Question from a newbie

scorpionking

Hello everybody...

I was disfellowshipped about 8 years ago at the age of 19.I was raised in the truth by my mother.My father was a non-believer.I willfully left of my own free will.To this day I still believe it's the truth.I've got a question for all you doubters...If the WTS was truly in it just for the money,then why the hell would they be so strict??If they wanted millions upon millions of members,then why not loosen up the requirements a little??Why not allow gays like other churches?To me,the fact that the organization is growing with requirements as strict as they are says something.And about the child abuse issue...remember ancient Israel had some pretty corrupt priests and leaders but Jehovah still claimed them as his people.Just because the elders fuck up doesn't mean the whole organization is bad,right?Anyway if you ask me I place the blame on the abused kids' parents AND the elders.Why the hell didn't the parents go to the police?Fuck the Elders.I'll tell you what...if I was in the truth again and a witness touched my 5 year old daughter the last place I would go would be to the Elders.I'd be headed straight for my gun cabinet or the police.Any thoughtful answers would be appreciated.

Vivamus

Just some thoughts:

What about when the parents are the abusers?

And about the money, if the organization was honestly into saving people and not making money, then why won't they show records? Why won't they show a financial report, they are not being honest about that.

And didnt Jesus say that you could recognise the tree by its fruit? You said yourself the elders suck so...

Welcome to this board, it is a wonderful place to ask questions and to find answers. Enjoy!

Viv.

Edited by - Vivamus on 30 July 2002 3:59:14

JosephMalik

If the WTS was truly in it just for the money, then why the hell would they be so strict?

Scorpionking,

What makes you think that it is just the money? They get off on the power they gain as well. They are control freaks, havent you noticed?

Joseph

refiners fire

I think you do not understand that a cultic movement, over time, goes thru phases of change.From cult, to sect, to acceptable church. Thw Watchtower is in the process of prostituting itself to the world, so that it can be acceptable and mainstream, even now. The blood matter will go, it will be abandoned because it is socially unpopular. It generates bad publicity and The Watchtower doesnt want bad publicity, it wants to be fat, warm, and comfortable in its comfort zone with its percentage of the available religious believers, potential believers. There is nothing remotely unique about the dubs, it is a major sect, and it has approximately its market percentage of followers just about the same numbers as the Adventists and Mormons. Course, the mormons has been around a bit longer, so it is the biggest of the big three sects.The Mormons is "charismatic" too, another reason it sells better. I will personally advise the Governing Body that if they are interested in increasing market share rapidly and markedly, they should lay hold of a "revelation' from God telling them that gifts of the spirit are acceptable, then they could introduce mass hysteria sessions like many of the pentecostal movements. Hysteria and "emotionalism" WORKS! Nothing pulls the suckers in faster. So there you go GB... some free advice from me.

But the dubs can NEVER be the truth. That is my opinion. I base it upon the Organizations CORRUPTING influence in my own life. In other words, my belief is based on observation and personal experience. I could list many of these evil influences, but will mention only 1... its destructive effect upon my family , both immediate and extended. I see none of my relatives. My relations with my brothers are destroyed, My relationship with my mother and all my aunts and cousins. As well, all my brothers relations with their kin are destroyed as well. This is directly attributable to incidents that took place while my family were dubs , incidents compelled by the church.such as insisting on trying to recruit ones kin to the CULT , and insisting on excommunicating them if they dont join the cult .We might all be out of the cult now, but the grudges cant be forgotten, and offenses remain unforgiven, despite attempts to try to have feelings for each other again. The church has systematically destroyed all human and blood bonds within my own family. Just like all CULTS do.

Edited by - refiners fire on 30 July 2002 5:30:3

Edited by - refiners fire on 30 July 2002 5:35:41

Celia

Welcome ScorpionKing,

Have you visited the SilentLambs site, here : http://www.silentlambs.org/

Read the many stories of abuse victims. Read the letters sent to the Bodies of Elders by the Watch Tower Society.

