How I figured JWs were NOT the truth...

by cognac 39 Replies latest jw friends

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  Nosferatu

  I'm not really sure. I think the whole beard thing is what made me question things a lot. I mean, the publications showed Jesus with a beard, but his dad wouldn't let us measley earthings have beards? That's not right. Another thing that really didn't help was when I approached an elder about the abuse I suffered at the hands of my mother, and he told me how much of a pillar my mother was in the congregation. Pillar my ass.

  When I quit going to meetings, I pretty much shoved everything into a closet in my brain and left it there. However, back in 2001 I stumbled across a link to Freeminds from another site, and I sat there reading for three days, deprogramming myself. I wish I knew who posted that link on the message board I was on, because I'd love to thank them.
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  Amha·’aret

  Wow leavingwt, what a story! Isn't it amazing how your child saved your life. I hope you tell him that story when he's old enough to understand.
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  minimus

  After a while, things just don't add up. Too many rules. Prophecies were ridiculously explained. The preaching work's a joke. The FDS doctrine is incredulous.
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  Quirky1

  Ditto min...
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  minimus

  Quirky, I knew there was a reason why I liked ya!
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  sweet pea

  I believed it was the truth until 2 years ago mainly because of the preaching work, using God's name, the unity of the brotherhood (apart from some of the wacky stuff, like Cedar Point Ohio fulfilling scripture etc, not quite sure how I rationalised those bits, probably like my mum does - the society is often imperfect, yadda yadda). Always felt trapped on the merry-go-round of meetings and ministry but had no idea there was a very good reason to leave until.....

  Besty (hubby) opened my eyes to the 'Jesus is not our mediator' teaching. I didn't believe him so checked it out for myself, spent 3 days on www.jwfacts.com and www.freeminds.org and decided there was no way I was going to raise 2 little boys in a cult and wear myself out in the process.

  As soon as I mentioned my findings to friends and family, the way they reacted confirmed they were trapped in the cult and were quite happy to stay.

  They have no idea how good life is outside or rather, that they could be there too (although a couple have left since and are enjoying life post dubdom but they still believe it's the truth right now.......) *sigh*.
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  leavingwt

  Wow leavingwt, what a story! Isn't it amazing how your child saved your life. I hope you tell him that story when he's old enough to understand.

  Yes, I think of it, often. I cannot wait until he is a bit older, and I can tell him about his grandparents' "crazy" religion and how he helped get me out of it.
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  jamiebowers

  I wasn't as smart as most of you, because I believed it was the truth even after I'd been df'd for several years. But I couldn't take being beaten, choked and threatened by my jw husband any longer and figured death at Armageddon would be quicker and less painful. After being out for seven years, I met my dear husband who set me straight on the jws and life in general with his no nonsense ways, and then I saw Bill Bowen on Dateline about 13 years afer being df'd. I knew then for sure that the WB&TS is evil.
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  leavingwt

  As soon as I mentioned my findings to friends and family, the way they reacted confirmed they were trapped in the cult and were quite happy to stay.

  Exactly. This is very maddening/saddening/disappointing. They refuse to give you the benefit of the doubt. It really hurts to discover that all of your "friends" are completely conditional and they will NOT indulge your new viewpoints, even for the sake of an honest discussion. They begin with the CONCLUSION that you're "weak" or "prideful" and promptly dismiss you.
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  reniaa

  I left but now believe Jehovah's witnesses again, in many ways this site helped me because as a born in witness your right we do just accept many things without research and this site among others helped me when I wanted to decide whether to return by throwing all the questions at me that may come up in peoples minds regarding witnesses.

  But I didn't do a half job I also looked at evolution and other christian religions, I started with the bible and went from there. Now I know despite much refinement that Jws are the Christian religion which mostly follows the bible they still have issues with understanding prophecy but even his appostles did on that score too. Prophecy tends only to be 100% on hindsight even to this day Jews reject Jesus because they say he failed prophecy becasue he didn't free them from the romans.

  The bible taught me that trinity and hiding gods name was men's work not God's. I learned about aryans Christians that were around from Jesus's day that just wanted to believe in one God YHWH amd his son was his son Jesus, that trinitarian churches had burned all the papers from them to hide that many had believed in One God unlike trinity.

  I am no greek scholar but what I researched backed up the witnesses unlike the initial thread poster opinion. learning that 'a god' was correct for John 1:1 learning that grammer was something that we decided on translation from greek. learning that the greek word that trinitarians always translate as worship could according to context just mean obeisance and so on.

  The majority of you have decided to walk a different road than I have and I think you are wrong but I respect your opinions none the less you made me come to a greater understanding of the bible and for that I thank you.

  Reniaa