Are JW's scared of visiting apostate websites? (page 2)

Splash

Hi Emeth,

It's a little unkind to describe everybody here as having problems - you scoop up your colleagues like SFPW in comments like that, and he scoops you up in his similar posts.

There are those who see the good in the JW religion, those who see the bad, and those who see both.
You're obviously in the first camp and that serves you well.

You say you don't want to hang around a website for years, but also say you've been aware of this site for more than 5.5 years, and have recently joined to contribute your thoughts to it. Ok.

Please don't view everything as a 'challenge'. That's the way it is in the congregation - to drift from the official line is 'challenging the F&DS', but here it's also known as 'discussion'.

It seems you feel that you are being disloyal when you find something different is true, compared to what you were taught, but that's not being disloyal it's being true to Christ. Look at the scriptural instructions telling us not to hand over our thinking abilities to others:

"Do not put YOUR trust in nobles" - Psalm 146:3
"when he entered the house Jesus got ahead of him by saying: “What do you think, Simon?" -Mt 17:25
Jesus asking "What do YOU think?" - Matthew 18:12; 21:28
"keep testing whether you are in the faith " 2Co 13:5
"present your bodies...a sacred service with your power of reason" Ro 12:1
"think so as to have a sound mind" - Romans 12:3
"go on perceiving what the will of Jehovah is" Eph 5:17
"make sure of the more important things" Php 1:10
"make sure of all things" 1Thes 5:21
"we request of YOU not to be quickly shaken from YOUR reason nor to be excited either through an inspired expression or through a verbal message or through a letter as though from us" 2Th 2:1, 2
"God gave us not a spirit of cowardice, but that of power and of love and of soundness of mind." 2Tim 1:7
"I am arousing YOUR clear thinking faculties by way of a reminder" 2Pe 3:1
"test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God" 1Jo 4:1
"he has given us intellectual capacity that we may gain the knowledge of the true one" 1Jo 5:20

Not to mention the Beroeans who were commended as noble minded for checking things were so.

You have found youself among people who have done just as the Bible recommends, and although you don't like it, they have found that the JW teachings are not so rock solid that you should put your life on the line for them.

BTW, Welcome! It's good to have you here!

Splash

Phizzy

The fear even goes on with some of those who have long left the JWorg physically.

I know a guy who has been gone for 15 years, but still will not read JWfacts site or here. Silly bugger, he could totally free his mind, and not just his body.

The sad thing is he won't join in properly in his kids birthday parties and stuff either, his lovely little wife who left at the same time as him but is more "awake", has to do it on her own.

The propaganda done by the WT against sites such as this instills fear and loathing in JW's, and if you come out with some facts or ideas that challenge them, they will say "Where did you get that from ? ", as if the source of truth stopped it being truth.

Yup, shit-scared is almost a literal way of explaining the fear they present.

If they really have the "Troof" , what on earth is there to fear from visiting JWfacts or even here ?

Truth stands any scrutiny, and vanquishes lies. The Watchtower House of Cards that is their teaching falls in a moment when up against Truth.

Emery

I have the book of Franz here on my bookcase in my room (had it long before i became a Witness) and am familiar with this website longer than you are a member.

Suuuuuurre. Can you tell us what Ray Franz talks about in his book? And which book are we talking about here? Are you aware that you're contradicting yourself? You're a Witness with "apostate" material in your bookcase? Not buying it.

SloppyJoe

@emeth

It is easy to come on here and say you have read and analyzed all of what apostates say and chose Jehovah's Witnesses. I suppose that is supposed to make a lurker question their own doubts as well as maybe make apostates think wait, how can he do that, am I missing something. The fact of the matter is you don't EXPLAIN any of the giant holes in there teachings. I will offer the same question do you as I did to SFPW. Explain to me how Jehovah channeled through the governing body for decades that the generation that saw 1914 will by no means pass away. Why did Jehovah say this? Did he lie to the Governing Body for all of those years only to have it changed when it mathmatically didn't work? The answer you initially will want to give is, well the Governing Body never claimed to be infallible. But that does not explain my question. Thats a way to ignore the conversation. Since all their information is presented as coming from Jehovah every time they print something. There is no questioning it or speaking out that something is wrong. I look forward to your response.

NewYork44M

I don't know about others, but I was extremely frightened of "apostate" sites. I remember getting physically ill with my internal conflict between wanting to learn and the fear I had of apostates.

Suraj Khan

Absolutely. I've been out almost 25 years and I still can't use my real name because of the fallout from my in-the-truth(tm) family.

How insane is that?

emeth

@Emery 'Crisis of Conscience' dutch translation. I thought about destroying it but kept it because guys like you always tell me i should read the book of Franz cause it would change everything. So if i tell them i have read it they dont believe me. So thats why i still have it. I had it long before i became a witness and for the last 6 years its collecting dust.

@splash Its my belief that people who keep combatting a religion they belonged to years or even decades ago and seek contact with other people who do the same are not showing a healthy behaviour. Yes i was aware of this forum for many years but did not read much, and did not participate. Reason why i signed up is because it enables me to pm certain members. But one of them already left few days ago. And i'll be leaving soon too. Comments i made so far are not about doctrines but were more general .

Have a nice evening

SloppyJoe

Why is it so hard to get an answer?

Theredeemer

So emeth, you say you were a "guest" at Satan's table. Why were you even invited? I say you showed up and crashed our party!!

"This is my final statement in this topic since reading or discussing more is just a waste of my time."

5 hours later posts his "proof" that he owns Franz's book. Sounds like you are addicted to wasting time.

SloppyJoe

I think these guys that do these posts on how terrible we are and the organization has all the answers do more harm than good. They raise points and we answer them, we raise points and they tuck their tale and run. If there goal is to help lurkers or faders, they need to come with a valid defense rather than a post and run tactic.

Are JW's scared of visiting apostate websites?

Share this