Please allow me to introduce myself... (page 2)

Olin Moyles Ghost

Thanks for all the responses. Sure, "OMG" is fine.

A little more about my situation. I am still in "good standing" in the congregation. I've had serious doubts for over a year, but play my cards close to my chest around witness friends and family. As many of you know from personal experience, there is a lot to lose and I am not ready to lose it all.

I have a wife and a young child. Mrs. Ghost and I have a great relationship. She was also raised as a witness. She is what I call a "liberal" witness. She thinks that a lot of the rules are unscriptural (e.g., birthdays, private intimate matters between married couples). But, she still thinks that this is the closest thing to the truth out there. For example, she's really big on the fact that JWs don't go to war. Fortunately, she listens to my heretical views about the FDS and actually agrees with me on a lot of points. I don't tell her what to think and I don't press her too hard. I want her to come to her own conclusions. She's a smart woman.

Here's one more issue that led to my doubting "the truth": False Prophecy. The organization attempts to escape liability for false prophecy by saying that it doesn't claim to be infallible. When you compare that excuse to the language used in building up the 1914, 1925, and even 1975 dates, that excuse rings hollow. It seems overly formalistic, even legalistic. Also their excuse about Jesus' disciples having erroneous expectations about the restoration of the kingdom to Israel doesn't hold water. Specifically, the Bible does not state that the disciples went around teaching this incorrect understanding as doctrine and shunning anyone who refused to believe it. The analogy simply does not fit.

poppers

Welcome, OMG - you sound like an intelligent fellow. I look forward to reading more of your posts.

heathen

welcome and may your journey to the dark side be a pleasant one. I agree the WTBTS tries to disassociate itself from it's mistakes using allot of double speak disinformation and pressure on it's members to comply without grumbling about it and pretend it never happened by never talking about it .They lie and manipulate to members or demonize people that refuse to play by their rules .

Bryan

Nice to have you here. It's great your wife has the attitude that she does.

Best,

Bryan

belbab

I remember thinking that every time God has used an organization, it has turned bad or apostatized. So, I wondered, could the Society have done the same thing? Could it have "gone bad"?

OMG

Your words cited above were one of the main reasons that led me to wake up from Jaydom stupor.

This is what Stephen's discourse was to the scribes and pharisees of his day, and he was stoned for it.

Nearly four decades ago the same thoughts you have expressed above were delivered to a someone who at the time was a Watchtower missionary who had returned from Africa, later became a circuit servant in Canada and finally became a member of the Governing Body, where he is still remains to this day. His name is David Splane. Here is part of this account, the rest of it can be found at the link below.

So one warm sunny day we were seated on a bench outside, in the country, and I quietly and sincerely voiced my concerns. The question went something like this: I said Moses, a leader of Israel, failed to enter into the Promised land because he failed to honor Jehovah when he struck the rock for water. David sinned, had a man murdered and claimed his wife for himself. Soloman failed. Peter denied Christ three times, Christianity fell away, the Inquisition, Protestants also failed. Russell was wrong in his predictions and his organisation went into 'captivity to Babylon'. Rutherford built Beth Sarim and said the 'princes' would shortly return. I said all these failed in their worship of God. Then I asked, "what do you think are the failings of the Watchtower today?" There was dead silence. He got up and walked away, without a word.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/10619/1.ashx

Hey Ho! DAVID SPLANE, has Eligah come and sat in the empty chair beside you yet? Curious spectators would like to know.

belbab

Hiddenwindow

Welcome!

Tired of the Hypocrisy

Welcome to the board, Olin Moyles Ghost!

Hortensia

Hi,
so encouraging to read your post. I hope you can take things slowly enough that you bring your wife and child out of the org. with you.

Dagney

Welcome to the board OMG! I look forward to your posts.

Fadeout

Hi OMG, it would be hard for me to agree with you more, especially the part about the organization apostasizing.

Before I really started looking for anti-WTS material online, when my concerns were raised only by the WT's own statements, contradictions, and weirdnesses, that's exactly what I suspected.

Like you, I thought, every time God has had a chosen organization, it went bad, and the individuals needed to have the insight to disobey the organization and stick with God.

I even went so far as to discuss this very subject with some family members, like when they would make a particularly mind-controlled comment like "Well we'll just have to wait on Jehovah." Fortunately it never got beyond that, except with one person who I was actually able to deconvert.

It is very reassuring to know there are other non-psychos out there who felt the same way... assuming you're not a psycho, of course.

I am also in the "in the closet" club... only the person I deconverted knows my true feelings, and I'm just trying to figure out a game plan for the others I care about. After that, the org can do what they want to me.

BTW, I should just point out that your user name and avatar have spiritistic overtones and promote the Babylonian teaching that souls live on after death. I may have to "mark" you until it's changed.

Please allow me to introduce myself...

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