How many of you remember this scripture:
I am a good for nothing slave. What I have done is what I ought to have done. ?
If you can tell me where that scripture is located I would appreciate it. Now, what does that scripture mean to you? What did the JW's want it to mean to you? In what context did they mention it? What affect did those words have on you when you heard them at the meetings? Did you happily accept those words, recognize the hoplessness of your imperfection and willingly give up your free will to instead be lead around by the elders and the Society? Now that you are away from the organization, how does it make you feel to remember scriptures like that and how they changed your mentality back then?
Take a look at another scripture that they used to give us all of the time:
To earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to a man who is walking even to direct his step.
I believe that's in Jeremiah. And, let's go one further, remember this oldie?
Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and lean not upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him and he will make your path straight.
Now, let's put it all together and see what we come up with. JW's teach that the Bible is "inspired of God" and that they alone hold the "Truth" about what God really wants from us. I have an experience that I would like to relate that I had a few months ago, I was online and I wound up talking to a young JW sister. I asked her if she was baptized and she said that she was, had been since the age of 16. I was amazed. I had gotten baptized at that age myself, but I now have a greater understanding of what baptism is really about for JW's and now I realize that I was nowhere near ready for it. I asked her if she believe that baptism is symbolic as a giving ones life over, dedicating one's existence to the service of the one and only true god, creator of all things. She said, yes. I asked her if she agreed with the idea that a person contemplating that should make sure they understand as much about God as possible and that they gain as much knowledge about him as they can before baptism and she agreed to that. Do you see where I'm going with this? So then I asked her what all she read and studied and used in order to get to know god to know enough to dedicate herself to him, and she said lots of stuff. The Knowledge book, the WT and Awake!, and other books. So I asked her if all of her knowledge about god came from the WTBTS and she said "Well, yeah." as if that should have been self-evident. I asked about other religions, what about their understanding of god? She said "Oh, well I studied Mankind's Search for God, so I learned about those already." I just rolled my eyes.
I submit that, to those of us out there (former JW's and those never affiliated with them alike) with open minds, it is IMPOSSIBLE to say that you know enough about God to dedicate your life to his service when the only knowledge you have about him is from books published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. You heard me, I said impossible. But, how often do you see it happen? These kids, raised in this religion, taught these books, and then BOOM they get baptized. They see their friends doing it, the attention, the standing ovations at conventions, maybe dinner at Ryan's Steak House for a change and they want that, too. And what do you get? Is this how you create an effective minister? Are these kids ready for this "dedication?" Most of them are not and then what happens? They find themselves in some form of trouble or another and they get df'd and then their lives are turned upside down.
I will write more in a little while under this same topic. I welcome your comments on the preceding.