Buddhist family, you'd believe that Buddhism is right. They can't all be right, and when you look at the doctrines and practices, it becomes clear that none of them are right.

    2. i can't find any other religion who has broken thru all the racial barriers and teach the same stuff worldwide....In all honesty I do trust "most" jw if I were to stay at their house or vice versa.

    You may not have experienced or observed racism in the wtbts; that doesn't mean it isn't there. The congregation I grew up in was racially mixed and we weren't raised to think that people of different skin colors or ethnic backgrounds were in any way inferior. That didn't keep the congregations in La Jolla from feeling superior to us, because of our mixed race congregation and general poverty.

    3. If some of you don't believe in the organization, why attack it or stand outside assemblies etc trying to spread the word of being against them, what benefit is this?

    Well, I don't personally see much benefit to standing outside the assemblies trying with signs. I remember as a kid how we were told they were apostates, and they had some name for apostates that I've forgotten, evil something class. However, I totally understand people who are driven to speak out against the wtbts, and who want to demonstrate against it.

    4. I have read and seen throughout history that they could have wrong teachings and that yes they have been wrong in the past about some things, jw normally say well we changed and the light got brighter.

    Well, it's illogical bullshit. How could something be completely true at one time, and then later something diametrically opposite now be true, when they've always claimed that they have the definitive truth. "The light is getting brighter," is a thought-stopping sentence that keeps them from questioning anything.

    Best thing is to keep researching, asking questions, looking for different ideas and testing them against what you know and what you learn. But don't speak up too much until you are really ready, because they can make life hard for you if you want to keep friends and family from shunning you.

  • JWdaughter
    JWdaughter

    Welcome. As to what is right and wrong. If you trust in God and recognize that the WTS is corrupted as much as any other organization, then I would suggest you fade into inactivity and separate your inner self from the org. I recognize that with family that it is not that simple, but hear me out.

    If you were in a pig pen, filthy, would you need to decide what to wear before you showered off the manure and mud and slop from yourself? Do you not rather think you'd be better off for a bit clothed in nothing more than a clean dry towel (or NOTHING) than to have the manure dripping in your eyes, nose, mouth and ears?

    Get out of the muck and then rethink. You don't need a corrupt organization to worship God. Or even a good one. First remove yourself fromwhat you know is wrong and then you will have a better view of what is right.

    It is better to be free of the org completely before you make some commitment to another church or religion. Then it becomes (to everyone) as if you were seduced away by the "Baptists, Muslims, Jews", but what is worse is that you will second guess yourself and end up (likely) church/faith hopping while you question yourself and your own motivations. Definitely you will go to others, but don't commit yourself. Don't be trapped by the idea that it is all or nothing. If you are going to have faith in God, develop it independent of group think or peer pressure. You don't have to be RIGHT about what you think all the time. If you actually put your confidence in God as a merciful creator, then you don't need to be proving theological points all the time. Your church doctrine is a little bit important,but the spirit of the place is what shows who they are and what they believe.

    Get to know the Jesus of the Bible and other works that offer insight. If you want to be like him and you want to be with people like him, don't worry if they are perfect, see if they are trying to actually emulate him, not that they are interpreting him all the time. What he said and did is clear and filled with love. Find people that want to spread that kind of stuff around-not people who are really busy proving theat their doctrinal stance is better than anyone elses.

    I think that people who really serve God or who love Jesus have no resemblance to JWs-who claim that charity is wasted time and effort. Passing out literature and giving canned speaches is NOT what early christianity was about.

    I am a Muslim and I saw christians who were after Gods' heart. A couple of them are JWs. Most were not. Some don't go to church or even claim to be Christians. There are people who truly are after the heart of God and they are not doing so because they are in an organization.

    You could just be a really nice agnostic until you figure out what you actually believe vs what you were told to believe all these years.

    All the best to you and yours.

    I have a question for an actual JW. Are you allowed to drink or eat the seasonal offerings at Starbucks? You know the chestnut and peppermint and cranberry stuff? Or is their very consumption pushing some border of JW behavior? Would ordering a peppermint latte and cranberry bliss bar get you any spiritual counseling or just high blood sugars? My starbucks email keeps going on about the 12 days of coffee so it made me wonder. . .

  • sowhatnow
    sowhatnow

    personally i believe that all organized religion is in opposition to God, because men organize it, and its contrary to a spiritual kingdom.

    it is a means of controlling the people. and it does a dandy job at that.

    it produces a prejudice, right off the bat, and divides man, it is in actuality to me, a device of satans, so instead of leading us to Christ, takes attention away from his Gift to us, and makes everyone argue and divides families. all religion then would be considered apostacy.

    the bible says, to man it does not belong to even direct his own step. so what steps has man taken?

    steps to form his own belief system, and force or convince others to accept it. ending up in much bloodshed.

    the kingdom is IN us when we let is be. and we all can find it, becasue its not too far away.

    So, what we do is show love for our fellow man and love God. pretty simple. if you love someone you will not hurt them, period.

    the research that i have done, shows the bible to be highly debatable, will remain so for many more decades at least.

  • apostrate
    apostrate

    JWdaughter,

    Your last paragraph brought back an old memory. Back in the 70's a "brother" that I worked with would get angry and refuse the Christmas cookies that some of the ladies in the office would bring by. However, another "brother" who worked there would gladly accept the Christmas cookies. But, before he would eat the cookies he would scrape the ornamental icing off of them. Uum-good!

    This really ticked off "brother" #1. I don't know if the humor comes across in print, but to see it in person was hilarious!!!

  • Vidiot
    Vidiot

    world - "If I bring up a question to an elder they auto think I'm against it, why is this?"

    Fear.

  • stillajwexelder
    stillajwexelder

    Scully said "The best belief system will teach you how to think, rather than what to think."

    IMHO - perfectly and succintly stated.

  • Crazyguy
    Crazyguy

    The key thing all you new ones have to understand is that if you believe in the bible then Salvation is through Jesus and belief that he is the messiah. This is what the good news is, galatians 1:6-8, 1 john chapter 5. There are over 30 scriptures stating to be witnesses of Jesus. But even more important is that Paul in 1 Corinthians stated that it didn't matter who was teaching you and or what sect one was in that the righteous ones would come out of these sects. He also said these leaders or teachers are nothing at all. So what he was saying is its all about Jesus and his father and nothing todo with which religious sect of christianity one was from. Any church or organization that was claiming god's favor and damning others is exalting itself and judging others, is automatically disqualified for they do not do what christ said, for he said do not exalt and do not judge. The JW's do not follow the teachings of Christ in at least 6 things he mentions. Read 1 corinthians chapter 1-3-and 11

  • Hortensia
    Hortensia

    BeFree, welcome! And hang in there, things become more clear as you investigate them. Leaving the wtbts was the best thing I ever did.

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