by cupcakekourtney88 73 Replies latest jw friends
Well thanks to everyone that has provided helpful info.. I am just wanting to find true JW... to talk too..
The reason why I started studying bc I want to learn about the bible and understand it.
My sister told me the more I learn i am going have to change my life?? I read on the their site they are not the only right ones, but my sister keeps telling me they are the only true people..
I am just trying to learn and believe what I think is right and know..
hmm
Hi again Kourtney!
I'm at work and haven't got it with me but here are a few things:
1. evolution happened. The story of Noah's ark is a myth. If it were factual, think of the numbers of animals that would have had to evolve in 4000 years!
2. The Bible contains numerous internal contradictions. The first is between Genesis 1 and 2. (the order of creation). Would a loving, fatherly God give us such a confusion and then wipe out those who didn't interpret it "properly"?
3. "Jehovah" is not God's name. There was no "j" sound in hebrew. Also Jesus told us to call God "our father", not by a name.
There's plenty more. . . Retro
Hi, Kourtney, I'd suggest you speak to Admiral Ackbar before you go any further. He's keen on the Watchtower organization.
Kourtney, you will find many replies on an introductory thread, which is what you've started here...
Humor, concern, welcome - all will mingle together...
Think of it as an exercise in discernment...
I would also suggest that you check out this recently-posted thread: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/208163/1/June-15-W-T-Should-Youths-Get-Baptised
If you were MY child, I'd insist that you NOT be baptised until you were the same age that Jesus was, when HE was baptised - at the age of 30 years old.
Since Jesus wants his followers to follow in his footsteps, don't you think that you ought to follow his example in that, too??
Learning to understand the Bible is fine. Just don't blindly trust a single source to get everything right!
I hope your sister isn't a baptised jw? MY SIL is, and over the years she has changed a lot. She limits contact with me because I am "worldly" - that means, not a jw, and therefore "bad association".
That's not in the book, but just ask your jw contacts "could you have a close friend outside the religion?"
When I was younger I was 14 or so I was studying with my mom... I wasnt aloud to have friends that were not JWs...
Ever since I told my sis I am doing a bible study she coming around more and talking to me more... But she wont talk to my brothers bc they dont study..
I really dont know how far I am going to go into the JWs... but I guess how ever far God wants me too.. I still visit other churches and what not, but my sister tells me I am not aloud to.. she is not baptize yet.. but she been studying for 2 years now.
then why is the site called Jehovah witnesses if its just EX??
Way back when this site was started, it was a pro-Watchtower forum. Over the years that changed as forum members, including the site's sponsor (Simon), began having doubts about "The Truth" and left the WT. There are some active Jehovah's Witnesses here. Some are on their way out, some are staying in the organization for the sake of family unity, some are honestly examining the other side, and some are actively proselytizing. All who want to participate and are willing will follow its 11 rules of decorum can join, there is no membership test.
Please stay around. Despite the ruckus that occurs from time to time, you can learn much here with just a little effort.
Kourtney . . . you already have the warning signs all around you . . . you are either "in" or "out" . . . you're already being told who you can have for friends . . . even among your own family! . . . and you're not even "converted" yet.
As you become more committed to the WT this type of control get's much more intense . . . believe me.
Take a very cautious approach and look for those signs of being "isolated" from those outside . . . it's not healthy . . . and why should it be necessary for goodness sake?
What God wants you to do? . . . is use that beautiful brain he gave you to "be on guard against men" and "make sure of all things"
Tread carefully my dear.
Luvonyall - MS
Hi, courtney. Your stumbling into here was a bit of an accident, but it may very well be one for the best. Learning is great, learning about different belief systems, different cultures, and different groups is a fantastic thing to do. But be careful which one's you decide to join for yourself. There are certain hallmarks of groups that sustain themselves in extremely unhealthy ways that are damaging to their members.
Think about these things for instance.
Information control. Would you trust somebody that told you not to listen to anyone but them? That everybody except themself personally was an evil liar controlled by forces you don't understand? What if they told you that only they have the truth, and that you just have to trust them on that, don't listen to anyone else's views on what they believe, because everyone else is a liar, and they will trick you with lies because you aren't smart enough to tell the difference between a lie and the truth, so you have to just trust them? In fact they want you to throw out any information that might contradict what they are telling you, just get rid of it, don't even look at it, because it's dangerous to read things that contradict them? Would you trust this person? Or would you think that they were desperately trying to hide something from you?
Being able to look at both sides of an issue is how you come to a conclusion on it. Purposely telling somebody to ignore one side of the issue is done only out of fear of the other side. Remember, truth can stand up for itself, lies need deceipt in order to be believed.
Ask the people studying with you if they would be willing to visit Jwfacts.com with you and answer the questions posed there. If they can, great. But if they tell you not to go there, or that they refuse, think about what I said.
Hmm, that one actually seems to be the most important to me right now. Because nothing hampers learning more than requiring the student to wear a blindfold, and not ask questions that aren't on the page.
Go for yourself to JWfacts.com, browse around, have your curiosity peaked. There is nothing wrong with that. And if the website is wrong, then the people studying with you will have no problem answering the questions. Truth prevails after all. But if they insist that you stay away from such websites, or refuse to go their themselves, or can't answer your questions from there, then you need to think about whether or not you are actually learning the bible, or if you're just learning cult doctrines of men.
Keep learning, and I hope your journey for knowledge goes well. Don't hesitate to ask questions of anyone here, or from the people studying with you.
Cupcake,
before you commit to anything in life, look at both sides, read the fine print
don't go into anything with only one point of view, even the bible encourages
you to test, ask , and seek
