I found this site because an old dear friend of mine told me about it. I have been df'd for about 5 years now, but have never "lurked" or anything. Not that I wouldn't have, it's just that 5 or more years ago not many people were involved in this kind of thing, no one was talking about the internet much when I was in the borg. Anyway, I'm glad she found me and I'm glad to be here. Any of you who know of others who are df'd or left recently (or many years ago) look them up if you can, it might be a nice surprise.
Lurkers
by Yizuman 91 Replies latest jw friends
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Jonadab
I'm active and always will be. I lurk, but know I probably shouldn't. There isn't anything here that really surprises me. I know all the arguements from the 'other side of the coin'. I can see why some have left in disgust at the treatment that they have received at the hands of some uncaring individuals(elders). This isn't the norm by any stretch of the imagination. I had problems where I was before, but I am very happy in my present location. I don't believe that the elders I had problems with were 'evil', just imperfect. I still talk to them when I see them, although they may feel uncomfortable with me. That's their problem and they will have to deal with it.
From reading many of the posts from those of you who have left the organization I don't honestly see that you are any happier or better off then you were before. That is my honest observation. Many here seem bitter and spiteful. If being one of Jehovah's Witnesses was such a painful experience for you wouldn't it be better for you to stay as far away from anything to do with them as possible? Many of you seem to be drawn to this site to 'bite the hand that once fed you' spiritually. I don't see the point.
I don't look at all the threads here. I do browse to see if there is anything that interests me. Color me curious. I am amazed at times by the 'inside' information that is posted. There is often news links that I haven't found elsewhere. I probably will never post much. I doubt that I would have much to say that most of you would agree with or want to hear anyways.
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Farkel
: How many of you were still active when you found a forum like this one and lurked around for a long time? How many of you left the organization as a result of reading this forum or other forums like it?
How many of you are scouts for the Watchtower Cult(tm) who just try to pimp people so you can take people's thoughts and change your policies to keep your Cult going and pretend it was your idea in the first place?
If there is only ONE person in the Watchtower Cult leadership doing this (I'm not accusing YOU of being one of them), it proves beyond any doubt it is a Cult and not guided by God nor anyone else but a bunch of semi-literate Dip****s who claim to speak for God and don't know anything except how to wield power over people who trust them and rape their lives, their pocket books and their futures, and most importantly take away all their dreams and replace them with bullshit and self-serving lies that will never happen. If all of their past lies never came true (they didn't) then they are not from God and it is a tremendously GOOD indication that NOTHING they say will ever come true, even if they might just get lucky on one or two of them. One Hundred Twenty Years of 100% FAILURE in prophecy is enough evidence for any reasonable person. On the otherhand, it is the PERFECT excuse for a Cult member and Cult-wannabe: Persecution from Satan because we LIED! Idiots.
Farkel
Edited by - Farkel on 10 December 2002 0:4:1
Edited by - Simon on 19 December 2002 2:23:51
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SPAZnik
Jonadab,
Color me curious.
Have u heard whut curiousity did to the cat?
SPAZ
ps - good thing cats have 9 lives, eh? -
onacruse
Lurkers or nor, scouts or not, welcome to you one and all! Visiting this forum will inevitably have an impact, even on a die-hard JW who is only searching for angles to play. "Touch the rose, and you can't help but smell the aroma."
For me: I have never lurked or posted on any other board, of any kind, anywhere, anytime. I've registered, but not posted, on only one other board. I registered there so as not to lurk, but the content and character was totally disinteresting. Like coolbreeze, I don't start many threads. Like found, I only came here at the recommendation of a proven friend I have known for many years. Best advice I ever accepted. Unlike Jonadab (but with all due respect to you), I am now happier and emotionally healthier than I EVER EVER EVER was as a JW.
Now: I have come to trust this board, most of the people on it, and all the people that moderate and maintain it.
Craig
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Big Tex
I lurked for quite a long time before I screwed up my courage to post. At the time I was coming off 14 years of harsh and relentless criticism from the Witnesses in my area, so naturally I was afraid I would receive the same sort of treatment here. Amazingly, I didn't. From what I've experienced, if you treat people well you'll get it back (mostly). I've had the privilege of attending my first apostofest and it was great. My wife and I had a better time there than at any Witness gathering we've been to for the past 20 years.
As for any Bethel spy, I say who cares? They're miserable human beings who get their jollies by controlling every aspect of people's lives. They have no power over me or mine any longer.
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deddaisy
From reading many of the posts from those of you who have left the organization I don't honestly see that you are any happier or better off then you were before. That is my honest observation. Many here seem bitter and spiteful. If being one of Jehovah's Witnesses was such a painful experience for you wouldn't it be better for you to stay as far away from anything to do with them as possible?
Jonadab, I can't answer for others, but the ones I personally know that have left the organization that have regrets are the ones that ultimately had to choose between losing their families, or pretending to be part of an organization that they no longer believed in their hearts to be God's organization. This is most likely the cause of bitterness. I was raised a Witness but never baptized, and I, like many others, would gladly stay as "far away from anything to do with them as possible" if we felt our families knew the truth about this organization and it was ultimately up to them to decide if they wanted to shun loved ones or not, without fear of being shunned themselves. That is when the "painful experience" enters the picture, after one loses one's family because of religious belief. Does this sound like a loving organization? As I mentioned, I was never baptized, but I felt and saw first-hand the devastation caused to families when a member so much as questioned the WTS. I don't know if this helps you to understand why people are here, but people find support here with others that are going through similar experiences with this religion, even when we disagree, noone else can understand like someone that is familiar with the "great crowd." If not for disfellowshipping practices, there would most likely be less on this board, and less pretending that they are happy in the Kingdom Halls. Thank you for your honesty, Jonadab.
peace, christina
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ozziepost
G'day Jonadab,
Welcome aboard. You're certainly living dangerously, aren't you? Still, we're glad you find it interesting here.
