You'll get there Franklin, and the journey is well worth it to.
Greetings to All, No Longer Lurking
by Franklin Massey 55 Replies latest jw friends
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amicus
Oh!
Please respond to GrandmaJones.
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peacefulpete
Welcome, your outlook is positive. That's great but do recall the history of the Catholic church is one of countless would be reformers being excommunicated or executed. Think of the church as a relationship. I (and I'm sure billions of others) have had relationships that lingered too long. We might fool ourselves that given X or Y situations things will change. They don't.
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nancy drew
stick around and invite all your friends
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Bangalore
Welcome Franklin.
Bangalore
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HayDay
I was the same way Franklin. There was so much missing from the JW org. With me it started with the awful people and their pressure cooker competition. Then I found out about Silent Lambs.com, I was appalled! Quite soon after Silent Lambs my friend was telling me about all the holes in the 1914 theory, I couldn't even believe I had swallowed that crazy doctrine for so long! Shortly after I reseached JW facts.com then ordered Ray Franz's book. That was the end for me, what a corrupt and awful religion! I still remember my last meeting, I got this horrible knot in my chest during the WT study and ran to the bathroom (the study was about secretly telling on your brothers/sisters for wanting a worldy relationship) I was creeped out and almost called a cab to take me outta there!
Long story short; Repair your self esteem by forming your OWN Goals, OWN Values!
Best to you!
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sd-7
Welcome! Folks like you make me wonder just how many JWs on the inside were really entirely unsure about the Society. I might've known them and had no idea. ... Nah. Wishful thinking.
Well, I don't know what to say, but I feel like soooo many are waking up. It's amazing.
I think it's unavoidable that there is some anger over being deceived. I certainly feel it, and I had no particular animosity against the Society itself, just against the elders, maybe. I did think the Society was a bunch of old men who were out of touch with reality and afraid of a little fun and a little technology. But otherwise...never imagined what was really going on.
But I think it would be ideal if people who visited this site found it to be a place of comfort and hope and enlightenment. It's not just about whaling on the Society or proving them wrong; it's about spreading knowledge and freedom to as many as have ears to hear, if you will.
So...welcome again, and...congrats on waking up.
--sd-7
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Franklin Massey
Again, thank you for the welcome messages.
Briefly, on the topic of reform, I see no reform coming. I have no plans of leading the charge. I am growing more and more comfortable with the idea of not having the Society and many of its teachings in my life. Unfortunately, many lovely people have become so dependant on this religion that I fear what their lives would be like if it all came crashing down on them. Some may be too weak to handle the total disintegration of the Org. These are the "Where else would I go?" types who may not have the inner strength to find themselves again. I struggle with the survival-of-the-fittest side of my personality vs. the fatherly nurturing side. For those who are weaker, I would rather see their chosen religion become better for them while simultaneously allowing those who wish to leave the opportunity to take a graceful bow and fade into the shadows. Thus concludes this portion of the pipe dream ;)
@GrandmaJones: You seem like a sweetheart. Your balanced viewpoints and love for your family are endearing. On what brought me here in the first place: False claims of Divine authority, faulty prophecies, fudged past teachings, flip-flopping doctrine, ignorance of science, comparative study of all the world's religions...that's a taste of what got me lurking and kept me lurking for so long. But I didn't want to jump all the way in as I still had feelings of loyalty to the Org. "What if I'm deluded? Am I being selfish? Am I being too critical? Is Satan really working on me through this site?" I just wasn't ready to join. I read the whole of JWFacts and CoC. Still lurking. But I haven't felt like a "proper" JW for quite some time now. What prompted me to finally join the forum was the education issue at KM School. I was like, "OK. This is just getting ridiculous." I needed to vent. I needed to be a part of the dialogue. I wanted to post my take on issues in hopes that other questioning JWs may see it and take a new course of action all their own.
@Cadellin: I have the same struggle in field service. My ministry has become personal visits, Bible-only discussions with very little literature placements, and broad discussions on all-encompassing spiritual/moral themes. This is certainly not what the Society has in mind for its publishers. I have no intention of indoctrinating anyone with JW theology. In fact, part of my awakening came while conducting Bible Studies in the Bible Teach book. Feeding people with promises that I myself was unsure of became impossible for me. I felt like a hypocrite.
@BlackSheep: I don't blame myself, or anyone for that matter. I just know how my immediate departure would be percieved and how those close to me would feel. When it comes to devout JWs, there is just no other possible way of life and if I can keep family and friends from being distraught and hurt by my actions, I will. The time is not right...yet. I don't want to burn bridges with those whom I may be able to help.
@LongHairGal: I'm sure there are many lurkers out there. Just looking at the amount of page views that some of these posts get is evidence of that. This site is not very interesting for someone who knows very little about JWs. If you come here, you likely have some sort of tie to the Org.
Welcome HayDay! I know that feeling all too well.
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miseryloveselders
Briefly, on the topic of reform, I see no reform coming. I have no plans of leading the charge. I am growing more and more comfortable with the idea of not having the Society and many of its teachings in my life. Unfortunately, many lovely people have become so dependant on this religion that I fear what their lives would be like if it all came crashing down on them. Some may be too weak to handle the total disintegration of the Org. These are the "Where else would I go?" types who may not have the inner strength to find themselves again. I struggle with the survival-of-the-fittest side of my personality vs. the fatherly nurturing side. For those who are weaker, I would rather see their chosen religion become better for them while simultaneously allowing those who wish to leave the opportunity to take a graceful bow and fade into the shadows. Thus concludes this portion of the pipe dream ;)
Wow......ya know......just wow....if I could give you the nobel prize right now, I'd do it.