The elders are not the only to blame. They had orders from Brooklyn. "we should do anything in our power not to bring reproach on Jehovah's name" --- "Just tell the parents and the victims'parents that they must wait on Jehovah"....

Why aren't the parents of small children warned by the elders when they know a pedophile is a member of the congregation?

Why are known pedophiles and child abusers permitted to stay a JW in good standing while the victims or the parents of the victims are DF and shunned for talking about the abuse ?

Edited by - Celia on 30 July 2002 5:49:46

Cassiline

I was disfellowshipped about 8 years ago at the age of 19.I was raised in the truth by my mother.My father was a non-believer.I willfully left of my own free will. ~~scorpionking

How can you say you left of your own free will, being disfellowshipped?

To this day I still believe it's the truth.I've got a question for all you doubters...~~scorpionking

If you still believe its the truth why not go back? Or have you already started the re-instatement process?

If the WTS was truly in it just for the money,then why the hell would they be so strict??If they wanted millions upon millions of members,then why not loosen up the requirements a little??Why not allow gays like other churches?To me,the fact that the organization is growing with requirements as strict as they are says something. ~~scorpionking

They have hundreds of millions. They make hundreds of millions every year.

http://www.newsday.com/business/printedition/ny-cvtop52369349sep17.story?coll=ny%2Dbusiness%2Dprint

Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York

25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, 11201

718-560-5000

www.jw-media.org

Revenue: $951 million
Industry: Publishing

President: Milton Henshel

Employees: 3,415

951 Million dollars!!!!!!!

Check out this finincial statement below,

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=5455&site=3

And about the child abuse issue...remember ancient Israel had some pretty corrupt priests and leaders but Jehovah still claimed them as his people.Just because the elders fuck up doesn't mean the whole organization is bad,right?~~scorpionking

I believe ANYONE who hides child molesters and helps them to attain access to more victims by not reporting to authorities and telling the child and parents to let God deal with it are acting in a criminally negligent manner. They silence the victim and re-victimize the victim countless times.

I do not believe *all* JW's are bad.

Anyway if you ask me I place the blame on the abused kids' parents AND the elders.Why the hell didn't the parents go to the police?~~scorpionking

And if the childs molester is a parent and an elder what then? Have the good ol' buddy system kick in so they go straight back to the offending party and relate what their son/daughter told the elders. Then creating more abuse and pain for the abused child because s/he told?

Fuck the Elders.I'll tell you what...if I was in the truth again and a witness touched my 5 year old daughter the last place I would go would be to the Elders.I'd be headed straight for my gun cabinet or the police.Any thoughtful answers would be appreciated.~~scorpionking

Which means you would have broken the JW rules/doctrine by going straight to the police and be disfellowshiped again. Just like the advocates for abused silentlambs now.

The JW's advocates/whistleblowers are being disfellowshipped now. Hey! Four disfellowshipped in less then 2 months and a fifth on the way.

Makes me want to vomit.

Edited by - cassiline on 30 July 2002 6:21:42

Bang

remember ancient Israel had some pretty corrupt priests and leaders but Jehovah still claimed them as his people. Just because the elders fuck up doesn't mean the whole organization is bad,right?

So why don't you join the RCC? At least their succession traces back to the apostles.

bang

Dismembered

Excellent points RFire!

AjaxMan

I willfully left of my own free will.To this day I still believe it's the truth.

If you believe it's the truth, then why did you leave? You could have stayed. If you left because of something bad that happened to you, you can wait on Jehovah. Isn't that the truth that you believe? that you can wait on Jehovah to solve the issues?

Since you left of your own free will and you're df'ed, tell me how is your former congregation treating you? If they talk to you, they are breaking the rules as DF'ed people are shunned. If treating a DF'ed person means to shun them and that also means families have to do that, then HOW come that is the "truth"? or Is it that the "truth" is not loving as shunning is NOT loving?

P.S.: Every belief system, creed and religion says that it has the "truth". So, JWs are not the only ones for your information.

ThiChi

Read Ray Franz two books and tell me what you think.........

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