Reasons why its so hard to break from the WTS

by Leander 21 Replies latest jw friends

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  Introspection

  Hi Leander, you said:

  I'm not entirely sure that the WTS is really not God's organization.

  So, you are not entirely sure that it IS God's organization for that matter, right?

  Now in terms of what the bible says though, I tend to think of 1 Cor. 13. As you know, it says that if you can speak in tongues, have the gift of prophesying and give your belongings to help others but do not have love, it is nothing. Now you tell me, is something like identifying the wild beast more important than that?

  Why is it difficult for people to leave this organization

  Well, in my own experience and I think for others as well it's the social ties, though in my case it's kind of ironic because there wasn't much in the way of social ties when I was in, and some of those people I never had ties with may very well be ex-witnesses now, and we still wouldn't have any real ties so it's kind of irrelevant.. Essentially, it is because of people and not God or truth.

  I would make one distinction, and that is although it may be hard it is not complicated, and though not easy it can be simple. That's what I did, I just walked away one day. Oh sure I got depressed for a while, but it wasn't something hard to figure out really. But of course, it can be very emotional.
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  FatJackMcCracken

  Hi Leander, Yes it's difficult to break free. You might understand, intellectually, what's wrong in the watchtower world, but the problem usually lies in the emotional realm. It's like being in a mind-prison. Often, the core of the problem is the fear of freedom, or the fear of displeasing God. Rational-Emotive-Therapy, or Cognitive Therapy, a self-help process, has helped a lot of individuals through this terrible ordeal. There's books available and professional therapists available to assist. I should add this is not a mental illness, but if you persist with your internal struggle it might become one. Your Friend, Fat Jack
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  JBean

  I've read all of the above comments and thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, loving concern. Definitely much to think and pray about. --- Jbean
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  Gozz

  Leander,
  it's easy to be impressed with all the information JWs offer from the bible. It's true that they spend a great deal of time trying to understand the scriptures, and because they do have an impressive system of "coordinating" their beliefs, it turns out that everywhere you go, average JWs are basically the same. But the picture changes the if you were to have some basic understanding yourself. Combine this with the intolerance of the JW leadership with respect to opposing views, then the picture becomes un-nice.

  This you would easily see by doing some research into the evolution of the current JW teachings. In about a hundred years of existence, JW teaching have changed so much that you begin to wonder if God's hand is there. JWs will point to the bible as a book that's stood the test of time. What about their own notions of the bible's message? JWs will encourage you to research your own religion from independent sources; do they encourage that the same be done of their own religion? The top JW hierarchy is concerned about what that new ones and rank and file JWs will find should they decide to engage in independent researches about the religion. They published a book of the history of JEhovah's Witnesses (Proclaimers Book) which, in the JW fashion, misrepresents history.

  In fact, one should hope that it is not God's Organization. If it is, then there's something about God.
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  badwillie

  Leander-
  I'm not sure if you were around this forum when my story appeared.
  The thread is titled "I am publicly reproved over UN situation".
  Last Thursday night my wife and I were both publicly reproved. In my wife's case she was guilty of no more than talking privately to a friend about the UN involvement and also a pedophile situation that she knew of. This was enough for her to see that this is NOT Go's organization, but one of MEN who are paranoid about any negative or critical information. We realize now that we were living a fantasy.
  The "loving" Elders suddenly transformed into something not unlike the Taliban. There is a zero tolerance policy in place within the organization for anyone who dares to question the authority.
  Think carefully if this a healthy mental environment???
  - BadWillie.
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  Dogpatch

  Leander-
  All you have to do is set foot in a Christian bookstore, or better yet go to a place like:
  http://www.christianbook.com/html/specialty/1013.html
  Every book in the Bible has numerous commentaries written by hundreds. You live in a cave because you are taught to dismiss whatever others say. Open your eyes and look around to notice the rest of the world. JWs do not even know how to do apologetics at all.
  Check this out:
  http://www.freeminds.org/doctrine/interprt.htm

  Randy
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  cyberguy

  >> Some of the reasons why I feel that way is because of their insight on the scripture.
  >> I've never heard of any other religion attempt to decipher the prophecies in the book
  >> of Daniel and Revelations. Do other organizations discuss who the Wild Beast is,
  >> the difference between the great crowd and the other sheep?

  Hi Leander!

  I can relate to what you're going through. Although I still attend meetings myself, I'm no longer a servant in the congregation -- too much hypocrisy! I was finding it harder and harder to give most of the public talks, realizing that most of the Society's interpretation of prophecies was a big bunch of crap! Oh yea, they have "special insight" all right!

  As far as interpretations go, where do they sometimes go? If they receive some kind of special insight from Jehovah, why do they quote outside sources, such as from a number of Christendom's Bible commentaries? I thought that Christendom was eating at the "table of the demons?" Actually, I applaud when they do, for it is then that I get some sense that what I'm being taught might actually be true! However, have you considered purchasing some of these commentaries yourself? Why be content with getting the "food" second hand? If you want, I'll provide a list of sources they often quote from or at least the ones that you'll get some benefit from. Surely there's nothing wrong with having the same books they quote from is there?

