How Much Influence Did The Watchtower Have In Destroying Your Faith In God?

by The wanderer 40 Replies latest jw friends

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  themonster123

  If there was a God, why would he make himself so hard to be found? That is to say He even wants us to find him. We're human, so we think like humans-so we think if there's a God there, why even SAY he can be found-it's already a done deal that we know HE WANTS us to find him. But...what if He doesn't think like humans? I've often thought in the dark recesses of my mind that if there is a God, maybe he's NOT like humans. Maybe we AREn'T made in "GOd's image." Maybe he's just sitting up there watching all this mess and kind of enjoying it, like it's entertaining for him.

  I don'tknow!! It's late, too late. I must get sleep now. God and 2:40 a.m. in the morning don't mix.
• 

  zagor

  Well it certainly made sure I now feel sick of anything "spiritual"

  ...as for god I've had my doubts while still a dub so I can't say they influenced that. This will sound weird but in a way I love I've been through JW experience because in aftermath I've started to investigate more carefully every claim someone makes. And I mean really, really carefully, whereas before I used to be more trusting of people and their intentions.
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  snowbird

  None. The only thing that the Watchtower organization destroyed was the possibility that they would get anymore of my money

  Arthur, you are something else! That's exactly how I feel. Not another dime if I have anything to do with it.

  Spirituality runs in my blood; I cut my teeth on the Holy Scriptures. I never believed in the 1975 thingy because I recalled Jesus' words in Acts 1. However, I wanted so badly to belong to something that I went along with whatever. Now I am reading the Bible for myself for what it's worth. I'm tackling Zechariah, especially chapter 14. Chapter 12 of Matthew, Luke, and John are really eye-openers. I am having a ball. I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!

  Snowbird
• 

  purplesofa

  For a long time while studying, I thought the WT was in fact proving that there was no God. It was like an unspoken secret we all knew. That people that truely had the right heart condition knew this and just did not speak of it as playing the whole big game was the only way to save mankind and the planet. I continued to believe that if anything was going to happen for the better, mankind was going to do it. The WT society was going to teach us how and make it happen.

  I believed when we said Jehovah said anything was going to happen, it meant we were going to make it happen. I was willing to let the bible be my guide. It was written by man, inspired by God, I dont know, but inspired in some way .....yes.

  Now I believe that some of us had to go through the whole bible experiance, the God expericance, for growth, to figure out how messed up it really is and we that have come out of it know something that those stuck in a civilised superstion just do not have the heart condition to move past at this time.

  Some people never have to go through the process......how fortunate they are.

  If it all sounds crazy...........Im sure it is, but so was living like I did for so many years. I do not have faith in the WT god.

  My faith is much deeper now, and I dont have a name for it/him/her quite yet.

  purps
• 

  Reefton Jack

  To begin with,I was always sceptical about the existence of a god:
  - and after 28 years with the JWs, I was hardly convinced otherwise!
  
  While I keep an open mind on this matter (and I have seen things happen that can only be explained by the supernatural), I have yet to experience anything that points to the existence of a god.
  
  So yes,in my case the doubts were already there:
  - The bad expereince of the WTS just made it even harder to accept!
  
  
  
  
• 

  DJK

  A lot. Part of the brainwashing was the teaching, Jehovah is the one and only true God. Never accepting a belief in Jehovah took away any belief that a God could exist at all.

  In the sixties, there was a book called Paradise lost, Paradise regained. It seemed to be written in a children's format about the first five books of the bible. Seeing the book placed on a shelf with Dr. Suess left me scratching my head. Mixed signal to say the least.
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  sspo

  If we are made in his image, would we have done what he did in the old testament or what he will do in the future?

  I don't think the majority of people would destroy little ones and old ones and animals just because they had the misfortune of being born in a certain location or religion such as the billions of today that have not heard of Jehovah. Would we as humans do that?

  The only reason I still beleive in the creator is creation itself but stopped worrying about pleasing him.

  If He wanted us to truly find out about him it would not have been so complicated and confusing.

  We as parents if we loved our kids and required them to do some tasks, would explain to them clearly what we want them to do and how to do it, not leave some rules and regulations for a family to each individually interpret them and then if they screw up a bit we would grab a gun and kill them all because a few details were missed when our own instructions were not clear and subject to interpretations.
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  Undecided

  I have the same view as NVR and JB.

  Ken P.
• 

  NotaNess

  IsaacJS2, I like the scientific approach if you want to elaborate.

  Like the science of how a single cell organism can eventually evolve into a creature that can create flying TONS of weight(planes). Funny how that single cell organism got us out into space too isn't it?

  Single cell organisms have a way with color too don't they, glowing beautifully bright fish, birds and flowers with unbelievable colors the human eye can only appreciate. Think a Giraffe cares what color a "Sparkling Cherub" butterfly is? Don't think so.

  Ever look inside a pocket watch? All the detail, that works so perfectly as to keep the time. I'd like to see a monkey try and make one. Yeah, us humans just got so lucky as to be able to "break out" of the dna chains, to become highly evolved and complex creatures...."by chance".

  Good thing too, cause then I wouldn't be able to enjoy my cherry vanilla ice cream with hotfudge and nuts, that the single cell organism was able to create in todays world.

  Creator??? You betcha! Science has it's place though.
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  golf2

  None whatsoever. I already had a belief in a Creator and still do.
  
  
  Golf