New Believers, Studying.

by cupcakekourtney88 73 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Giordano

  CupCake thanks for wandering by even if this isn't exactly the kind of forum you thought it was.

  My wife and I are non believers, I guess we are closer to being secular humanists........meaning we care about people and always try to make things a little better.

  When we left the witness world decades ago my wife told me somthing interesting she said "if we ever joined another church again there had better be a women delivering the sermon/talk!" Only the most clear thinking religions encourage the Full participation of women in their organization and services. As a young women don't you feel/think that god would value you equaly? Don't you have somthing to contribute to the congregation?

  On just that basis alone doesn't it seem unnatural to prevent women from being able to completly express their worship? The JW world is a man's world........you deserve somthing better.
• 

  jgnat

  Hey, kourtney. It's cool to study the bible. I don't like the way the Witnesses do it, with the study book and questions deferred indefinitely. I prefer inductive bible study, which is much richer and personal. Might I suggest a bible study forum like this: http://bibleforums.org/

  This forum is a great place to learn how to deal with your JW relatives.
• 

  mouthy

  Kourtney Welcome to the board. I LOVE JW's but it is a cult. I was one for 25 years
  I was beaten by my hubby to stop studying & preaching what I believed was Jehovah's
  truths.( he was not one) I suffered greatly for believing with all my heart
  that I was in GODS ONLY organization.I made 10 people JW's... But they also taught
  me to be honest "to them >ELDERS" NOT to the doors I knocked on,I didnt have to
  tell the folks at the doors I knocked on ,that if they joined me in my beliefs ,that in
  the end, if they didnt believe ALL they taught they could get kicked out!!!

  So when I said I didnt believe Jesus came in 1914 they did just that "OUSTED" me
  Also I lost my family because they teach once your not a JW anymore your the Devils
  tool. I urge you to keep visiting other churches,just to see that other folks out there
  in the big old world are not as evil as the WT told me. I have met wonderful frinds in
  ALL religions. I dont go to church anymore( only when I feel like it) or if I am giving
  my testimony..Because I now have done as scripture told me to do. to ASK JESUS

  to be my LORD & Saviour,The Father told me to "LISTEN TO MY SON" & Jesus,
  the SON told me "I am the WAY,TRUTH & LIFE"so I invited HIM to come into my life
  Sorry It is a long post but I feel you should know your heading into a cult if you go
  into the Kingdom Hall.

  http://exjw.weebly.com/ Grace Gough
• 

  garyneal

  My wife is a Jehovah's Witness, I am not. I studied with them for the first 6 years of our marriage, off and on that is. I had already been a Christian and been going to church, irregularly, prior to that. I was told that the witnesses were not the true religion so I was a bit biased. However, I was open minded enough to study with them and get their side of it.

  Think about that, other Christians were telling me that witnesses were not the true religion, that they were indeed false prophets and that they taught false doctrines. If I had listened only to them and not bothered to study with witnesses then would I be closed minded?

  Witnesses tell their members and their studies not to associate with people on the outside or read literature critical of the society. Witnesses therefore avoid all 'bad associations' and keep the 'devil' out of their minds by not reading 'apostate' or 'opposer' literature. Are these witnesses closed minded?

  Seems witnesses want people from other churches to be open minded to their beliefs even if they are critical of the churches that these people attend. Why can't witnesses be open minded to the beliefs of other churches or even those who don't attend church, even if these beliefs are critical of the witnesses?

  That should be an eye opener to you.

  Yes, I studied their literature, saw how some of their teachings were different from my beliefs, verified it with the Bible as best as I could, concluded that some of their beliefs are true to the Bible, some of them are not. Just like every other Bible based religion.

  The funny thing about the Watchtower's truth is that it changes regularly. Now witnesses will say that they are imperfect and that they are receiving increasing light from Jehovah. Can't the same thing be said about other churches? Think about that, REALLY think about that.

  A had one elder try to explain to me the numerous changes in the generation doctrine and 1914. He eventually said that these teachings are not important but what was important was love of God, neighbor, and doing good to others. How is this different than what is being taught in other churches? Think about that, REALLY think about that.

  Do your research and try to look at things with an open mind and you will see that there is good and bad people at the churches as well as at the kingdom halls. For that matter, there are good and bad people both inside and outside the Christian faith.
• 

  cupcakekourtney88

  Some of yall can be rude...

  I am very open minded and I have studied before when I was a teen... So i know how controlling it can get but.. I thought to do a bible studying and learn more about the bible... And like I said before However far God wants me to go I'll go.
• 

  Cadellin

  Welcome, Cupcake: You sound like a good kid. Please ignore any rudeness you might have perceived and instead, spend some time reading some of the life stories of posters. They can be enlightening.

  Either way, whatever you decide (or not), you are very welcome here! Please keep us posted as your study progresses.
• 

  elder-schmelder

  I would recomend a good bible study.

  1) Study - who wrote it.

  2) Study - when was it written (are these 1st hand stories, or ones that have been passed down)?

  3) Study - how it got to us (has it been edited)?

  4) Study - the missing books of the bible (why are they not included)?

  5) Study - who decided what books are in, and what books are out?

  6) Study - are their contradictions in the bible?

  Dont just accept the watchtowers explanition of these. Read and study every book that you can get, and make your own conclusions.

  elder-schmelder
• 

  garyneal

  I am very open minded and I have studied before when I was a teen... So i know how controlling it can get but.. I thought to do a bible studying and learn more about the bible... And like I said before However far God wants me to go I'll go.

  Careful, they are going to use fallacy and propaganda to get you to believe that God is leading you to them. Truth is, I was actually beginning to believe that this religion may indeed be the truth. They will point out all of the warts of other churches and compare it to themselves. Making you think that they are in the 'truth.'

  Some of their teachings may actually make sense but there are some of the more obscure teachings that they either do not know about or are not talking about. Perhaps you can ask them some questions and see what they say?

  What is the significance of 1914 and how do the witnesses know that something significant occurred this year and not some other year?

  What is the truth according to the Watchtower?

  Can they show any proof concerning them being the only true religion? With so many of their beliefs being a parallel to beliefs held in other religions, how can they be sole perveyors of truth?
• 

  Murray Smith

  Kourtney . . . I'm interested in your expression . . .

  However far God wants me to go I'll go.

  How will you know this?

  How will you know when he wants you to go no further?

  How do you know he wants you to go there at all?

  How do you know the people here, as an ever increasing group, aren't actually giving you God's warning to go no further?

  I'm not challenging you . . . I really am interested as to how this will become known to you.

  Luvonyall - MS
• 

  TheListener

  Hang in there Cupcake. Yes, some people on the board can be rude now and again. Just remember a lot of us have lost close family relationships because of disfellowshipping and shunning.

  Seriously, there are some fantastic christian sources of information that do not demand you 'it's our way or the highway'.

  If nothing else remember this: Jesus said at Matthew 11 thay 'My yoke is easy and My burden is light'.

  Please please please, if you ever feel that you can't do enough to please God remember Matthew 11.