I know of a few who have gotten reinstated so they could have a relationship with family. One in particular did so he could see his son and grandson. The funny thing, the son DA'd himself the year after.
Is there a reason to remain a JW other than for family?
by cedars 64 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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cedars
Some good comments already!
leavingwt - money/inheritance may be a reason, but is it a sufficient reason? You are in effect being paid to pretend you're a witness? That doesn't sound right, although I notice you don't necessarily condone it. Cool picture by the way - I was immortalised as some sort of amoeba when I joined the forum, and it seemed fitting given the way I am being treated by many of my witness "friends" right now!
No Room For George - wow, only 25% of what they teach is wrong? Have you read Crisis of Conscience? In the words of McEnroe - "you can't be serious!" Surely a basic belief is that the FDS administers God's affairs on Earth today, and is God's channel of communication. Do you believe that? If you don't (which I sincerely hope) surely you agree that it renders most of their other teachings moot?
Nomad soul - I won't deny that power is a reason, but is it a justifiable reason? I was an elder myself at one stage, and I have to admit that the responsibility and authority is a major reason to push your doubts to one side. Surely that doesn't make it virtuous to do so?
Scarred for life - I'm glad to see we're on the same page on many things, although when you mention your own experiences it doesn't sound like you don't have too many reasons for compassion towards those who remain a witness because of family. You admit yourself that if things had worked out differently for you, it would have been "complicated". What if you HAD married or had kids whilst still a witness? What if they all looked up to you as an example, or would have been ashamed of you if you gave up "the truth"?
punkofnice - you need to change that pic! When I'm reading your comments etc I think of you as some sort of pimp or gangster with a gravelly voice, ugh! I'm sure you're not like that. Anyway, you're onto something with the 5th column - I assume you mean to destroy from within. Is that a noble reason?
shamus100 - orangutans are barred from this discussion, sorry! I had bad experiences as a child, don't ask.
nugget - good for you!
dune - love bombing. I've noticed that the "truth" seems to attract the socially inept and those who would otherwise we hopeless at making friends. I should have qualified the question by saying it applied only to non-nutters and those with people skills, sorry!
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nugget
We stayed technically witnesses due to hubbies work since he worked for a company owned by witnesses and ythe majority of the workforce were witnesses. However he resolved that issue and accepted being DF'd for not beileving in the governing body.
Initially we did have concerns about being disinherited and shunned but in the end it became a non issue since no amount of money would drag me back no money could keep me in.
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leavingwt
leavingwt - money/inheritance may be a reason, but is it a sufficient reason? You are in effect being paid to pretend you're a witness? That doesn't sound right, although I notice you don't necessarily condone it. Cool picture by the way - I was immortalised as some sort of amoeba when I joined the forum, and it seemed fitting given the way I am being treated by many of my witness "friends" right now!
Each individual must decide what's important. To be completely honest, I do have a dollar figure in mind. If that dollar figure had been on the line, I could have most certainly gone through the motions of still technically being an inactive JW -- until I cashed in. As it was, however, all I had to lose were a few dozen judgemental friends with whom I had very little in common with. Moreover, my employment was not connected to the JWs.
Put another way, passing up an inheritance of millions would simply be yet another way of being victimized by the Watchtower publishing corporation, if I lost it simply by changing my membership status, prematurely.
I'm viewing it as how I now see it -- a big game. I'm not viewing it as a believing Christian. (It would seem to me, that a believing Christian would want to flee the unclean thing. However, many of them, like Ray Franz, feel that salvation is possible as a JW.)
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Mr. Falcon
I may just go get The God Delusion tonight.
Miz the book is insane (in a good way). I couldn't put it down the first night. read like 4 chapters.
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punkofnice
Cedars -
punkofnice - you need to change that pic! When I'm reading your comments etc I think of you as some sort of pimp or gangster with a gravelly voice, ugh!
Nah. Can't change it, it's how the forums love me!
In real life I'm not as good looking. I talk like Johnny Rotten though!
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cedars
leavingwt - you make a valid point, that of wanting to limit the extent to which you have already been victimised by the society. I wasn't aware that financial reasons were that big an issue, but I can imagine how they might be. However, being "inactive" (technically "in" but not doing anything) isn't the same as going on the ministry, commenting at meetings, giving talks, giving the pretence that you agree with everything. That was what I was getting at.
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leavingwt
However, being "inactive" (technically "in" but not doing anything) isn't the same as going on the ministry, commenting at meetings, giving talks, giving the pretence that you agree with everything. That was what I was getting at.
You make a good point. One who is actively proselytizing is in a different sitaution than one who is inactive.
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cedars
leavingwt - it amazes me that many don't have a problem with evangelizing for an organization they themselves no longer believe in. I struggled enough going on the ministry and getting in people's faces when I DID believe it was the truth, I can't imagine how awkward and untenable it must feel to do it when you know in your heart it's all lies and you are leading others to make the same mistakes you've made. I find the thought of people who find that kind of thing acceptable almost scary in a way, which is why I want to hear their arguments.
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No Room For George
No Room For George - wow, only 25% of what they teach is wrong? Have you read Crisis of Conscience? In the words of McEnroe - "you can't be serious!" Surely a basic belief is that the FDS administers God's affairs on Earth today, and is God's channel of communication. Do you believe that? If you don't (which I sincerely hope) surely you agree that it renders most of their other teachings moot?
I don't really have the temperament nor patience to debate anything this morning, but I believe you kinda read what you wanted to read in my statement, and I have a hunch you did that unknowingly. Not to come off like DJEggnog, but this was my entire statement regarding beliefs.
Myself personally, I agree with maybe 75% of it doctrinally, its just the other 25% that I don't agree with, happen to be biggies,
That 25% that happen to be biggies which include what you mentioned about the WT being God's sole administers of His communication today. A couple other things would include their view of whom Babylon the Great which makes it impossible for someone who still finds value in being a Christian, to leave the WT and go to another church without social repurcussions, namely their family. Their obsession with unity which can be properly labeled uniformity, is inevitably what's shooting them in the foot and hurting a lot of their people.
Here's the thing with me, doctrinally, JWs aren't all that much different from many other denominations. The issues that are often a source of contention between JWs, and other denominations, are petty to me. Issues like the Trinity, or whether or not Christ is Michael the Archangel, or what Jesus meant when He talked about the time of the Gentiles being fulfilled, or when Jesus was born, whether or not he died on a straight stake or with a crossbeam, amongst a ton of other issues, are really nonissues to me and I'm sure many others. These are petty issues left over from Rutherford, Knorr, and Franz's timeframe. I'd like to see the organization move beyond these silly matters were serve no other purpose other than to be divisive. You mentioned Ray Franz, and the funny thing about you mentioning that is, he still agreed with much of what the WT taught, but again, the handful of things he had issues with, happened to be biggies.