It is 3am here and I just finished reading your last post and even though I have to be up at 6am tomorrow morning (technically later), I felt obligated to login to JWN and write to you. I thought about saying many things. Hurtful things. Things that would get me nowhere at all. At first I thought it would be best to just PM this to you so it could be more private, but I feel that for the benefit of everyone else, whether a member of this infamous forum or not, it would be best to make it public.
Now first of all, I am very sleepy, but I want to make it clear that I am in no way writing to you in an angry or inraged manner. I just want you to see things the way I see them for a while (and maybe the way others including lurkers which you seem to be targeting see you). You can take this or leave it however you choose, it is your life, and you clearly have control of yourself.
Secondly, I will not be discussing scripture, doctrine, publications or anything that might seem offensive to anyone including yourself and I as it is not my department and I feel I would be simply wasting my sleeping time and everyone elses who happens to view this post.
So let me start off by saying that as you might know from my low post count that I am not a regular poster like you. I wish I had the time to do so but I simply do not. I consider myself more of a lurker as I find myself on this forum almost everyday. It has become an old habit of mine, to the point to where I keep a dedicated JWN page always open on my smartphone for easy access. Up until 2 years ago, I still believed it all. Everything. I wont bore you with my story since it is available on my first post but I want to let you know that I am still an active JW.
Now, I've seen several others similar to you during my short time here on JWN. Some posters might remember ALICE and Bane. They came here against every bone in there body telling them it was wrong and found a way to justify their reasons for posting on what has been called an apostate website. In reality many posters here have felt that upon creating an account. Many have been mortified when submitting their very first post. I surely did and maybe you have experienced this as well. Now although I am unaware of the first poster mentioned earlier, I do know that the latter is now a poster by the name of Botwanza and you may research that at your own convenience. I am telling you this to let you know that you are not the only one. I know you may be very much aware of that fact but it never hurts to be reminded.
I also wanted to point out the importance of a name.
Recovery. Now we all know the meaning of the word so I will not define it. I will not copy and paste the definition. But do you want to know what my first thought was when I read your name?
I thought, "I wonder what he's/she's recovering from!"
Haha, please forgive me I do apologize, ther is a bit of humor yes but it's true.
Now, let me get to the point of why I am writing this letter to you fellow JWN poster.
You have presented many things that are in stark contrast with what has become the norm on this "apostate" forum since maybe 9 or 10 years ago. Now, I understand that when presenting ones arguments at first, one can be filled with anger or rage, with sarcasm and hatred for a people who seem to be so wrong according to ones own belief. And I understand that one might justify coming to "the dark side" only to help those who are beginning to doubt their beliefs or are becoming weak in the faith, maybe even just curious as to what the other side has to offer by "lurking in the shadows." In time though, once we have cooled off a bit and have composed ourselves, we return with maybe the same point of view, but in a more calm manner, presenting our opinions and beliefs in a way that is not only honest but neutral.
But Recovery my friend, after almost all the posts that you have done, you still write with that same anger and sarcasm that was present in your first thread. Maybe you want so desperately for the lurkers to repent and "recover" from their sinful thinking, and return to the Organization you love so much, but please listen to me when I tell you this, that that is not the way to do it. Certainly not the Christian, loving way to do it. When we go out and in the ministry, this is clearly not the way we preach to people. Even if the person at the door were an apostate, you would still not argue with them or reason with them the way you have with most posters on this internet forum. At least I certainly hope not. That is not the direction of the FS. Now, you cannot see my face nor can I see yours. We are hidden behind this eloquent and decieving, digital wall. But yet we can all still percieve and use reason to reach a logical conclusion to what is written.
Now, in all honesty Recovery, how do you think that your posting here would be of any postive benefit to those lurking on this site? Do you honestly belief that those lurkers will go and say "I've been so wrong, I must return to the Kingdom Hall and ask Jehovah for forgiveness and confess to the elders that I was to the point of looking at apostate websites but because of a faithful Jehovahs witness who posts regularly on that website I came to see that I was wrong?"
Do you belief in your mind, heart and soul that the way you have been posting and responding to the other long time posters on this forum will change the minds of all if any JW's who take a look here?
It is unreasonable and highly unlikely. Take for instance Bane. Look at all his posts. Look at how similiar both of you were. And where is he now? Did he go back to the Organization? His existance here as Botwanza is proof of the opposite.
Honestly, and again I say this in the most sincere, and peaceful way possible Recovery, your posts have only strengthened my belief that the Organization, The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York is NOT the truth. Yes there are many great honest people in this religion who only want to please God and do what they believe in their hearts is right (take a look at all the recent Judicial meetings of our poster RayPublisher as proof of that). But If I was still a believing Jehovah's Witness and someone forced me to take a look at what you have written in these posts, I would be embarassed! I swear that too you.
Imagine a brother or a sister knocking on a door of a poster here who has printed all of your major arguments and all of the hurtful and sarcastic comments you have made and shown them to our brothers.
Do you think that they would believe that it came from one of their brothers/sisters? Never in a million years.
So In conclusion Recovery, I do not know what it is exactly what you are trying to recover from, or what it is that has brought you here on this apostate website, but know that your posting on here is an embarrasment to your organization, to your religion, and to your god.
In the end, I hope the best for you. I really do. Maybe we've met before. You could be in my congregation. We might have gone on service together. It makes me sick. It makes me sad. I hope that this letter will let you see the way I see you, maybe the way many here see you, and I hope that you can take a moment and just meditate on it all. I want to let you know that I am not here to start a debate of any kind. And to prove it, I will not respond nor reply to this post. I just felt like I needed to say what needed to be said.
All the best,
OneDayillBeFree
P.S. I'm sorry for the typos but it is extremely late, 4:15am to be exact, and my fingers are tired. Peace and goodbye!