by Amazing 34 Replies latest jw experiences
It's amazing how many people think they know Ray simply by reading his books. They speak of candor, credibility, honesty etc.
"Any story sounds true until someone tells the other side and sets the record straight." (Proverbs 18:17)
How much of his books was new to you?
M
Hio Masterji:
"It's amazing how many people think they know Ray simply by reading his books. They speak of candor, credibility, honesty etc."
I did not think I knew him, but his ability to convey the history, realities of what goes on in the leadership, the expose' of wrongs, and other ways to view matters were all too touching to ignore. I eventually got to know Ray Franz personally, as I will describe in upcoming parts to this series.
"Any story sounds true until someone tells the other side and sets the record straight." (Proverbs 18:17)Yes. I agree. And for 25 years I listened to one side ... the Watch Tower side ... and Ray Franz set the record straight in two books.
How much of his books was new to you?Much of it was validation of things I saw and experienced. I saw some things that he did not touch on, but felt the validation of my own conscience starting to work. Some things, such as the history of Russell, the 1914 Date, the Malawi-Mexico double standards were very new to me. Other things were not new, but a confirmation of "Why" they were that way ... I saw the problems, but did not see what was behind them ... and Ray Franz simply removed the curtain and exposed the Wizard of Oz as a fraud. Like the fearful lion, I found my courage, and like the scarecrow, I found my heart ... they were there all along, and I didn't need the Wizard to help me anymore!
Masterji:
It's amazing how many people think they know Ray simply by reading his books. They speak of candor, credibility, honesty etc.
For example, the position papers advanced by governing body members Schroeder, Suiter and Klein advocating a change in the understood beginning of "this generation" to the year 1957 was most revealing.
It showed the 1914 date not to be absolute to individual GB members as it was required to be for individual JW's.
TMS
Amazing,
I really enjoyed reading your piece. I look forward to reading more!
Masterji quoted this scripture:
"Any story sounds true until someone tells the other side and sets the record straight." (Proverbs 18:17)
Exactly why I find it so ironic that the JWs call their religion "the truth". JWs aren't even allowed to look at the other side of the story. They'll be disfellowshipped if they read literature that differs from their 'story'.
Great post, Amazing.
I must be one of the few who has never ever read any "apostate" literature (I did actually see the book once)...I managed to turn into a loser all by myself ;-(
By the way - is any book that makes you THINK an "apostate" book? In that case I have quit a few!!!
mONICA SAYS:
Masterji quoted this scripture:
"Any story sounds true until someone tells the other side and sets the record straight." (Proverbs 18:17)
Exactly why I find it so ironic that the JWs call their religion "the truth". JWs aren't even allowed to look at the other side of the story. They'll be disfellowshipped if they read literature that differs from their 'story'.
----------
EXCELLENT POINT
THAT WAS what i was thinking when i read his point
since when can a jw read both sides
amazing explained how he had COLD SWEATS JUST TRYING TO get the book off the shelf
you just got to love jw as they try so hard to explain away the unexplainable
how sad
amazing
your exp of trying to get your hands on the book are almost like mine
thanks
james
Amazing
I just got the house to myself w/no interuptions
I enjoyed reading part 1 very much.
Are you going to share more about what was in his
book? I have never read it.
plm
Hi there Amazing. Well, I also related to your story. I remember ordering it from Randy's site. I was so nervous that it would arive on a day my husband would be home. But it didn't.
First thing I did when I got it was cut up the "Everlasting Life" brochure and make a book-cover for the book so that my kids wouldn't know what I was reading.
My husband was working in Las Vegas M-F so that gave me plenty of time to read. And I read ISOCF also the same way.
One day I came out with it to him, just like you. But he refused to even look at it. I kept talking anyways ... The thing that really got him thinking was when I told him that the GB makes decisions by taking a vote. He couldn't believe it. I said, "Yeah, and if they don't get a two thirds majority, nothing changes but if they do, we get NEW LIGHT." He was flabergasted because how could any JW know that is the source of our "Holy Spirit" directing New Light?
I also wrote to Ray and he wrote me back. Plus I called him on the telephone. If he hadn't written that book, there would be so much we wouldn't know right now about those meetings of the oh-so-mighty GB LOL.
For me the most disturbing parts were the Malawi/Mexico hypocrisies and in ISOCF, the blood issue.
I stopped going to meetings immediately and began pounding my husband's head with "apostate" thinking LOL instead. We were both completely borg free within a year.
I wonder how the books would have affected you if you had known the history of the organization as well as Stephen knew Israel’s, as revealed by his impromptu defense before the Sanhedrin.
It appears many simply didn’t know, since they thought the books "removed the curtains."
Even Ray admits that he was weak on organizational history.
No doubt, for many, the books were like an avalanche.
For those who had read all the organization’s available writings…perhaps they viewed them more like a snowball.
If so, perhaps they were able to analyze the books differently, seeing underneath the apparent (in their view) sincerity, candor, credibility, tone, etc.
Also, knowing personalities involved, being peers of Ray, working closely with him over the years, knowing the way he worked in the background, the way he got individuals to talk about controversial topics, etc., would cause them to have a different view than many.
"He who states his case first seems right until another comes to examine him." (Proverbs)
All should examine all the facts. "What a shame-yes, how stupid!-to decide before knowing the facts!" Good Book at Pro. 18:13.
M
