If there's some good in the Watchtower, why leave it? (page 6)

LUKEWARM

Excellent thread - I think the question becomes is there enough good there and enough accuracy in teachings to justify one continuing?

inbetween

been pondering over this question for couple of weeks now...

in just a short time, I came to realize, the WTS is not Jehovahs channel, doubts I had many years ago already, but always considered it as something I may not understand fully or hoped, the "light gets brighter".....

but I came to see, that those doubts was not my failure, it is a deficit of some doctrines...

for now I found a solution: staying in for family/social reasons, while using whatever influence I have to prevent damage from harmful teachings, planting seeds whenever reasonable and possible, softening the load of the brothers, and avoiding to become "bloodguilty" .

In the end we have to render an account to our creator one way or the other...

Some compared it to Nazi, which is certainly exxagerated, however, even there we find people realizing the insanity of Hitler, and still pretending to cooperate, while trying to use their limited power to help others escape or survive (e.g. Schindler etc)

If they had oppenly opposed Hitler, they would not have been able to do good at all.

thas just my current approach, dont know what the future will bring in this regard...

winstonchurchill

Nice thread! Thanks for bringing it back Lukewarm!

Inbetween, I'm pretty much where you are. See, I was given 70 or 80 (hope 90) years to live, and have used almost half of that; wonderful parents, siblings, the best wife and adorable kids. I regret much of the time and effort I gave to WTS, but I refuse to waste more tie and effort by dealing with the DF/DA/fading, shunning crap. Why? What would I accomplish, other that losing all I have in terms of affection.

I'm thinking Family here, not "Brothers & Sisters"; those would turn their back on me in a snap; they are good people, but JWs simply lose the sense of real loyalty in friendship. After decades of 'association' I firmly believe that true and enduring friendship, the kind that resists anything, is just not possible among JW's.

So I stay in, but: I don't give WTS a dime, I have told my wife that kids will receive the best spiritual education we have available, I avoid indoctrinating them; it's like "I inform, you decide" (Can't believe I'm quoting FoxNews!). I have also made clear that they will not get baptized while young. I avoid participating in JC's unless I know I can avoid he person being DF'd. I'm seen as the 'liberal elder' (and frowned upon by some), but my 'glorious past' in the high ranks gives me an aura of power and some room for keeping militants away from me.

I don't have a clue what the future holds for me in terms of 'membership'. I decided not to worry about it. And I feel free. My wife and my kids are my life and nothing will get in the way.

besty

does your wife know how you really feel winstonc?

Finally-Free

If I was in a swimming pool and saw a log of shit floating around I'd get out and shower. I wouldn't pull out a tape measure to check to see if the shit was within acceptable limits. I view the watchtower cult the same way.

W

winstonchurchill

Besty,

Don't know if you're married, but after so many years a lot is left unsaid, yet all is known by each other. So, yes, she knows I disagree with lots of issues. A few days ago I posted about a conversation I had with her regarding blood components/fractions; she knows how I feel regarding time keeping/reporting; also about kids not being baptized as minors, and some other issues. Sometimes I go into deep waters, and she puts up a shield.

What she definitely knows is I'm not the same I used to be in terms of being a WT soldier. She knows I'm full of doubts and for a while seemed really worried about "my spirituality". But she's come to understand that while may faith in God and my respect for the Bible are intact, I'm highly disappointed about the "organization"; and she's somehow resentful of the way I've been treated by the org.

Thanks for your interest. Probably one of the biggest downsides of staying in as a silent dissident is that I don't have a lot of friends if any.

oompa

Interesting Winston and others....but we are truly all different......for me, finding out how they had altered the bible, been wrong on sooo many things and continue to teach so many things that go beyond the scriptures was just more than i could bear......i was becoming physically ill....field service became a burden i could no longer carry.....i felt like a total hypocrite and this carried over to how i felt attending meetings and hearing things at every meeting that demanded me scream out "BULLSHIT"......i knew i had to stop attending or i would have done this!

i had a totally unplanned fade as i was so "spiritually weak" i just started doing less and less and going less and less......then finally told my wife......."i cant do this anymore"........that was hard........ i was sad to have changed so much, and it was sad seeing her go to all the meetings alone, but i just could not fake it anymore

I find it interesting that you winston can stay an elder and feel as you do......but also i find this statement of yours odd/interesting:

"wonderful parents, siblings, the best wife and adorable kids. I regret much of the time and effort I gave to WTS, but I refuse to waste more tie and effort by dealing with the DF/DA/fading, shunning crap. Why? What would I accomplish, other that losing all I have in terms of affection."

I am just like you in the family part, but i also had GREAT friends and so many wonderful times with them....but you on the other hand already seem shunned as you also said you have no friends????........you may be surprised that if you are sincere and honest as to how you feel.....your family and closest friends can understand and may not shun you.......also, i one of your kids is dfd like mine.......you face a difficult situation....I just hope you choose not to shun them, but support them....it has been a horrible thing to see my young son abandoned the way he has.....what a high price to pay for changing your mind after a minor stupidly is allowed to take the plunge.......

This shunning practice is so evil, so devastating to kids, that it alone would probably prevent me from ever being able tobe part of any faith that does this to adults, much less kids.......how do you and inbetween cope with this nasty aspect of this religion?......it just goes against everything "family" i grew up with.......maybe my wonderful family life (like yours) made me see i could not be part of a faith that destroys families.......oompa

when my dad/elder turns and walks away at the sight of my df son........... the stomach pain i feel is real and it has changed my feelings for my own dad

daniel-p

What about intent? If I'm served a sandwich with a human hair in it, I'm not going to go apeshit because I know it was just an accident and it's no big deal. If my religion lies to me, I will go apeshit, because I trusted them and I was deliberately taken advantage of.

gubberningbody

Because of the coolness factor.

That is, unless new light give it the go...go

restrangled

I have found the WBTS takes great liberties with interpreting Revelation....applying it to themselves, Rutherford in jail etc. 1918/19 and then that "slave" is given everything once they were released.

Somethings seem right, most seem wrong.....for years and years.....

I feel kind of lost....do we even need any organized religion?

It seems every organized religion is a false prophet, hell bent on control and top dog position regardless of the costs to anyone.

I believe in these basics....No hell, a paradise earth and thats it.

Just my take....

r.

If there's some good in the Watchtower, why leave it?

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