the only thing to do : just STOP before it's too late ! Brainwashing is not a Bible study ! An oppressive cult does not follow our Lord Jesus! Ignorance is not God's way! Fear and guilt are no praise for God !
I Ended my Bible Study
by Maria Nieves 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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moreconfusedthanever
Hard decision to make because two years is a long time to invest.
Try not to feel guilt about ending it. You studied this religion with an open mind and have discovered it is not the only true religion. Now you are free to continue your search if you want to and broaden your knowledge.
You can feel proud that you are not easily led and cannot be socially influenced to join a group purely because the people are love bombing you.
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DesirousOfChange
I wish that we had only an investment of TWO YEARS in this Cult. We lost the best
yearsdecades of our lives.Good luck!
Doc
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zophar
However, I viewed my bible study conductor as a friend, I confided in her and I trusted her.
She probably feels the same way about you. She no doubt views you as a friend and there is no reason for you to quit being friends unless that is what she decides. Keep showing an interest in her and especially since you still have an interest in the Bible, she may continue to call on you from time to time if that is what you decide you want. You are obviously an open minded person or you would probably never have started posting here. Who knows, you might eventually cause her to do some thinking on her own.
Whatever, remember that you have some control of the situation unless she decides to cut you off completely.
Be happy!
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Vidiot
Maria - "...I do feel guilt and sadness..."
Yes, they're good at that.
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nicolaou
Vanderhoven: I am also glad that you have not thrown the baby out with the bath-water
It's all bathwater.
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eyeuse2badub
Several months ago, I began to feel that the truth was not the truth.
The term "the truth" is just that ---a term. It was coined by a bunch of puffed up over righteous charlatans. Every religion believes that theirs is "the truth".
I'm sure that everyone on this forum agrees that identifying your self as "in the truth" if you are a jw, is such a laughable matter and absolutely defies reason and logic.
Repeat a lie long enough and strong enough and it becomes "the truth". The wt has set the standard by repeating their "the truth" for over a 100 years in millions of pieces of literature by millions of misguided people spending billions of hours in the busy work of jehober!
just saying!
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Giordano
Congrats Maria for getting out.
The JW's have grown into a heavily judgment religion. Their God Jehovah is standing by to have billions of people slaughtered at Armageddon.
JW Women have two roles....... to be obedient to the appointed men and be a door knocking bible studying pioneer.
If you still want to have faith in your life why not look into a few different religions in your area............ that are appointing female pastors.
Scroll down on this site to page 4 and see how many really good choices you can have. Maybe your next great friend will be a female pastor!
US Denominations and Their Stances on Women in Leadership
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Pete Zahut
There'll be a bit of a grieving period because of your disappointment but it will soon pass. Give it a couple of months and you'll likely come to see that your study conductor may have been kindly but she wasn't really a friend. Rather she too is a victim of a cult like religion that easily dispenses with people who don't buy into their program... even their own flesh and blood.
She may have felt that she was studying with you because of a genuine interest in saving you from the wrath of God but its likely that her motivation was from peer pressure and from wanting to save her own skin. She was counting the time she was studying with you and was required to report it to the congregation each month so they could monitor her activity and make her feel guilty if she wasn't doing enough.
If there is a god, you can pray and live your life in the manner that your own conscience and ability to reason, directs you. Within the framework of your own life circumstances, you can show kindness and or do good works that provide real hands on help to those in need around you or who you may come into contact with regardless of their religious affiliation.
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Incognito
Congrats Maria for overcoming your reluctance and fear so as to be able to decide and communicate your wishes.
Hopefully, the advice offered in your earlier thread was of assistance to you.