Does anyone think that maybe we're just wrong?

by paul from cleveland 143 Replies latest jw friends

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  paul from cleveland

  I was disfellowshipped in 1995. Even though I lost my friends and family, I felt like I had been finally set free and was happy for many years. While I was a Jehovah's Witness, I always felt so miserable. I never felt like I was doing enough to please Jehovah. I thought that if Jehovah was going to destroy most of mankind, surely I would be among them. I never felt I was better or worse than anyone else in the world. Just before I was disfellowshipped, however, I stopped believing that Jehovah was going to destroy everyone. It didn't seem reasonable to me anymore. It seemed a little like Hitler's "Final Solution". I thought if Hitler is considered one of the worst human beings that every lived, why would we say God is going to do basically the same thing. Purge the earth of all the 'undesirable' ones. I started to believe that Jehovah's Witness had the truth about most things except explanation of Jesus' ransom. I felt the 'ransom for all' meant literally everyone, including Adam. (http://www.biblestudents.com/ransom_00001_1.cfm) I never felt the need to look at xjw websites or anything like that. I just wasn't thinking about it.

  Recently, however, I have started to have doubts. Maybe I'm just wrong. I've started to have panic attacks about dying at Armageddon again. I don't know what brought it on.

  So I started looking at the xjw websites to convince myself that I was right and Jehovah's Witness are wrong. The arguments I find against Jehovah's Witnesses aren't really that convincing. It's mostly attacking the messenger not the message. The NGO thing, the handling of the pedophiles, etc, could just be interpreted as poor judgment and not an indication of bad motives...

  Anyway, now I'm torn.

  Does anyone else feel like I do?
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  leavingwt

  Welcome to the forum!

  Please read Steve Hassan's books, immediately. You'll soon discover that WT is merely one of many groups claiming to be the one true faith.

  Combatting Cult Mind Control

  http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0892813113/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

  What's Wrong with Being a JW?

  http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/wrong-with-being-jehovahs-witness.php
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  Finally-Free

  The NGO thing, the handling of the pedophiles, etc, could just be interpreted as poor judgment and not an indication of bad motives...

  Anyone can make mistakes because of poor judgement. When someone persists in making the same poor judgements over and over and over again I begin to question the motives.

  Welcome to the board!

  W
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  Mickey mouse

  Welcome. You sound very much like some ex mormons, ex plymouth brethren, ex Moonies......

  Are they all right too?
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  keyser soze

  Recently, however, I have started to have doubts. Maybe I'm just wrong. I've started to have panic attacks about dying at Armageddon again. I don't know what brought it on.

  Those things are perfectly normal. I experienced them myself when I left. But this is simply the byproduct of years of indoctrination. Fear of Armageddon in no way constitutes proof of the validity of WT teachings, nor does it alleviate whatever doubts you had about the religion. I know this from experience. I used to have dreams about Armageddon, and this would cause me to go back to meetings. But it didn't take me long to realize that all the problems that existed when I left were still there. They were simply too big to ignore.
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  AllTimeJeff

  The NGO thing, the handling of the pedophiles, etc, could just be interpreted as poor judgment and not an indication of bad motives...

  Just something to think about. I agree with you that it is poor judgment, and truthfully, I don't think bad motives are an issue either.

  The problem is the hypocrisy involved. You can't demand 7 million people avoid like the plague anything remotely political while you join an organization that you describe in the Revelation Climax book as being a wild beast, specifically prophesied and targeted for destruction.

  You can't say that you have been chosen as the only true religion because you got so much right, and then get so much wrong in the way of prophecy and constantly changing doctrines.

  In the medical world, this kind of stuff is called "criminal incompetency". Incompetent yes. Well meaning? Who cares. It's wrong when you enforce you questionable at best theology under pain of shunning.

  If you know you don't have it right, and they know, then you can't enforce it on your flock.

