Contribution of Franz books on your decision to leave?

by Damocles 46 Replies latest jw experiences

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  wobble

  I read both of Ray's books after my decision to leave, they confirmed my reasons for leaving,and more importantly set me on the road to recovery.

  As to the rumours about the content of C.O.C etc. and Ray's actions, these come straight out of N.Y head-quarters, the COBOE of the Congo I left has a brother who is on the writing committee,

  (I have met him,he seemed to have no head,but I realised it was up his own arse !)

  this prat told the COBOE that Ray had done various things at Bethel ,( giving these "facts" as though an eye witness to them ), before leaving,what Ray's motives were, and other lies about his books. I have spoken with Ray via E-mail (not about these matters) and I know these are all untruths, but of course Elders lap it up, " It came from Bethel !", and then pass such crap on.

  Grace (Mouthy) will confirm what a wonderful, humble guy Ray is.

  What a bunch of sh**bags inhabit Brooklyn H.Q !

  Love

  Wobble
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  Nathan Natas

  i think it is important to recognize that people have been discovering the TRUTH about "Jehovah's Organization" since the early days of Pastor Russell's ministry. Ray Franz is just one person in a continuum of people who have left the WTB&TS. His books are excellent and revelatory, but it's not as though there were no critics of the WTB&TS before Ray Franz.

  I left the WTB&TS years before Ray Franz did. I like to think (delusional) I cleared the way for HIM, not the other way around.

  Far more meaningful to me were Barbara G. Harison's book, VISIONS OF GLORY and Carl Cagan's COSMOS.
• 

  wobble

  Thanks Nathan ,you old trend-setter !

  I love the following quote from Carl Sagan :

  " Doctrines that make no predictions are less compelling than those that make correct predictions; they are in turn are more successful than doctrines that make false predictions.

  But not always. One prominent American religion confidently predicted that the World would end in 1914 . well 1914 has come and gone, and-- while the events of that year were certainly of some importance-- the World does not, as far as I can see .seem to have ended.

  There are at least three responses that an organized religion can make in the face of such a failed and fundamental prophecy. They could gave said "Oh did we say 1914 ? So sorry, we meant 2014 . A slight error in calculation. Hope you weren't inconvenienced in any way "

  But they did not. They could have said "Well, the world would have ended, except we prayed very hard and interceded with God so He spared the Earth". But they did not. Instead they did something much more ingenious.

  They announced that the world had in fact ended in 1914, and the rest of us hadn't noticed, that was our lookout.

  It is astonishing in the face of such transparent evasions that this religion has any adherents at all.

  But religions are tough. Either they make no contentions which are subject to disproof or they quickly redesign doctrine after disproof. the fact that religions can be so shamelessly dishonest, so contemptuous of the intelligence of their adherents, and still flourish, does not speak very well for the tough-mindedness of the believers.

  But it does indicate , if a demonstration were needed, that near the core of the religious experience is something remarkably resistant to rational inquiry. "

  Broca's Brain, Carl Sagan (New York Ballantine Books, 1979 , pp.332-33)

  Love

  Wobble
• 

  yknot

  I started CoC recently but can't seem to get into it.....

  I plan of finishing that and ISoCF (which is what I am really looking forward too) by next summer

  Since I haven't left..... I will say my mental release from certain stupid myths was reading and discerning the older literature and how revisionistic our nice little story of appointment came to be versus the cold realtity of changes being made along the way on the whims of Rutherford. Much like the rumored 'generations' adjustment of the AGM......time marching forward and needing to validate previous held beliefs/assertions and explain away reasons why Armageddon ain't happened were the catalysts.
• 

  quietlyleaving

  COC and ISOCF had a huge impact on me and will continue to do so.

  Ray Franz charts how he became a person separate from the organisation. He and Cynthia finally living on their own with their own hard won beliefs. He shows how far he was willing to go to defend his "family(the org)" and his faith as a JW, plus he highligts the conflict associated with that. Then gradually the conflict intensified and threatened to swallow his and Cynthia's life. Marvellously inspiring

  Mouthy's experience (which I think is the one mentioned in the book) left an indelible impression too.
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  Pleasuredome

  it made a significant contribution to my decision to leave, because at the time of reading it i was still in a quandry as what i should do for the best (the effect of mind control). i had always had major doubts about those who were in charge of the legal fictional construct known as the "WTB&TS". the book confirmed my original doubts and so i made the desicion to leave.

  now looking back on it, i never really left or joined. the whole thing was an illusion in my mind.
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  PSacramento

  Ray's book were instrumental in influencing me to pick up the bible and see for myself the truth.

  The few emails that Ray and I have exchanged have strengthened my faith in God and our Lord Jesus.

  Ray suugested that I read commentaries and even a Question of Concsience, written by a RC theolgian that had a similar crisis as Ray had.

  I was never a JW, thoug my Mother, Father and older sister are, there was always soemthing that never sat right and Ray's books were the first step on a journey to find the truth.
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  undercover

  I didn't really rely on CoC. I had already pretty much come to grips with everything by the time I purchased the book. I bought it because so many recommended it plus, I thought it wouldn't hurt to contribute to Mr & Mrs Franz income, seeing how the WTS treated them. Kind of a penance for my contributions to the Society over the years.

  To be truthful, I've never read it cover to cover. I use it more as a reference book, which as such is excellent.
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  Emma

  I'd already left when I read the books; couldn't have done the other way around. Before reading CoC I still had a tiny thought tucked away that "they" might be right. Franz's books resolved that and I was quite devistated at the actions of an organization I would have died for a few years earlier.
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  Heaven

  For me, as I am not a JW, Ray Franz's books did not contribute to my leaving as I was never in. They DID validate for me what I had suspected years ago and definitely contributed to my decision never to join. Ever.