well said SheilaM and minimus !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
...but I happen to like the JWs/WT.....
by ScoobySnax 136 Replies latest jw friends
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minimus
JT----CHECK YOUR MAIL!!!!!
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jst2laws
Hamas, I must suggest that your harsh condemnation reflects the judgmental attitude of the organization you condemn. I know for certain there are others here who miss some aspects of their JW life. We once enjoyed what we truly believed to be an international brotherhood. We once had confidence in the future, a sense of certainty about what we believed. As a JW nearly all the pieces of the our puzzle reflecting our view of the world fit together. Those were the good times if we ignore the mind control, harsh treatment of those who resisted the mind-control, the constant sense of never doing enough or being good enough, the devastated lives of the millions of children who saw what their parents could not see and left the religion and their families forever, the ignorant and innocent lives lost to the incomprehensible Blood Policy, and the injured souls of who were victimized a second time by the WT Pedophile Protection Policy. Despite the grim affects of the above fallacies this is NOT THE ONLY EXTREME RELIGION IN THE WORLD, NOR THE WORST. Jehovah's Witnesses are Christian Fundamentalist and like all fundamentalist they are dangerous and harmful. But they may appear rather moderate when compared to Islamic fundamentalists or even Jewish fundamentalist. Nevertheless they piously destroy lives and then dismiss demands for accountability as attacks from Satan's evil empire. This you and I see, but not all here have peered at the evidence. And not all will come to the same conclusions. But should we not allow each to seek and grow at their own pace? Without our condemning expressions of our own frustration? ScoobySnax, I too miss the simplistic view of the world, the certainty, the sense of brotherhood, even the sense I had that what I was doing had worldwide importance and urgency. I personally cannot go back because I have examined its foundations closely. Now I only feel anger and frustration when I think of my past gullibility and lost time and opportunities. You are not there yet and I feel you should not be condemned for where you are in this journey. I miss some things from my past as you do but my fear is if you were to go back, you may be harmed beyond your anticipation. Whatever you do I hope it brings you happiness. Jst2laws
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berylblue
You know for some people the decision to leave is quick. They make a decision or take an action that places them on the outside. It might not be easy but it is relatively quick
For others the process is slower. Some will find that an examination pushes them towards a closer dependancy on life-long teachings. Others will find that it pushes them clearly away from the WTS and its teachings.
This is true.
Since I was DF in 1994, I still believed. I was tormented by my "sin" of smoking, but something kept me from quitting and seeking reinstatement.
I realize now I hated most of it. The rigidity, the ludicrous interpretation of scripture, the hypocrisy, the lack of love.
True, a few showed, once in a while, some concern for me. But it never lasted.
And why?
Maybe it was me. Maybe not. I think that most were kept so busy banging on doors and underlining Watchtowers that they had no time to help a depressed one, much less an elderly woman or an infirm old man. If you can't count your time...why bother?
I realize now I was seething in anger at the treatment I got, but much more so the total lack of love, friendship, understanding and acceptance of my daughters. That hurt the most.
I came here in February. I had a lot of questions. I got a lot of answers. I received a lot of loving help.
Still I had doubts. Suppose the "truth" was the truth?
Ray Franz' book ended that for me.
INow, i August, I think I am starting to recover. It is a slow recovery. True, I had been DF and inactive for years. But until February, I had no clue about how utterly falacious most of the doctrines and beliefs I had been force fed were. Not to mention the lies, the UN, the Silent Lambs....it goes on and on.
MAKE SURE OF ALL THINGS, Scoob. HOLD FAST TO WHAT IS FINE.
The WTS is, in no way, shape or form, "fine". Some good, yes, but fine? Hardly. There is something better out there, something pure and honest. With no sacrificing of my psyche to please some old men with delusions of importance. I hope to find it some day.
I'm off the fence, but it did take a few months.
Still, I can understand why Hamas said what he said. Some of the honest, candid sentiments expressed here were often painful, but they were what I needed.
PLEASE Scooby, read CoC before you go back.
