Dear Rebel,
I'm glad if my posts have helped you - as yours have certainly helped me!
I can fully understand how you might feel pressured into attending an assembly - but that is what your decision would have been based on, 'Pressure'.
What four of my family decided was no big thing compared to Ray Franz, for example. However, I feel the title of Ray's book Crisis of Conscience says it ALL for the majority of us on this fine list. My conscience would NOT allow me to stay within an organisation that purports to be Christian and yet acts contrary to the very name. Holding my two daughters, whether it be by physical force or mind control, is EXACTLY the same thing as far as I am concerned - emotional blackmail!
Pleasing one's family is fine and, for a person under 18 (at least here in England), is something no-one can argue against. However, once one is 18 one is considered an adult and, therefore, one is able to take control of their own life. If parents are loving and reasonable, then more often than not teenagers will hold fast to their example and recommendations - because it is born out of love and respect (I have no idea of your age, I'm just stating what I've experienced).
I respect my daughters because they believe they are putting God first. I'm proud of their stance - but deeply saddened that it is a misguided one.They feel they are holding fast to a righteous conscience - as I do mine. The trouble is, every piece of evidence that one could show them about the WTS is immediately looked on as apostate literature. This is a very clever ploy by the Org., and something one needs to tactfully conquer. This is not easy, as I can testify!
One of the first things my eldest daughter shouted at me that fateful night was: "You've been on the internet!" When reading 'Internet' read 'Satanic Influence' - and yet the society has a web site! This is where logic goes out the window, JWs can't differentiate between a godly rule and a man-made one. To them, whatever comes through the society has emanated from God. I just hope the Watchtower doesn't start advocating kicking apostates to death........................
Rebel, I'm really happy you can see the Org. for what it is. You are truly blessed, because there are 6,000,000 poor souls who can't - or are being held captive by their emotions. The Fear Factor is horrendous - took me three full days to start feeling something like good about myself. Now, I feel terrific. I'm chilling out before I commit myself to another spiritual quest - if I ever do!
What do you others do now you're out? Do you still read the Bible? Do you go to church (I still can't get my head round a Trinity!)?
Personally, I feel the native North American Indian may be nearer the mark with his/her love of the land - that we don't own it, but are its custodians; that we are all brothers and that there is one God or one mighty spiritual force. If Christianity is right, it sure is a difficult path to find through the quagmire of false teachings - or perhaps we look in the wrong place and that when 2-3 people are gathered together in Christ's name he really is there amongst us. One thing's for sure, he certainly isn't directing the WTS.
Love,
Dansk
