Hello all, I am new here

by mbst 39 Replies latest jw experiences

• 

  flower

  hi mbst,

  well i dont have enough detail to advise you on your girlfriend situation. just wanted to say hi and welcome.

  i'm was a witness my whole life too and it was all i knew but i learned the truth about it and i hate to tell ya but it is indeed a false religion. its not the truth at all. the word 'cult' may be hard for you to accept as it was for me at first because when you think of cult you probably think of the branch davidians or other groups that follow a crazy man to their death. but if you want to see for yourself i think you should read a few books on cults. there is a good one called 'combatting cult mind control' i think its by steve hassan. and it lists the characteristics of a cult. its not an apostate book or an anti jw book. the author has never been a jw.

  since you believe the organization is the truth, would you be interested in stating why you believe so (other than 'its all i know')and learning some factual, proven reasons as to why we dont believe so? not that anyone here is trying to convert you, i'm not but just to give you the facts and educate you on things that you cant possibly know if you have been a witness all your life and then let you decide for yourself. i believed the 'truth' was the truth until very recently when i learned some things that shocked me about the history of jehovahs witnesses. i refused to believe it and decided that the society was right on the money when they talk about these evil apostates that are out to get us. but something told me to do my OWN research without the apostates opinions influencing me and without the society influencing me and when you just sit down and look at the organization there is absolutely no way a person with all their thinking abilities can conclude that these are Gods people. you owe it to yourself to look at the facts. i wont try to influence you but if you would like i will help you know where to look if you want.

  i know its not a possibility in your mind that this is not the truth and its not even something you want to think about especially when your whole family is in the organization. but you need to and when you do i think the problems with your girlfriend will take care of themselves. if you love her then at least look at the facts FOR HER...its the least you can do since she went to the meetings and studied FOR YOU.

  flower
• 

  2SYN

  http://quotes.jehovahs-witness.com/

  Read through this, then come back and chat with us a bit. If you're sincere, we'll be more than happy to help you out (in more ways than one).

  Regards,
  ---===[ S Y N ]===---

  Edited, ZIG!

  
  [SYN], UADA - Unseen Apostate Directorate of Africa - For Great Justice!
• 

  Sargon

  Sorry about your luck mbst. Obviously this girl must have liked you to begin with, othwise she wouldn't have taken the time to attend meetings with you. I would say that a life of knocking on doors with a book bag and handing out flyers, doesn't appeal to her. You've got two choices: either forget about this girl and keep attending your meetings, you'll find another person sooner or later; or forget about going to meetings and chase after this girl. Pretty simple really, since you can only have one not both.
  You can collect all the advice you want, but this is one of those crossroads and ultimately only you can choose wich direction to take.
  Personally, I always follow the skirt.

  
  Imagination is more important than Knowledge. Albert Einstein
• 

  Sargon

  Sorry mb, I forgot to welcome you to the board. I fail to understand why a good practising JW as yourself, would come to a board full of apostates (and other insidious creatures) seeking advice.
  After all, dance with the devil... the devil doesn't change.
• 

  Disposable Hero

  You have 2 choices; stay with your girl and get out of the religion or leave the girl and stay with the religion. If you think the girl is worth it, get down and do some research on the WTS. Just like 2SYN said, go to httt://quotes.jehovahs-witness.com It is a great site to learn about the WTS. It offers only quotes, no commentary at all. And if you need help whatsoever, there are lot's of people willing to help you out.

  You lie so much you believe yourself
  Judge not lest ye be judged yourself
• 

  termite 35

  Hi there you; sorry to hear you're sad- why not try to get her to tell you why she thinks JW's are a cult and any other worries she has?You could research them together, here, using the search facility and show her you are willing to research her fears;it may lead to greater understanding between you ; and maybe even the beginning of a new start. Good Luck! xxx
• 

  Anne Marie

  Hello to you!! And welcome HOME!!

  For here is where you will find love, acceptance, and understanding!! Here, it is not "a crime" to "think for yourself"!

  We listen to each other, and there is not one of us here that does not understand where you are, or what you are feeling...we all HAVE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, BOUGHT THE T-SHIRT, AND GAVE IT TO "GOODWILL"!

  To reply to your post:

  I see your situation, with this girl that you care for, as "a symptom" of something that is very wrong. Now do not be afraid to listen to reason. You feel it in your own heart that something is wrong.

  You are in an organization that tells you that your life does not belong to YOU! If it did, you would feel free to "THINK FOR YOURSELF". But that is against the rules, isn't it? I remember the constant warnings to "guard against independent thinking". But what is the opposite of "independent thinking"?? Isn't is DEPENDENT thinking? And aren't Jehovah's Witnesses taught that they must believe what they are told?

  Did our loving Father not give us the ability to THINK for ourselves? Did He not promise that His Holy Spirit would help us, through prayer, to ascertain the answer to any problem that we come to Him with?

