Hello dontknow,
Please read this: http://www.howcultswork.com/
It is excellent in identifying the earmarks of a cult. The WTS is definitely one, but masquerades as Christian.
Please tread carefully.......
Bless you,
Lavendar
to join or not
by dontknow 71 Replies latest jw experiences
-
-
Abandoned
Dontknow,
I don't know anything about you (pun partially intended), but here's what you're getting into if you decide to become a Jehovah's Witness. You are giving up your dreams and hopes for the future until after Armageddon because according to the JW, God is offended if we do our own thing during the last days. Even though he is the most powerful being in the universe and was able to create everything out of nothing, he needs your help to make this all work.
Let's put this into perspective. What would you do if you had a message for all mankind? What if this message would determine whether all of these people were to live or die? Would you want to use the most effective method available for communicating this message? Think about your responses for a second and then let's look at what the JW teach. They teach that God loves mankind so much that he sent his son to die for them but that he's going to give them this message in the most ineffective manner available today - going door to door. They teach that Armageddon could happen any day, but that God is wary of using the most effective tools available to spread this message.
I first became associated with Jehovah's Witnesses over twenty years ago. Here is a recent blog I wrote about my experiences with this religion:
I didn't realize until this year, how much baggage I'm still carrying around from my many years associated with the Jehovah's Witnesses.
From my experience, I believe that organization is both a cult and destructive. There are a lot of reasons why I say this, but one of the primary ones is related to the view they paint of God. From almost the first day of your Bible study with the Witnesses, you learn that God is going to destroy all those people who aren't following the rules dictated by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.
If you don't attend meetings regularly, you are showing disrespect for God and He's going to let Christ Jesus kill you at Armageddon. If you don't preach enough, He's likewise going to be mad at you and all you'll have to look forward to is being destroyed by His executioner. What happens with all this negative programming, is that you start to see God, not as a loving, helpful Father, but as a vindictive madmen, ready to exact vengeance for the pettiest of crime.
On the one hand, they exhort you to draw close to God and on the other, they paint a picture of God that is worse than mankind's worst criminals. Adolf Hitler killed millions of Jews in World War 2. But those deaths are not even a percentage point of the billions that would be killed if Armageddon were to happen today.
If questioned, the witnesses will answer that who gets destroyed is left up to Jehovah (what they believe is God's personal name). But in reality, they teach that all other religions are from Satan the Devil and an abomination before God that will be destroyed in the fast-approaching Great Tribulation. So, while they side-step the question of whether they believe that only Jehovah's Witnesses will be saved, that is exactly what is taught in the Kingdom Halls.
They also teach that if you ever stop being a Jehovah's Witness once you have been baptized that you are condemned and are simply killing time until God destroys you. So, between the indoctrinated belief that God now hated me because I couldn't follow their Byzantine collection of rules and regulations – a collection of rules and regulations that more resembles the teachings of the Pharisees than those of Jesus – and the fear of living in a universe run by an emotionally unwell God, I have a mound of worthless baggage that I carry around every day.
I'm making a lot of progress though. I'm recognizing the negative beliefs and thoughts that kept me shackled to that dysfunctional religion and I'm replacing them with ones that are rational, empowering, and based on love.
You can decide to do with your life whatever you want to do, but understand that if you choose to become a Jehovah's Witness, you are choosing to let an organization of mere humans decide for you what is right and what is wrong.
-
AuntieJane
dontknow...welcome! Lavendar just gave you an excellent link. I wanted to address your post as well.
one thing you said something like if you smell even a whiff of deception you will not become JW.
I can assure you, as others have told you, it will not necessarily be obvious, this deception. You may
not get a whiff of it. But, the truth is, IT DOES SMELL...IT STINKS. Sad, but true. The followers do not
fully know they are being deceived, their training is so deep. Don't follow their blindness, open your eyes.
What religion, if any, does the rest of your family follow? Were you brought up in a faith? Please, just
take your time. My family has been split up because of this so-called religion. Do you know they did not
even call themselves Christians until very recently when they decided it would make them more appealing to be
known as Christians. The funny thing is, Christian, or "follower of Christ" can hardly belong to a group who denies
the Deity of Christ. The New Testament, if you read any version except the WTS's New World Translation (only
available in Kingdom Halls) is very clear that the followers of Christ KNEW him to be God. yet, the JW's fully deny this,
and they call themselves followers of Christ? ?????
