How to get the programming out of my mind. (page 2)

Hortensia

there's no hurry. Keep thinking, keep looking, keep researching. Eventually you'll come to some balance point which makes sense to you. You are right about the WTBTS - it's their way or the highway, which is high control indeed. So, lots of people have chosen the highway.

OnTheWayOut

Welcome to the posting side. If you do your own research, you discover the truth for yourself.
Once you did your own research, you are disturbed at the meetings, but the doctrine is laughable
when you know how the logic is wrong or the scripture is twisted.

It's like the doctrine is powerful until you know it's secret, then it is harmless.

ness

Im an atheist now

without wanting to hijack mr apostate. jr's thread lol, how did you go from being Christian to Atheist? Christian to Agnostic I understand as thats what I would classify myself as, but Atheist?

Homerovah the Almighty

Hi guy, good for you to ask questions, in a real short answer this religion like so many other religions were started by men who wanted power and when men seek power there will most

certainly be an amount of corruption to obtain that power and maintain it. It doesn't sound like you want to be a part of that endeavor, which is good it sounds like you have a good character.

You might have read in this forum the word fade and this is a good way to describe what folks have been doing, mentally fading away form the programing control freaks of the

Watchtower society. Finding out and researching the back ground on this religion will give you good solid grounding to leave, the information on the net is very helpfull....good luck

choosing life

You mention propheysizing in Jesus' name. How many prophecies of the Watchtower have ever come true? Would Jesus know them?

As far as preaching goes, do jws actually really talk to anyone much. Most of their time is spent knocking on empty doors or killing time in the circle drive.

If they really wanted to preach an urgent message, there are much more productive ways to accompliksh this,

Keep reading and researching and your mind will free itself. Wecome and best wishes. Choosing Life

WTWizard

I have found that reading a variety of "apostate" Web sites really helps. There is a site run by Rick Ross for apostates that wish to continue to remain Christian, and this also makes for good reading. And then there is Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz--you can pick up a copy at www.freeminds.org under the "Most Burned Book" topic (Get One). I highly recommend reading that site, and getting that book. It will give you insight from a former Governing Body member that tried to right the organization and got kicked out trying. Once you have read that book through, you will realize that the Watchtower Society is not the united in worship place they claim to be.

Of course, you will have to be prepared. Try not to get caught with that book. If the hounders catch you with it, or someone sees you reading or thinks they see you reading it, you could well be in for a judicial hearing. And those hearings usually are predetermined, as you will find out when you read some of the sites. Freeminds will send it anonymously, so the chance of getting caught while picking it up is slim. But you will have to hide it and read it while any Witless family members are out. And then there are ~~hounding~~ shepherding calls--if the hounders see that book in the house while doing one of those, you are likely in for a judicial hearing. Just be prepared to hide it under the couch or under the bed when they show up.

RisingEagle

Hey apostate jr., welcome to the posting side! It took me a bit of time and reading before I found a comfort level in posting also. I think you'll get more comfortable the more you post. You said in your first post:

Jesus mentioned in the scripture that there would be ones that said, did we not prophecy in your name.... etc, but that he would not recognize them. Did this mean that there would be only one true religion? I cant get my head around the scripture.

I like that your question is from the sermon on the mount, it's one of my favorites. Jesus was addressing his disciples on the standard for being in his fathers kingdom not instructions on how to be in any other religion. I don't think the SotM even talks about other religions. So when Jesus pointed out those who would say, 'Lord, Lord' he was speaking of people proclaiming to be his followers but doing so dishonestly. (Follow the Christ assembly, maybe?)

Also, when Jesus commanded the disciples to preach, was this meant to be in the door to door style of the witnesses, or something else

When he first sent out disciples to preach he never specifically said go door to door but village to village. I imagine they used any means available whether it was preaching in a home, the synagogue or public market. Paul, while in Athens, went to the Areopagus to explain Christ to them. First century Christians seem to have found a way to teach about Jesus regardless of where they were, from prison to private home. I know of many modern-day Christians that see their 'territory' as their whole days experience - from getting gas and coffee at a convenience store, to throughout their workday, to the restaurants they eat at in the evening. It's been nice to meet some people actually living their lives as Christians rather than putting it on for 5 meetings a week and Saturday morning field service.

Eagle

Awakened07

Welcome Apostate.Jr.

We've all (well, most of us) been in the place you are now. I recognize the way you're thinking, as it was me a few years ago.

I think it's important for yourself that you take it slow. On 'apostate' sites like this one, you'll find a lot of good info that may help you take the right steps, but you will also find things that may seem harsh, or blunt, or aggressive, or the like - things that gives you bad chills of guilt down your spine when you're still an active witness. This is because people here have already left a long time ago, they may be angry at what happened to them or what happened to other witnesses, and they don't any longer feel guilt for discussing things that they would never discuss before.

Don't let yourself get turned off by the more racy topics, but instead continue to search for answers to your questions (use the internet, but always check sources). While you're in the place you are now (fragile in a way), you may want to at the same time research what the Watchtower teaches about the things you're wondering about, just to please your conscience at first. You need to ease out of this, and I think this is a good way of doing it. In your research - if you ask the right (or wrong, depending on perspective) questions, you may find that the answers you find in the Watchtower publications either aren't there(!), or that the answers you get doesn't make sense to you, or are simply dancing around the core of the question. However - in the place you are now (mentally, spiritually), you may also find answers in Watchtower publications that make sense in the mindset and belief that you currently have. Just keep asking questions and try to find answers.

Many here have become either atheist or agnostic, but many others have found other religions or Christian denominations. I myself have become an atheist, but I won't advocate that view in this post. You have to do your own research and form your own conclusions. Atheism may be the 'truth' for me, but I acknowledge that it won't work well for everyone - at least not in the first period of a fade from the witnesses. It's "bad enough" to learn that what you've believed about the afterlife etc. your whole life was a lie. Some atheists/agnostics here would certainly disagree with me on this approach, but in a beginning fade I think you should take things slow. To me - if you find some other faith, that's great, and if you find that research leads you to atheism or agnosticism, that's great as well. Just don't be afraid to ask the tough questions and go where the answers lead you. At the same time, be careful of the information you read and process, because there is a lot of weird stuff out there. Try to keep a level head, check numerous resources, check the sources of the info etc. You could of course just go to a evangelical Christian meeting and get 'saved' in one night, but my personal advice is to spend time doing research of numerous things instead. To get a clear view of why JWs do not in fact have the Truth, and why you should leave (and how you should leave). That in itself can take a long time.

For me personally, atheism/agnosticism 'emancipated' me, because no one can any longer throw scripture in my face in order to incite guilt. If I would join some other denomination or religion, there would for the most part still be that big black Book hanging over my head, and people using it to their advantage in some way. That's not the reason I stopped believing though - it was just a side-effect of it. But again, it may not be for everyone.

So - ask questions, research the answers, and go wherever the answers may take you. It's a big world (and universe) out there.

And welcome to JWD.

free2think

Welcome to JWD Apostate Jr.

I'm torn between atheism and being a agnostic. Altho at the moment im leaning towards the latter.

But it's taken me a while to get here, so dont feel bad that you are so confused its a natural process. I hope these posts have helped you.

jwfacts

Welcome to the board.

It takes time to replace what you have been trained to think with your own thoughts, years in fact. Your comment indicates that you view things from the perspective of needing an organization, one true religion. This sort of black and white thinking is very much the product of mind control groups.

A few articles that may help answer the questions you raised are:

preaching - http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/preach.htm

Organization - http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/organization.htm

Salvation through one religions - http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/salvation.htm

How to get the programming out of my mind.

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