by Algun Otro 27 Replies latest jw friends
Welcome!
"if you follow their tenets closely, nothing bad is really going to happen to you. "
But really, they want so much more than what you perceive they want. I would certainly encourage you to examine very closely the history of the witnesses before making any kind of final decision. It is not so simple as your conclusion above. IF it were so simple, sites like this would not be necessary
Algun Otro,
Although I had no choice in the matter, having "grown up" in the JWs, you would be wise to reverse course and exit at the highest rate of speed your legs can muster. Trust me, in 5, 10, 25, 50 years you will thank me. Think of how you could use all that "boring" time to good purpose!
I also don't understand apostates.... why not just stop going to meetings and hanging out with JW's? Why do people feel the need to leave in some spiritual "blaze of glory"? I mean, just stop going.... and you'll just be hassled by occasional visits and phone calls
That's exactly what I did. Of course, this simply will not work for some. Many have families, "friends" and business contacts that are shattered because they want to leave. Many are "pushed" into formally disassociating themselves. And, some have been hurt either emotionally or intellectually so that they feel the need to "vent" about the Society or go out in a "blaze of glory." That may or may not be good, depending on the person and situation.
Well, my advice: don't get baptised. Stick around and you'll see more and more why I say this.
Bradley
Algun,
Sorry, I responded before reading your other post in which you wrote:
I, personally, don't have a problem with any of it. Its just another religion to me, and if you follow their tenets closely, nothing bad is really going to happen to you. It's not like some cults who demand all of your money, or for you pack up and move to a compound.... they just want you to go door-to-door, don't commit adultry, don't smoke, and go to the boring meetings. Of course, I don't take any of it too seriously, so maybe it easier for me to see the silly side.
Ah, but the problem is that they do not view themselves as "just another religion." They feel THEY ALONE are the only people who represent God and that, unless you become a JW, God will probably KILL YOU. If you were to tell the elders your feelings that you related in the paragraph above they would likely not allow you to get baptised. If you said something like that after you actually got baptised, you could even stand trial for apostasy. I'm not kidding. Be warned.
Bradley
I think it is much harder for those who were born into it to leave. Those who became witnesses at adulthood I think can emotionally seperate themselves from it all and leave easier without all the "baggage."
Those who became witnesses at adulthood I think can emotionally seperate themselves from it all and leave easier without all the "baggage."
I'm not so sure about that. I, and other people who became JWs as adults, have to contend with:
1. feelings of "Oh, God! How stupid was I??" and almost total lack of faith in our own judgement now
2. friends and family saying "I told you so" (especially family)
3. family throwing your years as a JW in your face the rest of your life, as evidence you don't make good decisions, every time you plan on doing something they disapprove of
Something you said in your first post concerns me
you mentioned that it was a built-in client list
Ummmm are you aware that most JWs think that "brothers" should cut them a deal or not pay them for services rendered.
Ask a few folks here how badly they got burned through business dealings with other JWs
Amazing. Here is this God (the real one), the one who made the entire Universe of Universes in all its breath-taking beauty and astounding diversity; a universe filled with phenomena such as we have never dreamed. And WE are supposed to give this god GLORY???? Sheeee-it! The glory and beauty associated with just one planetary nebula is more than all humans put together could possibly rustle up. The very idea.
http://hubble.stsci.edu/gallery/showcase/nebulae/n9.shtml
Can someone look at the HTML code and tell me why the image didn't show up please?
