Hello, fairly new, studying for around 7 months, just thought I would introduce myself. (page 3)

problemaddict 2

I have no idea why the beginning of my post is gone above......so it looks a little weird. I think it was just pleasantries, explaining I was born into the faith, yadda yadda.

Conanthebeliever

Thank you all, you are very kind people indeed.

I have come to realise that what JW's actually believe is NOT what I thought, and was being told.

Who I am doing a study with said he liked Metallica when I mentioned I don't mind some metal-I don't like anything that talks about blatant evil and disrespect to god, for example I like the track master of puppets, which is a warning against substance misuse.

I was told it is not the music that is inherently bad, it is how it affects you, and metal is not too bad, it is more hard rock to watch out for by my friend. (I do not enjoy newer metal, I like 80's stuff where you can actually understand what people are saying, not death metal or anything that extreme-I think that is just silly). If it makes you happy, it is OK, but if it plays on your mind and makes you depressed, then it is bad. I thought well this seems pretty rational, the rest must be too.

I have learnt a lot today, and come to the sad realisation I am being told lies.

I hope that my friend, I class him as a friend as he has been nice to me, is just wrong, and not outright lying to me.

I feel in a hard position, as since my study started, my friends mum has got cancer. He is not in a good place, and neither is she, and he says that my study make him and his mum feel so much better. I do not want to hurt either of them, that would be the very last of my intentions.

So, ending my study will be very hard, as I do not want to cause my tutor or his mum any emotional pain, they are already in enough of it.

Godzoo, that may be a very good idea indeed, if I ask for older material that shows changes. I was reading that until 1954, you had to pray directly to Jesus, or you could risk being disfellowed, then that year they changed it, and praying to Jesus himself directly could get you disfellowed!

I know the best thing is for me NOT to get baptized, I will make sure that does not happen, but I feel in a real dilemma regarding HOW to go about it exactly.

Vidiot

Next time they ask, just say you don't feel ready.

And the next time.

And the next.

Eventually, they'll stop asking.

You'll probably lose your friend, though.

Finkelstein

Just say Conan that your not ready yet and don't feel pushed or intimated which can and does happen in JWland.

Lets face it there is bad out in the world that's true, there are Heavy Metal bangers that have pro drugs ans sexual immorality entwined into the music, but its supposed to be rebellious for young adolescents to allure to.

Don't be unexpected for JWS to try and use tactics to allure you into their cult like they like something you like when they really don't, JWs are not the most honest people when trying to get another person into their cult.

Yes there's a whole lot unwholesome crap one can get themselves involved in by association of peers etc.

So too is there damaging religious cults that may put forth sound social directives but also they will over take your own sense of rational reasoning and turn you into a recruiter ........ the WTS/JWS is just one of those cults.

ToesUp

Best advise I can give you is ....RUN LIKE HELL! Get away from these loons before they suck you under.

HBH

Hi Conan,

I don't post much here, and I came off a bit presumptuous. I don't know how your tutor would react. JW's are good hearted people, just mislead, nothing wrong with being their (unbaptized) friend.

You would find if you keep studying that the 7 men in NY are the "faithful and discreet slave", and that they are directing God's spirit directed organization. Note here how one member of the GB wants to control the information you get. "Stick with what we (the 7) have approved"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5p0i5bGhNM

All the best!

HBH

p.s. Are they only your friend because you are studying?

freddo

Hi Conan - I know this is only a very small part of your replies but you brought it up and further replied to say you believe that the "first moon landing" may not have happened but that "the others did".

May I ask which one of the others you believe to have happened first? And why not the first one?

This is not a trick or to belittle but I am trying to get a handle on your thought processes.

I believe it is only right to tell you that I believe that the moon landings happened as generally described. Reinforced by my watching them live on TV as a kid. I never heard of anyone disbelieving them until after the highly watchable entertainment film "Capricorn 1" came along in 1978. This disbelief became more prevalent as the internet became more widely used.

My belief was reinforced by a recent exhibition at the London Science museum showing the Russian (USSR) lunar landing vehicles including their version of a lunar module - which of course didn't get sent into space at all but which was in fact built ready for if and when they had a space rocket powerful enough to get it there.

If the first moon-landing didn't happen then why did the Russians not shout loud and clear it was a fake? Just one point.

FayeDunaway

Conan I just want to say welcome. It seems like they told you some misinformation, the friends of yours. I dont doubt they have been good friends to you. But what they told you is incorrect. They DO believe they are the absolute only answer for what is truth,, what they say is IT and if you dont agree you will be kicked out. And they do encourage research, but they only are allowed to use their own materials for research. They call this 'personal study' but do not allow you to look at outside information. After being a witness for many years I started doing outside research and felt compelled to leave the witnesses, and now I am very happy in a traditional church.

Beth Sarim

Hello Conan and Welcome!!!

LisaRose

Hi Conan, welcome. I think it's a good thing you found your way here. Of course you must make up your own mind. I remember when I first studied I was told never to talk to former JWs, that they were bitter, evil apostates who only wanted to tear people away from God. I never stopped to think that if they were telling lies it would be easy to refute them and that truth, real truth, stands up to scrutiny. I was told this so much I feared apostates, as if they could somehow make me believe something against my will. It was silly, but it wasn't until years after leaving that I came and found this site, I was still afraid of apostates!

Of course I became a JW many years ago before the internet. I attempted to do my own independent research, but I only had the library and they didn't have much about Jehovah's Witnesses. So I believed what they told me and wasted many years of my life in the religion. The internet has made it much harder for them to convert people, there is just too much disturbing information out there.

Lisa🌹

Hello, fairly new, studying for around 7 months, just thought I would introduce myself.

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