by Desilusionnee 35 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
Desi...........hang in there sweetie. You want to leave or fade on your terms, so careful what you say to others. Can you tolerate going to half the meetings and no DtoD FS? That may be enough to satisfy your husband and keep people from suspecting. In the mean time you can slowly work on your husband with knowledge about the WTS and the fruits of the JW religion. Good luck.
Think About It
Hang in there Desi It's really hard to break through with logic because they fight it. If this isn't the "truth," then what is? They can't get past that until something makes them crack from the inside.
Your husband sounds like he's thinking about things though, and even admitted that the generation teaching doesn't sound inspired by Holy Spirit.
Thanks to all for your comments and nice thoughts.
Desi
@Hadit
I'm so sorry for you. Thanks for your good advice. Hang in there
Desi
What helps me in such a situation, is to think back at the time, before I awakened. I defended the org, as one and only.
If something was hard to understand, I used the "wait on Jehovah" line of reasoning.
Most important though, somebody has to be ready to listen to the truth about the truth. In conversations with fellow brosis, I let them talk, without giving too much of my thoughts, if they express some concerns, I carefully try to expand them, and to help them think for themselves. But this has to be done with care and very slow.
Even if witrnesses think, that some teachngs are strange, for example the new generation teaching, or how to come to 1914 (most cant explain it anyway without help of the books) they always will remember, how the org help them to see the truth about trinity, immortal soul, hellfire. So out of a wrongly interpreted loyalty, they stick up for the org, even if they do not understand or really not agree with some stuff.
And they get constanly reminded, every meeting, twice a week, how important it is to stick to the org.
After you realize, that all this whole scheme is man-made, many things really seem weird, but what helps me, is to see the people, mostly really honestly trying to serve God. I try not to condemn them or look down on them, as i was the same just a short while ago.
Patience, esp. with your family, is most vital. Take it slow, find your pace, wait for the right moment.
Sorry to hear how you are feeling. You are going through a great loss at the moment and will go through a range of emotions commonly associated with the grieving process. Hang in there as over time you will get used to it. The first time I missed a convention I was very depressed, by the next convention I barely thought about it.
It is common for a JW conversation on changed teachings to say
1 - yes there have been changes because they are not perfect just as Moses was not perfect
2 - who else is better?
You can respond that there may not be anyone better, but there are plenty that are the same. If Jehovah is not directing the F&D Slave to provide accurate truth then how are Watchtower leaders different than other religion? For example, SDA, Bible Students, Church of God, Christadelphians all have similar doctrine and all have leaders and followers trying to get their interpretation correct. Just be aware that such a conversation does open you up for being accused of apostasy and so is not always worth the risk.
Hi Desi
I hope this is not the only reason you left as it isn't a valid one to judge them on. All Prophecies are subjective. We are given prophecy to try and undertsand, in this case Jesus says "generation" and we have to try to decern it. Moses was "inspired" and so had that added accuracy. The Anointed in this time do not have the gift of "inspiration" when we look at Bible prophecies we are to decern their meanings so as to be "ready" and "on watch" God does not expect a level of accuracy from us that you and others on here seem too.
Did noah know when the rainwaters would come he only knew they would be soon in fact the Bible mentiones 120 years but not that God said this to noah.
Genesis 6:3
3 Then Jehovah said, "My Spirit will not contend with [a] man forever, for he is mortal [b] ; his days will be a hundred and twenty years."
it was after he said this that he saw 500 year old noah.
Genesis 5:32 (New International Version)
32 After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.
Genesis 6:8
8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of Jehovah
and yet Noah himself was 600 when the flood actually happenned clearly waiting many, many years but building the ark getting ready for when it did finally happen.
Genesis 7:6
6 Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth.
again the christians didn't know when jerusalem would be destroyed.
Prophecies were deliberately designed to be obscure and need reference to the WHOLE Bible to be understood with any kind of accuracy. Hense why it is predicted we will need "refinement" until the end.
Daniel 11:35
Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
Jesus himself had to explain which prophecies he fulfilled.
Luke 24:27
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
showing it had not already been seen. Prophecy is only 100% in hindsight.
Here is the choice laid before the anointed or indeed any group that claim to be christians....
Should we try to decern prophecy knowing we will not be know the full truth untill after it is fulfilled?
should we ignore it for these same reasons?
should we bury it unused as the majority of christendom has?
should we let all our flock have differing opinions (allow divisions) and not guide them to agreement?
1 Corinthians 1:10
[ Divisions in the Church ] I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
The answer to all these is why I have no problem with going with any current understanding of Bible prophecy. Prophecy is a unique part of the bible and easy to point accusing fingers at. But note all these nay-sayers to the current "generation" understanding offer no alternative explanation for this prophecy.
Thanks to all for your encouragements/comments.
I think I talked a little bit too much on Saturday which usually doesn’t happen. It was just too hard to sit through the whole meeting having to listen / or not to listen to it. Sometimes I want to quit going straight away (like Saturday). Other days, I want to give it time, as I would like hubby to leave with me because I think it would be easier and he is a very loving husband.
As this friend sister began to say sometimes she has the feeling the Borg thinks we are “brainless” and we kept on speaking about other weird things, it came to the new generation teaching….They just swallow it down without thinking. But who am I to judge them. As I was still in, I nearly did the same.
@Debator, it’s not or was not the only thing that made me leave (actually I’m only on the way out). I would never have left because of one teaching I don’t agree with. My husband and I couldn’t believe in the 2007 generation explanation, but we didn’t leave. There many other silly WT teachings, but they were not that important for our faith.
