by Spook 28 Replies latest jw experiences
The moment arrived. I have sent out my first three letters: One to the local congregation, one to the Governing Body (right, right, like I'll get a reply?), and one to my family. There will be more to come. Feel free to forward this on the web. Get a fake address and send it to all your friends!!!
(For some reason, this took several posts to work)
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Dear Sirs:
Dear Sirs:
This message means my life. Please take the few short minutes that are required to read these words.
I resolved to examine a variety of biblical, historical, statistical, and scientific claims and assertions made in the publications. After exhaustive research, I made my way through the Watchtower CD-rom library and a collection of relevant source material over the last year. I did not find answers to my questions, but, in the end, I found a startling consistency of recreant, inaccurate, misleading, and poorly researched and implemented quotes, proofs, and evidence. I was also disappointed by the frequency with which you and your predecessors have changed interpretations and doctrines, and downplayed these changes through passive language and generalities, constantly appealing to your authority.
I want to be authentic with you about these matters, holding nothing back and resolving this information. I have lost all faith in your ability to successfully interpret scripture, and particularly to give fair and honest treatment of scientific and historical reality. I find your claims about the bible no more convincing than any other denomination or religion, and less convincing than the evidence for evolution and an atheistic universe.
I appreciate the public dedication of baptism I have made, and out of respect for my freely given word I invite you to discuss the results of my research with me. I am willing to travel to My purpose in this meeting will be to present that the position of Jehovah?s Witnesses is nowhere near certain enough to justify the stance of having no association with those who believe otherwise. I am making a stand for tolerance, acceptance, love, and respect between Jehovah?s Witnesses and the rest of society. I accept and acknowledge you gentlemen for doing what you strongly feel is right. I have every confidence that you are making the best choices that appear available to you. I invite you to consider some additional possibilities. In light of the statistical decline and changing demographic of the organization, I strongly recommend you take this opportunity.
My obvious self interest in this matter is that all of my friends and immediate family are active members. I love them so much, and am lost in the possibility of having to either live a life of hypocrisy and exhaustion in a belief system I don?t support, or sacrificing all the love in my life. I acknowledge my motivations, and I am willing to give up the need to be right and make you wrong. I support that you are fully committed to doing what is right. I request you to give up that there is only one solution to this invitation, and commit to freely considering my point of view. In the meantime, I promise not to raise trouble for those in the congregation who are happy with their beliefs. They have the right to live life as they choose, and I support them in this. Indeed, even should this situation prove untenable, I want you, and them, to know that I choose to view the decision to cease contact with me because of my disassociation as being motivated by love.
That's all of it! I don't know why it wouldn't post as one.
Thats a great letter. I can't believe you are 23. Hope all goes well.
purps
I can't believe I'm 23 either! Thanks!
