Howdy from a long time lurker (page 2)

cawshun

Cadellin, You just don't know what a pleasure it is to welcome a newcomer, to me it means another jw has had an awakening. Makes me hopeful for my family.

Very interested in reading what caused you to wake up to the lie of the WT.

Cadellin

Thanks for the nice welcome. This is incredibly hard for me, as I suspect many of you know from your own experience. Here goes:

I am still active but mentally and emotionally estranged since discovering the gross misuse of quotations in the Creation book. That was the worst shock of my life, and I discovered it on my own (rather than someone telling me, which I would have automatically disbelieved). I can honestly say that my heart was broken. I had implicit trust in the Borg and it never remotely ocurred to me that they would be dishonest in any shape or form, especially over something as paramount as the origin of life.

After being devestated, I got angry--at myself, for never educating myself on the whole evolution/creation thing. Everything I knew (or thought I knew) about the matter was based on what the Soc. had printed. So, I got busy and started reading--and wow! The light went on. I found the whole subject fascinating and, at the same time, I realized how totally out in left field virtually everything the Soc. has printed on the whole matter is. Since they weren't honest about evolution, were they honest about the history and infallability of the Bible?

That was the next thing I researched, and discovered this website around that time and Leolaia's amazing scholarship (L., you are my hero) I read Friedman's Who Wrote the bible, as well as a pile of others. But this realization of having been misled, and having my faith in the Bible um..interrupted--no, diluted, let's see--how about, trashed? Well, at any rate, it plunged me into something of a depression and I ended up in counselling and on antidepressants--which actually helped me feel a whole lot better, both being able to voice my anxiety and sorrow and getting my mood picked up, chemically or otherwise. I'm also working out like crazy which really helps too.

Okay, where am I now? I haven't told anybody because I'm still scared. I admit it. That is, except for my husband. I'm married to a wonderful guy who is strong in the "truth" and who is in major denial. He's too smart not to understand what I've been sharing with him but scared stiff of where it will take him, like I am. I'm still going to some meetings, not going out in svc--my conscience just won't let me (sidepoint--nobody's said boo to me about this. Isn't that odd?) How can I tell someone the end is coming "very soon" when I've read about the '75 fiasco and seen the "generation that won't pass away" pass away right before my eyes? How can I represent the Bible as being inerrant and infallible?

I can't.

Cadellin

AGGH! I made this several easy to read paragraphs and look how it posted! What did I do wrong???

Oh--wow. I fixed it.

It's true, life is a journey of learning...

startingover

I share your experience with the Creation book. When it first came out, as an MS I was assigned to give a public talk about a portion of it. I can't say I discovered the misquotes on my own as you did, but when I did learn about it I was furious.

My own journey progressed much like yours. One thing I can't say is that it was overcome with fear. I wanted to tell the world, but quickly discovered they (the JW's in my world) did NOT want to hear any of it, and if they did listen they could care less, or even said they couldn't see how those quotes were misleading. That was probably the most shocking of all to hear my parents say that.

Everytime I hear of an experience such as yours and the inablility to go back, I immediately think about the movie "The Truman Show" or the Wizard of Oz. Once you've seen behind the curtain how could you possibly return to it? Like you said, you can't.

Hopefully you will overcome your fear and your husband will join you. I have been lucky in that I have not gotten a label, but unlucky that my wife is still in.

betterdaze

Welcome, Cadellin!

~Sue

crazycate

Welcome! My husband was also freaked out at first by what I told him when I first started addressing all my doubts and concerns. I tried to keep things calm, and after he had time to think about it all and come to his own conclusions, he quit completely before I did!

I wish you the best, Cate

leavingwt

Welcome!

Howdy from a long time lurker

quietlyleaving

cawshun

Clam

jamiebowers

Cadellin

Cadellin

startingover

betterdaze

crazycate

leavingwt

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