A Day In The Life

by jbeau504 24 Replies latest jw friends

WTWizard

Usually, when you are near baptism, they make things easier for you. Field circus is usually somewhat easier, you get to do more calls, they are more lenient with you when it comes to dressing for the heat, and so on. But, once you are baptized, watch out! You now have to bear the brunt of field circus, and they will not be so easy on you. Your every movement becomes robotic at that time or they will hound you. You slip for a few days in field circus, they act like the world is about to end. You will now have to obey all their stupid rules, including the ones made just for you or just in your congregation.
Now is the best time to bail. Like, NOW. You can do so without being totally shunned. If you have family in, bailing before baptism beats getting disfellowshipped. Use the pedophile scandals as an excuse, if necessary. Don't fall for that rubbish that you are a "superstar"--it will not last. Beyond that, they are even going to pray to Jehovah to sabotage your happiness just so you can do more in field circus (for instance, how would you feel about going to Nigeria or wasting the next 30 years at Beth Hell doing what you hate most, only to get nothing to show for it? That's what they want for you.) If you bail now, you will shatter their dreams but keep yours intact.
And, if they start praying to Jehovah to send his filthy angels to undermine your dreams, start telling them that all that will do is drive you straight to spiritual Satanism. That will probably be the end of that.
jbeau504

I always wanted to see the world, probably why the missionary work always seemed appealing to me in a way. It's not that I dread the thought of living a I guess 'guarded' life, it's that it's just so much to master (memorizing key scriptures in the bible, knowing certain 'things' about hte organization and it's rules by default, etc, etc.). They keep telling me 'the heart condition matters more than knowledge' but I keep getting the feeling that's not true. I'm not stupid, it just seems like a hassle to know so much for the sake of baptism.
LostGeneration

jbeau, do you really believe what the JWs teach? Or are you getting baptized because it is "expected" of you by family and friends?
And you are right about having to "know so much" in order to get baptized. Review the scriptures in the NT about what was required of those getting baptized. Belief in Jesus is pretty much the only requirement.
jbeau504

I think I was a bit impolite in not being specific about what I believe when I first joined the board so here it goes.
What I Like:
1. I don't believe in the Trinity. I think it's a foolish, self-defeating and illogical concept on every spiritual or intellectual level, probably why I was attracted to Islam perviously. (God cannot kill himself if he's the source of all living things. It's stupid). So the concept of Jesus being the "Son of God" seemed to gradually make more sense to me when I joined the JWs.
2. I dislike politics, and the hybrid of politics with religion. One revolution happens, another happens, more genocide, more arguing, more problems. It's not just the stupid-minded system of America, but its the violent nature of the entire planet. Hypocrisy being the thing that leads civilized societies only causes more horror. It's not an intellectual failure but a moral failure in humanity because no matter what system you come up with, no matter how smart you are, the 'heart' has to change above all else. If you don't WANT to do better, in essence, you won't. Human nature is flawed, even though there are good people. The idea of God getting rid of those things makes sense to me.
3. I think family's important, so is marriage. I think it's good to have a decent relationship and get married. Call me old fashioned. I mean if people just want to be 'bf and gf' that's cool too, but marriage is a beautiful thing I respect. Even though my parents split I support the institution of marriage according to the JWs.
4. .JW's are clean, decent people. They dress well, teach their childrens good behavior. You may call it robotic but it's a protection against bad behavior to have a 'certian kind' of upbringing.
5. I like that so many people of different backgrounds can co-exist in worship. The number of interacial babies/marriages is ridiculous. I don't think people know this. I know you'll laugh at me or try to disprove me with this, but I grew up in it, been in more than one congregation, and it's true. So I respect that the power of faith can triump over hate.
6. A world beyond this life in the future. A world in a paradise Earth where I can see my dead loves one again and find inner peace, to live in harmony without pain, suffering or destruction. Who wouldn't want that?
What I dislike:
1. Homophobia- I went to school with gay friends. They were nice people. Randomly having to avoid them at all costs since studying the bible, not even defend them when I may see some kind of bigoted incident (harrassment, practical joke, etc, etc.) take place is kind of uncomfortable.
2. Sudden change in life- I had to stop talking to people who I formed bonds with over several years. I shut myself off. Only a certain portion of the numbers on my phone are JWs (new friends i've made since coming into the fold), the rest are numbers of past "worldly" aquaintances I never call. Giving up on the entire genre of fantasy (which I loved) because apparently vampires and werewolves are 'demonic'.
3. "Adjustment" in Taste in Music - That's right, not even "Christian" music because it has a 'secular mindset' (i.e. artists out to make money through faith-based music, which is condemned by the WTS).
4. The Draconian Laws of Dating and Interaction between the Sexes- My uncle (god bless him) taught me that if you're a good decent person that's all you'd need to be when interacting with a woman. My mom, who was off-again-on-again with the JWs, said the same. But apparently in the world of JWs that's impossible. Too complex, too cruel, to the point of embarrassment is what their 'laws' regarding dating, marriage, etc. are. But that's my opinion.
5. No belief in a real, immediate afterlife. Not much to say here. That does disturb me that my aunt is laying in the dirt, rotting away right now in a cold grave instead of some kind of hope for her soul (which doesn't exist in a traditional sense in the JW doctrine, as some of you know).
6. No participation in outreach- Randomly giving people a helping hand in regards to kindness is a Christian trait, Jesus did it. So why don't we? The Catholic Church, steeped in blood and mass-murder, does more charity work than we do. It's not keeping in spirit with the scriptures, and it shows theological ignorance on the JW's part.
transhuman68