I'm sure you do genuinely feel that you're "better off" in the Borg, despite being made aware of all its errors and bad works. I would like to take issue with this remark:
Many of you seem to be drawn to this site to 'bite the hand that once fed you' spiritually. I don't see the point.
I'm sorry to disillusion you, but, brother, this just ain't true! Have you ever checked out the type of Bible teaching to be found elsewhere? If you have, I'm sure that you'd find that, far from the WTS being the only source of true Bible knowledge, it's quite surprising how much spiritual feeding is taking place in other places, such as churches.
You will only discover this if you go check it out and 'taste and see'.
The WTS' Bible teaching is certainly unique, but only because no-one else teaches the same interpretations. And in your heart, you know that you have doubts, don't you? That's why you're here! You would be just one of thousands who have niggling doubts over the Society's chronology. Why, they've become used to the constant changes in interpretation. How do you feel about the revised "generation" teaching?
No, my brother, you're only kidding yourself if you believe that the WTS is the "hand that feeds".
Cheers, Ozzie
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Jonadab
Have u heard whut curiousity did to the cat?
LOL. Yes, I've heard.
I am now happier and emotionally healthier than I EVER EVER EVER was as a JW.
I'm sorry to hear that you had such a bad experience being a JW and that you felt the need to leave to have happiness and emotional health. That isn't the way it's supposed to be if everyone is following Christian principles. From what we read in Revelation about some of those 7 congregations it seems that there was trouble back there too. That didn't mean that it wasn't Jehovah's organization or that Jehovah didn't know or care about what was going on. The fact that the information is recorded for us to read indicates that Jehovah and Jesus knew what was happening and would correct matters in their own time.
I think too about High Priest Eli and his 2 sons and what was happening right there in the temple. What effect did this have on those who witnessed these events? What effect did it have on young Samuel? Samuel remained faithful during that period while others probably had their faith erroded. Who came out of the situation better off? Who had Jehovah's blessing?
Jonadab, I can't answer for others, but the ones I personally know that have left the organization that have regrets are the ones that ultimately had to choose between losing their families, or pretending to be part of an organization that they no longer believed in their hearts to be God's organization.
I can't say that I know what that feels like. All my family is in the truth. I don't doubt for a minute that the pain of choosing ones change of beliefs over that of family association is very real and heart-rending. I have known those who were disowned by family for becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses. That must have been painful too. I do believe that disfellowshipping or shunning is correct and scriptural nonetheless. It may be hard on all involved, but then I think it must have been hard for those of Korah's family who separated themselves from him to make that choice too. Noah must have had family, other than his wife and sons, who he left behind. Capital punishment was a part of Israelite law. There was no opportunity to repent and return once punishment was meted out. At least now with disfellowshipping there is a chance of a return. Both were/are part of Jehovah's arrangement.
I appreciate your feelings Christina. I do understand the need for support. I'm sorry that you didn't find what you were looking for at the Kingdom Hall. May you have peace.
I'm sorry to disillusion you, but, brother, this just ain't true! Have you ever checked out the type of Bible teaching to be found elsewhere? If you have, I'm sure that you'd find that, far from the WTS being the only source of true Bible knowledge, it's quite surprising how much spiritual feeding is taking place in other places, such as churches.
Ozzie, I am very well aware of the type of spiritual feeding that is to be found elsewhere. That is why I am still one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I have examined my faith thoroughly, even the thoughts of those who disagree with us, and my faith is stronger because of my research. There are many types of foods we can feed on. Not all are good for us though. Some can fill us with empty calories and end up killing us. Imagine that! A full belly, but starving ourselves. That has been going on spiritually too.
And in your heart, you know that you have doubts, don't you?
I'm sorry to disappoint you Ozzie, but I have no doubts and that is not why I lurk.
How do you feel about the revised "generation" teaching?
To be very honest it made perfect sense to me. I lived through the 1975 era and so I am familiar with the thoughts of many who believed that this was going to be 'it'. I never thought that 1975 was a 'done deal'. When that year came and went it had no adverse effect on my beliefs. I wasn't serving Jehovah with a deadline. I'm in it for the long term. The updated understanding of 'generation' didn't come as a shock to me then. It wasn't the big change that some have made it out to be. It was a refinement of understanding, not a huge spiritual hurdle to get over. Some have choked on it and lost their faith, thinking that Armageddon has been delayed. I don't see it that way. Armageddon is coming, but in Jehovah's due time, not ours.
No, my brother, you're only kidding yourself if you believe that the WTS is the "hand that feeds".
I never kid myself Ozzie.
I won't even try to respond to Farkel's diatribe, except to say 'out of the heart's abundance....'
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NameWithheld
It wasn't the big change that some have made it out to be. It was a refinement of understanding, not a huge spiritual hurdle to get over
I know I shouldn't even bother but PLUEEEZE! Let's see we go from "Armagedon will absolutely be here within the next 10-20 years (prob sooner)" since a generation is only 70-80 years, to "We really don't know what generation means, it's some generic 'tern' for some generic 'time period'". Sorry bub, that don't cut it. Either they were lieing/wrong before, or they are lieing/wrong now. Either way I'm done with that crap. BTW, NOBODY ever had, or ever will define the word 'generation' to a time period of 100+ years, which is where the WT 'generation' is now at.
Same crap w/ 1975. You can stick your head in the sand and say "la la la la la I can't hear you" all you want, but the WTBTS DID INDEED teach that that was a marked year, and fed the JW's into an armagedon frenzy. They did it, and your denying it doesn't change that fact.