One good book is "Outcompete God and Government for Limitless Health and Wealth" by Frank R. Wallace. If you can find that book, you are in luck since it will give you an alternative view on the whole idea of God's being some Almighty, omnipotent, omniscient, maximally benevolent being. The book will probably cost you close to $100 (you might find it used for less), and is some serious reading. However, be warned--if you wish to remain Christian and are resolved to, your belief in Christianity will be seriously challenged by this book.
Am I an idiot??? - ok, don't answer that... but, seriously... I've....
by cognac 35 Replies latest jw friends
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AK - Jeff
Cognac -
I could not/can not keep my mouth shut about what I see and know - especially hypocrisy and idiocy. I think I knew going in, that when I read CoC and ISoCF I would not be able to 'fade' without saying anything. I tried for a while - but I could not stop speaking about what I knew. So, if you are of the same sort, expect that it might be tough and find a strategy that will limit the damage - at least try and time it based on your agenda and not theirs.
Good luck.
Jeff
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LouBelle
I mean, I'd like to think I'm intelligent. I just don't get how I didn't notice these things .......................................................... I can't keep quiet
cognac - I said exactlly the same thing. Once all these things start firing off you mouth wants to follow suit because you just can't believe the cheek of it.
Hang in there girl !
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The Scotsman
Cognac
I feel exactly the same – Now that my mind has woke up I find the meetings really hard. I have now got to the stage of slightly shaking my head during the meeting at some of the stuff said.
Last night was no exception – e.g.
Brother giving talk said this –
“Brothers, Armageddon is so near that the ministry is incredibly urgent. We are in the last gasp of this system. Now is the time to throw off every unnecessary burden and pursue the ministry. These are the last days of the last days.”
Well I was sitting in my seat mumbling to myself and shaking my head – They have said this since the late 1800s – I said to my wife.
(I will need to be careful – I could become a dividing influence in the cong by shaking my head a little bit.)Another test is the book study (Revelation Climax book) This whole book just creates in me question after question. In fact, I cant get passed one of the first points made in this book – By inspiration I came to be in the lords day – org tell us this is “clearly” 1914. What I had not really noticed before is that this “one” point sets the foundation for the entire book. If the org ever change this date in there understanding they would need to rewrite the whole book.
Anyway, the way I have illustrated it is - Our life is like walking on a tight rope with the Truth being the safety net. Suddenly the safety net is being removed but we need to keep going on the tight rope – life goes on without the org. This initially can create feelings of fear, even danger. But the bottom line is as long as we “think” the truth is the safety net we will not think rationally and will miss oh so much.
I also find it difficult to keep quiet. I sometimes feel like standing up in the middle of the kingdom hall and screaming at the top of my voice - ARE YOU PEOPLE BLIND.
I think I would get in trouble for doing that!!!
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momzcrazy
Things can look different when you are no longer having someone tell you what you are supposed to see.
momz
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Pioneer Spit...oh, i mean Spirit
I've been thinking a lot lately about why JWs are forbidden to research the JWs. . .why they vilify 'apostate' literature and people. . .why they scare members into studying constantly to avoid doubts. . .why they don't allow members to talk about actions and history of elders, GB, the org as a whole. . .
they had to keep us ethered up for the mind control to work. Mind control is the only hold on us that they had, it's about allegiance, not intelligence. . . if it was we'd have never given any of our years to them. While we were doped up on talk of playing with lions and never dying in Candy Land and how much everyone loved us, there was some reality happening.
So, once you get out of that opium cloud you can see it for what it really is, and the harsh reality has never stopped coming. Everyday, I read something or remember something that happened or was said, and it's WHAM! What assholes! all over again!
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west123
what you've said is exactly how I felt when I started going back to meetings..cognac, I consider myself intelligent as well..it hurts that something you've believed for so long can be so wrong..I never believed in mind control before, but I think now it really is true. Since I've started going to just the Sunday meetings again it seems I find at least five or six things in the talk and even more in the watchtower that I'm like, "hey, wait a minute, that's not what it says..." It's very confusing and hard to keep my mouth shut..I can only hope it gets better soon..for everyone..
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real one
As soon as i found out the "so called" truth was a lie i blew my gaskets. I called some witness over to tell them what i discovered and they yelled at me. They told me they would give me the answers i wanted but never returned. i was crushed. i called my cousin who i got into the truth who got baptised, i didnt, and screamed at her on the phone. at first she talked to me even offered to get another jw to speak to me. then she avoided the conversations. i must tell her today she is in a cult because i feel it is partially my fault. at this point i dont care if she never speaks to me again its been 5 mos i cant go on any longer avoiding this important issue. How will God view me if i dont attempt to tell her. i shudder to think how He will view me.
The truth must be told. The spirit that lives in me tells me that. No more holding back..Jesus says we must take up our cross and carry it daily if we want to be His follower. we must deny ourselves or hate ourselves and put His will first.
Luke 12: 49-53 I came to set fire to the earth, and I wish it were already on fire! I am going to be put to a hard test. And I will have to suffer a lot of pain until it is over. Do you think I came to bring peace to earth? No indeed! I came to make people choose sides. A family of five will be divided, with two of them against the other three. Fathers and sons will turn against one another, and mothers and daughters will do the same. Mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law will also turn against each other.
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sacolton
You are AWAKE! Yes, it's amazing how clouded your mind can become when you've listened to the bull$hit for years.
One thing that always digusted me when listening to their drivel is how they insert themselves into prophecy fulfillment.
"See here in Revelation ... that other angel is Charles Taze Russell who is shouting from the Heavens." Those rants
really made me sick. -
Doubting Bro
Cognac,
You certainly aren't alone in your feelings. Just like Scotsman, I also whisper comments to my wife about things said. We've had long discussions about the WTS and she knows I only go to maintain contact with my large JW family. She thinks most Christian religions are similar and that God will sort them out in due time. I'm not so sure but whatever.
I also find it difficult to keep quiet. I sometimes feel like standing up in the middle of the kingdom hall and screaming at the top of my voice - ARE YOU PEOPLE BLIND.
I feel the same way.