Is becoming a witness the right thing for me

by marketman 62 Replies latest jw friends

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  blindersoff

  Welcome

  Isn't there some truth to what JWs state

  I would answer 'yes'. But is this 'some truth' a good enough reason to join something that you cannot simply walk away from should you decide later that you don't accept all the rules , regulations and decisions that have no scriptural backing. I have experienced it & I have seen it. Best' friends' will drop each other like hot potatoes . And if you get kicked out, then, to get back in (if you want to), you have to meet much higher organizational standards than those who remain in.

  Almost every Sunday , the WT study will restate the need to submit to the authority of 'God's organization'. This comes from what I think is the main doctrine of JW's---that they are the Faithful & Discreet Slave of Mt 24, that Jesus has appointed them to feed the congregations of JW's food at the proper time & it should be accepted without question. There is never any proof of this claim---just the stating of it over & over. There is a ton of information on the internet that refutes this claim as well as others.

  Please do your homework and don't accept ANYTHING told you as scriptural unless it can be proven.

  The usual procedure is to show you a few basic things from the Bible, then when they have your confidence, they expect you to believe all sorts of things simply because they say so. For example,the heavenly resurrection occurred in 1918. Scripture, please?

  I have been there, done that (over 40 yrs). Don't accept superficial answers.

  Do your homework.

  I have learned that being a Christian is more about how you treat people that a lot of academic head knowledge about teachings. I feel that JW's fall very short in this area. And it can't be accurately judged because they are nice to you when you go to the meeting. Their idea of helping the elderly, for example, is to get them a telephone tie in to listen to the meetings. Or maybe helping them get to the KH. One case in point----NOT ONE had the time go sit with a sister in the hospital Wednesday for a few hours even after a request was put in to the presiding elder to give the relatives a break. But that same day, several cars were parked at the KH while they went to talk to strangers in empty houses in the 'service' because they send this time in to Brooklyn.

  I could go on and on, but if you look in the BEST OF section of this board , you will find these things covered in a much better way than I can say them. But I would be happy to expound on anything I said here if you need me to.

  Did I mention?

  Do your homework.
• 

  Blueblades

  Hi Marketman! Welcome to the forum."There is only one thing that needs to be known about the Watchtower Society and there is only one way to know it." You need to understand the Illusionary Concept that holds Jehovah's Witnesses Captive. The Concept that holds Jehovah's Witnesses Captive is their belief that the Watchtower Society is God's organization. Those who do a History study of the Watchtower Society first don't ask for a Bible study later. All witnesses have failed to carefully examine the Society's claim to being God's "faithful and discreet slave organization" based upon what Russell and Rutherford had been teaching from1876 to 1919 in fukfillment of Matthew 24:45--47.

  Ask your friend just two very important questions.1) What Is The Most Important Scripture in Watchtower Theology? WHY? 2 ) What Is The Most Important Event In Watchtower History? WHY?

  I'll continue more on this if you need to use this information in your discussions with your friend. I'll be interested to know what his answers will be to those questions.

  Blueblades
• 

  jwfacts

  I am sorry to hear that you are confused. Try to remember that it is not just the WTS, but religion in general that can bring peace to people. God does not need religion, people need religion. You would have found the same contentment going to any number of other religious groups. Millions of people convert every year to new religions of all kinds and give experiences of how it benefited their lives. I hope that eventually you can be content with a relationship with God regardless of which earthly organization you choose to associate with.

  In regards to God, you can not hope to fully understand the nature of God, he is a spiritual being we are flesh. Can you understand time and eternity? Yet God transcends even that. The Trinity is quite logical once you learn about the ontology and economy of God. However, to keep it simple many people that know there is only one God still find it easier to conceive of Father and Son as separate beings.
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  jgnat

  Welcome back! I am very concerned that you AGAIN are handing over your spiritual health to strangers. In this case, a discussion board. On other days, your friend's religion. I applaud your desire to search for the truth, but I am concerned that you are stopping short of a thorough study of what you believe and why you believe it.

