First Post (page 3)

GoingGoingGone

Welcome, Rethinking!

Nice to have you here!

GGG

Nice to have you here with us Rethinking. You are lucky to have been raised with balanced JW parents. Critical thinking skills are not encouraged in the organization. You know the old expression "ignorance is bliss." That is the reason why JW's do not encourage higher education. Education leads to knowledge...you don't have control of the flock if they are asking any questions. Keep coming back.

Leslie

Hannah

Warm welcome. Glad to have you join us.

bubble

Welcome to the forum Rethinking. Many of us started exactly the same way as you, the more truths you learn the more you'll feel comfortable posting.

Looking forward to hearing from you more. XXX

Wasanelder Once

Rethinking,

It's fascinating that we who were once a part of the collective have to make sure that people know upfront that we are moral people despite disagreeing with the teachings of the organization. I'm sure you are a nice person, as most people on this earth tend to be. They all want to have a life with little or no stress and care for their family as you do.

The only reason you are able to think without constraint is your upbringing, very unconventional by JW standards. Congratulations.

You mention that you thought that the Witnesses may have started off right and then became what they are. The facts are, as you will come to see as you continue to read with an opened mind, they were even more demonized when they began. Check out the editor of the Golden Age and some of the spiritistic stuff Rutherford was into. (Don't even ask about Russell's pyramid zaniness.) Just imagine if all Witnesses today were asked if their faith in the year 1914 was substantiated by the measurements of the Great Pyramid of Giza, gulp.

Congrats on questioning the emporer's outfit.

He's naked by the way, continue to keep Rethink

W.Once

mia_b

welcome :D

Rethinking

Thank you all for the welcome!

What I've experienced in the past few years is the control issues. My goodness, they've gotten way out of hand! I can remember when you could talk to someone about a Watchtower or Awake article and express your thoughts. Now, you might as well go to Kinko's and have them make you a label that says "apostate" because that is what you'll be called. I don't think that is what was meant by the body. We all can't be ears or elbows so why do we have to think the same about everything???!!! Why is it that the society can brag about fighting for civil rights and amendment rights 'in the world', but deny those 'in the truth' the very same things they fought for?! It doesn't make any sense.

The other thing is that there was always "do more", "get out more in the service", "sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice" from the convention and assembly platform. Yeah, that's easy for you to say, but the rest of us have rent to pay, car payments, hospital insurance and so forth. Obey, obey, obey. Follow, follow, follow. Stay close to..., stay close to... stay close to.... Submit, submit, submit. If you don't do these things that means you don't love Jehovah. Um, last time I checked the greatest commandments were to 'love Him with your whole heart, mind and strength' and 'love your neighborhood as yourself'.

I've seen a lot of young people flee like there was some kind of rabid raccoon on the loose. It's funny; all those high schoolers who weren't going to college because they were going to pioneer and all those who were on the programs for standing up for their beliefs in school with their classmates , where are they now? Who knows? Their parents are taking care of their kids because they 'committed fornication' and can't support them on a high school education. (I'm not knocking folks who've never been to college or have children). My point is: They should not have been hypocritical or look down on those who decided to do something other than pursue a theocratic career.

There are other things that I don't have to mention because more than one person already has.

And I do plan to do more research into the beginnings with the pyramids and all. Sounds kinda creepy, though.

Cellist

Welcome to the board, rethinking.

Cellist

nvrgnbk

Rethinking,

And I do plan to do more research into the beginnings with the pyramids and all. Sounds kinda creepy, though.

Yeah. If you don't like spiritism and the occult you may want to skip the early history of the Witnesses.

One writer for the Consolation mag. described how lousy he felt after he was "posessed."

The Society distributed a book that purported to be the ramblings of a demon channeled through a human writer.

Try to arrange your affairs to visit "Pastor" Russel's gravesite in western Pennsylvania. You'll be welcomed by a pyramid-shaped marker taller than you replete with Masonic symbols.

You probably already know this stuff. Sorry if I'm boring you.

Best wishes and happy hunting,

Nvrgnbk

tetrapod.sapien

welcome rethinking! i hope you stick around and share your journey with us.

happy trails,

tetra

First Post