  As far as other organizations discussing the meaning of different things, the answer is YES, there's a ton of literature out there! However, I don't think you'll be able to point your finger at any one religion as being the true faith. None that I've found follow the Bible ALL THE WAY. The Reasoning book on page 204, under "Do not other religious also follow the Bible?" makes this statement: (6) The Bible says that Christ's disciples would be no part of the world, and it warns that whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God; but the churches of Christendom and their members are deeply involved in the political affairs of the nations. (Jas. 4:4) In view of such a record, can it honestly be said that they really adhere to the Bible?

  Now, have you been watching the UN threads on this board? Need I say more?
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  JUSTAMOM

  Hello Leander

  I just wanted to share some thoughts and scriptures that I found helpful in my 'coming out.'

  First, if you are NOT sure, then continue in prays "seeking, knocking and asking" for truth, it WILL be opened to you. That is, IF, you really are asking and WANT to hear the answer, it will be given.

  Understanding first who really is behind this WTBS is a true eye awakening. Of course, for many sheep that NEED to be led is where GALATIANS 4 comes in. If our faith is not to the point where we truly understand what "walking by faith and NOT by sight is" what "worshipping in spirit and truth" really is...then "under men in charge" is where we will remain.

  Remember, the adversary posses as "an angel of light." So he and what he produces, propanganda, religion, etc....will look as close to the real thing as possible without it being such. Remember he can even mislead chosen ones. So it will look and feel like the real thing, but be spiritually detrimental.
  There is only ONE TRUTH and it is not a where. It is found at John 14:6 and it is HE who is the truth. He also says and invites each of us to : MATTHEW 11:28-30, John 10, John 6:48-58, Luke 11:13,....come to HIM, enter this new covenant, remain in it, ask for holy spirit to come upon you and lead you. (1John 2:26-28)
  We have been taught something very confusing. We are told that ALL of Gods people can have holy spirit if they pray for it, yet on the other hand we are told that NO YOU CAN'T unless your anointed.
  So, which is it? Is there truly a mans number that says only 144,000 can receive holy spirit. Because the great crowd HAVE IT ALSO, because they "stand before the throne dressed in white robes."
  And where might that throne be?? Revelation 19:1 gives you the clue.

  Notice in John 6:48-58 ANYONE is invited into this covenant of eating and drinking, not just 144,000.
  In the wilderness (1Cor.10:1-) ALL of Israel ate and drank, yet not ALL were priests were they? Eating and drinking doesn't make an invidual "anointed." The 12 apostles "ate and drank" with Jesus the night before he died and they hadn't "received" holy spirit until 50 days later at pentecost. So......

  just someting encouraging that helped me and my family to start with.

  JUST A MOM (Kim)
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  Amazing

  Hi Leander: You noted, "The WTS seems to be unique in the sense that they attempt to discuss in detail all parts of the bible. Or maybe I'm just not knowledgable enough about other religions."

  Many religions and theologians have discussed various books in the Bible. Barns Notes is a Commentary on the entire Bible that the Society has used. Theological Dictionary of the New testament is another. Matthew Henry's Commentary is another good discussion of the entire Bible. The Catholic Encyclopedia is yet again another good resource.

  The Watch Tower piblished the Your Will Be Done book in the 1950s. It is a bright green book that is a discussion of Daniel. It had to be abandoned because they got it all wrong once again. So they have published the newer book about Daniel. TheFinished Mystery the Soceity Published in 1917 is a comical joke, and so the Society published various commentaries on it, including The Finished Mystery (?) and Babylon the Great has Fallen in the 1960s, only to have to replace these with the Revelation Climax book in the late 1980s. The prophecies about 1975 published in the Truth book were all abandoned and replaced by the Paradise Earth and then the Knowledge books in the 1980s and then 1990s.

  All of the Watch Tower books and prophecies and understandings have to be redone every few years - whereas Barns Notes, Matthew Henry's Commmentary and others have stood the test of time - and the Society finds that they still have to refer back again to these books when their own understandings prove insufficient.

  As to the Watch Tower being God's organization, well, you be the judge of that - by as for me and my household, we will not serve an organization, but God and Chriust alone. - Amazing
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  barry

  Dear leander,
  Just a couple of things I forgot to mention even If you do look at other opinions you have now a picture in your mind of how everything fits together with the witness theology. So for things to register in regard to other interpretations it would take some time.
  Also the main approach with the Witnesses and the Adventist Church with regard to the interpretations of Daniel and Revelation has been what is referred to as the 'Historicist' approach to bible prophecy. this approach has in the past been used other Churches but is losing credibility even in the Adventist communion.
  Weaknesses of Historicism.
  One primary weakness of historicism is that it forgets the prophecies had immediate meaning for the people who first received them. Christians of the first century had a fairly good idea of what John the Revelator was saying. They understood him to be addressing events in their era, not nineteen centuries beyond.
  Secondly , historicism ignores the fact that prophetic symbols are deliberately impressionistic so they have recurring application to similar situations elsewhere in history.
  Thirdly, historicism fails to see that apocalyptic literature [like Daniel and Revelation] does not claim to set forth a detailed blueprint for 2,000 years of history. On the contrary, everything fortold could have been speedily fulfilled to the generation which first read its pages. It explicitly states that the things revealed are soon to pass [Rev.1;1,3.]
  Finally and most important of all-historicists all too often have failed to recognize that all prophecy is a testimony of Jesus and his gospel. The prophetic word is not intended as a minute history written in advance. It is a symbolic portrayal of what Christ has already done and its revelance for the future. Jesus Christ is the centre of the Christian apocalyptic. Even the future events to overtake the church are seen through the spectrum of the cross.