I read my first apostate books when I was 14 or 15. My dad really hated the Witnesses, and he had two books- '30 years a Watchtower slave' and another one called 'We left Jehovah's Witnesses'- about JWs who became Christians. I was really scared to read those books, but I usually did what I was told not to do anyway, lol. Those books didn't help me much- I spent most of my teenage years being confused & cynical. There were much better books at that time, but unfortunately my dad didn't know about them- this was the late 80's... pre-internet.
What Was Your First Experience In Exposing Yourself To "Apostasy"?
by minimus 48 Replies latest jw friends
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John_Mann
When I was a born in JW I thought apostates were the crazy born again christian believers.
I remember (when I was about 16yo) to see a book in a shop intitled "Jehovah, a false god". I was very scared with that book.
I also remember (when I was about 14yo) a book from David Reed in my uncle's house.
But I never even touched such books.
In 2000 when I was 18yo I searched for the first time "Jehovah's Witnesses" in internet and came a result of a site called "Watching the Watchtower". I turned off the page at same time.
In 2004 when I was in an informatic class I searched the JW's again and for the first time I read something apostate. It was a story about an elder who left the WT and became a born again christian, the story was very subjective and full of whining. I reinforced my opionio about apostates being losers and leaving for personal offenses.
In 2006 I was bored at work then I decided to look on wikipedia about what the other religions thought about the Babylon from revelation book. I was very surprised with the article about the JW view, because it was plainly CORRECT! I expected hate speech and misinformation about the JW's even from wikipedia.
But I found something very strange in the JW page on wikipedia, there's something about a man called Raymond Franz who was supposed an ex- GB member! I thought to myself: "bullshit, there's no such thing as an ex-GB member"! So I went to read the article on RF to disprove he was a real ex-GB member, and the rest is history and a lot of punches on my table and blood boiling in my veins.... LOL
I still remember my head spinning and the nausea while reading the 2 chapters from CoC in wikipedia links.
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insearchoftruth4
This fantastic video by Truth book blues
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jwfacts
As a young teenager, I would look at "apostate" books at the city library.
Same here. However, since I only read a couple of pages at a time, and it was ususally just experiences and gripeing it did not have any affect. I was approached by an apostate whilst street witnessing in a market, and he said some interesting things, but not much sunk in either. It was my on thoughts about the justice of God killing billions at Armageddon that disturbed me most of all, and then flicking through Studies in the Scriptures during a boring Watchtower that kicked off my travel to apostasy.
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DATA-DOG
Boring WT studies! LOL!!! I am sure that they have been the catalyst for many waking up from spiritual slumber.
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Faithful Witness
It was not this exact interview with these people, but my husband accidentally found this video from the John Ankerburg Show. We were curious bible students, and I was heartbroken to discover the lies and cover-ups. When we showed the video to our 77-year old, born and raised JW, bible study conductor, he turned his back and refused to answer any of the questions raised by apostate evidence. He flat out denied that 1975 ever was a prediction at all. We got him to bring a "copy" of the article we saw on the tv show, and he brought a typewritten, transcribed, obviously changed article.
At this point, we realized they were liars, from the top to the bottom of the organization. After this confrontation, the same man cornered my husband and threatened him with eternal destruction for his entire family, "if you fail to progress." We never went back.
John Ankerburg does a great job at highlighting the false prophecies. This clip is about 1925 and 1975, and how the WTS pulls the wool over the eyes of the faithful followers of the org.
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Faithful Witness
I would add, that today, my parents, sister and brother in law, STILL blame our unworthy study conductor, for our failure to submit ourselves to the "Truth." If we had been going to THEIR congregation, we would definitely be baptized and active today.
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trujw
With me it was hundreds of pin Pricks. My dad was non jw and i always felt something as a teenager saying something aint right. I started having more problems when the elder I worked under was caught by me stealing from our company. I was then told by my employer it went back years. Wait I thought he has only been an elder recently I think 1 year. then reporting time had me doubting after reading Matt 6:1. What blew the door open was at the library (something I loved to do before the internet)and seeing David reeds book Jehovah's Witness answered verse by verse. With my hands shaking i took it along with other books to hide it. Then started reading. Still kinda thought back in 1993 could this book be true. There was a reference to COC. Found it and that was it.
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Joliette
I ran across this website called 'Watch the tower' my first year in college. OMG, I was so scared. I quickly clicked off of it. I thought it was ran by satan himself. Now when I look back on it I just laugh.
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prologos
whow, I thought this understanding indepth, freedom of expression totally eclipses wt writing output.