new member- my story (page 6)

Julia Orwell

Welcome! I look forward to learning more about the secret men's world of being an elder. To me they were always these spiritual giants of men. I look forward to some locker room stories for sure.

Sparlock the Wizard

Welcome ADCMS!

You sure have seen more than the average JW, and I truly enjoyed reading your posts. I'm really looking forward to anything you post in the future

Glad to have you on board, and thanks for coming out with your intro post.

humbled

Very honest to say the new perspective you have on your time in, the seductive pull of being "in". The class distinction among the royalty of Bethel. You wrote it well. Thanks.

LouBelle

Hello and welcome and what a wonderful introduction. I am so very happy you have found out TTATT - I will posting this link as I feel it can help others out there!

AndDontCallMeShirley

BlindersOff1:

Of course we can all assume that you are typing this on a stolen

tablet computer while squatting in a refrigerator box under a overpass .

Waiting to score some more meth from your hooker girlfriend . At least thats

where you will be sooooon . It must be so thats what the GB says will happen

to anyone who leaves "Jehovah" (Watchtower) .

---

You are wrong, my friend! I paid for my computer! LOL. And...my "hooker girlfriend" helps me with my spelling...and helped me pay for my computer.

A myth that WT likes to perpetuate is that so-called "apostates" lack morals, are in spiritual darkness, have abandoned God, become immersed in a world of debauchery. They are painted as angry, vindictive, embittered individuals lacking real purpose in life. In fact, WT asserts that apostates leave the Org. solely to pursue a debauched, spiritually void life.

Personally seeing this myth exploded as a result of my research was a primary factor in my "wake up" moment in seeing through WT propoganda. I discovered that, not only are the majority of "apostates" leading good lives, they left the WT Org., not for lack of spirituality, but because they had spirituality and actually cared whether their beliefs are true or not. Many of them are people who are deeply interested in spirituality and living a life that contributes something positive to humanity.

WT also asserts that apostates and opposers have no valid claims, no credible arguments for their cause- they are simply bitter people on a rant. When I discovered websites like JWFacts, read many posts here on JWN, and read books like Crisis of Conscience, I came to the inescapable conclusion that dissenters from WT are very well-read and have a solid basis for disagreeing with WT doctrines and policies. Much of the evidence they present is from the Society's own publications! How can WT argue it and keep a straight face? I find the arguments and logic of individuals like Ray Franz to be almost flawless. If something is true, it can be explained simply, directly. When you have to resort to complicated academic gymnastics to teach doctrine, you've probably derailed into a dead end of fiction that must by design be confusing in order to have any hope of surviving. I cannot tell you how many newly baptized JWs I know cannot explain in any logical way why they hold their current WT beliefs. They've been taught the Bible, or more accurately, WT dogma, in a method used to teach young children- read the paragraph, ask a predetermined question, respond with a predetermined answer, then move on with no further discussion. Sadly, they are not being taught- they are being programmed. Ring the bell, the dog salivates. It's a conditioned response- no thought required. I am hard-pressed to find even long-time JWs who can explain things like "the Gentile Times", why 1914 is important to WT theology, the blood issue, etc. WT tells them the answer, so no further thought is required. Supposedly god is pleased with an army of drones. The fact of the matter is, the majority, if not all here on JWN, have a solid, logical, evidence-based basis for disagreeing with WT, and many have been forcibly ousted for that position or have left voluntarily due toa sharpened conscience. Personally, I did little Bible study as a JW, other than looking up an occasional scripture in a book or magazine study. Why do more? WT has the answer, they speak for god, I'll just believe what they believe- that should get me in on god's good side, right? Ironically, it was only after I left the Org., that I started to do REAL Bible study ! Reading the Bible without the influence of WT telling you what it says is an eye-opening experience. Incidentally, WT does not "endorse" independent Bible study. I'm such a rebel.

As "problemaddict" alluded to in his comments, when he asked for source material from that Bethel speaker because he wanted to learn more about the talk's subject matter, he was met with instantaneous resistance and suspicion for asking! Ignorance is one of the WT's most powerful tools, right behind fear and guilt. The WT can only survive by keeping JWs in ignorance and perpetuating the Grand Illusion of being "God's sole channel of communication on earth". It keeps JWs in ignorance by using fear and guilt. Unwarranted fear of asking questions, thinking critically, discovering evidence- in fact, fear of anything not WT! If fear does not suspend all activity, fear's wingman, guilt, is always a powerful secondary influence to neutralize your cognitive processes.

Thank you to everyone who has commented on my first post. You are awesome! I appreciate your positive feedback and sharing your personal experiences.

punkofnice

Welcome Dontcallmeshirley.

I was an elder and at that point I saw the vile nature of the WBT$ up close.

My breaking point was that when a person is judged in a JC, the 'judgement' is said to come from Jehovah(TM) himself.

My question was 'Why is the accused given 7 days to appeal Jehovah's(TM) inerrant desicion?'

Answer: 'It isn't from Jehovah(TM)...it's from men!'

I noticed that many CoBES were arrogant bullies. The worst bullies were COs.

I'm glad you have come to the forum!

I found this in my bookbag for you........

EmptyInside

Welcome. And it's true that most Witnesses can not explain the Gentile Times,1914,etc.

I gave a talk on the Gentile Times when I was 13,and had to do it with a householder. I didn't understand it of course,but just copied information in the "Live Forever" book and the adults praised me for it.

For the longest time,I felt empty words come out of my mouth when at the door or giving talks or comments at the meetings.

A relative of mine is an elder and he doesn't fully understand the "overlapping generations",and he doesn't feel it's even important.

How often I would see a scripture cited to explain a point made in the Watchtower,and I'm thinking,how did they get that from two words in that one scripture?

Anyway,I understand where you are coming from,and look forward to hearing more of your experiences in the organization. And it is true,there is a so-called theocratic elite on the circuit and district levels. And it always made me sick on how the rest of the publishers were treated,and if one never pioneered or held a position of some sort,they were viewed as lacking as an individual.

OnTheWayOut

Surely, you will receive a big welcome here. I join the chorus and mark this for detailed reading a wee bit later.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

new member- my story