Just so confused.............

by desib77 35 Replies latest jw friends

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  Richie

  Just received the book The Four Presidents of the Watchtower Society. I am reading it now and I am already sick to my stomach how vulgar, vile and utterly wicked these Presidents were. And that I belonged to this wicked organization is beyond me. I recommend any thinking person to buy this book. You will never ever be sympathetic to their ungodly and unscriptural doctrines anymore. I pray to God that most of my family (who are still in the deceiving grip of the Society) will be able to eventually see for themselves what a false and crooked organization they are "serving".

  Richie :*)
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  Trailblazer

  Welcome! For me, becoming open to new ideas started when I decided to "educate" myself as to other peoples beliefs in order to compare it to JW"s. You know, for educational purposes only. LOL I felt guilty at first too. I felt like I was cheating somehow. If you go about it in an "information gathering" sense without feeling like you have to make a choice or commitment, it makes it easier. At least for me. Good luck in your search. Trailblazer
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  Unclepenn1

  Hmm, that's odd. Send me an email at [email protected]
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  Golf

  disib77, greetings and welcome. No need to feel guilty to visit this forum. The scriptures encourages us 'to test our faith' and 'to make sure of all things.' How can we do that IF our personal inherent freedoms are hindered or denied? Your inalienable rights are between you and your Creator. We can only give up our inalienable rights by voluntarily submitting them to others. Think about it. Who are you answerable to?

  Guest 77
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  Carmel

  If you're having problems with accepting other Christian versions of truth, then anything I would have to offer would be way beyond your tolerance limits. I once mentioned to one of my professors that I was from a JW background and that I was the only one in my family to attend college. She laughed and retorted that many fundamental religionists are affraid of college because education is the acid that destroyes the mortar between the bricks of superstition and conservatism. The challenge is to allow that mortar to be destroyed, then re-build the structure with new glue of your own chosing. I'm not sure I adequately applied the analogy, but after being an agnostic for nearly fifteen years, I chose to believe in the existence of an inteligence behind the ordered universe and have become "religious" once again. I will never go back, though, to an exclusivist, superior, fudamentalist religion. I hope you are able to overcome your hesitance to investigate other belief systems and expand your horizons. The paradigm of inclusivity does not threaten your relationship with your god nor does it "water down" faith.

  carmel
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  pettygrudger

  Welcome to the Board Desi!!!

  The first thing you may wish to do is draw up a "list" of the things that don't "sit right" with you, or that you feel the JW's are wrong about. Then, research it. In my own experience, I have found that what feels "spiritually" right to me comes from little bits & pieces of all religions.

  Beliefnet.com is a great place to find other religious opinions (even JW's) regarding doctrine. And since it is religiously neutral, it's an excellent resource.

  Finally, remember, the JW's preach & teach that we should be "testing" all things we're learning as JW's. Now, their slant on what testing is might be a little different, as you're only supposed to do that through the resources they provide. But in all honesty, what do you think God would want you to do? I believe Jesus only true admonition regarding "beliefs" was to keep following him.