You missed my point, NotaNess. I’ve read a lot of your posts and it seems like you are all too willing to take shots at the JWs, but have you ever had the courage to sit back and evaluate your religious beliefs and the ideas that you were indoctrinated with as a child? If not, what the hell do you think gives you the right to sit back in judgment of others? It’s easy for you to sit back and poke holes at the JW religion, but have you ever gone through what we that have left the religion have undergone? Do you know how difficult it is to lose faith in everything you ever believed was true? The people you seem so happy to poke fun at are people that include my parents, siblings, and friends I grew up around. I don’t really appreciate the tone you take, or are you one of those voyeuristic sick bastards that likes to slow down at the scene of an accident to see if you can catch a glimpse of a dead body lying at the side of the road.
A lot of use here have gone through excruciating pain and misery that you will never understand. You can choose to hide behind your long-held religious beliefs, but it means nothing to me unless you can honestly sit back and say that you’ve gone through the process we’ve gone through of analyzing your faith and reexamining it with honesty and openness. I have read a lot of the posts from other non-JWs that are very courteous and respectful. Many of them sympathize with us and try to help us out. A lot of them openly accept criticism of their own faith and try to earnestly search for truth. What do you want? To prove that JWs are wrong? We know that already. This is a forum that XJWs use to try to help find others for moral support and companionship. I have no patience for religious people that come on these types of discussion boards to poke fun of and criticize the JW faith UNLESS they are willing to critically assess their faith as well, or do you still believe in the fairy tales you were taught as a child?
For all the former JW that now embrace another religious set of beliefs, this isn’t directed at you. This is directed a religious people that show the same stubbornness and narrow-mindedness that JWs show and come on these types of discussion boards to criticize JWs yet refuse to recognize that their religious beliefs might be wrong.
Where do I start? If you haven't read my post on some reasons why I joined here, I'll elaborate.
For the last 3 years, I've spent approximately 6,000 hours of my life working/living with about 7 JWs where I work. To put it in perspective, there's 8 people that work at this place. I'm the only one who's not a witness. And I've been baptised and belong to a church for only 3 years as well. You've heard the term "a sheep among wolves" right? Well, I'm living it. They know I think they are living a lie and are under mind control. We've had many arguements, as you can imagine. This forum is truly a venting place for my situation, you have no idea. But I mean no harm to anyone. Dealing with these people is half of my daily living. I was interested in learning their version of faith in the beginning, but was immediately pushed away after discovering things like you all did here on this forum for the first time. But I've been all over the net with my researching too. I was lurking here for possibly a couple years before I joined.
What you call poking fun is your opinion. For me it's pointing out faults, that are WORSE than the faults of other faiths, even my own. I already stated in my previous post that I wasn't saying other faiths were perfect, so pay attention. And I have to tell you, there are a lot more posters here with uglier comments than what I've stated.
I have stated in other posts, that I respect everyone here, but if I have something to say, I'm gonna say it, and I won't be using potty mouth to do it as some others do.
I've spent many discussions previous to my walk with Christ, arguing the validity of the bible with many Christians. I've always believed in God though. I am relatively new at having my faith, but I don't have to have that faith to see what's wrong with this organization. I could be athiest, and would still point out the faults of the WTS, plenty of others do.
I know scripture talks about judging others, but the reality is we do judge people, and if we don't it can be careless.
Trust me when I tell you, I feel for you witnesses that were under this mind control in your lives and the damage it has done, and those currently living it. I see what you all have experienced and, I experience some of it at work on a regular basis. Mostly my situation at work is, I have to keep my mouth shut, and keep it all inside or there's problems, so what that does is force me to have to listen to comments, that I can't stand up and give alternative discussion to. Believe it or not, these people have also become kind of like family as well. I truly care about my co-workers, and that's what is also troubling for me. It's like seeing a family member caught up on drugs, and I can't help out.
I'm sorry if you thought I've been just out to bash witnesses, but that's not my goal. Some here are ex-jws, and don't have to put up with actives, I have to daily. I think I've got reason to be here. If any of you think I should go, I will, just let me know. But I need atleast 2 witnesses though on anything that's pointed out as reason I should go though, & a JWDF Judicial Committee to visit my house to let me know on what grounds.
