A lot of you have spoken about the cruelty of judgement that JW's display. And, in defense of myself and some members of my family, we liked to think that when Moses crossed the Red Sea a vast crowd of foreigners crossed over with them. A recent conversation with my brother and an old friend assisted in the understanding that the majority of JW's do not feel that way, in fact they hate and judge everyone that isn't labeled correctly. It always bothered me that JW's were so biased to think that no one else on earth would be saved except JW's, like they are all so perfect and without sin. Just wanted to clear up that little tidbit.
What made us different?
by Lo-ru-hamah 27 Replies latest jw friends
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Star Moore
I don't know how I'm different.. But I can tell you..almost 27 years ago, Jehovah brought me close to him through my study of the bible..and then into JW's...
And then he pulled me out...I owe it all to him....and Jesus.
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prophecor
Nothing clicked for me, as you put it, so much so on the inside. As I walked away from the truth, it was of my own volition, not because of anything anyone had ever done to me. I left because of sin that I was guilty of committing. Bringing reproach upon Jehovah's Organisation. I was too naive to see the struggle of those on the inside, or that there were others on the inside who didn't quite fit in as well. I imagine I was expecting too much once finally becoming a part of the organisation. I never did fit in, once I'd finally, technically made it through the door. Leaving for me was just a natural process of development in my life. Once outside, I still believed it to be the truth, I was just an unwilling, non-participant. It wasn't until two and a half years ago, and my finding myself here on the internet in search of any information regarding Jehovah's Witnesses, that I'd come to realise that maybe all I'd been struggling with my no longer being in the truth was for good reason. It didn't come to me immediately, but after researching info into our history, the way things have happened to others in the truth, I had a chance to look at things, no longer from the twisted perspective that we as Witnesses are inclined to see things from. I'd been given an opportunity to reassess my beliefs, my faith and to possibly find a way out from all of the fears, guilt and shame that the Organisation has a tendency of heaping upon their believers. Because of places like JWD and Freeminds.org, I no longer have to live in fear of God, at least not the God belonging to Jehovah's Witnesses.
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blondie
Maybe the picket fence got too high and painful to straddle.
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sass_my_frass
I've wondered exactly the same thing; what clicked, and when? I can't pin it down either. It was just a random series of events that happened over a long time, and even when it didn't make sense and was killing me, I kept it. It was only when I was disfellowshipped and I worked out how much of my soul I'd lose by doing what it took to be reinstated, that I realised I was only bothering to save my family. That's when the switch threw for me; only very recently. Being considered foul was what tipped me over the edge; I know that God doesn't work that way, just them. My entire perspective changed.
Still, no matter how far back I look, it still feels like I was thinking that way all along, so... maybe we're just people who have always seen through it, and have only just found our way out.
Good for us. Hang in there!
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jwfacts
Interesting comment PROPHECOR
I just got in touch with an old d/f friend the other day. She still believed it was the truth. But just a couple of weeks with me and another friend and it has all fallen into place. The internet is also helping a lot of d/f JWs, and so we can expect that they will not be going back.
D/f is becoming extremely counter productive to the WTS, as an active JW is brainwashed not to talk to apostates or search the web, but many feel it is ok whilst disfellowshipped and so are now stumbling onto the truth. -
Golf
I remember back in the early 50's doing street work on Hunington Ave in Boston and I was called a 'communist!' Wouldn't you call that different?
Golf -
Kaylen
It was really the fact that I couldn't believe that everyone not in the truth would die in the big A. I would look at newborn babies and think, what did they do to deserve to die. It eventually got to the stage where in my heart even though I still believed, that I would rather live my life whatever small time i had left and die with people I flet were innocent then live forever knowing that they had been destroyed.
Kaylen
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greendawn
For me going into the JWS was based on naivity, they were ppl that apparently cared to come and visit you at home and spend time to teach the Bible and it all looked good with the high moral standards they appeared to have. Then you feel more secure to belong somewhere spiritual.
Later the love bombing stopped you realise that the org is totalitarian in nature, there is a gross lack of love, the GB constantly lies and manipulates, their doctrines are all rotten. And it's time to move out. -
moggy lover
I suppose the only illustration I can appeal to, is that of growing up. When we were kids we believed in Santa Clause, fairies, and the Easter bunny. And then one day we kinda grew up and realised that there was no such thing.
Same thing with us being in the WTS. One day we woke up and saw that the emperor actually has no clothes. We were made to believe that he had, but we knew otherwise. As TV and Hollywood [not to mention Bollywood] have shown, reality can be manufactured and distorted with such diabolic cunning that it becomes believable. It takes a great deal of real effort to see the illusion behind that which is presented as reality.
I am reminded of the movie "Matrix" Remember how what the people were forced to believe was in reality simply a sleep-induced coma? WT literature comes like that. Its contents are not designed to enlighten or teach, but to act as a soporific, ensuring that the R&F remain in the desired state of suspended animation. For some reason our synapses unplugged and we saw the truth behind the legerdemain
cheers