Ah, so kenyata has only seen the horses teeth and is yet to enter the orifice. This explains very much.
Adoption by Jehovah's Witnesses is blocked
by expatbrit 72 Replies latest jw friends
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nelly136
am glad you had such a positive experience as one, meeting hundreds of people and never hearing of anyone shunned, wow.
I saw quite a bit of it while I was one but at the time I had to accept it, it would never have occurred to me to question it but I knew it went on, not only that I thought it was normal behaviour so I defended it. I carried on defending it to anyoe that would listen for quite a while after I left, it took a long for that instant jumping to their defense to wear off.
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kenyata
To Ianano,
You could say that. I've never experienced any shunning from my mother or any the our JW friends or assiciates just because I chose not to be one. The JW's that I've encountered in the past are nice, sweet people. Where do you all come from or live at where you were shunned just because you didn't want to study or come to the hall?
To Nelly 136,
I am sorry that you or anyone else on thses boards were shunned and got treated to bad. I all my years of knowing JW's, I've never been treated like an outcast or with disrespect.
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ianao
Kenyata:
I had what I thought was a true-blue friend here at work. We got along great and we did "computer stuff" together. One day this guy brought up the topic of religion and told me he was a witness. Fast forward to about a year after that, and I told him that I was interested in his friendship, but didn't want to persue a bible study with him. Now he no longer talks to me unless absolutely necessary here at the job. He also refuses to discuss hardly anything with me at all.
It is my personal observation from your posts, and the many posts of others and the confessions of witness acquaintences in the past that the reason you find no fault with witnesses currently is because they want you to become a member. It is what is called being a good witness to you. Others term this "love bombing". The whole intent is to give you a good impression of witnesses so that you will become one. Once you are in the religion, you may or may not see the problems with it, depending on the extend of any blinders you may unconciously imploy.
Some people don't have any problems at all and the witnesses help them improve and mold into better people in one way or another. Other people are victimized by the simplistic judicial processes used within the religion that truly amount to a mosaic law from the interpretations of men rather than God.
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Agape
Kenyata,
Perhaps you are too young (mid to late 20's ?) to remember the Eagles song "Hotel California", but your distance from the cult has allowed you to see only the good. The fact that you "have not checked in" yet, and the above mentioned "love bombs" are still reverberating, does nothing to refute what these honest, loving people are telling you is the truth....JW theology is inaccurate, often dishonest, and controling.
If it were not a cult, I would recommend that you join and test it out for yourself. But as a cult, your freedom to leave gracefully it denied. Of course, if you dismiss all these posts from those that have "been there, done that" as disgruntled, bitter folks who have nothing positive to say about anything, then you fall right into the ploy that is so often perpetrated on the "hotel guests".
Can you imagine ATT attempting to quarantine its customers from former ATT customers who left for a variety of reasons, Some may have found a "better deal", or discovered some other service that met their needs, tastes, or beliefs? (ATT is big into porn, incidentally.) Some may even have found AT&T to be less than forthcoming, or in fact dishonest.
Likewise, some Witnesses are dissatisfied, and chose to leave. Are they treated honorably? You sound as though you live in a paradise of Witnesses...you have not seen any of what is spoken to you here.
Well, just be warned that it is easier to "check in" than it is to "check out." IS IT A CULT? What would you call a organization with the arbitrary power to cause death, pain and anquish? I'm sure that Hitler fooled a few people, and still does today, even after being discredited; the WTBTS is no different.
My sympathy is for those ensnarled in such bondage. What anger I have is for those in authority who enslave and deceive their victims, and for those that stand by and do nothing to prevent it. I am not sure into which catagory I would put you, other than to say fence sitters do not ususally fare well.
I am sorry for the frank language emplyed here. Rather than discourage you from looking into this issue further, I would beg you to befriend someone that has experience, first-hand, of the "other side" of this cult. Cults are nothing to play with. Do NOT dismiss all "apostates" as "bitter".
