by minimus 49 Replies latest jw friends
You are so right Casper!
You brainwash yourself to stop looking for questions hoping they will all go away, but they still pop up!!
Imagine how many there would be if you never let yourself stop asking like they insist on!
What a load of sheeps stomachs they are!
I cannot believe I gave my soul to their putrid minds!
I think there are a lot of "good Witnesses" that have many doubts or disagreements with "Mother" but no one would really know that since one cannot openly talk about it.
Here's the short of it: still in. Was an elder, held every position. Was an adult in '75 and experienced the whole drama, in fact I made some very great life-changing decisions based on 1975.
I find it difficult to make a decision to jump ship, mainly because many who have 'jumped ship' have become either agnostic or atheist. I am not headed in that direction. I am aware of the many failings of the org. I write letters to the org with questions they can't or won't answer. I lurk around on e-watchman, channel c, paradise cafe, and here. I avoid the 'coming out' of an apostate because there are those still 'in' with whom I have good discussions and I feel I can help.
I read and am currently re-reading an excellent book "The Myth of Certainty" by Daniel Taylor. It has been very helpful in revealing the myth of absolutes (and complete truth) in any religion. While the loosely used statement "Lord, whom shall we go away to?" doesn't fit an organization, it does in some way identify the dilemma we face of finding a way of worship that is at least acceptable if not barely tolerable for the reflective or thinking Christian.
It's not easy because many still look up to me and I avoid being spotlighted and backed into a corner where I would have to reveal what I know as the truth about the org. That day will come, I know.
oldseeker2
OS2, WELCOME!!!
You gotta know it simply isn't The Truth, right?
You brainwash yourself to stop looking for questions hoping they will all go away, but they still pop up
True, my questions never went away... I just pushed them aside. Thinking there was a problem with me, as we were all told at one time or another.
Also, I agree Minimus... you can't openly question in the congregation... we all know how that goes down... So we suppress it, and become a shell of ourselves.
As for myself.......I just refused to live in the "Box" anymore... I only told one active witness that... and I was shocked that he agreed with me... I had no idea he felt that way... If we had been allowed free speech things might have worked out different for alot of us.
Even tho I had doubts I still worked hard to "Please Man"... and put in those hours and do all that was physically expected of me, as I am sure others have also. Thus, outwardly being a "Good Witness". Mentally, I had to wrestle with it.
Cas
most def. We were reg at meetings, studied, reg in field service. We volunteered our time in quick builds, helped others(mowed their grass, prepared meals, ran errands). We were the ones who always used our vehicle in service. We gave $$$$$.
If you will tell me where 'The Truth' is, I will go there.
For now, the only truth I really know is in what Jesus said in John 14:6: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." I am working on this.
All religions today are human institutions, with human failings. They don't want to view themselves as institutions, but they are. I particularly like what Daniel Tatlor said in his book I referenced above: "Preserving the faith is central to God's plan for human history; preserving particular religious instituions is not. Do not expect those who run the institutions to be sensitive to the difference. God needs no particular person, church, denomination, creed, or organization to accomplish His purpose. He will make use of those, in all their diversity, who are ready to be used, but will leave to themselves those who labor for their own ends."
So, respectfully, I ask where would you have me go?
oldseeker2
Why must you go anywhere? I guess, I'm happy that you're not still a Watchtower believer.
Depended on who you asked. Some very nasty, judgmental jws out there.
And of course, "good" is subjective, isn't it Blondie?
