Hello,
After reading for a few months this is my first post here. I was raised a Jehovah's Witness by my parents who became JW's in the late '70s from field service. I'm still a JW but doing a lot of researching on the history of the WTS. If have read a lot about the UN scandal 607 vs 586, child abuse, blood doctrine and some chapters that are online from the book of Ray Franz.
Recently I informed my parents about my findings after doing a lot of research. Before my parents became JW's they also did some extensive research they had read apostate literature to see if it really was the truth, they believe it is the truth. I started with the changing of the generations doctrine and said that I found it strange that they can change anything when they liked it. My parents said that they also had some diffculties at that time but that there where changes before and there will be more changes in the future.
Next I started about the UN scandal of course they didn't know a thing about it and they didn't believe it so I showed them the UN website did a search for Watchtower and let them read the PDF file. They couldn't believe how stupid the WTS has been but said that the WTS is not inspired so they make mistakes but they admitted that this was a big one. My parents wonderd why this hasn't been in the news. So I said well it has been in other countries and to the world a connection between the WTS and the UN doens't seem that big a scandal as it is to JW.
Then I started about 607, they knew that the WTS held a different date then most wordly sources, they believed that 607 was bible based. I actually send them a url to a apostate website that goes deeper into the appendix of the Kingdom come book. The archeological evidence is enormous and it also pointed out that 586 can be in harmony with the bible. After studying it my parents told me they couldn't explain the 20 year gap and all the evidence but that they understand why the WTS uses 607 and the bible to back it up and that they still believed it. Later I did some research about why we changed the date from 606 to 607 and show that to them. When they read that they concluded that 607 was probably wrong and also the prohepcy of seven times are wrong, but they still believe that we are living in the end.
They have also read the proclaimers book so they knew about a lot of things already. They already knew about beth-sarim and pyramids although they didn't know about the pyramid at the grave yard of Russell. I showed them a chapter from Studies in the scriptures that went into great detail about the pyramids and 1914. My parents said that they weren't surprised about it and said that their believes where never based on calculations for numbers and that they don't think the WTS is correct on all those date calculations.
Then I began about the WTS being Gods organisation and how can they then make so much mistakes. They said well the WTS doesn't say that they are inspired they only say that God's spirit is amongst them. They also said take a look at the preaching work that is being done to fullfil Matth 24:14 this cannot be done without an organisation. They see that as a prove that it is God's organisation. And of course Matt 24:45-47.
For myself I'm not sure if it really is the truth, I am still examining all things and I enjoy the fact that I can openly discuss these things with my parents and of course I understand that they defend the WTS but they are still reasonable as you can see that they now no longer believe 607. I also discussed with them that they are JW but they do not believe all doctrines, they said well we do believe all the important ones.
What are some more interresting points that I can discuss with them about the WTS?