Is there one thing that convinces you that the JW's are wrong ??? (page 4)

reubenfine

I could live with some imperfections, but the lack of love was the proof for me.

Pepper rocks..............

Well, I never believed any of it. The first thing that threw me completely, after I started reading the magazines, was the two-class structure. As a result of this twisted theology, scads of promises in the Greek scriptures do not apply to the regular JW. Millions are literally cut off from God's promises, from a direct relationship with Him, from the entire books of Hebrews and Romans, etc. etc.

Why does the WTS hang on to this teaching? So that the fading, ageing "anointed" can continue to feel "special", and their peculiar sacrifice "unique"? A slap in the face to millions of loyal, faithful, sincerely dedicated Christians. Perhaps this teaching will die with the expiration of the current gaggle of GB membes.

Some day I would like a JW to sit down with me, go through each of the promises in the Greek scriptures, and explain to me how they know, in context, who that particular promise is for, and why? The two-class theology does not hold. A JW can only distinguish each promise based on what he has been told he is entitled to.

CruithneLaLuna

There is always the straw that breaks the camel's back. I will tell of one point, certainly not the only one, but the realization hit me at the right time and tipped the balance, enabling me to shake off the Society's mind-control enough to take a more objective view, and quickly decide to leave the organization.

Early in my career as a "Bible student" of the Witnesses, the Truth book appeared. One of the things said in that book is something to the effect that if two statements are made that contradict each other, they cannot both be true. The idea seemed to be that one would be true and the other false, or both would be false. To a lot of peole, this seems like good common sense. Unfortunately, it is very simplistic. It is also dualistic, and I have learned to question dualism (and to a large extent, reject it).

The apple is red, the apple is green. While it may be predominantly red, it may also be green. One statement is not 100% true; the other, "contradictory" one, is not 100% false. The reasoning purveyed by the JWs on the nature of truth may or amy not be harmonious with the Bible, but it is certainly Aristotleian. Yes, old Aristotle todl us that the world is true/false, good/evil, black/white, and people were so taken with dualism (particularly Aristotle's version of it) that our culture is still suffering severe pains today as a result.

This idea may seem abstract, but the book that opened my eyes about it (about mathematics, computer science, philsophy, and the way the world really works) was so persuasive and incisive that it really shook me, and woke me up.

Cruithne

czarofmischief

Three things:

1.) the date of 607 BCE for the destruction of Jerusalem is not supported by anything, in the bible or in secular chronology. Which means that Daniel's prophecy of 2520 days (even if applicable) shouldn't be started in 607. Which means 1914 is a nonsense date, a coincidence of "event" (WW1) and hit or miss prediction. which means Christ did not return, invisibly or otherwise. Which means he did not inspect the christian churches. Which means he did not appoint a faithful and discreet slave. Draw the rest of the conclusions yourself, but think about Matthew 24:14 especially - if these are not the last days, then...

2.) The tyrannical way in which they try to intimidate me into doing what they want. I refuse to do anything out of fear. Christ and the Bride invite, saying "Come!" not "I'll kill you if you don't." Also, the incredible amount of conformity, superstition, and bullying.

3.) The "evidence" they present for these being the last days, earthquakes, wars, famines, etc. are, if you read the WHOLE chapter carefully, actually things that Jesus was saying WOULDN'T be the sign of his presence. We are not to get frightened or excited by those things, and if anyone tries to say "Christ is here or there" we are not to listen to them. Because the presence of Christ is as a lightning flash - sudden, complete, earthwide, total, visible, heavenly AND earthly all at once. So the WT full of shit.

And finally, what do I need an organization for? All they do is try to cut my hair and get me to shave and not ride a motorcycle...

CZAR

patio34

Here's a copy of a post (my 11th!) of 3/23/01 that 'splains why I left. It was the major "fault" for me and the rest just fell like a house o' cards.

What has precipitated my pulling back from the org is the understanding of dinasours. Now Gen. 1:30 says all vegetation was given to man and beast. Isa. 66 (?) says the wolf will lie down with the lamb. Apparently the jw teaching (and the Bible's indirectly) is that violence in nature was introduced by Adam's sin.
So where do the meat-eating dinasours fit in this theory? (And the attendant violence.) There seems to be a consensus among scientists and the Awake (in ca. 1987) that they predated humans (ie Adam) so why were they so violent and carnivorous?
If there is a creator, they had to be created that way, with that vicious instinct--to eat each other and the violence in nature is merely an extension of that--not Adam's sin.
To me, it seems to be a fatal flaw in the whole premise of the Bible or the org

I still feel the same except much, much more strongly about it.

Cheers!

Pat

drwtsn32

You guys talking about the lack of love in the WTS made me realize something... how the JWs shower interested ones in "love" at the beginning is just like any other destructive cult. I am in the process of reading "Combatting Cult Mind Control" and the author discusses this aspect of the Moonies. Everyone is just soooooo nice as the beginning that he had a hard time saying "no." Unfortunately it's too late and you're completely indoctrinated by the time the "love" fades.

But to stay more on topic, I would have to say being too analytical ultimately made me leave the organization. Their viewpoints on evolution don't stand up to scrutiny. Also, the pedophile special on Dateline had a pretty big impact on me, even though I didn't realize it at the time. Once I was able to admit that the WTS was not infallable, all of these other issues that I looked over in the past came back. Suddenly I found dozens of things wrong with the WTS and couldn't believe that I didn't realize it sooner.

peacefulpete

When I researched current articles and enthusiastically commented at the hall about how this present article was NEW LIGHT and being told I was leaning toward apostasy! This plus numerous occassions when the speakers misrepresented the facts of science and history and I appeared to be the only one concerned.

RunningMan

There are so many good reasons, but for me, it came down to the overall realization that the world just isn't coming to an end.

I think you wake up one morning, and you think "it's still here". And that's OK. So, you go to work.

micheal

There are many, but if I had to name one thing it would be the utter lack of happiness this religion brings to people. Most within are very unhappy and depressed. Added to this most speak very poorly of one another and backstab their fellow "brothers" saying and doing very mean things to one another. I don't know but I just expected something much more special from something claming to represent to only true God.

Charms

The evolution thing was among one of them. I am still undecided about whether mankind was made or evolved from apes, but I had one nagging question. Where do the dinosaurs fit in? How come they aren't mentioned anywhere? I've heard JW theories about them dying in the flood because they were dangerous animals. But if they were so bad, why would Jehovah have created them in the first place? I could see a land dino dying, but what about the dinos that lived in the sea? Wouldn't they still exist? Being a witness meant I would have to turn off my logical mind and accept the schlock I was given by WTS. That was one of my first nagging doubts.

Is there one thing that convinces you that the JW's are wrong ???