As a Witness I Hated Personal Study- How About You ? (page 2)

5go

Studying; what studying, there is know studying it is just say what is in the book in your own words. I can do that on the spot!

FLYING HIGH NOW- Well, that is good that you kept an open mind on the information and were able to see the lunacy of it in spite of being deceived like the rest of us. I'm sure as you say- it made your exit that much easier ! Peace out, Mr. Flipper

RisingEagle

Personal study? Ha. I would just highlight random stuff in the WT just so it would look like I studied on Sunday.

It was hard work all that boring underlining! Plus it looked like I studied even if I really didn't!

I did this...until I got caught. I wanted a friend from the hall to be able to spend the night, but the parents said not unless I had 'studied my lesson' for Sunday morning. Random underlining ensued. The next morning my friend is sitting next to me and sees that I have underlines on my copy. He promptly copies what I have underlined and then proceeds to raise his hand for every question! He is called on and gives totally wrong answers. It takes the wt conductor calling on him about three times before he realizes this kid is either an idiot or making fun of the study, before he stops allowing him to answer. A parent conference with the wt conductor after the study showed my duplicity and now that I think about it, I can't recall that kid being allowed to hang out with me much after that day. He's probably an elder by now.

flipper

5 GO- Yeah . I agree. Just read the answers from the paragraph ! That's what most people did anyway I believe when they commented.

RISING EAGLE - That is a hilarious experience ! It shows I guess that we can't trust copying someone's answers to comment on ! LOL! Dude probably is an elder now I would imagine as well . Go figure. LOL! Peace out, Mr. Flipper

BreakingAway

Actually, I studied a great deal.Part of the reason may be because I "came out of the world" and wanted answers and I do like to learn.For the first few years I faithfully read the magazines but eventually I just skimmed them and later on I grew tired of the same old stuff, contradictions and doublespeak.Instead, I wanted to delve into the deeper things.I read the Bible several times through as well as many specific passages and subjects.I wanted to be enlightened on those specific passages and concepts.

I was also an elder for a number of years and felt that if one is going to be a Shepherd then they'd better know , or at least have a pretty good idea, of what they're doing ! I read a lot of different (not approved by the Society) translations and Bible commentaries to get a more well rounded view of things.I even read information in psychology books to get a better understanding of others and what they might be experiencing and why some do the things they do.It was clear to me that the Bible was about not rules or regulations, or do's and don'ts,but the spirit of the law.That not all things are black and white.Unfortunately, the Organization and it's enforcers, are all about rules even though they say they're not.I've gotten rid of many of the publications.Filled up several garbage bags with them.

JK666

Mr. F,

I hated it with a passion, especially the Watchtower study. A shrink would have a field day with this one . . . oh, I forgot. You are the resident shrink here! Okay, long time listener, 4th time caller.

When I was young growing up, personal study had a direct correlation with physical and emotional abuse. My father was an alcoholic, and when he got drunk he was extremely mean. Life with my father were sheer hell, I was the youngest and the only boy so I got the brunt of his attacks. I even have large blocks of time from my childhood that I have absolutely no memory of. My sister and I discussed some of the things that happened to me growing up that I cannot remember just a few years ago, and it was like listening to a story about another family.

Anyway, when things got really bad, my mother, two sisters and I would barricade ourselves in one of the bedrooms, with my father screaming and making threats in the background. THAT was when we would study the Watchtower together. Pleasant memories for sure!

The only good times during those nights was if my dad would decide to go out to a bar and leave for a while, and buy a few more cases of PBR to bring home. We would come out of the bedroom, and it was like a big party. We would watch TV, eat ice cream, and take pop and snacks back so that we would have them when he came home. But eventually he would return, and we would go back to studying the Watchtower again. And when we got done, we would study something else.

As an adult suffering from cog-dis, I would have to get half lit to study the WT. And I would do all of the study articles of the magazine at one time so I could get it over with. It was just a spiritual f**king paradise.

Now, can you give me some of the yellow pills that I like? Thanks Doc.

JK

FlyingHighNow

Jk666, that just touches my heart. Thank goodness I was not raised in a JW home. My mom was the abuser, but when it came to religion, she was very hip and took us to the Episcopal Church. She had a very healthy view of God and passed that on to us children.

prophecor

I was passionate about my studies. I loved gleaning the fine points of a particular bible reading.

One instance where, if I'm not mistaken, Uzzah, who was killed because he touched the Ark of the Covenant. He would have never had to lay a hand on it, if they'd just did what it was they were told, regarding the care and concern for the precious item.

They traveled for some time getting the Ark from point A. to point B. Secondly, they weren't carrying the Ark, properly. It was to be carried on poles speciffically made of accacia wood. They desired to do things thier own way. They wanted to make things easer for themselves. I forget all the specifics, but had they only followed Jehovah's implicit instructions, to the letter as was required, Uzzah, although having the best of intentions regarding the Ark, my never needed to lose his life. The Ark began to fall over or tilt off it's center. Uzzah tried to prevent that little catastrophe but made everything worse by placing his hands on it and..............I guess you get the point..........

R.Crusoe

Flipper and SajwE

I see both your perspectives.

I used to love researching and finding out real truths - or at least original meanings of scripture ( whether it's God's direct speak is another issue)

Then elders started on about the meat of the word and accepting basics and using circular argument scripture which made me feel that it ewas all fandabidosa to study deep till baptism but don't ask questions later! I had now entered the twilight zone where you do as is!! Study is now about finding ways of defending facts you yourslef haven't necessarily convinced yourself about. The game is now a different one and your whole ethos must shift from searching for realmeaning to justifying provided meaning!!

So this phase was the one which saw me and wifey (both newly baptised) completely at odds as she towed the elders line at the complete odds to the one I held. It was as if the only way of keeping unity was to fall in line and I did that for most of my adult life as a fader but providing for my children in some spiritually darkened twilight zone whilst my ex kept up the whole circle of JW hoy polloy mularkey - which was more her than me!

So yes, I love study and yes, JWs did help me to hate it!!

B_Deserter

I didn't hate personal study.......

because I never did it. :-D

As a Witness I Hated Personal Study- How About You ?

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