Not a Jehovah's Witness, but studying. (page 10)

shadow

Out in the open is fine, but when the odds might be 1,000 to 1 it can be hard to keep up.

I also don't have unlimited time to spend here.

Shadow do you not know that you can be disfellowshipped for being on an apostate website? Why don't you tell your elders that you have posted thirty something times on an apostate website and then look for their reaction.

shadow

michael,

Some JW's will make their own decisions, but thanks anyway for demonstrating the reason I invited scoobie to send me a pm.

micheal

Some JW's will make their own decisions

It doesn't work that way. This is not a conscience matter, you identify yourself part of an organization that strongly forbids this. If they found out you might as well just join us all because no elder body would ever condone your behaviour.

shadow

michael,

I posted on this thread to discuss scoobie's concerns, I really don't have the time or the interest to get into a debate with everyone here with a chip on their shoulder.

If you had actually read some of my posts I think you could have figured out that I don't agree with all WT policies.

RandomTask

Scoobie, thanks for keeping us updated on your situation. I appreciate that you have a spiritual need and many of the things you are looking for the Witnesses seem to provide. All the answers, a clear path. But in the end I believe you would find it as satisfactory as the Baptist religion. This is why it is so hard for many here to provide an answer to the question, "where should I go", because many of us have come to the conclusion that religion does not lead one to God and is merely a human mechanism for controlling other humans. If you MUST have religion though, don't tie yourself down to one, like the witnesses, that demands that you devote your entire life to that religion and put that religion above all elese. Even your family if necessary. There are plenty of religions that do not require such allegiance. Thank you for your honest and open heart. And by the way, I am not disfellowshipped or dissasociated and am a former MS who has relatives that I see frequently who are witnesses. I don't have any hate directed at anybody in the religion, even though some of my former friends who are witnesses choose to shun me, and speak badly about me to my family members because of my choice. I do believe that the religion however is an inherently evil system because it actually goes against God. It causes and encourages some people to shun their family for religion, this includes children and parents. It causes people to close their minds, discouraging critical thinking. WHy would God give us the ability to think critically as a great gift only to have men take that away. And finally they except no open questioning or disbelief of any of their doctrines. Even if you were to privately bring your concerns to an elder, they would seek to disfellowship you if you did not change your mind. This is just my final two cents, take it for what its worth. I look forward to hearing more from you.

undercover

Out in the open is fine, but when the odds might be 1,000 to 1 it can be hard to keep up.

That's why I say ONE doctrine. In return we (as in x-JWs) need to back off in attacking why you choose to come here. This site is open to everyone.

The odds are daunting, so we'll understand if you can't answer every single post. Just prove your point is all I ask. I too don't have unlimited time, so I might not reply quickly myself.

I think Scoobie mentioned 1914 and the return of Jesus. Can you as one of Jehovah's Witnesses prove, with the Bible, that Jesus returned in 1914?

cyber-sista

I'm sorry shadow--I just had to jump in again on this one. If the WT was practicing the "truth" then please tell me why so many innocent people have been harmed by it? Not all of us here are Dfd for committing some WT sin. Some of us were just so brow beaten by the WT religion we couldn't take it anymore. I know that we we were all very well trained by the religion to never doubt, think, speak, or listen to anything negative in regards our faith, but how far would you go with that? What if you saw?with your own eyes?innocent people being cruelly pushed beyond what they could ?bear? and then being blamed for their weakness of not holding up under the pressure? What if you found out things that were shocking to you, but you could not deny that they were true? Would you speak out despite the consequences?despite the fact that you have been warned not to? What would your conscience tell you to do? Would you ignore your own conscience or go along with the conscience of others? That is the position many of us have found ourselves in and that is why we end up here to tell our stories. We have been witnesses as to what happened to ourself and others during our duration as JWs.

Big Tex

That's why I say ONE doctrine.

That would be a good idea for a new thread.

jgnat

Shadow, I do agree that this board quickly overwhelms a JW supporter. I have wondered how we could possibly have a serious debate on this board between a JW apologist and x-JW. The closest analogy I could imagine would be much like a WWF wrestling match, with the entire audience shouting their own contributions. It would take a person of peculiar strength of mind to keep on topic.

Shadow, I am wondering how the wide diversity of opinion and approach on this board comes across to you? I enjoy the diversity, but I wonder if someone used to the JW unity of style may perceive it as chaotic?

I still doubt, however, that much can be gained by scoobie reviewing her concerns one-by-one with a Jehovah's Witness. Such techniques are used by vaccum cleaner salesmen to wear down resistance. Scoobie has made her pro-and-con list, and found the WTBTS wanting in certain areas important to her. I hope her the greatest success in her search for a church that speaks to her mind and soul.

Not a Jehovah's Witness, but studying.

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