Will reading CoC automatically make me want to leave WTS?

by ljwtiamb 92 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  willyloman

  I, too, have held a number of key positions within the WTS and had seen it all. So when I read Ray's book, there was really little in it that I wasn't already familiar with. Still, it had a big impact on me.

  It wasn't that it "made me want to leave" -- I was already on my way out. What it made me realize was that leaving the organization was the right thing to do, both morally and spiritually. That the high moral ground was not held by the WTS or its followers. It helped me see that I wasn't just tired, disgruntled, or depressed, but that the WTS was the wrong place for a person of conscience. And that allowed me to go in peace. That's why it's called Crisis of Conscience. Ray helped me realize the hypocrites were the ones who stayed and supported the society's loveless kingdom, and were the true apostates.

  This realization, once you get it, is life changing.
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  tijkmo

  well im about to find out.....im of the same mind as you..im on page 12
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  Satanus

  ljwt

  The wt claims to be better than all other orgs, religious, business, political, anything worldly, by virtue of being god's org, directed by him. If, as you suggest, that they are the same in nature, that in itself shows that you have already deviated from official wt doctrine. Perhaps you didn't realise that. Or, maybe you are up high enough where you can see the double standards, but you like it, because you are on the 'other' standard.

  S
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  purplesofa

  These are the last two paragraphs of the book. It is a very moving book. I had to break from it as what I was learning I could only take in little bits emotionally. As when you know what you are reading is true along with your doubts you can't go against your conscience.

  **********************************************************************************************

  These are the last two paragraphs of the book.

  I posted them on a thread when I was reading the book.

  I just finished reading CoC. It will forever change my life.

  The last two paragraphs of this book are worth writing down now.

  "Life is a journey, and we cannot make progress in it if our focus is mainly on where we have been; that could lead to emotional inertia or even spirtiual decline. What is done is done. The past is beyond our changing, but the present and future are things we can work with, focus on. The journey inevitably contains challenge, but we can find encouragement in knowing that we are moving on, making at least some progress, and can feel confident that what lies ahead can be fulfilling.

  Whatever our individual circumstances may have been, we can each put confidence in the truth of these words of the apostle, "We know that by turning everything to thier good God cooperates with all those who love him." (Romans 8:28, JB) By holding to conscience and staying true to our Head, God's Son, we suffer to lasting loss, but do gain that which is of immense and enduring value. Assured of that, we can feel as did the apostle:

  Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.....one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of upward call of God in Christ Jesus.---Phillipians 3:7, 13, 14.

  purps
• 

  jt stumbler

  As a recently self-dissossociated person, I recall telling householders with questions
  concerning JW's; If you want to know what a JW believes, ask one. Ray Franz was a GB member.
  Thats what intrigued me. Get ready for a wild ride.
• 

  Sheri

  I finished CoC and now reading In Search of Christain Freedom, both are excellent and if a JW and in search of "Truth" you owe it to yourself to have these books to add to your own knowledge base in order to make sure in YOUR OWN MIND.

  I am meeting with elders next week to take phase one- 607BCE which more importantly means why change history to keep 1914 date. I thank this site for the research that has been of great help.

  My next meeting after that is why I do not feel WTBS is the sole channel but merely men like all religions, organized for their purpose to believe they are serving God in the right way, which we all have that same right to search out for what is right for us individually as we grow spiritually. Only problem is JW Unity is a force unity-fear of rejection (shunning) and not unity of love. For that I am sure I will experience one of these days.

  Trust in God and read this book.

  Peace,

  Sheri
• 

  Poztate

  Reading the book should make you want to quit, but if you already know a lot of "Bethel dirt" and it doesn't bother you, then reading the book might have little effect on you.

  Frankly, I can't understand how anyone with a lick of sense or conscience or integrity can stay at Bethel more than a couple of years, or having been there, think that the JWs are anything but a nasty cult.

  Alan F has got it. It sounds to me like you just don't really want to know and if you did you would try and block it out.

