What keeps me away from the JWs religion!

Wonderment

There are a few things that have kept me away from the JWs organizaction. These are the most prominent.

1. Jesus has been pushed aside, and replaced by the governing body. WRONG!!!!!!

2. The JW ecosystem overall is pharisaical. The whole system promotes a critical and judgmental spirit. Not pleasant to be a Witness at all.

3. Doctrines imposed on the flock by force. The 1914 doctrine, the blood doctrine, and birthdays, to name a few, should be left to the conscience. These should not be mandatory.

4. The disfellowshipping and shunning practice is appalling. It causes untold damage to family members. Tell me about it! I have been a victim of it for more than 20 years.

Is there anything positive? Yes, the religion can make you feel like we have the answers to many questions. But then, this turns negative. It is an illusion. It is not true. No one on earth have all the answers. Jesus Christ is the way to God. Not a group of Christians claiming to have the Keys to the Kingdom.

My reaction to the New World Translation has been mostly positive. I really like this version, but then again, I feel nearly the same way with other versions.

Any WT efforts to lure me back with a published brochure (Rumor has it that one is coming up for release) will fall flat on its face. To WT leaders: Stop the nonsense! Change the fricking system if you want us to listen to you.

Bonsai

What keeps me away is knowing that if I go to a meeting, I will more than likely be pressured and guilt tripped by its members, fear mongered by the meetings contents and obligated to come again as I am love bombed into submission.

I'm sick and tired of hearing that we are deep into the latter half of the final remaining few days of the imminent conclusion of the end of this system of things. That 7+ billion people have to die because they don't know their left hand from their right. That god has been invisible for thousands of years and will only appear again to smite 99% of the world population. That how wonderful it will be to build a paradise over the bones and carcasses of women, children and babies. Hey, they will make great fertilizer for your dream vegetable garden right?

I have always been racked by survivor's guilt. Meetings just stir my cognitive dissonance and cause me great discomfort.

The world isn't pretty most of the time. There are grave problems that need fixing. But I need something that gives me mental stability to deal with the reality I live in. Messages of doom and gloom mixed with "God Is Love" just aren't cutting it for my mental health.

sparrowdown

I would go a tad further and say that JWs are a dangerous and destructive cult, if what they have is so good why do they need to employ such heavy-handed tactics to keep it's members under control.

Vidiot

Just four things?

Wow.

pressman

what gripes me is that they over emphasize showing up to the meeting more than god, the bible, and especially jesus. the loyalty is more focused on the organization and the governing body. without that knowledge you provided, a person can be easily snared by them. we need to get the information that they are a cult out more to the general public.