Find the truth...and let Him set free. You do not have to be good to approach Him. His yoke is light, not burdonsome. HE will change you, not of your own doing lest you boast. Good works are but a sign of His hand on your life. Do not wait 'till your life is in order. ASK HIM...and Jesus will be both your Saviour and Lord. Amen.
AGAPE
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kenyata
To Ianao,
To be honest with you, they aren't giving me the time of day just because they want me to become a member. Many of the Witnesses that come to my door, I'll come out and tell them that I'm familiar with their religion. I'll mention my mothers name and the majority of them know her by her nick name and they say ok. I come out and tell them, I'm not interested in studying right now, if and when I become interested, I'll give you a call. And 90% of the JW's come to my door are people that I've known since I was a little girl, like age 6 and 7. They'll just say ok, when they see me at a later date, they don't ignore me or make me feel like they don't want to be bothered.
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ianao
kenyata:
To be honest with you, they aren't giving me the time of day just because they want me to become a member.
I disagree with you. That's what I thought too when I heard these words uttered from what I considered to be a great friend:
"No Steve, why would you ask me such a silly question? I value you as a friend. That's silly."
Of course, I discovered he was a liar when he ceased "associating" with me after I told him I wasn't interested in studying. I also eventually discovered why he was able to say that to me a few years back and not be totally ashamed of himself.
Do I judge all witnesses by my ex-"friend"? No. I also base it on the testimony from others here and around my homestead who have been directly involved with the witnesses.
Many of the Witnesses that come to my door, I'll come out and tell them that I'm familiar with their religion. I'll mention my mothers name and the majority of them know her by her nick name and they say ok. I come out and tell them, I'm not interested in studying right now, if and when I become interested, I'll give you a call. And 90% of the JW's come to my door are people that I've known since I was a little girl, like age 6 and 7. They'll just say ok, when they see me at a later date, they don't ignore me or make me feel like they don't want to be bothered.
Of course they are not going to ignore you kenyata. My point is that you've given them a reason NOT to ignore you. They would give YOU a bad impression of witnesses if they were to act coy with you at this point. They still have a reason to come around because you MIGHT be interested in studying on the next visit.
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kenyata
Don't get me wrong, there are some things I don't agree with as far as birthdays, holidays. I've gotten used to having bday parties and cooking for the holidays. My husband's family got me into it. If it weren't for that, I'd have no problems with being one. I know that their lifestyle is more strict than mine is and I'm just not ready for it yet. Just like Muslims, they have things in their religion that they do and don't do, if your not going to be true to it, don't join.
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Agape
Kenyata,
It is clear to me that your treat membership in this cult very lightly. If it were not for bparties you would join. This cult is not a country club. It proposes to have the exclusive way to eternal salvation. Either that is true or it is not; either you care about salvation or you give a rip.
At least Witnesses take a stand. I reiterate my fence-sitting comment. You are neither hot nor cold. The Bible says some strong things about your position. But then again, you are not committed to the authority of God's Word, are you?
Many pearls have been tossed your way. I believe your answers to some of the above posts, in which some decent people have poured out their hearts, are half-hearted and shallow, at best. Sounds like that might be the story of your life. Am I wrong?
The topic of adoption is where all this began. Your defence of child-killing cult members qualifying as appropriate foster parents is no stronger than your faith. I will pray for you, that your would desire a touch from the Healer. He gives answers to those that simply ASK. ASK for it, Kenyata....
AGPAPE
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kenyata
To Agape,
First off, JW's aren't a cult nor are they child killing cult members. I made that statement some posts ago. From being raised by a JW parent and being raised around them,I can strongly make that statement. I know hundreds of JW's and none of them are like what you describe. Even if it weren't for the bdays and holidays, I'm just not ready to join now. I may not join for another 4 or 5 years, I may never choose to join but I have nothing against them either. If they were to be coy with me, that's fine. I just don't share the disgusting and degrading comments made about them, that's all, but these are you opinions. Some of you have been through bad experiences and that's to bad.