I just informed the parents about me and the TTATT... heart wrenching (page 8)

Julia Orwell

Soso, your dad is a great man! I'm so happy for you, I really am ;)

Soso, I've had a few difficult conversations with my parents. Yes, it can be heart wrenching. The best that I could do afterward was to be genuine. I demonstrated that I wasn't carrying a grudge, uncomfortable, or avoiding them. They are elderly, so I make it a point to check on them, visit them often to help out, and just be a good son, without letting the religion get in the way.

It's been quite a while since we had any difficult conversation. I drew my lines very clearly. First of all, until WT clearly and publicly changes their policy to instruct the elders and everyone that the police should be called FIRST, and not the branch, I will not even talk about setting foot in a KH that will put protecting pedophiles before protecting children. And that's an issue that mom has trouble ignoring, that an organization claiming to speak for God is having to shell out millions and refuses to change their policies to protect children from perverts that can hide in the congregation.

We've also talked about "God has to have an organization, so it must be WT." I've pretty well poisoned the word "organization" for them since I reasoned with them on the history of organizations in the Bible. I got much more specific in different conversations with my dad. How about the organization of the Levitical priesthood and the kingdom of Judah... both massive failures of being "God's organization". The Bible makes it clear that it was the independent prophets that wrote most of the Bible and were used by God... NOT AN ORGANIZATION. Wasn't the temple and priesthood "God's Organization" in the first century? How dare this one man Jesus speak up against the commercialism, greed, and wickedness of "God's Organization"? The Jewish leaders of his day had plenty of insulting names to call Jesus, which is no different than the way WT would try to insultingly use the label "apostate" on anyone that would dare to even question their policies or point out the inconsistencies of their teachings and prophecies.

As far as Jesus establishing an organization in the first century, how did that work out? It quickly led to a clergy and more wickedness. How can we expect an "organization" to be the answer to a relationship to God? Jesus is the only mediator. He destroyed the idea of an earthly kingship, human priests, or any other "organization". In Insight Vol. 2, under the heading "Synagogue", Watchtower proudly says that their "Governing Body" is modeled after the organization of the Jewish Sanhedrin. Really? They choose to model themselves after an organization that was not set up according to anything in the Mosaic Law? And they choose to model themselves after the court that condemned Jesus to death?

And was it prophetic on the part of WT to refer to the leading partakers in the organization as the Jehu class? Reread the Bible. Jehu started out full of enthusiasm for worshipping Jehovah and ending Baal worship. That didn't last long. As soon as he became king, Jehu didn't worship at the temple in Jerusalem, he worshipped the golden calf idols. Jehu was an opportunist that used the notion of worshipping Jehovah as a way to get power for himself. Why would WT have chosen to model themselves after him?

And as far as any debate about what teachings of WT I do or don't agree with, I left it with the question, "What's the point of discussing it? They change their teaching on 'generation' every year or so, and any other teaching can be changed in one brief statement in a WT paragraph. I don't want to make you try to defend a teaching that in a few months will become 'old light.'"

ThomasCovenant

Billy the ex Bethelite- You are so cruel,

sarahsmile

Billy - " As far as Jesus establishing an organization in the first century, how did that work out? It quickly led to a clergy and more wickedness. How can we expect an "organization" to be the answer to a relationship to God? Jesus is the only mediator. He destroyed the idea of an earthly kingship, human priests, or any other "organization". In Insight Vol. 2, under the heading "Synagogue", Watchtower proudly says that their "Governing Body" is modeled after the organization of the Jewish Sanhedrin. Really? They choose to model themselves after an organization that was not set up according to anything in the Mosaic Law? And they choose to model themselves after the court that condemned Jesus to death?"

You always seemed to point out things I never recognised like Jewish Sanhedrin!

I am so glad that I no longer feel the need to prove this organization wrong! It hurts me head.

Sammy Jenkis

can completely relate with you, it seems I lost my mother last night. It's crazy to see the moment you're mother disowns you- the precise moment when she has determined that you're stupid and an idiot for reading the newspaper or asking about how God could allow sex abuse if this was his chosen people?

Anyways I send my strenth you're way and I'm sure tons of people on here know exactly what you're feeling. Think happy thoughts and try to leave the past where it belongs; in the past.

Adventurousone

Hi:

What an encouraging thing you did with your parents. Don't you feel better now that you told them how you feel about the organization and their lies. It made me think each time everybody tells their parents your planting a seed. So they then have some doubt that will always be there, and maybe someday they'll break free. What a wonderful thing to think of with all those possibities out there. What a way to go. Keep up the good work.

snare&racket

From my experience try to keep bible/jw/science talk to a minimum unless you detect they reeeeeeally want to hear it. Over time many JW's cut us off, despite swearing they never would. I heard the same from family too.

they make up excuses to appease their inner fight. To prolong such relationships, don't take the bait, bite your tongue (again unless they are seeking info), the rules are already written and by leaving you are already the loser even if they bring the topics up. Its an impossible game to win, WT designed it that way with fear, intimidation and severe punishment.

all that aside, you have your life back now...... Take a deep, refreshing breath in and pat yourself on the back (not at the same time that would becounter productive).....

Well done you ;) ! be weary of the jealous JW you bump into, weighed down with underlining of watchtowers to do, meetings to attend and door knocking to achieve. Don't get angry, pitty them. They are so desperately jealous of your bravery.

I just informed the parents about me and the TTATT... heart wrenching

Vanderhoven7