by AlmostAtheist 66 Replies latest jw friends
I left because I just do not agree with the theology. I do happen to be gay, but if I bought all of their beliefs and accepted the Bible as the inerrant word of God, I would've continued to try to stifle those feelings as I had done all along anyway.
But I still feel that if being a Witness makes a person happy, if they agree with the basic teachings, if it gives them a purpose in life, then they should be a witness...the same way I feel about being a Mormon, Baptist, or whatever else
Witnesses often see "no risk" in terms of their relationship with God, by staying with the jw. They see the risk only in looking for a relationship with God outside the org, and learning about other Christian teachings. As a loved one said to me, "Why risk it".
I have a question though. Suppose the jw are not God's organization, if He didn't choose them, if they are not His channel than that means the jws took their beliefs and used the Lords name to give them credibility. They are speaking for God. They are claiming Divine appointment to glorify themselves.
Would that not be blasphemy?
Would there not be some risk in associating and worshipping with people who might (only God truly knows) be blaspheming His name?
This reminds me of an illustration that a JW speaker used:
Clean glass of water
One drop of cyanide
Some good/some bad
Do you drink?
Of course he was not applying it to the WTS, but why not...why expose yourself to the poison...find a better watering hole
Blondie
It is almost impossible to stay there with what I know and feel.
This is the way I feel. And I refuse to dawdle away the rest of my life on the Watchtower's exercise wheel.
Understand folks, I'm not defending the Watchtower, I'm just playing Devil's advocate. I would really like to understand how someone can learn about the Watchtower's lies, demonstrably false teachings, and hypocrisy but still remain a willing, active part of it.
It's a puzzle, I don't get it.
As for any good you can find in the Watchtower, I would bet you can find it all in a less-controlling organization. Then you'd have the good and not be shackled to the bad along with it. (As has been pointed out, if you disagree with other organizations you can voice your opinion and work for change. Not so with the Wantpower.)
Dave
I felt I had a moral obligation to drop the witnesses after I found out the truth about the org. There was no other conclusion for me to come to than to stay in would be morally dishonest and that I would be a party to allowing people to die and shunning people, deceiving people ect.. I'd like to think that if there is a God he would apprieciate that.
GBL
Also, I see from your pic you are a man.
Things are different for a man there. The one thing I could not stomach was their attempt to exploit people especially women. Always wanting favors (which I would NEVER do). I am no Mother Theresa! I leave that to the other martyrs. They can have the dubious "blessings" thank you very much.
They also didn't understand the concept of boundaries. Never knowing their place. Thinking they could say anything they wanted. Really! Just intolerable to me.
LHG
The one thing I could not stomach was their attempt to exploit people especially women.
It sounds as if you're "teaching" here, Dear Sister. Are you wearing a head-covering?
And that skirt's a bit short, don't you think? Might stumble some of our weaker idiots.
I see you're driving a 2-door. I assume that's your second car?
(I couldn't tolerate them either!)
Dave
Finding one really "bad" thing was enough for me to leave. What's ironic is that it's the Society's own fault! They constantly praise themselves and teach that they are 100% right about everything, and that you MUST believe everything the WTS teaches in order to be a JW. When I discovered something wrong, I started questioning other things and my wall of faith crumbled.
Other religions don't make a big deal about 100% or believing exactly the same thing as everyone else. If the WTS had this more tolerant attitude, it would have actually been more difficult for me to break away.
For me, i realised that their theology didn't agree w the bible. Also their dates/chronology was wrong, and of course that god was not directing the gb. That negated all their good points.
S
I tend to agree with Almost.
You guys would have had to have pretty much the same reaction to JC and his 12.
In fact, almost any of the bible's major characters had very serious flaws by the standards of this site.
For some reason, God likes to use 'losers' to get His will accomplished.
