Hi. I've just joined up to Silentlambs
Basically I still consider myself a JW, although I'm no longer active. I do frequent the odd sunday meeting tho, as I still consider 95% of it to be the truth. I have however in the last few years had a lot of trouble with the Society's chronology, teaching regarding the Gentile times, and the order of events in these last days (which I believe we are in). It was the 'this generation' so called new light in 1994 which knocked the wind out of my sails, and since then I have been doing a lot of research into bible chronology, and scouring for independent interpretations of eschalotological related matters. I strongly doubt the gentile times started in 607 BCE, more likely 525BCE when Babylon was destroyed. John Denton's amazing research into bible chronology (try searching under bible chronlogy or email [email protected]) and his views as expressed on his website especially rocked me and opened my mind up to other possibilities and interpretations I had never even dreamed of before. I do believe Armageddon is definitely coming, but I think it could still easily be decades away. As a result I feel the Organisation puts far too much emphasis on Armageddon's 'nearness' and this has become a controlling mechanism, instead of more emphasis being put on christian love and qualities to those on the inside, and out. It creates a distorted attitude amongst many JW's, who feel nothing really matters as long as they keep clocking up points in heaven by going to meetings, on FS etc, cause the end is 'just around the corner'. There should be more emphasis on building christian qualities and displaying christian fruitage for our WHOLE life, not just because we think the big prize of the new system is 'so close', like it has been for decades already. I also feel the Society have 'double vision' regarding the Christ's return, ie, they say he returned in 1914 invisibly and sat on a throne then in heaven, but he is also to 'return' in another sense at the outbreak of Armageddon and sit on another throne, ie, a 'judgement throne'. I see this as fudging and trying to put old wine into new wineskins doctrinally about teachings concerning Christ's return that the Society just can't let go of. I could go into this in a lot more detail but won't here and now.
I am still a JW in my heart, unlike many I see on this list who are quite vitriolic, maybe for good personal reason I can understand with all the emotional and psychological damage inflicted with poorly handled judicial matters, ostracism, judgementalism, and paedofilia victims, however I try to keep things in perspective. Most on this list it seems are so convinced the Organisation doesn't have God's backing and is even 'evil'. For myself, I am not going to throw the baby out with the water. In a nutshell, I think all of the Society's main doctrines are spot on (trinity, hellfire, immortal soul, paradise earth, small number taken to heaven, etc), however, this religion is made up of imperfect individuals and even a sprinkling of downright 'unloving' and harsh elders, pretenders, but to my mind that doesn't mean God is not using this Organisation. I guess I could expect a flaming from a lot of listees for this, but it's a personal choice of balance for me at this point in my life and understanding, which I ask others to respect.
I feel there are a lot of changes ahead for the "Organisation" in the next few years, and I'm waiting for those, especially regarding chronological matters and the current understanding regarding the timing of Christ's return. In the meantime I choose not to be too critical of the Society but just take a neutral position and wait to see how things develop.