What Convinced you to Leave?

by LaurenM 28 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Marvin Shilmer

  1. I tired of the hypocrisy.

  2. I tired of having questions that top leadership refused to answer.

  3. I tired of watching people die over Watchtower's insane blood taboo.

  4. I tired of working myself nearly to death for an organization that refused to answer essential questions.

  5. What finally got me is a more precise version of number 3. I tired of being in the room with grieving parents whose child just died after the parents had faithfully abided by Watchtower's blood doctrine.

  In my view Watchtower's top leadership is filled with murderers.
• 

  Village Idiot

  What convinced me? Their self worship. It oozes out of every pore in their body.
• 

  Introvert 2

  Lauren, you might want to check out this guy's material here :

  http://www.churchofgodandchrist.com/

  His name is Arne and he's based out of Norway and was a Lutheran, studied with the JW's and the Adventists then learnt to translate Greek on his own. He's been at it 25 years now and does this simply because it's right, wants no praise and think he's now able to subsist off his publications alone. I've been reading some of his material and ordered a couple of commentaries, they are logical and plainspoken in laymen's terms. Easy to read and understand. In my case most of my beliefs are still intact and are Kingdom based but not dependent on any particular organization. It's been mentioned on this site that the JW religion is a 10-15 deal and I agree with this as I started with near zero Bible knowledge and am now ready for something better than what is presented by the society.

  And Don Cameron author of the book Captives of a Concept answers very well the question of to whom shall we go to. : Christ Jesus ! As JW's we are conditioned to think we need to belong to a group or an organization, it's not so !

  Some others I like are :

  http://www.reasoningwithjehovahswitnesses.com/

  http://www.perimeno.ca/

  http://meletivivlon.com/

  As for myself I attempted to DA earlier this year but wasn't ready. I went back to meetings a few times, went to the summer assembly and almost had a panic attack listening to the WT drone part and having to look at huge screens with talking heads in my face. The last meeting I went to was a symposium type Sunday talk and one of the brothers was directing our worship to the GB and FDS in his talk. I knew then that I'd had enough and started to look for something better. Getting out isn't the same for everyone and there will be days where we'll awonder if we are making the right decision to leave. Takes time, prayer and research. I actually asked Jehovah to let me see the truth of the matter and one of the points in Don Cameron's book is the need for divine help in many cases.

  Reading Ray Franz's COC and ISOCF was also a big help as were all the Bethelite stories coming out of Freeminds and Brock Talon's Journey to God's house. Look up New Boy's stories as well they are a hoot ! He used to post here a few years back and the links are all there. The power tripping and politics of the organization are mind blowing. I'll be ordering the book Four Presidents of the Watchtower society shortly, and there are many others as well. As is often said you can't make this stuff up !

  Best wishes from the Introvert
• 

  crazyhorse

  LaurenM, its because you're still indoctrinated , that's why you feel its imperative to confess to the elders. Don't make that move. It's dangerous. Rather , focus on your decision, whether to leave or stay in for a while due to family. Psyche yourself up. It's a cult and they won't understand anything contrary to their beliefs. Don't let them guilt-trip you. It's very powerful.

  What convinced me to leave:

  Higher education

  The sole authority the GB had over all witnesses

  The fact that they are not willing to hear disagreements with them

  And many more.

  All the best.
• 

  rebel8

  what convinced you it wasn't the truth

  I always secretly had trouble believing, though I tried and tried. I concealed that even from myself, because I figured something must be wrong with me. I knew there were major flaws in all of their teachings. Major.

  I tried so hard to live as a superfine jw, good association and all that. But it was such a sad existence. I hated field service and the lack of joy in life in general. I hated the fact that education was against the rules. I hated the fact that most of my hobbies were seen as ways to distract me from jehoopla (wholesome things like doing artwork and fundraising walks for charities).
  

  The lack of love was horrific. The people I dealt with (few exceptions) had puny consciences and were huge bullies and manipulators.
  

  We started studying that red Revelation book at the Tuesday book study. It was so bizarre and violent. What kind of sick god executes kittens and babies because they weren't in the right religion?
  

  There were lots of end-times calculations in it. I did the calculations on paper and on a calculator and the numbers didn't add up to what was in the book. I even showed several people and none of them could come up with the "right" answer by adding the numbers. Finally they told me the brothers have secret knowledge and I was wrong for doubting. That made no sense!
  

  and that leaving wasn't a horrible decision that everyone in the truth makes it out to be?

  That took time. I ultimately decided being a jw was such a hugely miserable life that I'd rather die. I looked out for lightning bolts for a long time. Gradually, I realized the lightning wouldn't be coming.

  My advice is to give yourself time and patience. The truth can withstand all scrutiny. It's ok to think. Jehovah gave you a brain. Thinking is not wrong.
  
• 

  Crazyguy

  I was pissed when I found out they took Christ away from me but was maybe thinking if staying as one of the anointed but the final nail in the coffin I couldn't let go of is all the people they murdered because of their blood doctrine. Their pure evil.
• 

  kaik

  For me, the eye opening was the book study Revelation, the Climax is near that we studied 23 years ago. Through the book I started to see the BS of the WT publications, theology, reasoning, and entire system of beliefs. For example there was a passage in the book, where some convention in 1920's corresponding to pouring one of the bowls in the Revelation. I just could not accept it. I had to even go to library to search where this location was on the map. Here, we had organization claiming that some convention, forgotten in time and space, reveals to wounds described in the Bible. After this, I could not reconcile my beliefs and literally stopped attending. Suddenly. I moved away, got new job, and lived a life as anyone else outside the KH.
  
• 

  crazyhorse

  The difficult situation you're in should show you how false the whole organization is. If it's Gods org, you shouldn't feel fearful about leaving. It's cult with deluded systems and wishful thinking.
• 

  smiddy

  LaurenM

  You might want to ask yourself , what organization is so ashamed / embarrassed of their beginnings /early history , that they falsify , hide ,and change it .

  Compare what the original literature they published in the late 1800`s early 1900`s , what they actually printed , to what they now claim they said , in referring to those days .

  Completely different ,they blatantly lie about their past history.

  Traditional Christianity has gone through very little if any changes in 2000 years .

  Jehovah`s Witnesses can`t go more than 2 years without making changes to their doctrines / interpretation of scriptures and flip flops..

  With all due respect don`t be mentally lazy . do the research , your future depends on it.

  smiddy