would you still be a JW? (page 3)

Casper

So what are you saying, that most here who say they are out because they found out the truth about the "truth" are lying and justifying a selfish need to do their own thing and have more freedom?

That's the same feeling I got from your reply. I didn't leave to Party and do my own thing..

I left because, for one of several reasons, I don't agree with the way they keep adding to the Bible and then saying it came directly from God. I feel that is BS... how do we know where their ideas come from for sure, esp. when they have to take a vote on what to add.

Cas

R.Crusoe

BR25 your reasoning is all about headspeak!

Your inner feeling and liberating how you feel about things as a person in connecting with any human and nature is much different than having a group of people not even known to you give you a human handbook (model present but minus 2000+yrs guide)!

Your autonomy is unique to you!

And you gave it away - or were conditioned to!

Some of us are fighting for our own nature gifted life however late in our day!

Sin is a concept unique to humans! You could rewrite all sin to enhance your own life experience and harm no-one rather than follow advice from thousands of years ago (by humans - NOT GOD) someone passed on to you !

Many see this and you do not!

BizzyBee

I find it hard to believe nobody would still be a JW if there was no disfellowshipping or you had more freedoms.

I find it hard to believe that you believe that after having been around here for awhile. As has been pointed out, if your hypothetical JW fairy tale came true, they'd be a different religion. It would be like baking a cake and then trying to remove the eggs. Then the sugar. Then the butter. What you would have left would not be "cake."

Most of the ex witnesses I know left because of being disfellowshipped or because of boredom not because they found out is was false.

This would have to be a fairly small and impure sample. How many ex-witnesses have you personally sat down with and asked them either why they left or, more importantly, why they didn't come back? As a JW, all I ever knew of ex-JWs was the rumors going around the KH.

Most people dont even question the JW faith till they want out and these are 2 of the biggest reasons why people want out. The questioning of faith usually comes later so I think some would still be JWs whether they want to admit it or not.

BR, perhaps you are young and perhaps you are on the sharp horns of cognitive dissonance or family ties, but for some reason you seem to want and need to believe this. So it doesn't seem to matter what feedback you get to your question - you've made up your mind. Keep coming back.

BR25

Didnt mean to come off as rude. My apologies. The reason I put it that way is because almost everyone I know never left the JW faith just because they stop believing in it, especially younger ones including myself. I started doing more things I wanted to do and drifted away from it. I read many subjects on here and some our about what you cant do so I just thought Id ask.

I do think some of you left because you found it wasnt truthful, but I also think that some wanted to find out just because of all the priviligies taken away from them or family issues because of being disfellowshipped. I joined sports in high school. I drink to get drunk from time to time. I just got bored with all things you couldnt do and I know that alot of times this is why people drift away that is why I asked these questions. Im one of these people so Im not trying to get at anyone. I beilieve alot of the faith still to this day, but I enjoy freedom as well.

Tuesday

There would have to be quite a few changes...

Not caring about outward appearances (since that's what initially got me disinterested)

No rule about no blood transfusions

No requirement to preach

No hateful speech about homosexuals

One meeting a week

No disfellowshipping/more lenient towards sin in general

No rules about extra curricular activity

So yeah basically if they were as lenient as the catholics are, I would still miss most Sunday meetings but would probably still call myself a Witness. I'd be like those "Sometimes" Catholics. I would go to the memorial, I would make a few of the meetings through out the year. But yeah their strict adherance to all the crazy crap they have would have to go.

Sirona

I'm not DFd or DAd.

I left because 1. I'd started studying psychology at college and I started to realise the problems in the JW religion regarding guilt and manipulation and 2. I was sick of the constant feeling of never being good enough - every meeting they pushed how you could be doing more and why were you not doing more?

JWs like to think that those who leave are WEAK and just want to live an immoral life. NOT TRUE. I've met so many exJWs who live perfectly moral lives and are great people. I didn't leave so I could be immoral....I was married when I left and I stayed with that guy (didn't work out, but he left me and thats another story) the fact is I didn't leave so I could do what I wanted to.

Sirona

JeffT

One of the fairey tales JW's believe is that it is obvious that they have "the truth" and that people who don't accept that are motivated by a selfish desire to do their own thing. It is unthinkable to them that a sincere, honest, moral person could look at their religion and say "no thanks" (or more likely "what a bunch of bull$hit").

Witnesses could change their policy on shunning and I still wouldn't be one, although it would be nice to be able to look up some old friends.

BizzyBee

The reason I put it that way is because almost everyone I know never left the JW faith just because they stop believing in it, especially younger ones including myself.

Ahh...I see. Belief (or disbelief) is a gradual process, like learning.

I didn't stop going to meetings because overnight I stopped believing in the WTS. I'm know there are many people who left due to being DF'd for something else, but in time got the perspective to understand that this was not the truth. And how many people who get DF'd are actually taking risks because deep down inside they don't believe?

beksbks

Personally, I think if you have a brain in your head, and you give a darn at all, you eventually ..........grow out of the witnesses. If you are rebellious enough to pick up a book on history, or anthropology, or cultural studies of any kind, you will get there even faster. Some who do not believe, stay anyway because it is all they have ever known, and all their loved ones are there. I would venture to say there are many more of those, than the sort you describe.

real one

i never was baptised. i studied for 17 years but could not make a commitment. the doubts grew over the years until oct 2007, i could not take it anymore. i asked myself why i felt so far away from God. i never believed that jw were the only ones worshiping God properly though i said i believed it to family members. they wont let me forget that. jw are the truth with some lies thrown in. Satan is clever. He knows how to spread false religion around. when you are told facts and deny them you are blinded to the truth. im glad i was never baptised.

would you still be a JW?

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