The Internet and Apostasy (page 4)

MerryMagdalene

I had already left the b'org and been "dismembered" by them several years before running across this site and now I can say I am thankful I did. I felt utterly alone, although entirely justified, in my experience of disagreeing with their policies and teachings (being raised one was not my choice either) so I had no idea the depth of repressed emotion I would feel on first coming here. A wealth of insecurites I thought I no longer had surfaced everytime I replied to a post... I'm stupid. They're stupid. I don't like them. They're not going to like me... and these feelings were completely at odds with the very positive things I was thinking and feeling, so I knew they were just the leftovers of old, outworn programming I had never really worked through. So I am grateful for the opportunity to do that now and to connect with so many intelligent, compassionate, wide-awake people.

seattleniceguy

Hello Brother Devoted,

I was Brother Devoted myself for 25 years, so I can understand why you say what you did. It's the standard line given by the Society for people who have differences. I applied it to my own dad when he left.

Unfortunately, the entire argument is just a silly strawman. And it isn't even true. Witnesses look for any tiny shred of "evidence" to try to make it true, but it's just an organizational line with little to no bearing in reality.

With that I say,
Peace out, bro.

SYN

Hey Brother Devoted,

Remember, it was RUTHERFORD who said "Millions Now Living Will Never Die!" and RUTHERFORD who was buried many decades later!

You're devoted to a tragic, toxic lie!

Peace out!

brother devoted

Are you totally certian of that abraham was buried also but what did Jesus say about his father...

that his Father was God of the living not the dead

Peace,
Brother Devoted

brother devoted

Mystery stated this

I didn't decide to be a "witness"; my parents did. I am 3rd generation

you said

being raised one was not my choice either

bieng raised one and deciding to be one of Jehovah's witness for yourself are two different things (I was raised as one, I know)

I am sorry you felt compelled to be something you didn not want to be

Peace,
Brother devoted

undercover

I am sorry you felt compelled to be something you didn not want to be

"Being compelled" isn't quite the phrase I would use. Coerced is more like it. A child will not feel compelled to join a religion, he will be forced, coerced or fooled into joining a religion.

Maybe you are sorry it happened, but is the collective as a whole sorry?

Think about it. Someone is born and raised a JW. They are coreced to get baptized at too early an age (13-14). Even if they feel something is wrong, there is no one to go to discuss it with. No one who will voice an original idea or opinion. If they do voice their feelings to a parent or elder the only advice they will get is study, pray and more field service. Those are the JW answers to all problems.
Years later, they realize that being a JW is not what they want. They want to leave. Here's the stickler. Can they resign with no hard feelings from being a JW and go one about their life without any ramifications? Will they be treated nicely? Will they still be a friend or acquaintance? Will they still be an integral part of the family? Will people still speak to them and say hello? If the answer is no to those questions, then the religion and the collective is not sorry that this person was "compelled" to be something they didn't want to be.

itsallgoodnow

Brother Devoted wrote:

am going to be unusually blunt and say that I believe many started opposing after they fell for wrong doing and then decided to give credence to there bhaivor by deciding "hey...lets find something bad to say about the WTS and I will feel better about my self"

Not true. That's exactly what the Watchtower society wants it's people to think and that theory might sounds right if you don't bother to check the facts (or are scared to) but it doesn't hold up. The fact is, the Watchtower has been and continues to be exposed as deceptive liars.

I haven't been "disciplined" in any way for "wrongdoing" and I have said more than my fair share against the Watchtower. My congregation still considers me in good standing. But I'm here because I can't conscientiously believe in it or cause others to believe in it anymore, and I enjoy discussing it with others who are open to freely discussing it. Any group you're involved in that demands so much loyalty, secrecy and intimidation fully deserves to be investigated thoroughly.

So they can try to do their damage control, but it won't help in the long run. They can't control this. Get your head out of the sand and learn to think for yourself. The mind is a terrible thing to waste.

itsallgoodnow

sorry double post

Evesapple

Waaaaait a minute....brother "devoted"....how devoted are you when you are conversing on a site that I'm certain is quite forbidden by the WT ..... perhaps you are having doubts???? you can be honest....your actions speak louder than your words. You are safe now, you don't have to pretend to be "devoted" anymore.....just tell us why you are here....it's o.k. to think for yourself here and to express yourself....how did you find this site????

iiz2cool

I became a JW as an adult in 1983 when some witnesses came to my door and deceived me with lies. I was an easy target, as I was suffering from depression at the time, but it is standard procedure for JWs to target people when they're vunerable. For 20 years I repeated those lies to others. Some of the old lies changed to new lies during my 20 years as a JW, as new light? replaced old light?. The internet played a big part in my examination of my faith. I wish I had access to that kind of information in 1983. It would have saved a lot of trouble.

I'm sure the Internet plays a big part in educating people about the watchtower, both current members and interested ones?. The Internet is the watchtower cults worst enemy.

Walter

The Internet and Apostasy

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