  Don't worry....my wife is the same way.She is happy to have the WT do the thinking for her. Best of luck? to you.
• 

  AlanF

  ljwtiamb said:

  : I appreciate your comments, but I feel that you are displaying the same kind of prejudices that you accuse WTS of.

  What prejudices? Against the Watchtower or you?

  I have no prejudices against the Watchtower. On the contrary, my criticisms of it are based entirely on long personal experience and the experiences of hundreds of others.

  I have no prejudices against you. I have no idea who you are.

  What I said was:

  :: Frankly, I can't understand how anyone with a lick of sense or conscience or integrity can stay at Bethel more than a couple of years, or having been there, think that the JWs are anything but a nasty cult.

  : You are assuming that I don't have 'a lick of sense or conscience or integrity'.

  No, I'm not. I said "I don't understand..." That was an invitation to explain yourself.

  : I am at least willing to consider another's viewpoint.

  Good! You're already half way out of the cult.

  : The things you describe exist in every organization that I have associated with religious, educational and secular. Even the entire bible is full of examples of such behavior from God's own chosen people.

  But the Witnesses claim that they're so different from all those others. They're living in a "spiritual paradise", the Society tells them. Indeed, they're so much better than every other organization that God chose C. T. Russell to be the first member of the modern "Governing Body" back around 1879, and then, after proving over the next 40 years to be far more faithful than anyone else, they were appointed as a special, chosen people in 1919.

  Your comments indicate that you reject all of that nonsense. What, then, is the point of your remaining a JW when you don't believe these most fundamental doctrines? This is all implied by my above question.

  : It's just interesting that history likes to constantly repeat itself. Any phoenix that arises from the ashes eventually becomes an evil destroyer, just like its predecessors.

  Exactly. Which again makes me wonder why you want to remain a JW. You're throwing good money after bad, and you know it.

  AlanF
• 

  Poztate

  The things you describe exist in every organization that I have associated with religious, educational and secular

  I would like to hear about the other religions that you have"associated with" and why you withdrew from them and picked the dubs as gods best answer for mankind ??
• 

  hillary_step

  ljwtiamb,

  Thanks for the comments, but keep in mind that I have already spent quite a bit of time at JW HQ. I've seen the failings, flaws and weaknesses of this org, personally and in detail. Still, I see lots of good within. If that did not send me running, I don't THINK that anything will.

  Like many others on this board I too have seen the soft underbelly of the WTS from a position of responsibility, yet Crisis Of Conscience affected me deeply when I first read it. Though I had served as an elder for twenty five years, as a Special and regular Pioneer for thirteen years, did a stint in Bethel and was a temporary CO for a while, it took this book to finally make me see that the Bible was quite correct when it stated, ' that which is crooked, cannot be made straight'.

  What affected me was not so much learning about the internal issues with regards to many major doctrines of the WTS, which I had known for a number of years were fatally flawed. I was deeply distressed that I was part of an organization that was prepared to lie and cheat, in fact do any dastardly deed it had to, to bring down a tiny group of men who challenged its world view. At the time I was still a deeply devoted Christian and felt that I could no longer support a Governing Body who behaved in such a repugnant and paranoid fashion.

  Like yourself I saw, and still see much good in individual Jehovah's Witnesses, though these days not from a Christian standpoint, but the behavior of individual JW's, or the *stated* ideals of the WTS are not relevant. As far as I am concerned, anybody who attaches themselves to the WTS knowing that at heart it is a sociapathic organization with no conscience or heart, is supporting liars, cheats and in some cases criminals. It is a matter of integrity with me over which I had no choice if I wanted to live with honor.

  In the end, the WTS shot itself in the foot shunning Mr Franz and treating him in such an inhumane way. His experience struck the 'bell of truth' in many hearts and I have no doubt that many tens of thousand of people have exited the WTS directly because after reading Crisis Of Conscience they now see that though they thought they were serving a God they were actually serving men, and not very bright ones at that.

  HS