Why did we become JW?

by BigG 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • BigG
    BigG

    I was brought up in the 'truth' for many years until i was 20 or thereabouts and now being on the outside looking in I see not only JW's for what they really are but I believe I see religion for what it really is too.

    Consider this point, and this reminds me of a song written by Alanis Morrisette entitled, Forgiven which is a pretty cool stab at religion itself if you read the lyrics closely...one part of the lyrics is 'we all had our reasons to be there'. If you came into the truth, consider the reasons why, what were the circumstances of your life...were you searching for something. If you were brought up in the 'troof' then ask yourself why your parents were in the truth or what circumstances they were in before such time.

    Even if they were brought up in it...consider the reasons why their parents started to believe. Whilst i havent conducted any surveys or conducted any academic research into this i can bet we were not truly happy with our lives, we had void that needed to be filled. Along comes a JW who shows us the scripture which says that 'happy are those conscious of their spiritual needs' and BANG the void starts to be filled with the indoctrination of JW teachings (or any other religion that has happened to pass through our lives).

    From the people I have spoken to I realise that religion as a whole catagorically works for those at the top, the pope in catholicism, whoever is at the top of the mormon church, the bishops in the Church of England etc etc. For the minions who believe this drivel, the religion serves as a crutch upon which to hang your life; it gives purpose to those who for whatever reason are not capable of developing their own purpose at that time.

    Consider the days old where in ancient civilisation men and women existed on the land and they knew but didnt fully appreciate why the sun came up in the morning and went down in the evening; when rain came it made crops grow and that they ate as a result. One of the more intelligent of the people realises that this and starts to develop ideas and bring to the others attention, this 'wonderous coincidence'. People realise that what he is saying could actually be true and start to follow him.

    Seeing this newfound power he has he realises that this can work to his benefit egotistically or even financially if hes lucky and so offers himself as the mediator between the elements and the people; he says that unless people recognise that he is their mediator the elements will not come and they will all die. A new religion is born...

    Contrast this stoneage or early history example with today; organised religion involves men all of whom suggest that they are gods mediators, none offer any proof but people follow them. Its fundamentally wrong and serves only to assist those at the top i.e the alleged mediators.

    Any organised religion in my opinion is as dangerous as the next one and I firmly believe that worship (if you choose the believe in god or a creator) is truely personal and no man should ever dictate how or when that should take place....any other views.

  • under74
    under74

    "Any organised religion in my opinion is as dangerous as the next one and I firmly believe that worship"

    Well, I understand most of the points you've made. I'm not religious myself but as to the point I quoted above...I disagree. I don't think all religions are dangerous. Falling into the wrong hands there is always the potential for it but there are plenty of religions that don't judge in the same way JWs do, that don't have the same strict rules and literal translation of the Bible. I think that is where the danger is. When a religion pronounces that they have a "true" translation of whatever holy text is translated or interpreted. When they take a text and believe it to be literal there is danger....but again I don't think all religions are dangerous.

    Any kind of belief can be a danger if believed in staunchly.

  • dh
    dh
    we were not truly happy with our lives, we had void that needed to be filled.

    Yep, this has also long been my view... I was raised a JW and I know that all the people I saw convert to become JW's in that time were mess ups & failures in one sense or another, their self esteem was low or they were just (as I always say) from the end of the line.

    I think only those who are born in, and know nothing but the stability (or lack of), within their particular family and JW congregation can actually see what is going on. I think the converts who go out door knocking don't even realise that they are preying on the weak.

    I think to sum it up in simple terms 'you have to have some serious issues to believe a salesperson on your door who tells you you can live forever'

  • scootergirl
    scootergirl

    I had no choice but to become one due to me being so young. I believe my mother became one due to a string of catastrophic events and was vulnerable at the time...and the dubs offered her hope and direction. Our dad followed suit since Mom joined.

  • el jarocho mayor
    el jarocho mayor

    I joined when I was full ripe mature 12 year old. My cousin had just gotten baptised the year before(she was 11). All my friends were getting baptised around the same time, so I didnt want to be the only one left out and decided to get wet. Plus maybe I would shut up my mother and grandmother and just about everyone else in the congo that would constantly ask me, "so, when are you getting baptised?" , "how old are you...really, dont you think its time to get baptised?" "You know if you really want to further develop a close personal realtionship with Jehova you really must be baptised." "We cant give you privledges(sp) unless you get baptised." So basically thats why I got baptised. And as far as any privledges go, I never got them cuz I didnt have a dad who was an Elder or MS in fact I never had a dad so I didnt get privledges. Meanwhile little kids who were 8,9,10,11 who werent even baptised, would have mic duty because their dads were Elders and MS.

  • melmac
    melmac

    I went in because at the time what they taught was very logical. They had answers to all the questions (of course, provided you didn't ask the wrong questions :) ).

    Of course, we didn't have internet back then... would've put a spanner in the works!

  • upside/down
    upside/down

    I've drawn the same conclusions.

    u/d

  • Mastodon
    Mastodon

    I was young and didn't have enough guts to get out when my 2 older brothers did...I think it was probably because of my mother. And then the more time you stay in there, the harder it is to leave. I started fading little by little and then I moved far away. Now my journey to the "Dark Side" is complete. OH, you dont know the power of the Dark Side.

  • franklin J
    franklin J

    like other posters, I was raised as a JW and did not know any other way of life.....

    I have sad memories of childhood. But lucky for me I managed to escape in my early 20s and lead a productive "normal" life.

    never looked back; no regrets.

  • whyamihere
    whyamihere

    My Mom made me!

    Brooke

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