  I think you are confused becaue you are swaying back and forth based on the opinions and emotions of others. I think you need to start writing down your thoughts. This will help you find clarity and end the confusion. Also, here are some bible study tools to help you in your personal search for truth:

  http://www.preceptaustin.org/the_key_inductive_bible_study.htm

  http://www.blueletterbible.org/

  http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07256b.htm - check out the history of heresy in the church.

  http://chi.gospelcom.net - check out articles on the council at Nicea

  If you are ready to ditch the trinity doctrine, do so. But don't think the Jehovah's Witnesses are the only religion that believes this.
• 

  A Paduan

  Marketman - that's an apt name - as in the wtbts "love" is something people buy and sell - you can get an advance, but still, it's traded

  for you love the best seat in the synagogues and salutations in the market places

  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  screw your head on - do you think you need to nail Him down before you lift Him up ?
• 

  BluesBrother

  Welcome to the forum!

  I met a guy whose become a good friend.

  I just wanted to spell out how the system works, after a lifetime within it. All Witnesses have a mission , an assignment to 'Preach the Good News'. To achieve that they contact people, then conduct studies. All this is much better if a "friendship" is cultivated. But be aware that all the time he spends with you is recorded on his Service Record as "Preaching Time", which gains him kudos and "Brownie points" . Any book or magazine he gives you is reported as a "placement", you are no doubt a "Study" to be added to his report and the congregations figures .

  it is rather like an insurance salesman, entertaining a client to close the sale.

  Ask him to deny that the reporting system exists. I have known so many cases when a study stops, or even when a person has become baptized and no longer "reportable", the "friendship dies and the witness moves on to another project... Sad, but true.
• 

  theycallitlove

  Your thought process will change without you even being aware of it. If you do become aware of it or someone brings it to your attention it will seem perfectly justified to think the way you do.

  You will develop a superiority complex and find it perfectly acceptable to belittle or downgrade your family and friends who do not have “the truth” or who are not as strong in “the truth” as you are. Their feelings are irrelevant because you are treating them this way to save their life.

  Giving a good witness to the organization is above all else. True-life example: A brother was involved in a car accident that he caused. He left the injured parties to fend for themselves telling them that he couldn’t help because if he did he would be late for his meeting at the Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall. As he’s driving away from the accident he’s telling his family what a good witness they just left because those people will see the importance of Jehovah’s meetings.

  Warped thought processes? You decide.
• 

  parakeet

  ***Understanding Jehovah and of Jesus seemed to be pretty satisfying to me. When I was studying, it made you feel happy to be digging into God's word and learning about it. Why did I feel that way if all of this is so wrong?***
  It is satisfying and happy ... at first. That's why many here on this forum became JWs. It's intensly satisfying to believe that at last, after wondering and questioning for years, here finally are all the answers you've been searching for.
  But that certainty will come at a very high price. Already you can see some of its effects -- it's causing a rift between you and your wife. This will only get worse if you become a JW.
  If you're the kind of person who enjoys being told what to do regarding what you believe, what you wear, what you read, how you spend your time, who you can talk to, then maybe JWs are for you.
  But if you have even a shred of intellectual honesty, you will take some time before committing to the JWs and spend that time doing a lot of reading about them and a lot of thinking about them. You will find, as we did, that their "truth" is a constantly shifting sand bar. Study their history and see for yourself.
  If you commit to the JWs simply because it "feels good," then you will have abandoned your responsibility as a thinking human being and handed it over to the WTS. It will make them "feel REAL good" to have another unpaid book salesman in their ranks. And that is ALL you are to them.
• 

  parakeet

  <div>
  <br>
  </br>BTW, if you become a JW, one of the first of many, many rules you will be expected to obey is to avoid internet sites like this one. If they find out you have visited this site, they'll sail you off their back porch faster than a dead Easter chick. I'm so not kidding.
  <br></br><br></br><br></br></div>
  You're not fond of Catholicism, but at least the church allows you to question their beliefs without penalty. The WTS does not allow ANY questioning of its beliefs from its followers. If you become a JW and start having doubts and questions, see the Easter chick remark above.
• 

  serendipity

  Welcome theycallitlove!