Take your time, please. Discuss with your family and friends who are Not JW. Another good link is www.carm.org
You can research any religions there. I wish you peace my friend,
AJ
-
Used2B1
Keep searching. The fact that you are here asking faceless screennames about whether or not you should make the single most important decision aperson ever makes is the answer in the question. Listen to your heart if you are nagging inside then you must continue searching for the truth anf do not settle for a false imitation.
-
AuldSoul
dontknow,
Jehovah's Witnesses are taught to "PUT ON" a new personality. This is Scriptural. But they wear their personality like a suit of clothes, it doesn't become who and what they are. It is only a show for those looking on. They strive, first and foremost, not to bring reproach on God. If this means hiding badness, they hide badness.
It is all put on. A show.
Ask any Jehovah's Witness to describe their personal relationship with Jesus. They will say things like, "He is my savior, my redeemer, my King, and my High Priest. All my prayers to God are through Jesus."
Then ask whether they can speak directly to their King and Savior. You will have all the answer you need when you observe them trying to reply. Even agapa37 will tell you s/he is not supposed to talk to the King and Savior. Only to the King's father.
But, they will still claim a personal relationship with Jesus.
If I spoke daily to my fleshly father in Abraham Lincoln's name I would have as close a relationship with Abraham Lincoln as JWs have with Jesus. They may know about him. They may appreciate him. They may even try to copy him to the best of their ability. But they have no personal relationship with Jesus.
Respectfully,
AuldSoul -
becca1
Welcome!.
I was raised a witness, baptized in 1969 (at age 10) and am now trying to gracefully fade out. Why? Because I've seen too much. Too many inconsistent teachings and changes. Too many dogmatic unwritten rules. Too many judgemental attitudes.Too much hypocrisy.
When you study with JW's you learn the basic teachings: no Trinity, no immortal soul, no hellfire, 144,000 annointed ones going to heaven, earthly paradise for the rest, Armaggeddon,,, That is not the whole ball of wax. That is not the day to day life.
Did you know that if you were baptized and caught on this site you would risk being disfelloshipped? Do you think that's odd? If they have the "truth", they should not fear opposing views. Did you know that in Communist countries like Cuba and the former USSR all outside info was monitored and scrubbed by the state; that the media was controlled by the state; that if you were caught getting outside info from a non-santioned source you risked imprisonment or worse? Do you want to live like that? Think about this carefully, because if you become one of JW's your life will be controled and monitored in a very similar, though less obvious way.
Why am I carefully fading instead of simply having my name removed from the "roster" and moving on with my life? Because if I openly say I no longer want to be one of JW's I will most certainly be announced publicly as being Dissasociated or Disfellowshipped. Do you know what that means? My parents, my son, my daughter, my granddaughter, my aunt, my uncle, my cousins and their spouses and children, and virtually every friend I have ever had in 47 years of life will be torn from me. They will not be able to associate with or even speak to me lest they too would risk being disfellowshipped.
Again I ask you: do you want to live like that?
-
SirNose586
Dontknow,
I don't know anything about you (pun partially intended), but here's what you're getting into if you decide to become a Jehovah's Witness. You are giving up your dreams and hopes for the future until after Armageddon because according to the JW, God is offended if we do our own thing during the last days. Even though he is the most powerful being in the universe and was able to create everything out of nothing, he needs your help to make this all work.
Let's put this into perspective. What would you do if you had a message for all mankind? What if this message would determine whether all of these people were to live or die? Would you want to use the most effective method available for communicating this message? Think about your responses for a second and then let's look at what the JW teach. They teach that God loves mankind so much that he sent his son to die for them but that he's going to give them this message in the most ineffective manner available today - going door to door. They teach that Armageddon could happen any day, but that God is wary of using the most effective tools available to spread this message.
Abandoned, that's an excellent point. I often wondered (when I hadn't seen the light) why there wasn't a better method of preaching to everyone worldwide. If there really was a better way, the WTS certainly never used it.
As was mentioned earlier in the thread, Synergy's story is really worth examining. Her life is an extreme example of just how far people can become unbalanced in this group. The 607 information is also good; it was the topic that made me investigate the WTS, and eventually led me here.
