What was the biggest thing that convinced you that (page 4)

Half banana

Not one but at least four main things Ponyo:

The improbable and mythical nature of the Bible content and the absence of concrete evidence for it.

The repressive nature of the organisation and the stifling of personal growth in myself and other members.

The sudden realisation that the GB are planning on governing my life forever!

The theatricality of the role of the devil which I then extended to the case for God and realized that he too was a human fabrication as well.

What a beautiful relief it was to wake up to reality and shake off the JW shackles!

My Name is of No Consequence

Among other things, the “overlapping generations” did it for me.

If I had still been "in" when that Watchtower was studied, I would have stood up and either laughed out loud or said "F@$k this sh%t" followed by "I'm out of here!" and walked out.

Ponyo

Onthewayout Hahahah I would have loved to see that

thanks for all your replies guys. Very interesting indeed

Diogenesister

Rutherford or Rartherfraud.1919.....Jesus chose him???????

Realizing that the people in this organization don't give a crap about you if you're not connected. So much for a "loving, wonderful organization". That is bull. Also not "the happiest people in the world", either.

Two months after I stopped going to the KH, my depression went a way. Go figure.

livinthedream

MS in our congregation sexually abusing a young teenager. Basically swept under the rug, parents convinced not to press charges. MS was moved to another congregation.

SummerAngel

I'm a bit unusual here because for me it was growing cognitive dissonance that something didn't fit then a few incidents.

I was there at Twickenham assembly when 1975 was announced from the platform. Although young I was old enough to know what was said and that it didn't happen. Some years later I innocently asked my study conductor for the WT from 74 that predicted it and they pretended they didn't know what I was talking about.

I played music in lots of churches as a teenager. I waited for everything the WT said about churches to be true. It wasn't. I did not get struck down, I just met lovely friendly people.

As an older teen I knew I hated being different and hated the restrictions. I faded through my uni years but still had a bit of 'maybe they're right' for a few years. The single biggest incident was really very minor. I was travelling and had spent a perfect day snorkelling off the barrier reef. I did a lot of thinking when I travelled and realised that the world is a truly beautiful marvellous place. The lie I had been sold that it was all dreadful outside the WT, that everyone in it was out to get you just didn't have any evidence. I looked at how beautiful it was and knew that armagefon was not coming any day soon if ever. I think it was the culmination of years of stuff not adding up rather than any specific doctrine. There was n Internet then to redirect you I just worked it out for myself.

LoveUniHateExams

What was the biggest thing that convinced you that .....the truth was not the truth? - the November 1995 Watchtower.

In this one ass-wipe of a magazine, me & other 'faithful JWs' read about ...

1. the WT/GB painting themselves into a corner re 1914 and then treading their paint-soiled shoes all over the carpet by scrapping the 1914 teaching ...

this was bad but worse was to follow ...

2. the WT/GB saying that children abused by JWs shouldn't go to the authorities if there was no witnesses and the abuser denied criminal conduct ... rather, little children should 'wait on Jehovah ...'

Despicable ... fucking despicable. Sorry but I can't express this thought any other way.

This particular magazine really brought home to me the disgraceful behaviour of the WTS.

It was the first time I really thought to myself ...

"What kind of organisation have I joined?"

"Is it a cult?"

I was more or less PIMO from that point on ...

WhatshallIcallmyself

The flood mainly and the language used in their articles and books.

Ding

Leonard Chretien once said that the WT's biggest enemy is its own literature.

A lot of JWs have seen TTATT by reading Russell's and Rutherford's writings.

The Finished Mystery is a great example.

Peter Gregerson (the man Ray Franz was DFd for eating with) had been an elder, but after he read The Finished Mystery he concluded there is no way Jesus would have called the organization that published it his "faithful and discreet slave."

If you google his name, you can hear Peter's testimony on a YouTube video.

What was the biggest thing that convinced you that