I am a prisoner of the family too, know the real truth and cannot leave
Do you think JW's really know the "Truth" about the "Truth"?
by Quirky1 28 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
donny
I really believed it the first couple of years, but I remember my first doubts began in the summer of 1984. The Society always insisted that the President of the organization was just a title of the person who lead the legal entity known as the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and that he had no special spiritual relationship with God versus anyone else.
Then in 1984 they released a brochure (I forgot the title) and one one of the pages it mentioned that Jehovah has been gathering the faithful and discreet slave since the first century. It then stated that there were some who were still alive and were known as "the annointed remnant." Pictured next to this statement was a drawing of Fred Franz and behind him was Nathan Knorr, then Rutherford, then Russell, followed by a mish mash of figures from earlier time periods.
I thought to myself, "Well they sure seem to imply by this picture that there's more to being the President than just being the head of a legal corporation." From that point on, I began looking at things in more detail and eventually jumped ship some 7 years later. (If anyone has a scan of that page, please share it).
Thanks
-
WTWizard
Most of them do not know the whole truth. Some might have been abused, either by pedophiles or by bad counsel that doesn't make any sense (even when compared to the Bible, let alone if the Bible itself is wrong). Some may realize that it is possible for the end to be close and getting closer, yet never arrive (those are invariably the ones that did well in algebra). Some lived through 1975, or had parents that lived through 1975. Some have been shown scriptures at the door, usually from born agains, that blow holes in the faith.
However, the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger does such a good job scaring people from apostate web sites that few actually read them. The only site they are allowed to look at is the official site or jwmedia. They recommend bookmarking those, so they will not "accidentally" click onto another site. They manipulate Google so that the only sites that turn up on Page 1 (where the "accidental" clicks happen) are pro-JW sites. They make it clear that, if you accidentally stumble on a site from another religion or an apostate site, you have to click on the red X at the top right corner of your browser to close the browser window down. They strongly discourage people from using the Internet in the first place. Result: Relatively few people actually get to see what goes on throughout the whole religion.
Hopefully, however, we can have an impact on those who are studying. They are the ones that need to go past Page 1 and find those apostate web sites that the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger is trying to bury. They can dig up several independent sources, books, and religious pages before finalizing their decision. They can order Crisis of Conscience and read it before deciding whether Jehovah's Witlesses is right for them. They can order The God Virus, or a similar book, before deciding if there is any rush to get religion at all. They can read the Bible itself, any version, online before deciding if the Washtowels and Asleeps agree. And hopefully, they can reject Jehovah's Witlesses as a scam.
-
passwordprotected
I had a niggling doubt that maybe something wasn't right. The issue that kept cropping up was the elevation of the WTS above the Bible, but I didn't give that thought a lot of head-space. I was too busy working hard in the congregation. All doubts and issues were duly shelved.
Like LeavingWT, as soon as I realised I'd been lied to by the men in Brooklyn my whole life, I up and left immediately.
-
Quandry
I didn't know. I had a few uneasy feelings about the 1995 generation change, and found it hard to swallow that assemblies in the 1920's were "trumpet blasts" to everyone on earth, and wondered why the number of annointed was going up, but thought I was the spiritually weak in understanding one.
I truly was trying my best to serve God and bought into everything hook, line, and sinker. I feel that many others are sincere as well, as evidenced by their willingness to shun quickly anyone who just misses meetings.
-
hotchocolate
It's sad to say, but when I was "in" I was really "in".
I was a deep researcher, especially of the Hebrew Scriptures, and even when faced with dilemmas like the glorious nation of Israel having started with one man screwing two four women (one of whom he hated) to come out with "God's chosen people" - I still somehow justified it with it being "just a different time", "closer to perfection" (don'tcha know) and somehow I reconciled that God approved of polygamy back then, whereas now you're gonna die at Armageddon for it.
It's all a load of rubbish. The secret to the believing is in the mind control techniques that are employed by the JWs.
-
passwordprotected
@ WTWizzard, while I agree with you up to a point, I know of several active JWs in positions of responsibility who do look at apostate sites. I remember being told - as an elder - that the BSG arrangement was ending before the letter was read out. This was known by two MSs and a pioneer in our old congregation. The only way they could have had access to that info would be from sites like this.
Another JW I know, a former elder, spoke to me during my exit about 'some of the things apostates say'. They only we he could know what 'apostates say' is if he was associating with them IRL or online.
And lastly, a JW who has popped up to see me in my DAd state has hinted strongly that he knows some of big apostate objections to 'the truth'.
All of these guys stay in the Org for one personal reason or another, most likely to do with family. They know there are issues, they've seen the facts, but they choose to stay.
-
Perry
I think there is a big difference between the truth and the Truth.
Do JW's know a great many of the faults, false predictions, and general bafoonery that goes on in the WT? Of course they do. We all did and just lived with it because there was nothing to compare it to.... religiously.
I put together a small website that explains the fundamental doctrines of Christianity here:
-
OnTheWayOut
I don't think there are too many "in" that don't believe it. There are handfuls, but not bunches IMO.
The few that are in for the family or social contacts but don't believe it, they are missing many meetings
or posting here, or both. If you see a very involved member, they are still believers. If you see a very
quiet child or spouse whose always there, they might be the one you would think is "in" but "out."I look at it from my own perspective. Once I realized it wasn't "the truth," I had to do something. I
couldn't go to meetings regularly and participate for years knowing that I had been duped. -
DaCheech
hotchocolate's view is also mine.
as a man, i would love to sex up diffrent women, but why would a perfect god allow this? a god who treats all equal?
also, lot's daughters sexed him up? wtf, you can't find a man, like the jw pioneers who wait until they're old? if it takes that long?