-
onlycurious
I have 2 employees who are both jw. One has been raised as a dub and the other is newly baptised and has only studies for 2 yrs.
The new gal occasionally does not go to the meeting on Sunday a.m. and doesn't catch much slack. Also, she wore an eyebrow ring up until she was Baptised. She also smoked. Everything changed for her once baptised. As she learns more she becomes more accountable and more will be asked of her. If they laid all the 'rules' down now, she would most likely run.
Without even looking a doctrine, this is socially a cult. If you are interested, you can contact the Christian Research Institute for information about the reasons why this is believed to be a cult. There is also a book called Kingdom of the Cults written my Walter Martin several yrs ago.
I agree. You really should be very shy of making any major committments.
I know if you were to tell them you were on this site they would tell you everyone here is apostate and not to listen to them because it is full of lies. The truth is, 'the Truth' is being exposed here and you should stay and learn from people who really have lived this life.
-
J-ex-W
dontknow----------- First of all, welcome.
Second, I wasn't sure I was emotionally ready to answer such a question in an impartial way, that wasn't basically the same thing as TELLING you what to do...which would only be a mimicking the WT modus operandi (not letting you make up your own mind), so I left this thread alone.
...Till now. On another thread, someone posted an old WT article that I think speaks to the heart of my experience and your question. Below is the copy of the article and the response I posted on that thread. Do with the information what you will. Whatever decision you make, know this: You have every right to look after your own needs, welfare, and safety, period...and so do your loved ones. Good luck to you in figuring this one out.
J-ex-W
*** w83 3/15 pp. 30-31 Honor Godly Marriage! ***
Married Christians
How about sexual activity between married couples within the marriage bond? It is not for the elders to pry into the intimate lives of married Christians. However, the Bible certainly enters into their lives. Those who would “keep walking by spirit” should not ignore the Scriptural indications of God’s thinking. And they will do well to cultivate a hatred for everything that is unclean before Jehovah, including what are clearly perverted sexual practices. Married couples should act in a way that will leave them with a clean conscience, as they give unimpeded attention to developing “the fruitage of the spirit.”—Galatians 5:16, 22, 23; Ephesians 5:3-5.
What, though, if one mate wants or even demands to share with his or her partner in what is clearly a perverted sex practice? The above-presented facts show that porneia involves unlawful sexual conduct outside the marital arrangement. Thus, a mate’s enforcing perverted acts, such as oral or anal sex, within the marriage would notconstitute a Scriptural basis for a divorce that would free either for remarriage. Even though a believing mate is distressed by the situation, yet that one’s endeavor to hold to Scriptural principles will result in a blessing from Jehovah. In such cases it may be helpful for the couple to discuss the problem frankly, bearing in mind especially that sexual relations should be honorable, wholesome, an expression of tender love. This certainly should exclude anything that might distress or harm one’s mate.—Ephesians 5:28-30; 1 Peter 3:1, 7.
As already stated, it is not for elders to “police” the private marital matters of couples in the congregation. However, if it becomes known that a member of the congregation is practicing or openly advocating perverted sex relations within the marriage bond, that one certainly would not be irreprehensible, and so would not be acceptable for special privileges, such as serving as an elder, a ministerial servant or a pioneer. Such practice and advocacy could even lead to expulsion from the congregation. Why?Norm-------- Thanks for sharing this. Note, too, how it gives WT permission to RAPE a mate..........and says victimized mate is scripturally in the wrong to protect herself/ himself by getting a divorce. Leaving the marriage under such circumstances is NOT deemed permissible for a faithful JW----and results in all kinds of public CENSURE from the congregation INSTEAD of help, support, and protection as is needed and deserved.
This is the kind of influence which, as many of you already know, has prompted my 18-year-old faithful JW son (active participant in circuit assembly parts, no less) to say to me: "Nothing short of dad being a SERIAL KILLER can justify you divorcing him."
