I for myself and family have never experienced the abuse. but from watching date-line and coming here and hearing various stories I find that most if not all are true. I can feel their pain and the emotion that they write and have actually cried for several of them. just think of the children who have no voice.
reading Ray Franz, Crisis of Conscience and Search of Christian Freedom gave us an insight as to goes on on the higher levels opened our eyes. We also have the pleasure of meeting a few on this board some who were at Bethel and all the politics that go on there, they have left and the shunning that goes on in their family is heart wretching. glad to say we DA'd last Aug.
When I was a JW, I often wondered what the "critics" and "internet apostates" were saying that the WTS was always trying so desperately to keep us from reading. It seemed to me that if the truth was the truth, then what could possibly be said to contradict it? To quote their own publication:
"Can there be false religion? It is not a form of religious persecution for anyone to say and to show that another religion is false. It is not religious persecution for an informed person to expose publicly a certain religion as being false, thus allowing persons to see the difference between false religion and true religion." - The Watchtower, 11/15/1963
Of course the WT Society says this in defense of their blasting of other religions, but their incessant "warnings" about "apostates", especially in recent years clearly shows that they are not willing to be held to the same standard. As you do your research, I think it will become obvious to you why.
Hi Angela. Congrats on finding us. I think you will be surprised at the quality of answers you will receive to any questions you might have about the JW. After all, the people who come here on a regular basis represent CENTURIES of experience in and with JW, and we have no reason whatsoever to lie to you. There's just too much proof of what we have to say to have to stoop to the same techniques as the WTBTS - lying.
Stick around and test that theory. I think in the end you will find a variety of freedom you've never known before.
Well I for one may just be "crazy"... but I would never lie to ya. You will find alot of encouragement here, and whatever decision you make, people here still seem to be caring and open-minded.
I have only been a member for a short time, and have found people here to be willing to listen, and offer advice. We all seem to have a "story" and that is what seems to provide some sort of.... bond? I dont know.
Hang in there.... In all things, seek the truth.... You cant go wrong. Don't feel bad for questioning things at first.... If you just go off and blindly follow another group like the JW's then you will just be right back where you started.
Welcome Angela, Read ,read, and read and then breathe slowly,catch your breath. Ask anything you like about what you discover and some one here will be glad to answer you.
I hope you will stay a while, and doing research is good, being a JW we just took their word for alot of things, so looking and finding your own answers is a very good thing to do.
I wish you well and hope you find what you are looking for.
