What made you a JW? (page 4)

radar

Interesting statistics so far. Over 4 times as many posters on this topic here, were Raised As Witnesses.
Does this reflect the true percentage of posters on this board?
Please post.

To become a baptised Witness is seen as a reflection of the Holy Spirit and its operation(according to the Watchtower)
When I was a dub, many in the Organisation claimed that God's spirit helped them in various other ways.
Therfore, to not attribute praise or recognize God's Spirit for certain percieved blessings, was like denying the Spirit, which of course bordered on the unforgivable sin, the "second death" teaching. Which of course, is part of the mind control exerted on all Christians.

Having rejected their former spirit directed religion, I find it suprising that many exJWs turn to other Christian groups and once again say they have been touched by God/Christ's Spirit.

Radar

Like all people who have nothing, I lived on dreams

Adonai438

Why was I a JW?
I believed in God and didn't have a clue at age 15 that everybody had such different oppinions of who God was. Family members were JW's and I picked the first thing to come along-- Stupid Huh?
Praise God I was rescued from that though!

As far as the Holy Spirit in the orginization?
No Way! I can honestly say I never felt any feeling of God, his presence or any good thing there. Even when I believed their lies it was totally strange. When they sang they sounded forced and dull, when they spoke they sounded scripted, and when they 'prayed' it was stiff and unfeeling and uncaring for whatever they were praying about. Sincerely trying to be good and nice for God but nothing really there under the surface.

Lady Lee

Hmm complicated question. At the time I doubt I thought it was the beliefs. My mother started studying when I was 11. I then went into foster care for 3 years. When I went back to live with my mother at 16 I would have done anything to gain her approval and that of the people in the congregation. I would have done just about anything to get her to love and accept me. Hmmm guess I did cause I married a man she picked out and knew it was a big mistake but hey Mom said so and I dared not get her angry. Little did I know at the time that unconditional love was impossible from the borg, my mother or my husband

Baptized at 17 - married at 18 and left/divorced/DFed at 35 - a good year)

dungbeetle

* http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=8761&site=3#120183

this might interest those of you who missed it the first time, for whatever reason...

toodles

BITE ME, WATCHTOWER!!!

one

radar,

i also had no choice

what you want to say about yourself?

imo, those who joined as adult were persons without bible knowledge at all and/or people with limited social skills.

A big door opened to them when joined.

one

one more thing

i think i got an idea as to what you are asking.

in advance let me say that just about anything you "dedicate" yourself to, with a good decent motive, you get the 'spirit' and the blessing

Ask an artist or a programmer or even some millionaires, in fact i have known a lot of happy people outside, proportionally more than inside the wt

Trotafox

I actually chose the JW's. Gr-r-r-r-. Grew up looking for spiritual answers. JW answers to biblical questions made sense and I trusted my best friend (a JW). Wrong thing to do on both counts. Live and learn as they say but this was an expensive lesson.

Trot

"Wicked men obey from fear; good men, from love".... Aristotle. You can love and obey Christ without intervention from an organization.

Mulan

My parents were baptized when I was 4 1/2 years old. My brother was 10. He became a pioneer, (I am sure to escape the draft) and married a pioneer. He became an elder and served for many years, until his wife died because she didn't get blood after a traumatic birth experience.....the baby died too. He had a breakdown, of sorts, and was df'd eventually, and tried for awhile to come back, and then he researched. Oh, how I wished I had listened to him, back in 1978!!!

I don't agree that just because you are raised in it, that you have no choice. I had four children, and one of them didn't want to be a witness. He chose not to be one. The others went along, but only Princess and our youngest were really part of things. Our eldest son was a pleaser, and just went because he always had gone, but never did much with it. He married a pioneer, but both are out now.........yay!!

I think the witnesses attract, and keep, a certain kind of person. All of us must have been that kind........a special dysfunction, of sorts.

My father told me many years ago, that it was a good thing that I was raised a witness, because I would argue about everything else, but that. It really made me think. Did I accept it because I never questioned it? If they came to my door, would I be interested in what they had to say? The answer was "no", but I kept going anyway, and pioneered, and the whole bit. Until.......1995 when I finally "heard" what my husband was learning too. (my father is out too.......all my kids, my brother and his daughters, and several other relatives too)

Marilyn (a.k.a. Mulan)

patio34

Hi Radar,

At age 26, I was a lonely housewife with 3 children and a husband that was out of town a lot. I also felt unintelligent (but I went on to prove it!). I was a Roman Catholic and knew nothing about the Bible. I also loved to read.

The JWs took care of all of the above. Unfortunately, I didn't check enough of their quotes and there was no net then.

Now, 28 years later, after raising my kids sans said husband, I finally decided to do some reading on evolution and ran, not walked, away!

Today, I drove past a high school where kids were playing soccer. I spontaneously cursed JWs for their rule, that I blindly and stupidly, followed that kids can't play in sports.

I truly hate the WTS for the damage done to me and my children. Gr-r-r-r.

But I have to take responsibility too. For following along instead of standing up to the 'love-bombing' and cult crap.

Thanks for asking,
Pat

SEAKEN2001

RAW or RIT, depending on terminolgy. (RAW favored now since T was supposed to stand for Truth. Not!)

My parents were RAW, making us kids third generation J-dubs. I had little exposure to other religions, except for Catholic. I figured the others didn't have the truth so I stayed with the Witnesses. I experienced the typical "spirit" direction in my life and was truly happy as a young lad. I took the "Truth" seriously but as I grew to adulthood I started taking myself less seriously. This allowed me to see other people, especially those who were not Witnesses, with more respect. When my parents finally wised up and told me the real scoop, I was ripe for the picking. I was already leaning toward the idea that not only JW's were acceptable to God and this was changing my typical zeal for the witness work. I didn't have to be pushed too long before I realized that what we were a part of was a controlling cult. I walked away and started over. These days I tend to see most religion as controlling and as cults. I hope I can someday lead my wife and her family away from this life-limiting nonsense.

Unfortunately, this JW stuff is relatively new to them, having come in after 1975. They simply do not have enough personal history to connect the dots. Unless something happens to affect them personally I don't think any of them have any hope of walking away soon. I don't wish bad things on anyone but it was the bad treatment of my family that convinced me to investigate. If not for that personal question I probably would still be in and happy as a clam. I knew the Bible very well, as the Witnesses taught it. I could make it work in defense of our beliefs as good as anyone. When I dsicovered my error and started reading what the Bible really said I began to realize that we can make the Bible say whatever we want it to say. I don't buy the argument by some here that only people with no knowledge of the Bible become Witnesses. It does not have a direct relationship. The Bible is not a manual for truth. Having no knowledge or much knowledge doesn't really matter. I think the reasons are usually more personal.

Sean

What made you a JW?

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