Welcome JohnPaul. It's nice to have you join us.
My parents started studying with the JW's many, many years ago when I was 10.
Unfortunately, our involvement with the JW organization did not make for a happy family life for me and my siblings. Nor did it make my parents marriage happy.
In fact, the intrusion of Watchtower Society into our lives created a very bad family life. My parents divorced after 35 years of marriage and my siblings and I have fractured relationships with ourselves.
It also led to our isolation from both sides of our very large, extended family.
Please be wary when your study conductor (and later the elders) try to tell you how to live your life.
This is a very good forum for discussing all things related to Jehovah's witnesses.
You can easily search 20+ years worth of discussion here.
So why are you here?
Hello Everyone
by JohnPaul 35 Replies latest jw friends
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JohnPaul
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BluesBrother
I will pick up your question, Why are we here if we no longer follow the JW religion?
Largely because we want to share our experiences with newcomers like you and maybe help you stop yourself from making the same mistakes that we did.
With me, I did not suffer at home as some have but I did experience the crushing disappointment of realising that the beliefs that I had molded my life around - were just not true!
Having been taught to expect a brand New World imminently, back in my childhood, I am now in my eighth decade and still it is awaited. Such expectations go back to the nineteenth century, without fulfilment.
I could no longer stomach a teaching that all non JWs , old or young, good bad or indifferent by normal standards will horribly slaughtered at Armageddon, by our “ God of love”
If you can accept and find joy in such things , then feel free to continue your study but please consider all the other information that is available about this organisation, before committing yourself.
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JohnPaul
@BluesBrother
I thought this was strictly a Jehovah’s Witness site, that’s why I signed up.
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TonusOH
Hi JohnPaul,
As others have said, it won't hurt to gather some background information on the JWs before you make a commitment. And perhaps ask some questions to gauge the reaction of the individuals; you might be surprised to find out how little they know about the history of their group, and how little they want to know.
This does not mean that they are bad people, and I have no doubt they sincerely wish to help you know God and be saved. But they are conditioned to reject any information that would allow them to analyze their organization and belief system. I consider that to be unhealthy, and the darker aspects of the group are not made clear until you are quite far in.
Good luck, either way.
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punkofnice
Hi JP. If you are a real person and not a returning troll, welcome.
Why would you study with this group of people?
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truthlover123
JP- Its good you are reaching out to learn more about the bible. However, it is the watchtower you will study, learning what directives to follow of an organization that does not recognise the holy spirit now. This changed a few years ago when baptism wording took the holy spirit out of the baptism talk and replaced it with loyalty to an organization- which we know now, makes wrong decisions, and disloyalty to them means you are following a man made organization that regularly wants money and real estate so it can get volunteers to refurbish and then sell, holding monies for themselves to do "God's Work". They smile, they love you to death when coming into the org. but at same time, break relationships you now have with friends and family- and maybe that is what you want - but the org wields the Bible to their own use and once in - if you transgress, you are taken to a committee of three, and if you dont repent, your out. You are shunned by all congregation members and on your own. My son who was never baptized, receives the same as he grew up in the org, but never baptized. You are marked and believe me, crushed to know what you though was truth, is not. Study the bible on your own, go to a library and check history, learn- teach yourself, that is what the bible wants you to do. The Beroeans did this daily.
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stan livedeath
hello JP
I just started attending Kingdom Hall about a month ago now and am doing Bible study with a brother.
so--what attracted you to the jehovah's witnesses ?
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JohnPaul
@Stan and punkofnice
Because I’m a former Catholic and got tired of all the idolatry and veneration if Mary and Saints.
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stan livedeath
but what in particular attracted you to the jw's rather than any other religion ?
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road to nowhere
@BluesBrother
I thought this was strictly a Jehovah’s Witness site, that’s why I signed up.
Watchtower/ Jehovah's witnesses are not allowed to have open discussion forums. Too much free thinking causes doubts about the dogma