Are you more interested now?

by In_between_days 18 Replies latest jw friends

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  In_between_days

  I may be alone here, but are you more interested in JW docrines, change of docrines, watchtowers, KM's and othe JW publications now that you are an ex member as opposed to when you were a witness?

  I realised this the other day, when I was cleaning out a wardrobe and there was a "Knowledge" book, I got so excited and read the whole thing, looking up scriptures as I went when they were quoted. (This was accompanied by a soundtrack of consistant scoffs, snorts and "WHAT THE HELLS".?")

  My point is, when I WAS a witness (born and raised, totally pushed into it) and attended meetings I could'nt wait to leave, did'nt listen to hardly ANYTHING and regarded the publications as extrememly boring. I would never, ever read a JW book by myself and my parents were constantly trying to get get me interested and attentive, and would be overjoyed if they saw me doing this exact thing.

  Now I do, and show lots of interest, I ask thousands more questions, I research and discuss, and now they are even more unhappy with me.

  Does anyone else find themselves doing far more "Personal study" than they used to?
• 

  SpiderMonkey

  LOL, Inbetween... when I was DF'd, I threw away EVERYTHING. And now I wish I hadn't, for exactly that reason.

  Recently an xjw couple mentioned to me that they still have some old bound volumes in the attic that they keep meaning to throw out, and I actually told them "Don't! Give them to me!" If & when they find those & give them to me, I will have a blast dissecting it & posting whatever juicy contradictions I find...
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  wholewheat

  In_between_days,

  So you were never a witness? People that are worshippers of Jehovah love to study and do research.
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  In_between_days

  Wholeweat
  
  So you were never a witness? People that are worshippers of Jehovah love to study and do research.</P>
  
  My parents were witnesses, and I always felt like I was never allowed to make the choice. ; I attended all the meetings and went witnessing for about the first 18 years of my life, but not because I wanted to. I was never baptised, I didnt want to be until I looked into it properly, I did, and that is why I left.

  I did like to study and research when I was in, but not in reference to JW publications. I always found them very wishy- washy and unrealistic, even as a child. I knew that there were so many questions that could'nt be answered, because if I actually did ask a question at a family bible study, the answer was always completely confusing, and I did'nt understand the reasoning. I kept getting told that the closer I get to Jehovah I will understand and never got proper answers.</P>

  <P>I believe gods words in the bible when he says: "Come to me as babes" meaning that the bible is not meant to be so vastly complicated that it takes years of study to understand something the WT enforces. I believe that if you ask someone why they believe in something e.g - 1914 or 144000, they should be able to show you the answer straight from the bible without any other book. If they cannot back this belief up by the bible simply, and need to pull out a man made book to describe it, that is mans opinions, not gods - simple as that.

  
  <P>Im not sure if you are joking and a ex member wholeweat, or if you are a JW wondering why I posted this - but either one, that is why I did'nt like to research and study when I was a JW.

  peace
• 

  In_between_days

  Wholeweat,

  I see now from some of your posts you are a JW, but did I read that you are inactive? Why?

  Wholeweat, to help you come to my understanding of why I do not believe in Jehovahs Witnesses as god's organisation, it is important to willingly open your mind. This is something I did: I started a fresh mind and looked at JW docrines, the main beliefs they base their org on. The most prevelent of these, I believe is the 1914 beleif and the "annointed" 144000 - these are ones I could'nt quite get my head around.

  What I did, is read the publications by JW's that addressed thes docrines, and look up the scriptures cited that were meant to back them up. I then took a deep breath, and made my mind fresh - I made myself think I was reading the bible for the first time, knew only of god and jesus, and no other religion or it's beleifs.. I then read those scriptures AGAIN and asked myself a very awakening question: "WOULD I HAVE COME TO THIS CONCLUSION MYSELF???"

  Would you have? If not, what has made you think this way?
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  Marilyn

  There is a Knowledge book in my drawer but I've never been tempted to read it. But yes i do spend more time reading exjw stuff than I ever did reading dub stuff when I was in. I can't read their stuff now - it's mindless, manipulative drivel. Maybe that's why I never read it much when I was in.

  Good point though. I think I'm just a good exjw because I'm angry at being disfed for doing nothing!
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  LDH

  People that are worshippers of Jehovah love to study and do research

  Let's be more precise....

  People that are worshippers of Jehovah love to study and do research in WATCHTOWER approved publications.

  Like the Watchtower study, a self-proclaimed "Question and Answer" session. Where they provide the question, and the answer, and then encourage you to 'answer in your own words.' LOL, in other words, "Tell me what I just told you, but change the sentence structure."

  Or how about that award winning book, CREATION. Where it has been proven that they LIED and CHANGED WORDS while quoting known scientists.

  Or how about all of their scholarly articles, written by "Anonymous" or "Awake Correspondent in India."

  Yes, there is a lot to be learned while researching the deep things of Jehovah Jaracz and company.

  Lisa
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  Windchaser

  NO, I am not more interested now. I know, I know, I should really want to keep all my jw literature and read it daily, but I don't. I've thrown away most of it, with no regret.

  I tried reading it through these past few years since I walked away, but it sickens me. Frankly, I've only read stuff from the wt since I came here...and only if I could have a great big laugh over it.

  I know that there are absolute scholars who come here and really like digging into this stuff, but it ain't me, babe. I would rather go for a long walk outside and get my spiritual strength there.

  Edited by - Windchaser on 2 July 2002 2:24:20
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  LyinEyes

  Yeah, I am more interested. I have alot of new books on alot of different religions and many different Bible translations. I still have alot of my old books too. I have thrown out all of the magazines.

  I was cleaning my kids room today, and ran across the old pink book, the great teacher book. I just couldnt throw it away. I have to say that book meant alot to me as a child. It made me love Jesus. It gave me the feeling that someone cared for me when things were going bad at home, about the time I was 7 or 8 . My dad always seemed like a different person when he studied this book with me, he was calm and it was nice to have him show a loving interest in me. Studing that book , several times, brings back some good memories I had . Even though my Dad is not what I thought he was, and has not had much to do with me since I was 18, I will always cherish the times we studied that book together. I guess it is hard to explain, why I feel that throwing that book away would be wrong for me. I dont think it has anything to do with JW teachings that are in the book, but just a favorite childhood book , an old ragged book you keep just because it was a part of you at one time . I even have my old pink song book ,,, it was my mom's and has her name signed in it. I could never throw away something that she wrote in, it is like I still have a little part of her still here. I can open the song book and see her handwriting and remember how we would stand together and sing those songs. It is not the message in the songs, or the jw teachings I am remembering fondly, it is just some precious few moments of feeling loved by my parents. I think that is why I stayed a witness for as long as I did, it gave me the only thing I had left after losing my family. It had always been there for me and was a security blanket. But there came a time a year ago, I had to leave it behind , or I would be forever stuck , stuck in the past, stuck in the untruths.

  For everything you win, there's something lost.

  Or you could say for everything you loose, there is something gained.
• 

  bj

  So you were never a witness? People that are worshippers of Jehovah love to study and do research.

  Wholeweat, please read the OKM march 1994, p. 1, second article, par . 2 and you have an WBTS official answer how much JW love to study and do research. It says only a quater prepare for the meeting. Stop being a jerk and open your eyes.