It's completely devastating when you find out the truth about the truth. I've have holded back to revealing much to my ailing mother. It might just push her off the edge. Recovery will take a while. That's what we're here for. Don't fret.
i am a regular pioneer in my cong reading crisis of conscience.here goes...
by MsGrowingGirl20 206 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
Knowsnothing
I DON'T KNOW WHAAT TO DOOO!
Take a deep breath, several in fact and rant all you want. It is natural, after all. This is a jolting experience.
Why do you need to look towards an organisation?
-
3rdgen
MsGG, Breathe in, breath out. The WTS has made us think we ALWAYS have to DO something. You are experiencing shock and grief. You are in no condition to make ANY decisions except to lay low and keep reading. Remember we are here for you and we care! Keep posting. Let it all out here. NOWHERE ELSE.
-
Tater-T
i just started reading it too... good for you!... becareful... it is shocking thats it's that bad!! I'm blown away!!
msgg pm...
-
bsmart
Armageddon is NOT coming soon. When I was in high school (I graduated in the 60's) the Awake said the end would be here before I could graduate college.
To me Armageddon comes to each of us... perhaps as a crisis of faith, perhaps a family death, or perhaps a health issue.
If you check the history of the christian bible, Revelation only got in by a single vote. From what I understand the symbolism was understood by the early christians and is totally about those times. If you need to pray, pray.
You have all the time you need.
-
WontLeave
MsGrowingGirl20:
I've been exactly where you are, right now. I went from preaching full time to walking out and never going back. My problem stemmed from being too familiar with the Bible, rather than reading CoC. I had read it before, but I'd never put any faith in the old men in NY as being proxy-Christs, as most JWs do. I didn't worship the Society, put Watchtower literature above Scripture, or walk on eggshells around elders. I freely and openly exercised my Christian freedom, even before I knew Ray Franz wrote a book about it. I knew from Paul's writings we each had our own conscience and from many, many Bible verses, we weren't to put faith in or fear men. So, I didn't. And that's where the problems began.
The elders are so used to being treated as royalty that some were offended I dare treat them as my equal (or less, in the case of the really ignorant and stupid ones). I didn't show the "proper" worshipful attitude toward the Watchtower corporation or the literature written by its faceless, nameless voluntary slave labor of uber worshipers. Even before my leaving, I was writing articles in an attempt to warn and plead with my "brothers", but with no result. Here is a URL for one that might help you feel better about your doubts and fears. While I never shared in the idolatry toward the "organization" that most JWs participate in, I understand it. Once you realize the Watchtower doesn't really matter, it makes everything much clearer and easier to process.
Keep in mind, Jesus said you'd know his followers by their fruits. He wasn't talking about forests, but individual trees. Judas hung out with a group, but that didn't make him a Christian. JWs throw around "Truth", "True Religion", "True Christians" and that's a typical cult move; "Us" vs. "Them". Turning everybody outside the group into a villain and everybody inside the group into a saint is one of their many brainwashing tactics. Surely you personally know several JWs who are horrible, horrible people; yet you're expected to treat them better than an outsider who is an excellent person. Jesus doesn't have an "organization"; he has followers. God routinely executed masses of people who were in the group, because they were vile individuals.
Especially if you were raised in the group, you'll gradually realize the very language they speak is to implant unconscious thoughts and feelings. Words like "unity", "truth", "organization", "brotherhood", "church", "apostate", "pure language", etc., are all intended to invoke emotions in you that keep you in the group. You'll start to notice that "Jehovah" and "Watchtower" are used interchangeably. When you see something in the Bible which doesn't jibe with the Watchtower's opinion, you're told to "wait on Jehovah". Well, isn't the Bible the word of Jehovah? He's already given his take on things. Who am I really supposed to be waiting on, then? We're basically required to reject Scripture in favor of Watchtowers. Who, then, are we really obeying, following, and worshiping if we do that?
Why was it okay for C.T. Russell to start a new movement rather than "wait on Jehovah" to sort it out? If you express doubts or find fault, you're "demonic" and "mentally diseased", but he went far beyond that and he's a hero. ...But I digress. Check out my paper and see if it doesn't make your transition easier. It's entitled "Do Christians Have Human Leaders?" Hopefully, it can ease any feelings of guilt for "turning your back on Jehovah", which is what you'll be told you're doing if you don't worship the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, its literature, its writing committees, and its Governing Body. There is no true church, as in "building" or "group". Being a Christian is a very personal thing and always has been. Each will carry his own load.
-
mind blown
Please hon..I know this is overwhelming for you...the only thing you need to do right now is nothing.
If you need to talk about anything were all here. You need time to process. Your mind and emotions have been thrust into a violent whirlwind. Hold tight and wait for your emotional storm to calm....ok?
-
GrandmaJones
Sweetheart, don't "do" anything. Do further research. I strongly recommend reading "The Best of" section here at JWN. You will be amazed at the resources here at your fingertips. Question everything. But go calmly. There is no hurry. You will probably want to rush as fast as you can. Don't. Give yourself time to recover from the shock.
GrandmaJones
-
DesirousOfChange
Anyone (esp a Newbie) who didn't read all of the posts on this lengthy thread should go back to page 7 and read the post from jws, who has only about 1100 posts in 10 years, but this has to be one of the best "reads" I have seen on here. He says it all so eloquently. Thanks.
DOC
-
flipper
MS GROWING GIRL- So how are things going for you ? Just wanted to check up on you, see how you're doing ? Hang in there
