Sorry larc, but yes, you are way too touchy.
I say that not due to your logic or observations, but due to the way that you have highjacked the thread. He was wondering what processes others have used to end up where they are today, and that is not only a very legimate subject, but one that could help many of the lurkers who are entering that stage of life. I hardly see where this twist could do as much good.
Why should it be necessary for everyone to use words that are perfect in meaning and phrasing, with every 'i' dotted and 't' crossed, before those reading them can bring themselves to look for and answer the thrust of the question posed? Sadly, many if not most of us use such tactics due to our own doubts and lack of self worth, as it is a justifying of ourselves and our beliefs.
I know those to whom one cannot greet with a pleasant "Hello, there!", without them reading some wrong motive into it. Should we waste our time in endlessly trying to convince them that we meant nothing bad?
Personally speaking, I would love to read both yours and Mommie Dark's answer to the question he posed. I'm truly interested as I would imagine that both answers would be entirely human and logical, and would illuminate some paths that others may be unfamiliar with. In addition, both of you are gifted writers.
NeonMadman ---
To answer your question briefly, I guess that I (like usual) took a different course than most. I for reasons already mentioned by others, didn't want to go back to any of the other religions, because that is just the way it felt. I would be regressing.
I'm only interested in going forward, and (I hope) I did. I figured it this way: The Bible speaks repeatedly of knowledge and how it would grow. I'd already checked the things that most of the other religions taught and rejected them, not because the WTBTS told me to, but because I had independently proved them to myself.
Perhaps the most influential portion of that research involved the "Babylon" book, which to be honest, bored me stiff. However, we endured going through that book twice in the book studies, and toward the end of the second perusal I got a glimpse of the bigger picture that it was trying to portray.
Some years after that, I got one of "The Two Babylons" books, and started reading that. That is one DEEP book. It took all I had to just comprehend what each subheading was saying, but when I did, it shook me up so bad that I would be unable to go further until I'd digested it, which usually took a week or more. When I finally got done with it, I couldn't rest and had to have more, so turned to some of the references it quoted. Some of the books I have in my library are "Ancient Fragments" by I. P. Cory, "Chaldean Account of Genesis" by George Smith, "The Oldest Stories in the World" by Theodor H. Gaster (many taken from the clay tablets), and "The Egyptian Book of the Dead" by E. A. Wallis Budge. Complimenting those are two exhaustive works on comparative legends, "Atlantis --- the Antideluvian World" and it's sequel, "Ragnarok --- Land of Fire and Water" by Ignatious Donnelly.
From this study I gained a good idea not only of the history of religion, but of knowledge itself, and how things must have looked to our early forefathers. Knowing human nature and how we always seem to want to "codify" everything, it is no surprise to me to see that the Society would fall into the same trap. That leaves no room for the additional knowledge that will surely come along. (Perhaps you read my pieces "What Is Truth", and "The Natural Life Cycle of a Religion" that I posted a month or so ago.)
When it turned out that there was rot in the Organization, it was no real problem. I just took the things that made sense and moved on, always looking to build on them. To my utter astonishment, I think I've made some progress. (No, I didn't have any visions, etc. )
At least I've been able to come up with some reasonable answers to some of the things I and many others wonder about.
I guess that makes me --- what? I definitely believe that there is a loving, caring, creator. How could I help it after such experiences as delivering my own child and seeing the look on my wife's face as I gently place it in her arms? (That happened four times.) Or that which is even more beautiful than a woman's love: her trust and faith? I feel at peace in that regard.
But of course this is only one aspect of my trip out. I'd put more, but this is too lengthy now. I'll post a little more on another thread.
LoneWolf
