I had to make a decision

by journey-on 51 Replies latest jw friends

  • VoidEater
    VoidEater

    Nope. Even after being raised in it, as I "woke up" from the propoganda I realized this was a deeply flawed organization run by deeply flawed men hypnotized by a deeply flawed dogma. Every Hall I attended in many parts of the US had their own set of flaws - some Halls shared similar flaws, some were uniquely problemmatic. None of them could in any way, shape or form claim consistency with the ideals of Christian scripture, nor could they with a straight face claim they were manifesting Christ's leadership.

    Of course there were individual good people among this cesspool of a religion. That points out two things: good people can be found anywhere and everywhere, and you don't need a "Truth" to be or find a good person.

    The hypocrisy, double standards, bad acts, politics, ignorance, and cruelty I've witnessed were not localized to any one Hall. Every Hall reflects the flawed dogma spewed from the WTS to one degree or another, espouses the spirit of the WTS to one degree or another - if any one Hall were to break away and become the "Truth", it wouldn't be JWism.

    Maybe it's just sentimentality, but it seems JWism was a more rational, kinder place in decades past (pre-1970). Less overtly evil. Only my emotional attacment to the past influenced any bad feelings in leaving - I never doubted the rightness of walking away, though it hurt to lose the potential for something good, it hurt to lose the parts that worked well. Like a cuddly teddy bear with 6 inch razor claws. And, of course, being human, losing the familier and giving up the illusion of security is scary.

    To clean up the "local problems" you'd have to burn the whole thing down and start fresh. And bureaucracies don't do that.

  • bluecanary
    bluecanary
    it's too bad that personal grievances interfere with the good we've been taught

    When you add personal grievances to false teachings what have you got left? There was very little good that we were taught, Spike.

  • Spike Tassel
    Spike Tassel

    maybe it was just your congo, blue. I love the WT publications, especially the NWT and the song books. I go with whatever is good and perfect, it's from Jehovah. I wait on Him for the rest of it.

  • bluecanary
    bluecanary

    I've been in multiple congregations and read much of the literature. I'm talking about all of it. I found that, not only is it not good or perfect, but it goes in direct contradiction to what the Bible says, even the NWT. I spent twenty years waiting on Jehovah and overlooking the "shortcomings" of my fellow JWs. When you examine what they are teaching and realize it is wrong, there is nothing left to wait for.

    I've been in your position, and I respect your feelings and beliefs and the polite way you phrase them. But these are the conclusions I've drawn both through studying and experience. If you told me that the Catholic Church was the only true religion and that I should wait on Jehovah to fix the wrong things they teach and the bad behavior of its leaders, I would have no more reason to believe that than I do about the Witnesses.

  • Spike Tassel
    Spike Tassel

    thanks, blue, but I feel that the Catholic Church deserves even less respect than the WTS. Where do you go now to worship, just JWN?

  • VoidEater
    VoidEater

    Cathlic Church...WTS...Baptists...you can find imperfections in them all and you can wait for Jehovah to fix things up in them all.

    Spike: What is "worship" to you, and do you need a special place to go to do it?

  • bluecanary
    bluecanary

    Spike, rather than worship without knowledge, I'm taking time now to learn about many different religions and beliefs. This is one of the places where I do so.

  • journey-on
    journey-on

    Where there are two or three gathered together in my name, I am. The two or three can be you, God, Holy Spirit, and/or Christ. The kingdom is within you and you are His temple. You can worship under your own vine and fig tree.

  • chickpea
    chickpea

    i came into the b0rg in crisis
    over the loss of a brother
    and a son in a calendar year...

    i needed and received cosmic
    hand-holding that did help me
    leave behind a 20 year substance
    abuse problem

    but life was a far cry from
    "the family happiness book"
    and another devastation
    lead all of us out of the
    doom's-day atmosphere
    of the cult called WTS/CCJW

    just hitched up my big girl
    underpants and now face life
    as it comes, day to day
    and moment to moment,
    glad to have this life and
    striving to make the most
    of it.....

    i have no doubt that what
    the WTS calls the truth is
    not the truth

  • Spike Tassel
    Spike Tassel

    so, what is the TRUTH then? What are we to PROMOTE?

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