This religion is a trap jbeau504. The more time you spend in it, the harder it is to leave; and if you disagree with the teaching, you can be disfellowshipped- and lose all your family and friends. When you do leave, you will have nothing- not even a proper knowlege of the Bible- the fact that you cannot connect verses in Daniel, Ezekiel & Revelation to find 1914!
Sometimes the truth about life and our existence is painful- but to make the most of life it is better to look for knowlege and wisdom, than to do things that just feel good.
jamiebowers

I predict that in five years or so you'll be posting here lamenting how you've learned the truth about the "truth" and have to either put up with it or lose all your jw family and friends. Hopefully you won't be married with children by then....HEAVY sigh.
3. I think family's important, so is marriage. I think it's good to have a decent relationship and get married. Call me old fashioned. I mean if people just want to be 'bf and gf' that's cool too, but marriage is a beautiful thing I respect. Even though my parents split I support the institution of marriage according to the JWs.
This is what attracted me to the jws. I had a terribly abusive childhood and wanted so much to have a happy family life. Unfortunately, I married a jw man who was dangerously abusive and wound up df'd for events surrounding my divorcing him. What exactly did you think of the Selma/Steve situation in the Watchtower mag a while back?
4. .JW's are clean, decent people. They dress well, teach their childrens good behavior. You may call it robotic but it's a protection against bad behavior to have a 'certian kind' of upbringing.
JWs are as clean and decent as much as the Watch Tower allows them to be. Clean and decent people do not condone, overlook and hide child sex abuse and domestic violence. Yet jws are required to so, because of the organization's misconstrued idea of the two witness rule. Haven't you read about the Candace Conti verdict?
5. I like that so many people of different backgrounds can co-exist in worship. The number of interacial babies/marriages is ridiculous. I don't think people know this. I know you'll laugh at me or try to disprove me with this, but I grew up in it, been in more than one congregation, and it's true. So I respect that the power of faith can triump over hate.
"Worldly" people engage in bi-racial relationships too. And the society has a terrible record on racism. Do you know that it used to be taught that black people would become white in the so-called new system, so that they could be perfect too? And if there is really such a wonderful racial brotherhood, why is there only one non-white person on the governing body?
Why not put a little research into this life changing decision? There are too many hidden agendas and rules in the jw organization. If you don't figure that out for yourself by researching before baptism, it will hit you like a ton of bricks at some point as you live the jw life.
jbeau504

@jamiebowers I'm sorry for what happened to you. My father was abusive and an alcoholic so I know what trauma feels like though probably i'll never be able to experience it the same way a woman does.
I wanted to tell you that what you're saying makes some sense, which only hurts more....
Infact, I admit i've been in the dark on certain issues and haven't really read up on any JW scandals. All we were ever told was how strong and courageous the JWs were in different court cases, the victories we had or the fact that JW's were pioneers in civil rights cases due to having victories in countries where they were historically persecuted. We never heard anything negative about back-door, under the table deals or anything.
The thing is, every religion in essence is corrupt in some way in that mankind, who is imperfect, operates these religions thus there's going to be greed and hidden agendas especially when really old power hungry men are involved. I get that, but I have to ask you jamiebowers, and anyone on here, when it comes to the actual JW doctrine, spiritually-speaking (which is what matters to me), when did you stop believing in it? Do any of you still believe in it? or anything?
jamiebowers

Give me a few days to respond. It's late, and I'm getting tired.
jamiebowers

I haven't forgotten you....just been really busy.
There's no reason for you to be in the dark about anything. This is the information age! Google Jehovah's Witnesses and child molesting, or Gilbert Simental, Candace Conti, silentlambs.org, or watchtowerdocuments.com . Is the Watch Tower the only religion with molestation cover ups? No, but why would you want to be part of any organization that is guilty of such widespread abuse? Check out the news reports. They're not just in the US. Canada, the UK, and Australia have all done programs about it.
when it comes to the actual JW doctrine, spiritually-speaking (which is what matters to me), when did you stop believing in it? Do any of you still believe in it? or anything?
I was a believer even after being df'd. But as the years went by, I could see holes in the Watch Tower doctrine. Take, for example, the blood issue. It was explained to me as a jw that when a person is too sick to eat, they are nourished through IVs and so getting a blood transfusion is eating blood. But then it dawned on me that a person would starve to death if only receiving blood through an IV. Other restrictions against the holidays aren't scriptural and are inconsistent.
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. Col 2:16 English Standard Version
All of the Watch Tower's restrictions are based on Paganism, but many things have a Pagan origin that jws are permitted to use such as wedding rituals, pinatas, names of the days of the weeks and months, neckties, etc. Did you know that the original lipstick was made from prostitutes rubbing berries on their lips to let customers know that they were willing to perform oral sex? Think of all the righteous sisters you know who attend meetings and go door to door while wearing lipstick. Just as they're not advertising oral sex services, celebrating holidays today is not worshipping Pagan gods.
I lost all faith in the Bible when I learned tht the miracles of Jesus, (everything from the virgin birth to rising from the dead were all attribted to other gods even before Jesus's time. Then I found out that there are other books such as the Gospel of Mary Magdelane and Thomas that weren't included in the Bible. And, who, pray tell decided what books were to be includd in the Bible? It was the early Catholic Church....yes, the demon spawned religion according to the Watch Tower.
I'm agnostic, but I believe that the human spirit is ripe with love and kindness. I think most people are basically good but have the capacity for evil. And I believe that a few people are evil with a capacity for good. It is very freeing to do right by people simply for the pleasure of doing so and not with an expectation of a reward. It's also very comforting, as a greatly flawed human being to see other greatly flawed human beings rise up in goodness and kindness. Also it is fascinating to keep up with scientific discoveries that help to explain life and the world around us.
Kudra

They're going to stop you from saying "God Bless", like you like to do all the time.
control...
control...
control...
Think about it.

A Day In The Life

Share this