My father is reading Crisis of Conscience... (page 2)

stillajwexelder

No better read can there be found -- Christ Jesus has taught us the value of giving - -and happiness spreads all around -- make the truth your own -- -- forgotten the song number

Bradley, It sounds like your dad and I are about the same. I think you have done him a huge favor. I was a believing walkaway from 1974 until 1992. I understand that idea of waiting to die at Armageddon . . . the living in the shadow of impending doom. That underlying belief that I am flawed and am really just living in waiting to die at the hand of a bloodthirsty god, kind of hardwired an underlying depressive anxiety. It made for a dark side. I had a secret at home and in business. I was a walking dead man, rejected by the religion I had been raised in. The religion that taught me to make sure of all things . . . then shunned me for making sure.

If a believing walkaway isn't having any living problems, they really have don't have much reason to look into Witnessism. If life is really going bad, they are too busy managing crisis to look into what they think is finished business. I wish somebody had handed me a copy of Crisis Of Conscience the day it came out. I'd have had a chance to save myself 10 years of waiting for Armageddon. GaryB

crownboy

Great news Bradley, I hope it all goes well for you. Definitely make sure he signs up as a Democrat .

stillajwexelder, it's song 191.

czarofmischief

Great news Bradley, I hope it all goes well for you. Definitely make sure he signs up as a Democrat

No no, no more pansies! We need red blooded Republican voters in this country!

CZAR

MegaDude

Brad,

Definitely a step in the right direction. Also good is the video "Witnesses of Jehovah." Although it's a bit dated, it hits many of the highlights of what is wrong with the JWs in just an hour. I talked my JW mother into watching it and she had tears in her eyes when they interviewed Paul Blizzard and his wife talking about their baby almost dying for lack of a blood transfusion.

DanTheMan

That book, more than anything else I've read since leaving, was what freed me.

Ray has such an expressive style of writing, and drives his points home so well, I don't know how any JW could read CoC and still think that the Botchtower Society speaks for Jerhover. Though some have and do...

seattleniceguy

Crisis of Conscience is what convinced me that I must make a moral stand by disassociating myself, rather than simply drift away. I wrote in a personal letter to a few Witness friends:

I cannot conceive of any honest person who would not be moved very, very deeply by this book.

Does anyone know if Mr. Franz is still alive? I'd like to write him a thank-you note.

logansrun

seattle man,

Ray Franz is very much alive -- around eighty years old and living in Georgia with his wife. He runs the publishing company -- out of his garage, mind you! -- which puts out his book. Their website is www.commentarypress.com

Bradley

jst2laws

Bradley,

You did about the kindest thing that ANYONE could have done for your father. I have often told others there is nothing sadder than an EXJW who still thinks they walked away from "the truth". You have given your dad 'freedom'.

Don't worry about his wanting to hang on to a few beliefs.

Steve

My father is reading Crisis of Conscience...