  But they do like their power, they take it seriously. So lets not go to overboard questioning these guys with good motives. I met them. They are nice, most don't demand the spotlight, even at Bethel. But they take their position and authority seriously. Very seriously. So they are no naive to what goes on and what they do, allow, and teach.

  Edited to add: This posted before I was done, but as far as pedophiles, when you have over 20,000 perps in a database, you better sure as hell protect your kids.

  They don't. So I guess we can suspect their motives.
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  OUTLAW

  Armageddon was cancelled in 1925 & 1975..

  By the WBT$..

  Due to lack of Interest..

  THERE WILL BE NO ARMAGEDDON!!

  ..........................
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  feenx

  I agree with Keyser Soze. Perfectly normal, nothing wrong with it, but I think it's important to realize (no matter what decision you finally make) that right now you are reacting to fear, rather than being objective and proactive. Now is a good time to stop, tell yourself to put your fears on hold. Just put them aside (they'll be there when it's time to re-visit them). It's ok to let them go, to take a fear vacation so to speak. Once you do that, really dive in to information. Independent info, not stuff from sites like this or from the WTBS. Read, write, learn. I know we were all taught to think the only "research" that was possible on such topics was through the organization. But there's an entire world of books out there. Start crackin 'em open. And remember, you don't have to make a decision right away. You don't have to see or hear something and immediately process and move it into the pro or con JW columns. Simply take it all in.
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  undercover

  Does anyone think that maybe we're just wrong?

  When I was first finding freedom from JWism, I had periods of wondering if I was doing the right thing. It's a process you go through as you cut yourself off from a high control group. In your case, it was delayed because you had moved swiftly from believer to non-believer. Many of us flip-flopped on our feelings before realizing the real truth.

  The arguments I find against Jehovah's Witnesses aren't really that convincing. It's mostly attacking the messenger not the message. The NGO thing, the handling of the pedophiles, etc, could just be interpreted as poor judgment and not an indication of bad motives...

  Forgive my flipness, but you're just not looking that close. Yea, there are always a number of bitter, angry people who spout off against the Society/JWs. Remember though, anger and bitterness are a couple of the emotions you go through when escaping a high control group. In a setting like this, you see people along all different paths of recovery. Some are angry and they're not afraid to say so...something they weren't allowed to do while a JW. Sometimes our new found freedoms get away from us and we over do it.

  As for the UN/NGO thing, to some that's no big deal...to others it smacks of the ultimate hypocrisy. To condemn Babylon the Great for riding the back of the Wild Beast but then turn around and basically sign up for the same considerations. That's pretty damnable in my book. The child abuse scandal is actually bigger than you (and most JWs) realize. How could the Great God Almighty allow such a thing to happen in HIS Organization? Something is flawed. And then to cover it up. Not only scandalous but disgusting. Do the innocent and the children mean nothing to Jehovah and his so-called spirit annointed servants?

  Yes... you can blame some of their actions on poor judgement...but it's also bad motives. Their decisions in these scandals is about protecting the reputation of a pubishing company, not about upholding Sovereignty of their God's name.

  People leave for different reasons. Some leave because of false prophecy or predictions of which the Society is guilty of. Some leave because the chronology is flawed. Other leave because fo the harsh rules in treating DFd people. Others leave because the love that should be there is not.

  Just keep researching... and don't let anyone tell you what to think or believe. That includes JWs, any other religion or any of us. Anything presented to you - research it and learn the facts.

  Anyway, welcome and good luck on your journey.
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  journey-on

  Welcome, Paul. I understand exactly where you're coming from. The fear of Armageddon was ingrained into my psyche from my earliest childhood. When I was "bad", my parents told me if I didn't behave I would be destroyed at Armageddon. I grew up with a very real deep-seated fear of it. I was mortified by the picture of terrified faces falling into a crack in the ground from the orange Paradise book.

  When I decided to leave, I simply told myself that if Armageddon is really coming, then I guess I'll just die in it. Simple as that. Fear gone. I was not going to raise my children that way ......que sera sera.