I am NOT an agent of Satan trying to corrupt you. Yes, there are some kind persons at the KH, and yes, the assemblies can be nice but in reality, is it not only because such assemblies are HEAVILY POLICED? Try to do something untoward at an assembly...THEN you will get the "attention" you seek. The same at the KH. If you don't fit the mold, you had damned well better or you will be in the back room so fast it will make your book bag spin. And don't show any individuality, much less creativity. It doesn't fit in with the "program". I
Tell me this isn't worse than mind control? It is murder of an innocent's spirit.
My brain did not need that kind of washing.
I don't mean to be harsh. I had to believe the lie, because SOME of it IS true. I had to believe, because my life sucked, and I dearly wanted a better one. I swallowed it all, or at least tried to. Truth is, I gagged on most of it. But I forced it down me anyway, because I wanted to see my dead mother again. And my children live forever.
In time, I learned to beat down most every nagging doubt I had.
Guess what? THE TRUTH HAS SET ME FREE FROM THE "TRUTH"
I no longer have to swallow it hook, line and sinker.
If you don't believe it all, with all your heart, please think twice before getting involved. Yes, some of what they teach IS true....and this is a decision only you can make.
Sorry, lots of half-formed thoughts tonight.
Rosemarie
I hope some of this made sense.
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ScoobySnax
you're on a roll RDW, sheilam and minimus.............oooh yum!
Thanks JT, your post makes alot of sense had I been the type you speak of, but I'm afraid I still feel as I did in the original post. "Jipped" "Duped" "Bamboozeled" and "Hoodwinked".......ummmm no. I'm just me still.
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ScoobySnax
Jst2Laws and BerylBlue. In a round about way, Thankyou.
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ScoobySnax
and especially LadyLee.
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tinkerbell82
ok, i skipped over some of the responses so forgive me if i repeat something someone else has already said.
scooby, i don't know you personally, and i dont really know how long you've been out/doubting. but i will say this....by the time i left, i'd been dying to get out for years. i'd done a lot of research into inconsistencies in the jw literature and philosophy. i was convinced that i could not lead a normal life as a jw.
but when i finally got out....i doubted myself. for a LONG time. i was terrified i'd made the wrong decision, that i was allowing myself to travel the path that leads to destruction. (i grew up in it, btw, so i'd been fed this idea my whole life). more than anything, i missed how good i always felt after going to meetings. i missed feeling like i had a connection to god. and maybe that's what youre missing, too. do you really believe what they teach? and i dont mean to put you on the defensive by asking this...but can you critically examine their teachings and declare them to be true, ignoring the constant changes in policies, in light of the seedy underside of this organization?
if you can....then i agree, you should go back. sometimes you just need what makes you feel safe. and if that's what helps you sleep at night, then by all means trot back to your local kh. i tend to think that sort of safety atrophies the mind. but then again i know plenty of people who are perfectly fine with that, my mother for one. she'll be a jw till she dies. it's what puts her at ease, and she'll never change.
just my two cents, and i simply hope youre happy with whatever you choose to do.
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berylblue
Scooby, precious, I don't mean to be harsh. I just stated I can understand how Hamas feels.
I LIKE you. I dont' want to see you get hurt again. That's all.
The anger in some of us comes from the pain we've experienced at the hands of the WTS.
I don't think it's really directed at you, although I can't speak for anyone else but myself.
Funny, as far as I'm concerned NG can go back, she was only playing with us. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
You, on the other hand... I dont' think you are playing with us. True, I'm an idiot, but I don't think you are.
Rosemarie
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Xena
I like some JW's I don't believe they are all evil, anymore than I could swallow the concept that all "worldly" people were evil ...the WT now...I don't care for it much I personally find it to restricting.
You kind of remind me of a friend of mine Scooby. She is d/fed but still wants to believe or she did at one time, she is finding it harder and harder in light of several different factors in her life. But the thought of eteral life in a paradise was hard for her to let go of and she also had a hard time comprehending the fact that you can teach your children morals without teaching them religion. And she knew some good people that were JW's also
I recently considered going back to a few token meetings to make my sisters happy. I love my sisters and would really like to be able to spend time with them again. But after a lot of heartfult soul searching I found I just couldn't do it, not even for them. I know to much now to go back. Even though I love my sisters and some of the "friends" it isn't worth it. At least not to me.
We all have to make personal decisions about what is important to us and how we want to live our lives. Sucks sometimes being a grown-up doesn't it?