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by exwhyzee 21 Replies latest jw friends

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  breakfast of champions

  I think it's great tha you have family who are willing to listen to you, even if they give canned answers. Consider that a blessing in itself!
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  Roski

  This is very interesting - I hope you are able to post more later as it comes back to you.
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  exwhyzee

  I told them that even as a life long Witness, I had never heard about Beth Sarim. They just sort of looked at eachother when I brought this up. I told them that it was deeded to the Bible Patriarchs so they'd have a place to life when they were resurrected. How did they know that the Patriarchs weren't already resurrected to heaven and why would they want to live in California instead of their own homeland? They obviously knew about it because they just looked away with an embarrased smile.
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  Morbidzbaby

  That was an interesting read... I hope that some of what you said stuck with them. Maybe if they ARE experiencing some negativity at Bethel, your words will be key in helping them to wake up and realize that it's organization-wide and not just limited to certain areas or certain JW's.

  And don't ever think your time here is up! Sometimes people are busy and can only lurk and not comment, sometimes they feel they have nothing of benefit to say and want to say more then "Hey, that's great!", but don't have the words to do so. Every poster here (with the exception of the absolute loons) has something of value to add to this forum...yourself included. This post was valuable because some of us are in similar situations and it gives us a sort of "template" to go off of when speaking to our own family. Don't ever feel like you are valueless here! You had enough of that in the Watchtower.
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  whathappened
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  kazar

  Very interesting post. Hope they continue to be friends with you.
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  exwhyzee

  Thanks Morbidzbaby

  I don't want to rock anyone's world or upset anyone's way of life....I just want to be able to let people know I'm not a Witness anymore and the reasons why without them abandoning us. The reason the Society doesn't want faders associating with those that are "in" is because it seems to me even those in "high" places (Bethel) aren't really all that firm in the convicton that they have all the right answers. Even though they beleive they have J's spirit, they realize that a fader can greatly derail them because they aren't really used to seeing things from a non Witness perspective. Even the simplest example or argument can bring to life all the doubts they have lurking under the surface. But that isn't my intent...I just don't want to pretend anymore for fear of being punished.
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  Broken Promises

  I think you're extremely lucky that your friends heard you out. Most JWs would have labelled you an apostate from the get-go and refuse to listen to a word you said.

  It sounds like the wife is having doubts of her own, but no doubt feels "where else are we to go?" Be prepared for that question next time you see them.
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  exwhyzee

  "where else are we to go?

  Broken Promises : They did ask that question in so many words. "What other do other religions have to offer?" I said " I don't know because I was never allowed to find out. To study another religion was tantamount to Apostasy. All I know about other religions is through the Watchtower. Would it be fair for a Lutheran to base his opinion of JW's based upon what he heard about them from his church who might be afraid of loosing him as a member?

  Again I was met with blank looks. I told them.... "Guys...I know all the JW logic and line of reasoning and anything you might throw at me, I've already thought about. The trouble is that nothing you say or believe is really proveable. Doubt is the first cousin to faith. To have faith you have to suspend your disbelief. Faith to some means the suspension of critical thinking and those who want hard evidence before carrying out a certain action, are viewed as unfaithful. I can't go from door to door in good conscience showing the people the error of their ways when so much of the evidence they use to do so is unprovable or gets changed every so many years.

  The only thing they didn't bring up was the issue of going to war....I'm not sure exactly what I would have said but I might have brought up WW2 amd the Nazi Concentration camps and how happy the Jews, JW's and others must have been that somebody came to their rescue since God had'nt . But who knows...maybe it was his doing to have the alied forces intervene. Who can say for sure.
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  scary21

  Thank you so much for posting. I find this very interesting. Because they care for you so much, they listened to what you had to say...........but...

  and it's a BIG but......will they ever talk to you again ? I hope so !

  Sherry