The first signals of doubt?

by The wanderer 17 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  The wanderer

  The Watchtower and The Deciding Factors

  Can you recall the very first inner voices of doubt that
  you carried about the Watchtower Society? Think back
  to when you first started to question the organization.
  What was one of the first signals that planted a
  seed of doubt within you?

  Recalling one of the first seeds

  The first incident or occurrence which made me question
  the organization was seeing the words within the liter-
  ature "Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Inc."

  Incorporated?

  It was strange to see that the Society was a corporation
  it never occurred to me, to view it as a company or corp-
  oration. My understanding was that it was God's organ-
  ization.

  Asking the study conductor

  Upon asking the study conductor "Why exactly would the
  Watchtower have the word incorporated within the literature?" the
  reply was "Oh, that is just for legal reasons to satisfy
  the government." Being naive, gullible, ignorant and
  stupid at the time, I accepted that reply without checking
  it out first.

  Respectfully,

  The Wanderer
• 

  Mig

  My History teacher constantly told his war stories. One day he asked the class, what war was he talking about. I was fifteen at the time, I raised my hand sure that I knew the answer, because WWI (1914) was the only important war. The teacher was extremely upset that anyone should think that he was old enough to be in WWI. That is when I found out that the big one was not WWI.
• 

  anewme

  Dont feel bad Mig, others have their history all wrong too because of the Watchtower twist on things.
  In fact there was a pretty funny discussion by Sparkplug on her realization that her knowledge of history was so out of wack when she began to go to college. Check it out sometime.
  
  My first inkling of doubt came when I was out in service on a Saturday morning with my husband who was forcing me into service that chilly morning against my will. He argued on a mans doorstep for over an hour while I coughed and coughed and coughed behind him. (On Sunday I was admitted with pneumonia)
  
  That was part of a series of serious mistakes he made with me that showed me he cared MORE FOR PLEASING THE ELDERS AND THE CONGREGATION AND JEHOVAH THAN CARING FOR ME AFTER 20 YEARS OF MARRIAGE. (And those of you who know my story know about my unusual marriage and how I proved my love and loyalty for my husband over and over and over. But when it was time for him to help and care for me, loyal love was not there.)
  
  This break of trust opened my eyes to other abuses I felt I was suffering needlessly. One thing led to another and my attempts to free up my weekends a bit led to my being branded as unspiritual and lacking faith and this further alienated me from my husband and from the group. I realized they would rather see me dead but faithful, than alive and happy. When I realized that, my loyalty to them all was gone and one thing led to another and I was soon gone from their lives and they from mine.
  I am so happy I chose to live and not die in that cultish prison.
• 

  badboy

  WHERE THAT STORY ON THE FORUM?
• 

  anewme

  Are you talking to me BadBoy? Look up Sparkplugs topics and see the one about a month or two ago on College or pm her for the link. It was absolutely hilarious!!!
• 

  badboy

  DON'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO FIND IT,NOT TO WORRY!
• 

  Reefton Jack

  For me, it was 1975:

  - Firstly, all the hype that there was in the nine years leading up to that.

  - Then, when the year came and went; the total silence about it on the part of the WTS. Not even any attempt at an explanation, just like the whole business had never happened.

  I think that my feelings at first were total confusion. Then, comments from one of the elders in our congregation rang warning bells. This brother was a former missionary (Gilead trained), a former District Overseer, and at that point had been "in the truth" for over 30 odd years. He one day remarked that "the Society has just got to admit that they were wrong over the issue of 1975."

  That comment somehow didn't add up:

  - i.e.

  (i) That somehow "we may be wrong, but we are still right."

  AND FURTHERMORE

  (ii) "While others may not be wrong, we are still the only ones who are right!"

  I would readily volunteer that I went through a long period of denial. But over the years, this had a snow-balling effect that in the end could not be denied any more. Such things as the WTS trying to rewrite history; no love amongst themselves (that they kept saying that they had this,and that no one else did); no collection plate, but still a lot of talk from the platform about money.

  But it was 1975 and the way that it was handled that started the process.

  Jack.
• 

  Seeker4

  When I was a teenager, another brother a few years older and I had a really good call. The guy was excited about the Witnesses, and came to a meeting right off. We called on him a few days later, and he hit us with a ton of stuff about the JWs.
  
  I remember him saying that JWs had taught that the faithful men of old would return bodily in 1925. I was so sure that this could not be true that I specifically remember I wanted to tell him, "I guarantee you we never taught that." But, I refrained and didn't say anything.
  
  I researched this, and of course, found out it was true. That really stuck with me.
  I researched rather vigorously after that, not wanting to be caught unaware again. I didn't leave for another 30 years, but when I did, I already knew all the nonsense.
  
  S4
• 

  serendipity

  I knew that there were problems with elders in individual congregations. I didn't have doubts about the overall leadership until I was df'd. The JC told me they thought I was repentent but I "should have known better." I included that in my letter of appeal that went to the CO. Then the appeal committee told me the same thing. Evidently there were rules not known to publishers.
• 

  sandy

  The more I think about it the more I realize my doubts started very young.
  
  I was somewhere between 6 and 8 when after a meeting my sister (10 yrs my senior) told me (While walking to our car in the parking lot) not to talk to this guy outside. I remember she told me don't talk to so-in-so, he's df'ed.
  
  I remember feeling so bad for this guy b/c nobody could talk to him. Even a young child could comprehend that there was something not quite right about shunning.
  
  The "No Blood Transfusion Policy" never set well with me either.
  
  Then at 13 before I took the big step of baptism an elder asked me if I had any questions about the"Truth" that he could help me w/ before I got dunked.
  
  I told him that I don't really get how we have to pay for Adam and Eve's mistake. Why couldn't Jah hust destroy them and start all over? The answer, though I taught it to others, never felt satisfying to me.