THINK HARD, PEOPLE, ABOUT WHAT KIND OF ORGANIZATION THIS IS...THAT WOULD ESTABLISH THESE KINDS OF RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR ITS FOLLOWERS...REFUSE THEM THE NECESSARY HELP TOWARD SAFETY AND RECOVERY...AND TELL A HURTING VICTIM THAT WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IS
MORE PRAYER,
MORE MEETINGS, AND
MORE HOURS OUT IN SERVICE
--PERIOD. Been there...heard that...speaking from experience, unfortunately.
-
dontknow
Thank you Lady Liberty, Lavendar, thank you all for your precious time and efforts; I cannot thank you enough after reading your posts and sharing your experiences with me; I have really opened my eyes, mind and heart. My research will definitely continue to learn more not only about Jesus and Jehovah, but more importantly about the unwarranted strict rules and regulations the Watchtower society enforces upon those who innocently believe in the work of JWs. I have mentioned this site to JWs and all they said to me was that these people (meaning you) are apostates who have turned against God. They asked how I found about this site and I replied by doing a google search on the internet. They did not like it that I used the internet because you can get in serious trouble; I cannot see how that can happen if you use it to find information in a responsible manner.
As the conversation progressed, I realised that they think people use the internet frequently for all forms of pornography alone; that is definitely not the case with me I said; I use it to communicate with fellow woodworkers, woodturners, woodsuppliers, craft suppliers, stock market reports, newspaper articles and the list goes on. They expressed scepticsm, and I don't care; I am not obliged to disclose what I do. From all I've read, it is impossible for all of you to be wrong, even though we don't know each other we have learnt alot of each other through this magnificent useful tool called the internet.
Now, all you people what I noticed is that your experiences are very different to each other, however your experiences have one thing in common. That is, the elders who bend over backwards to enforce the WT rules over you with an iron fist if I may say, and to a lesser degree about the bible teachings; they place much more emphasis on the WT society that was created by man (Russell) and not Jehovah.
So far the most disturbing thing to me is that they "spy"on you to find out with whom you associate and what you do to reveal your true indentity to uncover if you are fit to be a worthy member. This very clearly reminds of the psyche of Nazi Germany; if you do not abide by our laws you will be punished. Now we all know that we humans are social creatures and want to be accepted in social groups and some will do anything to be accepted; but turning your back and hating, yes hating as I have read, none JWs is and always will be unconditionally unacceptable to me. I'll give an example about the double standard; I have a younger brother who is a happy fellow, has his friends, job and I get along well with him, is not involved in any devious activities, but has no interest in bible studies. According to the WT, if I become a JW, I must end my association with my blood brother becuase I start a "new cleansed life to serve God" and he is a worldly person. All humans throughout their life face difficulties; it could be disease, economic problems, physical and emotional problems, the list is endless. The point I'm trying to make is if my brother approaches me and asks me for $200 because his short on paying his gas bill (he's desperate and requires my brotherly help) am I to turn my back on him? If the elders find out that I helped my brother does that make me an apostate because I associated to assist him? If he falls ill and is taken to hospital, should I turn my back on him? DEFINITELY NO!!!!!
Jesus taught people to love and help one another, both christians and non christians. I have stated in a previous post Jehovah created man with a precious gift called a free will to exercise, think and do what is appropriate for him and not to have someones will imposed on him, the poster SWALKER states;
"You will not be allowed to exercise your free will once you become a baptized JW, although they will NOT tell you that in advance! If you value that gift, don't let any organization take it away from you".
This clearly illustrates to me, that they want to build a "secret" organisation to demonstrate they stand apart from other religious groups. Now I am very angry!!!!! WHY DON'T THEY INFORM AND POINT OUT TO POTENTIAL WITNESSES THE PRE REQUISITE CONDITIONS REQUIRED OF THEM BEFORE THEY ARE BAPTISED??? Is there fine print in the terms and conditions which need to be scrutinized? This to me is a very vicious trap. Does anyone have any answers for me please? I am obsessed to find out concrete facts so when they knock on my door again I want to know how and what to ask them and not be answered according to a well orchestated script of theirs because that will infuriate me. As you have noticed I DO NOT LIKE TO BE DECIEVED, and again I must praise the courage and resilience you all have, much more than me for all the years of unnecessary hardships you endured.
Many thanks to you all for your links which I will look into with ferocious appetite and especially Synergy for her story. I would like read more of your experience Synergy if permitted.
Thank you, not dontknow but now do know.