Do you hold any ''responsibility'' for the believing the WTS?

by RULES & REGULATIONS 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  RULES & REGULATIONS

  Jehovah's Witnesses are the only people that will inherit life on paradise earth

  Only Jehovah's Witnesses have the ''truth''

  The WTS is the only ''channel' 'to Jehovah

  Through the ''faithful and discreet slave'' is the only way to understand the Bible

  The ''end'' is near

  We were all ingrained these beliefs over and over. We believed the WTS.

  Most people I know found these ''beliefs'' odd. They didn't have to do much research to come to their conclusion. Today,we are all here on JWN writing about how the WTS mislead us about ''the generation'' change,the change in baptism questions,the ''end times'',and many other false beliefs,doctrines,and practices.

  I blame myself for never researching and questioning the WTS. I hold myself mostly responsible for believing these old men from New York. Why did these teaching really feel true to me and not others?

  Do you hold any responsibilty for believing the WTS? Wasn't it up to each of us to raise questions when others wouldn't?
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  FireNBandits

  Hey, I plead youthful ignorance. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
  
  Saint Martin the Evasive
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  leavingwt

  Wasn't it up to each of us to raise questions when others wouldn't?

  The essence of Thought Reform is taking a normal person and stripping them of the capacity to do just this.
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  Robdar

  I once got the crap slapped out of me by my father for questioning the truth. I was 8 years old. I hit the road and left not long after I graduated high school. So, no, I do not hold any responsibility for anything the WTS did, does, or will do.
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  poopsiecakes

  Having been raised a witness, it's hard to imagine my life being any different. I went through the usual teenage rebellion but it certainly wasn't doctrinal. I really never questioned our beliefs because they were so ingrained in me. I regret participating in shunning - even to very close friends and I definitely feel like I should have listened to the little voice inside my head that knew better.

  As far as feeling any responsibility - no, I can't say that I do. When you're made to feel the 'us against them' learning strategy so strongly, there's not a whole lot of independent thinking you allow yourself.
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  zoiks

  I was born-in, so up to a certain point I feel that I bore no responsibility. I believed and did what I was taught to believe and do. But, as doubts began to surface, and especially when I began to teach these things to my own children, I realized that the responsibility had become all mine.
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  Nephilim

  In most stories (world-wide even) the protagonist is thought highly of for doing what he felt was right. It's something that we value because going off into the oblivion of ignorance is usually costly.

  Having said that... I thought I was doing the right thing. To tell you the truth there is a high chance that a lot of people on earth made the same mistake I did or are still making the same mistake.

  To say these mistakes are weighty is ridiculous. How were we supposed to know? If we had any sort of red flag being waved in our face the entire time then we would have done something about it sooner.

  I met a lot of people. I made a lot of friends. Even though they aren't with me anymore I still have memories. I still developed some nice social skills. The weight like Robdar said is on the WBTS. For any of the pain, death, abuse I'm too little to be responsible for that.
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  Brocephus

  I take no responsibiity as my parents did a poor job brainwashing me into as I knew it was bullshit by 14 was gone by 17.
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  OnTheWayOut

  Do you hold any responsibilty for believing the WTS? Wasn't it up to each of us to raise questions when others wouldn't?

  Well, yes. But we see how (in the U.S.) truth in advertising laws are in place because shysters can abuse their privileges. Drugs have to list side effects and proper warnings have to accompany products. Certainly, we can see how WTS doesn't disclose the side effects of becoming a member. Just as we should research a drug or moderate our usage of foods/drinks/recreations, we allow government to enforce some rules to keep suppliers from taking advantage of our ignorance.
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  aSphereisnotaCircle

  I had rock solid faith.

  The facts not adding up wasn't a concern because I knew I had the truth.