by Big Shooter 108 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
BS...don't worry. You will find some here that are judgemental, but not many...oh speaking of which what kind of reception did you think you would get from us? I'm also curious as to your initial perception. Did you think we were JWs or otherwise? Curious monkeys want to know..
Sincerely,
District Overbeer
Married too, tooo young. Expect more trubulations in your life.
Valis, to be honest I didnt know what to expect. But from rmeading a lot of the posts before I posted, I knew that many would be able to understand.. I never realized how many feel the same way my wife and me do. Its the "unwritten" rules from people in the hall that are suffocating.
Welcome, Big Shooter!
Your words give all of us encouragement here, because what you are doing is so brave! With so many loved ones in the 'bOrg', as we sometimes refer to it, we feel new hope each time another one sees the REAL truth about the Watchtower. BTW, I wish you and your wife a belated congratulations for your marriage, and a happy birthday for your son. We can celebrate life--it's OKAY!!
Here is a thread that will keep you quite busy--bookmark it and go thru it as you find time. It is especially for newbies, put together with love from a great lady here, jgnat. http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/9/58215/1.ashx
To help you keep steady while you wrestle with posting here, contrast the WT gospel with the New Testament. There are not millions of things one must do; repent, have faith, and show love pretty much covers the gamut.
AC 2:36-39 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." (Huh? Not just 144,000?)AC 16: The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs,
what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household."MT 22:34-39 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "
`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (A poster here, jst2laws,has taken that command as his user name to keep perspective)I also highly suggest you get a new translation! The NWT is known as dishonest and biased. ("Surprise." )
There will be yet some ups and downs coming your way, lots of new choices to make... but you are definitely headed in a healthy and safer direction if you come out from under the WT's iron fist...
Love!
bebu
*LOL* joker is that a cross between trouble AND tribulation?
Sincerely,
District Overbeer
Is it just me or does the name Big Shooter sound like the name of a porn star?
Guess Joker didnt study the "Learn to Read & Write" book...
hi..i was raised all my life as a jw also..im third generation that finaly seen the lie and broke away just recently..i opened my self up and made some real friend not conditional ones...welcome to the fresh air...the mole
Big Shooter,
That was a very touching story. I have read hundreds and hundreds of very similar stories over the years. So, you certainly are not alone. In fact, such cruelties and hypocrisy is a very common part of JW life.
It was a bit hard to get through it, because you didn't use paragraphs to break it up. You might want to break up your posts into paragraphs in the future. More people will take the time to read them if you do.
I've been out of the religion since 1972, but things weren't much different back then than they are today. We had the 1975 feeding frenzy and all that, but people were treated just as cruely as you were when I was in.
I have a very serious thing I would like to ask you to do: Get out your Bible and slowly read Matthew chapter 23. I know you've read it before, but read the whole chapter. Slowly. Then re-read your post here again. I suspect you will see the obvious. I know of NO religion that puts such horrible burdens on people's lives as the WTS does.
Jesus said his yoke was kindly and light. Is the yoke of the WTS kindly and light, or is it an almost impossible yoke of endless demands and rules that literally wear people out, or cause them to become mentally ill. Is this the kind of life that Jesus wants you to have?
As far as the the threats and pressures put upon you by the elders, remember that they only have as much power as YOU allow them to have over you. If you take away all their power, they are powerless over you. How do you take away all their power. Just don't do anything they say that puts further burdens on you. Every time you feel pressured by them, well, just re-read Matthew 23 and remember what I've told you.
Jesus also said all the laws could be summed up to just two laws: love your God and love your neighbor. Are those members in the congregation following that second law based upon their shameful treatment of you and your wife?
Finally, Jesus said "by their fruits you shall know them" and constantly stressed helping out others and not just your own spiritual brothers and sisters, either. Yet, look at how your spiritual "brothers" and "sisters" have treated you and your family.
Although you may not quite be ready to hear this, I will say it anyway: the Watchtower religion and its leaders are throughly rotten to the core. Their religion is built upon ever shifting sand of doctrines, rules and policies. (Now what did Jesus say about building a "house" on shifting sands? )
I wish you and your family the very best, but as a father now, you have to ask yourself if you want your child to have to go through what you (and I and all dubs) when we were JWs still in school.
Farkel
Big Shooter, I am linking your story to my Welcome to Newbies thread, because the anguish and feelings you are going through are so very, very common. Other young couples who are struggling for meaning in their lives can learn much from your example.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/9/58215/1.ashx
Stick with it, bud. Following through with what your heart is telling you is the bravest, and wisest thing you could do.