  To be attracted to this young lady is not "wrong". But she obviously "sees" what you do not! That if you were not in this organization, you would be able to "see", and "think" for yourself...and not coming here, asking us for help and advice!

  (Of course it's OKAY to come to us...that is what we are here for: each other! I am just giving you a little something to "chew on".)

  I hope that you will go to your heavenly Father in prayer. (Unfortunately, many of the Brothers' have a difficult time praying...due to the never ending "guilt", and "fear", that they are not "good enough"!)

  Love, and the ability to love, is one of the most PRECIOUS GIFTS that our Father gave to us. It is a blessed and sacred thing. So go to Jehovah, please, in prayer...and ask Him for His guidance. Remember that the Psalms tell us that "Jehovah is a hearer of prayer"; that "He hears the prayers of a sincere heart".

  (Now don't go on and worry if you're "sincere" or not!)

  We are ALL here for you!! You can FEEL FREE to post at any time. And please do not get scared that posting here is some "sin", and that the Brothers' "might find out". (They won't, anyway.)

  "Do not put your faith in earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs".

  I never could understand why the religion seemed to be based on "fear", anyway...fear of "what Br. Elder might think", or "what Sister Pioneer might say". Perfect love throws fear outside!

  I think that you know, in your heart, why this girl does not return your calls. She is probably very intelligent, and with some education. She can see the organization for what it is: a man-made organization that a LOT of people follow...WITHOUT QUESTION...and that you are not only one of them, you don't even SEE what she sees.

  She knows that there is nothing she can say.

  I hope that I have not "scared you". None of us are "wicked". We joke a lot about being "Apostates" because the society has portrayed ANYONE who has been a member, and then decided it was not for them, as an apostate. The dictionay's definition of the word, "Apostate" is: "One who no longer believes his religion's teaching, and has left it". That's it!!

  Yet the society has gone through great pains to indoctrinate all of Jehohvah's Witnesses to associate the word, "Apostate", with some terrible terms:

  A "Hater of Jehovah".

  One who has "turned his back" on the "truth".

  One who is a "lover of Satan". (That's my favorite!)

  One who "twists" the truth. (My next favorite)

  And, one who trys to "entice" others away from "the truth".

  Ring any bells?? I hope that you can get hold of the original "TRUTH" book, put out in 1969. (It's dark blue)

  In about the third paragraph the book admonishes the reader to "test out whether or not they have the true religion". I remember that book being hailed as one of the most exciting, and important, publications that the society had, as yet, published...and that it was going to be VERY INSTRUMENTAL in "bringing in" thousands of "sheep" in a short time...because it was showing "the truth" so "clearly".

  I guess it is no coincidence that "The Truth" book is no longer studied...or even considered to be "light".

  We all care for you!! I will be praying for you in this!

  "Trust in Jehovah WITH ALL YOUR HEART and DO NOT lean upon your own understanding. In ALL your ways, take notice of Him, and HE, Himself, will make your paths straight". I have found this to be entirely true. So have the rest of us. And it is wonderful!!

  May Jehovah bless you!!
  Anne Marie

  "The unexamined life is not worth living."

  Plato
• 

  butalbee

  I did not want to post here but I think this will be my only chance in reaching her.

  Why here?????????????????? Why now????????????????????/

  You sound all too familiar for me.......................

  I would welcome you to the board, but I won't.
• 

  Rags

  Forgive my ignorance mbst..but why are you coming to a board full of ex JW's to ask this? If you are a practicing JW in good standing then you damn well know that we are worldly people..we belong to Satan...We celebrate evil pagan holidays and that has doomed us for life...we are terrible parents for we wish our kids death by accepting to give them blood should their life be in danger....i am an evil daughter for i disobeyed my mother and father who are still in the JW's...YOU believe that God has condemned me to death already through Armagheddon and that because i once was in and now am out i have NO chance to escape eternal death......so again i ask WHY would you even consider Asking US????......besides..a JW in good standing would not even consider going out with a worldly person...and if you are trying to convert her????..again i ask.......WHY are you coming to US for advice and not the elders.??? I dont ask this to shun you out of here..no way..i am new here also and please pull out a chair and make yourself at home..all are welcome...but you need to ask yourself....WHY if we are the furthest thing from the TRUTH would you come to us for advice...??
  Wishing you peace of mind...and may God shine his light upon you so that you will truly one day feel what a good God ..the Lord really is.
  Rags
• 

  Anne Marie

  Woah, Butalbee!!

  Way too harsh! Aren't we suppose to be "supportive"? But, I do see your point. Sometimes a little "tough love", and "hard truth", is a necessary ingredient to the recipe of: "Hello!!", and "WAKE UP!!"

  But we have to give this poor guy a chance. We have been in his shoes. One has to be brave enough to learn to crawl before he can be brave enough to try to walk! (smile)

  Anne Marie