Hello. I'm a long time lurking of this site(2 years) and a first time poster. To provide a little background of myself I was not raised as a Witness but started studying when I was 19 and got baptized at age 21. A few months after I was baptized I left due to the constant worship of the faithful and discreet slave and the lack of emphasis on Christ. For reasons I'm not sure about yet I decided to attend the District Convention last week. This was the first meeting I've been to in two years. I was surprised by the fact that I only heard the phrase "one hundred and forty four thousand" once in 3 days and "governing body", "watchtower", and "faithful and discreet slave" a handful of times. There was a lot a talk about Jesus, even more than Jehovah. I suspect this might only be the case because the conventions are open to the public. However I must admit that i really do miss being around people who show respect for the Bible, as oppose to all the atheist I've been meeting since leaving the Witnesses. Also I do find the women in the "truth" to be much better as oppose to "worldly" women for a guy in his early 20s. Can someone possibly talk me out of this? Have anyone else here experience the desire to return at some point?
Relapse: I'm considering returning to the Kingdom Hall.
by Blue Grass 56 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Awakened at Gilead
Bluegrass,
I have no desire to return to a lying organization, ever again. Why go back to an organization that acts like a cult, that teaches falsehoods like 1914, 1919, 1938, 1944, and the FDS concept which doesn't exist in reality? Of course, that's your call...
And what is wrong with atheists?
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Robdar
Can someone possibly talk me out of this?
Buddy, go back if you want. You deserve happiness and if the wts makes you happy, why would I want to talk you out of it?
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shamus100
Hi Blue Grass,
As one of those terrible Athiests, I cannot speak for the types of women that you have been hanging with - but I must say, birds of a feather flock together. Contrary to popular belief, I don't drink, I don't sleep around, and I don't do drugs. Weird, eh? Actually, there are lots of us like that. Oh, I'm gay too - go figure.
But if joining Jehovahs Witnesses makes you happy, then by all means, go to them and live your life happy and regret free. And I truly do mean that - you shouldn't have to get anyone talk you out of what you really want.
Take care and I wish you all the best!
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cameo-d
Actions speak louder than words. Put cotton in your ears and just watch for awhile.
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mindmelda
Hey, I don't go to meetings or conventions, not for a long time, and I'm not an atheist. I'm trying to be some sort of Christian, albeit a liberal and sane one.
Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I'm just not an atheist. Hey, all you atheists, quit being so touchy, he just meant he's still believes in God and the Bible. No one said anything about your morals or how evil you are. Why do you think he did? See, that's called flinching before you're hit.
Millions of people do believe in God, you might have to deal with that.
I've thought about going back a few times. But, you won't find much changed. Oh, individually, the Witnesses are usually nice people. They live pretty clean lives if they're not being hypocrites.
But, you know it's a religion that emphasizes works, that will never accept Christ as anything but a second rate handmaiden to Jehovah, have some fairly strange and not really very Biblical beliefs and the religion has a lot of self righteous people who will criticize you among it's ranks. If you don't do enough "works" like meetings and field service, you'll either be treated with pity or contempt.
But, I know people who are happy with that. They are happy being told what to believe about God by a bunch of suits in Brooklyn who probably aren't the worst people in the world, but I can't see much evidence of them being annointed by holy spirit to dispense "the Truth"...not anymore than any other Witness, that is.
If you're tired of doing your own thinking and running your own life, the Kingdom Hall is the perfect place to be. I know, thinking for yourself is very tiring.
I'm just getting used to it, and it's a fine line between being terrified by it and exhilarated. I still think Jehovah is going to kill me any second for not believing the WTS doctrine. I don't know how long I'll be looking over my shoulder, but just the fact that I do makes me think that kind of fear in me, well, that can't be good.
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JWdaughter
I don't know if you really want to be talked into or out of it. It's up to you. Look long term and decide what you really want for your life. You can find people who love and respect the word of God and who actually WORSHIP God in other churches where there is a healthier balance and no emphasis on worshipful obedience to any man or group of men. If you think you can't find it anywhere else, then maybe you are looking in the wrong places.
Personally, I think there are bigger issues with the WT than are observable at a convention. Do you want to marry a woman who will put the ORG first rather than their conscience, their God or their husband/children? Are you willing to sacrifice your child to whatever the latest blood teaching is? If those things don't throw you, then by all means, go back to the JWs. If they do, you might want to reconsider your options. If respect for the Bible is important to you, there is a place between JWs and atheists and a lot of people live there. There are more options than JW or atheists, and JWs and skanks. You need to find balance, and I don't know if you have even looked for it.
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shamus100
No no no... you've got me all wrong. It just sounded like athiests were being thrown together into one big group - kind of like religious people are a bunch of judgemental turds.
Really, I don't care. Do whatever makes you happy. That's what makes this world go round - individual beliefs. What makes me happy would probably make you depressed - and visa versa.
I see no need to talk anyone out of anything.
Again, take care, and don't read too much into my atheism mumbo-jumbo.
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villabolo
Blue Grass: The organization still worships itself more than ever. If you are still Christian you can try other churches and maybe find a keeper as far as women are concerned. I definitely would not suggest returning to the JWs. You sound like you miss them but realize that even though they may have made a good first impression on you that they are nonetheless false and evil-spiritual Nazis.
I left for the same reason you did, that pathological self worship of theirs. Follow your initial gut instinct, stay out!
PS: My second post has been cut off so I am repeating the information here. Blue Grass, If you need to be convinced read the following books; Crisis of Conscience and In Search of Christian Freedom by Ray Franz; The Gentile Times Reconsidered by Carl Olof Jonsson; and Apocalypse Delayed by James Penton.
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m.seagull
A few months after I was baptized I left due to the constant worship of the faithful and discreet slave and the lack of emphasis on Christ.
why not find a church that focuses more on christ?i'm not christian so i don't know what direction i can point you in, but, it doesn't seem to be that jw's are a good fit for what you are looking for.
if you do go back, keep your options open, and don't stop searching for answers.
best of luck,
m.