I should have been more specific. I heard a talk by a person who I believe was a bethel representative once. He said 'What do you think holds many back from becoming Jehovah's Witnesses? It's the preaching work. They don't want to do it. So, even if they believe it, they wouldn't join. If we officially stopped doing door to door, people would flood in. And we know that, but we won't stop to be popular." I believe he's right.
I think more people would be JW's if they didn't force you to go out in service.
How much do you hear about other high-control religious movements ( certain Oneness Pentacostals, etc.. )
Now, I may be biased in this because we[ex-jws] concern ourselves with more JW-scrutinizing information that anything else (Like Oneness scrutinizing material)
Because of the witnessing work, people are familiar with JW's. Some then begin to create anti-witness arguments and scrutinize things like "why do you put the name in Jehovah in the New testament these 273 times? Mine doesn't have that." Where one, as a faithful follower of the WTBS would never have questioned it. Now, because of the witness work, it has been brought to their attention.
fresia, I gathered you were not a JW. It was the JW's that got you interested in the Bible. I think that's true of many people. So many times I would study with people and they would get excited about the Word again, and then return to whatever church they had been inactive in. Most witnesses would get upset by that, but I always found a little joy in it. Even when I thought the place they were going back to taught some false things. I guess that most any time an extreme kindness has been experience by me from someone else, it was usually by a person motivated by faith in Jesus. Which is why when a person truly lived the life of Christ, even if they held some incorrect beliefs, I always viewed it as better than someone who didn't live the life of Christ, even if they had the right teaching. Just my observation...
LayingLow
JoinedPosts by LayingLow
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Why I'm thankful for the ministry...
by LayingLow ini was sitting here thinking about it, and i'm sure some would disagree, but....
1. the ministry exposed me to alternative interpretations to scriptures that i likely never could have gotten past.
first-born in col 1:15, meaning ruler or heir instead of first creation).
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LayingLow
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To Partake or Not to Partake THAT IS THE QUESTION!
by etan 4 U into partake or not to partake that is the question!
i need some questions answered maybe you all can help.
is it because they wish to be of an earthly resurection?
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LayingLow
This is long after this discussion has ended but I thought I might add something... In Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Tryphos http://www.ccel.org/ You can find it there. He discusses Christ's Blood (The fruit of the vine) He discusses the connection of Mithras and others with demons and explains there odd similarities (As well as sons of Jupiter) He is a 2nd century Christian and this Dialogue was commited to writing no later than 165 A.D. He appealed to scripture often, and I think it would be helpful to some.
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Why I'm thankful for the ministry...
by LayingLow ini was sitting here thinking about it, and i'm sure some would disagree, but....
1. the ministry exposed me to alternative interpretations to scriptures that i likely never could have gotten past.
first-born in col 1:15, meaning ruler or heir instead of first creation).
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LayingLow
I was sitting here thinking about it, and I'm sure some would disagree, but.... 1. The ministry exposed me to alternative interpretations to scriptures that I likely never could have gotten past. (i.e. First-born in Col 1:15, meaning ruler or heir instead of first creation). 2. The ministry hinders many people from becoming JW's in the first place (Probably more than it brings in [Look at Mormon or Adventist growth]) 3. Opens the organization up to public scrutiny ( i.e. blood issue, scandals, J-references [if no one witnessed to skeptics how would the average JW know they were being deceived?]) Any thing I'm missing?
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For those of you who don't go to meetings anymore...
by exwitless inwhen you attended your last meeting ever as a dub, did you know it was your last?
did something happen which made it clear in your mind you were 'never going back' (not to be confused with nvrgnbk)?.
the last meeting we went to was the memorial in 2006. we only went because we knew we were already pegged for the elders' unwanted attention, so we had to go to keep them off our backs a little longer.
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LayingLow
I didn't intend for mine to be my last. But after repeatedly being called in for questioning (Expressed Doubts), I just grew tired of it(the questionings-with the response that there was no scriptural proof for those several questions I was asking) and didn't go back.
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If I am disfellowshipped, will my family get disfellowshipped they...
by LayingLow ini have some family that would continue to associate with me even if i were disfellowshipped.
it is known by them that i am not truly an apostate (from yhwh and jesus).
i have come to a different conclusion than them after three years of intense activity at the hall.
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LayingLow
I've already noticed. Everytime I come to visit it starts with them pumping up the Society. Then looking to me to support their position. Then them becoming disgruntled, then the accusations fly. Then I reply with the latest damning evidence I had come across. They then admit that what I say makes sense and has, but that they will continue doing what they do. The topic then switches to something else, and we have a good time. It seems now I have to get through the unpleasantries rather than the pleasantries to get the conversation going. From that point on it goes well, but I know what you're saying. Wait one week, return, repeat....
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If I am disfellowshipped, will my family get disfellowshipped they...
by LayingLow ini have some family that would continue to associate with me even if i were disfellowshipped.
it is known by them that i am not truly an apostate (from yhwh and jesus).
i have come to a different conclusion than them after three years of intense activity at the hall.
