why, what made you join JWs? (page 4)

careyaj

My father was a controlling jackass that made the whole family start studying. I was into for a little while because I was eight and didn't care. I was baptized at 11 (little sister following big sister). Soon after being baptized I realized I opposed almost everything I was taught....so I dissasociated myself at 17 as soon as I left my house. ...
oh yeah, did I mention the year I was baptized my dad was disfellowshipped? What a waste!

Tinkerbell4125

I grew up in it. It was all I knew.
I'm 41 now. Reading C.O.C. was the beginning of me learning the real truth. I'll never go back.

Flip

Tink' said it best for me, I grew up in it. It was all I knew...and all I was 'urged' to know.

-North American

Flip

tosko

I am very pleased at all you people who are replying. I am doing a study and this is a great way of getting to ask people the reasons for their involvement. I wonder if any of you, despite most of you being brought up as a JWs from small, if anyone can point on recruiting techniques which are common to JWs. One example could be to know whether they provide sufficient information on their teaching in the beggining or when they recruit what things they talk about, stuff like that.
Thanks

BluesBrother

Like many others i was taught the "Truth" as a boy , I believed it all although I would sometimes go off the boil and have to be encouraged, then get my enthusiasm back. I stopped completely for a a few months when I was about 20. I tried to make friends in the world but I did not mix easily. I was lonely and bored and I knew that if I went back i could be successful at it. So I did. Very selfish really, but once back, my faith and enthusiasm returned and I spent best part of the next 30 years serving as M.S then elder.
Until events in my life made me Really ask questions.And by then they had invented the internet!, and I read some stuff and the whole pack of cards fell down.

I just knew, that our God,my father would never slaughter them all because they/we do not listen to the WTS.

You ask about the effectiveness of teaching ? I think less so now. The little paperbacks dont have the depth of older books. The technique seems to be to sell the good news of the New World and a material hope , then draw them with a "Join us or else" conclusion

careyaj

i don't know about anyone else, but in my congregation witnesses had manipulative techniques (like any other organized religion) in getting people to study. it's almost like you really don't know what you're up against until you are baptized.

LDH

Tosko,

Born into it.

Oh you mean LOVE BOMBING. This is what they do when you first show up at a meeting, God forbid. Most lonely depressed souls respond to this type of attention, and it's all downhill from there.

Lisa

jesussaves

I was 'inculcated' from birth!

JWs try to make non-believers think that they are Christians. You don't find out the real deep stuff until after you're in. You also don't realize that you CAN'T leave until after you're in.

jesussaves

For example ask a JW the question, "Are you saved?" and they won't really answer it. They will say, "If you mean that Jesus has died for my sins, then yes." They won't tell you, "You're really not saved unless you go out in field service, and remain in good standing with the elders. And by the way, Jesus is also Michael the archangel"

why, what made you join JWs?

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