As we have 2 little girls, the main point was the child abuse policy of the WT. Then I read about things like the UN-scandal and, and, and… the list is long.
@jwfacts, yes you’re right: the “who else is better complex” is a very big.
Desi
Hi Desi,
I have been through the same situation like you, but 10 years ago. Unfortunately when children are involved it makes thinks more hard. You can look at my previous posts, as justhuman, to see my situation.
I was MS, all my family JW's and many in 'high' places. My questioning started after the first generation change in 1995. I was really agry about that, since I spend the best years of my creative life(18-27)to be a regular pioneer. I quit school, cause the end was near(mid 80's, with all the mess in Brooklyn).
I quit a career as young and promising musician. Plus I turned down business deals, that years after I realize it was a terrible mistake. In just five years after 1995, I became innactive. I couldn't stand their lies and false promises. After that in order to support my family, I had (and still)work 2-3 jobs, just to get the basic salary. And all that due to WT's FALSE promises.
I was turned to the elders for apostasy 2 times by my wife. The last I decided that I had enough of the crapsh*t and just wanted to leave. As a result I had to end my marriage, since my faithful wife, created lot of turmoil.
You have indeed a very hard tusk. You will have to make your mind what you want to do. Perhaps the best think is to fade at the moment. But in my case I realize that within the WT world there is no real love. As long as you are in the Club and follow the rules, is ok. When you decide that you don't feel to follow that, then your life is messed up.
In my case I just didn't care anymore about their religion. Most importand was my peace on mind, and with clear mind I could plan my future and what is best for my 2 children.
If you need anything just PM
dear debator,
there is a lot of difference between failed prophesy, and FALSE PROPHETS...WT from their start as Bible Students(Jehovahs Witness are splitter group of the Bible Students)in 1874 A.D they have a tremendous record of FAILED predictions. Now, who is to blame? The Holy Spirit that suppose is guiding WT's GB(that appeared in the scene only in the 70's, since before that, FDS was Russel and Rutherford)
Bible Students believed that Armageddon will start in 1914...nothing happened
Then they moved to a new date in 1916, again nothing happened(well Russell died)
Then Judge Jo takes over the power of the WT, by removing all the Board of Directors that Russell chose, declares them as 'Evil Slave', and becomes the ruler of the WT. Then he comes with a new date:1925 that it will marked the start of the Ancient Prophets(Noah, Moses, David, etc etc)and they will LEAD in Armageddon. He bought a nice villa in San Diego Cal. had 2 limousines(at that time only a handful of people in the entire US could afford to buy those, and Jo was one of them)and he waited for the resurrection of the Prophets. Nothing happened in 1925 and the Millions who supposed not to die, well they died, along with Judge Jo in 1942, feeling complete sure that Great Tribulation started(it was WWII)and they are only few months away of Armageddon, according to his last speech in an Assembley.
Well since there was no resurrection of the Ancient Prophets, WT sells the mansion, and Freddy Franz comes with a new date of the end. 1975...After a second calculation of Genesis record and Bible Geneaology he found out that 6000 years of creation will end in 1975, since Russell made a slight mistake of 100 years!!! So instead of 1875, 6000 years ends in 1975, the APPROPRIATE time for God to ACT. After WT's encouragement, puplic talks, many sold their property, stayed without education and went on preaching since the world would end in 1975....
Well 1975 passed by and nothing happens, so instead of apologizing to their followers, 2 years after, Freddy Franz blamed the JW's because the end didn't come in 1975, plus in WT article they said they weren't sure how much time Adam was alone, before God created Eve!!!
But still the end was close since the Generation that will witness the invisible presence of Jesus, that occured in 1914(until mid 30's WT believed that the presence was in 1874)and they will be ALIVE to witness Armageddon, since a generation can live 70 years, so we have 1914 plus 70=1984...Well it happened for me to be teenager at that time, I quit school to become pioneer because the end was so close. Plus our preaching work was separating the sheep from the goats. A separation that started in 30's(according to Judge Jo)
So I quit school, I quit a promising carreer as a musician and I preached about the Generation that by no means will pass away and the end will come until 1995...Suddenly the 'Holy Spirit' decides to change the light!!! The generation became contemporay, and the separation of the sheep and the goats will done by Christ and not from us... so for 11 fuc*ing years I was preaching a false gospel, ruined my life for something that now it will be considered 'apostate' teaching if I continue to preach.
Then the Holy Spirit changes His mind and decides that the Generation is the anointed ones who witness the sign. But you can't trust WT's holy spirit, since it can change view from time time, and indeed it did change the light(again) saying that the Generation means the lifes of those anointed ones who witness the sign that overlaps the life of the new anointed ones...
What does this mean? It means that my grandfather who was anointed and died in the 60's, when I was only 2, his life has overlap my life!!! So I'm 42 now and if I decided to become anointed that will extend the end for another 40 years! Now if my grand child borns in 10 years from now and when he becomes 35-30 years old decides that he is anointed(since the heavenly door that was closed since 1935 was opened again in 2008)the life of my grand child will overlap my life who was overlaped by my grandfather....
dear debator, God is not a God of confussion. Unfortunately WT created a mess that they can get away from it. Dates based upon Russell's pyramidology like the destruction of Jerusalim at 607 B.C instead of 587 B.C, and many more linked to that day that WT cannot get way.
The GB are liars and False Prophets and they KNOW it, all the care is about POWER and MONEY...They never cared about the truth.