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LayingLow
I've noticed how God has worked in the lives of many people who are not Jehovah's Witnesses. That always struck a cord with me. How could these people (not all churchgoers, but some)have such huge turn-arounds, against such great odds, tackling addictions and persecutions, if God's Spirit were not helping them. I've felt it in my life, and whenever anything beneficial happens like that to a Witness, we always attribute it to Jehovah's Spirit. But as soon as it happens to a non-witness, its never attributed to God's Spirit? Can He not work beyond denominational boundaries? My point with all this is that I have a support network with God, close family, and old friends. I'm not estranged from all other non-JW's necessarily viewing them as 'worldly' as I've always tried to see good in others. This has helped tremendously in getting over this. Emotionally I was on a roller coaster for the first month (The Am-I-Right?Are-They-Right? flip flopping). After much prayer and study the answer became clear, and from that point on it was unemotional. I feel I'm doing better spiritually than ever, but I don't want to do anything to unnecessarily damage relationships.
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If I am disfellowshipped, will my family get disfellowshipped they...
by LayingLow ini have some family that would continue to associate with me even if i were disfellowshipped.
it is known by them that i am not truly an apostate (from yhwh and jesus).
i have come to a different conclusion than them after three years of intense activity at the hall.
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LayingLow
"Normally, a close relative would not be disfellowshipped for associating with a disfellowshipped person unless there is spiritual association or an effort made to justify or excuse the wrongful course."
I was just looking at this and considering its meaning. Do you think they mean to justify their wrong course in associating with you? Or, to justify the wrong course you took(which resulted in the disfellowshipping)?
I imagine the same rule applies for DA'd people too. Not sure though. -
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If I am disfellowshipped, will my family get disfellowshipped they...
by LayingLow ini have some family that would continue to associate with me even if i were disfellowshipped.
it is known by them that i am not truly an apostate (from yhwh and jesus).
i have come to a different conclusion than them after three years of intense activity at the hall.
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LayingLow
Then this goose is cooked... Actually I've already sat through hours and hours of elders meetings in deep discussion over the specifics of the doctrine. No word for a long time, maybe they're just getting the JC engine revved up, I'm not sure. Either way, my family knows what my differences are and they are still willing to associate. Actually some agree, but have spent too long in the org, don't like the idea of thinking for themselves, and are willing to ride it out (they've actually verbalized this). I was just wondering if any one has some hands on experience with the likely upcoming situation. How did you manage to continue associating with family? Any note-worthy results or advice?
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If I am disfellowshipped, will my family get disfellowshipped they...
by LayingLow ini have some family that would continue to associate with me even if i were disfellowshipped.
it is known by them that i am not truly an apostate (from yhwh and jesus).
i have come to a different conclusion than them after three years of intense activity at the hall.
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LayingLow
None of my immediate family (brothers, sisters, mother, father) are witnesses, but other members are (Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents). I don't believe any of them would cut off association with me based on their conscience or even from counsel from articles. What they might do is limit it extremely if they could be disfellowshipped for it, as they don't personally like my stance but neither care to disassociate themselves from me.
I've been extremely cautious for the sake of family ties. If it were up to me I'd have exposed the errors publicly and let the pieces fall where they may. I sort of feel like I'm selling out for family(at the expense of informing others), but at the same time, everyone has the same information available to them that I had. It was through the encouragement of the CO at a convention that got me back into intense Bible reading. And it was that same intense Bible reading that got me out of the organization. Also, there were many experiences in service that allowed me to see alternate interpretations of many scriptures(ones that probably hold many back from questioning further), so that when I finally could put it all the pieces together, I could see something different than the WTS had painted for me.
I don't intend to flaunt continued association, nor even necessarily to go with them to public places (as we have not done much in that way ever). Instead I usually visit them in their homes. I'm wondering if the elders would put an end to my familial door-to-door. -
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If I am disfellowshipped, will my family get disfellowshipped they...
by LayingLow ini have some family that would continue to associate with me even if i were disfellowshipped.
it is known by them that i am not truly an apostate (from yhwh and jesus).
i have come to a different conclusion than them after three years of intense activity at the hall.
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LayingLow
I have some family that would continue to associate with me even if I were disfellowshipped. It is known by them that I am not truly an apostate (from YHWH and Jesus). I have come to a different conclusion than them after three years of intense activity at the hall. I had doubts about certain doctrinal stances that the Society has taken that begged to be explored. Now I am finally searching for truth without a preconceived conclusion that my research must definitely lead me too (the published stance). I've not attended the meetings for some time, but I continue to receive tons of phone calls. The thing is, I had many friends, and really enjoyed the association when I believed the doctrine was true (sometimes I would get depressed when I didn't, and was elated when I did). I'm not sure if I can get into trouble for expressing doubts, leaving, and then just telling people I have issues I need to resolve and that I don't want to talk about it, when they call. I'm trying to preserve my family ties by being evasive but its becoming problematic. If I get called in again to another elders meeting they may forcibly disassociate me or disfellowship. I'm not sure, and I'd like to circumvent that if possible. But any other conclusion seems unlikely. -There's a little about me. Now if this happens, what are my family options? I've already realized that continued association with other in the org will not be possible. That is regrettable but necessary. However, I read in an online copy of 'Paying attention to the flock' that my family would not get disfellowshipped for associating with me if that happened, so long as they do not 'try to justify their wicked deed'. Anyone have any experience with this? I'd appreciate it.