by minimus 111 Replies latest jw friends
My two favorites were from this board, Hillary Step and JW facts. There are a few others but they are probably long gone and I can't recall all their names.
OK, I went back and looked at my early posts to remind me.
Dog Patch was very influential, he directed me to this site. Almost Atheist and Sickof Lies also influenced me a bit.
Dansk! Because he was inspirational. RIP my friend!
Barbara Grizzutti Harrison, author of Visions of Glory, was the first ex-jw I came across in print. Recommended to me by the first outspoken ex-JW I ever met, in Wyoming.
Sparlock.
Not kidding by the way, that little guy is who set me on this path.
Thomas Covenant
Even though I'd left the truth years ago, I hadn't really thought about what it was all about. Thomas made me realise how ridiculous the doctrines were. Especially the creation teaching.
Also Farkel
Farkel made me laugh which evened out the anger I was feeling.
Jesus.
The real Jesus.
Not the Watchtower version - a Jesus who appoints human mediators, and does not want to deal directly with those following him.
How did I find him?
As a WBTS loyalist I scrounged endlessly in the Watchtower library for every morsel and fragment I could find of the map known as the "unabridged gospel" or "full Good News".
In time it became clear that the WBTS was actually hiding this map from their followers.
Only once the lights had been switched on was I willing and able to fully contemplate and appreciate Watchtower darkness, deviance and dysfunction.
Of course it is great to compare notes with others which often helps one to crytalise and express ones thinking.
I have enjoyed JWN, JWFacts, JWstruggle and Ray Franz.
I have probably unknowingly benefitted from the many moderating hidden morsels, fragments and gems Ray Franz (and others like him) left behind in the Watchtower library.
Ray's books are a challenge to read from cover to cover, but he had a remarkable way with words and reasoning. I doubt if anyone has ever been able to read both his books cover to cover and still remain blind to TATT.
Paul Grundy for laying it all out - no varnish, no BS - just the facts
Randy Watters for building a huge library of random apostate stuff
Simon @ JWN for letting me connect with others who felt the same
the Danish site watchtower.dk or something
my father-in-law who said "be true to yourself" and gave me a hearing ear
the old time great posters - alanf leolaia etc
The Judicial Committe and Appeal Committe transcripts of James Caputo of Towerwatch Ministries were the first ex-JW words I read. Once I decided I was done, I wanted to know what that "Apostacy" scandal was about, as I personaly know some of the players in that script (I choose those words, because the JC and AC meetings are a farce.) James' clear scriptual reasoning and explanation of logical fallacies helped me tremendously. He clearly shows the WTBS to be false prophets and that the belief in the paradise earth, the mandate for all to preach and being baptized into an organization are not scriptural. Though James' faith led him out of the organizaton, he held on to his belief in the Christ. That a religious organization could so twist the scriptures and hold me captive for 42 years destroyed my faith in god, holy spirit and in the Bible.
Crisis of Conscience, Ray Franz
The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins
Captives of a Concept, Don Cameron
Ex-Giliad Missionary on YouTube
AnonDude2 on YouTube
Danmera on YouTube
Combatting Cult Mind Control, Stephen Hassan
Ray Franz, Crisis of Conscience
Ray Franz, In search of Christian Freedom
Stephen Hassan, Combatting Cult Mind Control
For me, it wasn't any book, or website that made me question things. I was active and married right up to when I quit going cold turkey. I simply looked around and saw how the whole circus was running. The 'strong' and active ones and how they treated others was all I needed to wake up and get outta Dodge.
