Confused

by jusastudy 37 Replies latest jw friends

  • nowisee
    nowisee

    welcome jusastudy,

    i am very glad you are here. many of us have scriptures that have special resonance and that have carried us through confusing or disorienting times. for me it is the very center verse of the bible, psalm ll8:8 - "it is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man." He is trustworthy and everything will become clear in due course. just hang on and know that you have a lot of support here.

    farkel -- i wish for just once you would say what you really think!!

    very best wishes, nowisee

  • DJ
    DJ

    Farkel,

    flee will ya? You are not helping this person in any way at all. You are being totally self interested and disrepectful, knowing that she/he stated her belief in God. Some of us are able to understand the potter and clay analogy. DJ

  • peacefulpete
    peacefulpete

    To make the break smply tell them some of the things you have learned here. They will assume you are under "apostate" influence and try to warn you away from anti-witness material with great passion. This is called "milieu control" or "information control". It s a standard feature of high control groups. This involves the position that any information in printed or verbal form outside the "channel of truth" is dangerous or at least suspect. This effectively creates a self imposed screen from conflicting or "doubt creating" ideas. The less you are aware of the facts and other's opinions the more certain a student becomes of their own and that of their trusted "teacher". The world becomes a very narrow but tidy place. Many Jehovah's Witnesses have needed cult recovery therapy as a result of having lost a sense of self and a healthy view of the society around them. If you repeatedly attempt to share what you have learned here they will turn on you as they have been trained to do. Friendships mean very little when dealing with a person under the influence of thought control. As a suggestion do not chose as a topi the child abuse thing as it is complicated and unless they will spend a great deal of time researching the extent and reason for the problem they will not be phased. The UN thing has opened some eyes. The blood issue contradictions (you can accept this or that but not this and that) are not something most are aware of. For others it is an awarness of Bible errancy. Whatever you feel strongest about will probably work best. I was a Presiding Overseer and missionary. I nearly lost my wife to the indoctrination that I had become evil because I simply could no longer agree with the WT. Leave before investing your whole life. Find friends who can love you for you not because you are "an approved associate".

  • Gopher
    Gopher

    Jusastudy,

    Welcome to our board. As you see we have a diverse group here, all affected one way or another by our past association with the Witnesses.

    I hope your daughter's next birthday is a wonderful celebration! We didn't start celebrating my daughter's special day till she turned 3. But by the joyful look in her eyes, I just know it's right. The JW restriction on birthdays is arbitrary and is completely a man-made invention. (There are no scriptural commands forbidding such a celebration, despite the way the WT Society uses the two "heathen" birthday celebrations in the bible to discourage them.)

    The JW's operate on fear and shame. That's why the "Armageddon" idea holds such a major place in their theology. It's a good way to keep the flock "in line", much like some other churches have used the unscriptural hellfire doctrine to threaten the wayward.

    If they truly operated on love, the example of a loving Messiah might be enough and they wouldn't need to play "good cop/bad cop" by continually threatening the wicked with Armageddon.

    Many here have found their answer in a personal spirituality, rather than one that leans on the opinions and traditions of men (organized religion included).

    Best wishes as you go forward with your life and glad you found us in time.

  • greven
    greven

    Jusastudy,

    There were already some very helpful tips here. If you wish, I have researched their birthday anniversary thing pretty well and can send you by e-mail some material from their own publications that shows the contradictions and errors in reasoning. Drop me an e-mail at m[email protected] if you think you can use it.

    Oh, and welcome BTW on this forum!

    Greven

  • Abaddon
    Abaddon

    Justa;

    I want to worship God, but how do I do it now.

    Look into deism http://www.religioustolerance.org/deism.htm . Many people feel a need for god in their lives, but realise over time that all relgious books, for all the wonderful things they say, are not infallible god inspired things but the work of well intentioned people, and that the same applies to religion.

    The difference between a belief in god and religion is like the difference between a prime steak barbequed at home and a McDonalds. One is quick and easy, but no one will argue about what is better for you AND tastes better.

    I have not stopped studying and I need some advise on how to quit. They are always so nice when they come by.

    Look here; http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=love+bombing&ei=UTF-8

    Those nice people are just doing what they are told to, out of the best intentions. They're nice because they want you to become one of them. See how nice they are if you say to them that you feel the JW's are very hypocritical over the sex abuse cover-ups. All you have to do is say NO. Think of yourself and your child, not some strangers come to sell you something, no matter how nice thet are.

    When I first told my daughter that we would no longer celebrate birthdays she cried I felt bad but wanted to make Jehovah happy.

    Well, I think you and your daugher are going to have the best damn birthday she ever had; if you missed it, have it NOW. Do you seriously think the sovreign lord of the Universe would kill people for celebrating birthdays, or children if their parents celebrated their birthdays? Seems kind of petty to me AND IT IS NOT IN THE BIBLE. The WItnesses use 'logic', like the 'logic' they use to outlaw birthdays in the same way that the Pharasees did to make laws to impose on people that DO NOT come from god.

    Also I was afraid that the world was gonna end and the only people that would be their or be saved were the witnesses when I know that I have met some GOOD people.

    Of course you were afraid the world was going to end, that's what they were trying to convince you. Fear is a great motivating factor. But again, the JW's have been using the fear of the world end, just like loads of other religions, for thousands of years. And it has not ended once, despite many prophecies. The JW's used to imply the world would end before someone who was born in 1914 would die (the generation that saw the signs Jesus spoke of), but keep changing the definition of 'generation'. BY THEIR OWN DEFINITON they are false prohpets.

    Point is I dont know where to turn now.

    See the link above regarding deisim; note, I am not a deist (except on days when I am feeling very fluffy), I am an athiest, so this link is just food for though, not what I think you should think. What ever you do, do not expect the answers to come to you in fortnightly magazines!

    The more I think about it the more I feel angry. Please help advise, experiences would all be helpful.

    Use the anger to make sure those people will not bother you again; they are trained to sow doubt and fear in you if you show any uncertainty, and although they don't know it use quite powerful methods of manipulatiing people. Blow them out of your life, get your breath back, and then use the Internet to find out about Science, God, the Bible, Religions, go to your local library - be cautious of anyone trying to sell you their beliefs, as no matter how well intentioned they are, they might be wrong.... and you can now see how easy it is to be persuaded that something that is wrong is THE truth.

    All the best to you.

  • gumby
    gumby

    Justastudy seems to have "left the building". For her first post she is either busy or has been instucted NOT to come here again.....or it seems she would have returned by now. I still want to know WHY she came HERE? What makes a person look for things on dubs outside of dub literature......unless there is a doubt somewhere?

    I hope she returns.

    Gumby

  • Will Power
    Will Power

    Welcome Jusa

    I hope you find enough here to keep you searching and reading.

    Gumby - what makes you think jusastudy is a she?

    I'm hoping its a "he" . I'm always hoping that the next newbie here asking questions will be the "he" in my life.

    So far this post seems to fit pretty close - but if I have missed a gender reference, please let me know.

    will

  • gumby
    gumby
    I'm hoping its a "he" . I'm always hoping that the next newbie here asking questions will be the "he" in my life.

    Say what?

    Gumby

  • pandora
    pandora

    Farkel -

    You da man.

    -P(J)

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