Posts by BonaFide

14

Hi Everyone I'm Still in but trying to leave.

by former2free in

jw
friends

i have been raised as a jw and now i recently found out how full of crap it all is.

the lies are just unbelievable at this point.

on a side note my parents and my brother all want to leave too my dad is still in as an elder.

BonaFide

Hi Former2Free. I am also a long time Witness. I would say be very careful, and do not under any circumstances say that you do not believe the Witnesses or the Faithful Slave. I did that a few months ago, and my family and friends started to shun me. They did not care nor reason about anything, it was all about "Do you support the Faithful Slave." Some on this forum will tell you to leave the Witnesses, leave whatever friends are still in, start a new life.

I disagree for those of us that want to keep family and friends. For those of us that want to help our families, its better to try the undercover approach. What has been working really well for me is to support the Organization. I go in service, I give talks, I comment. I talk about how great the Faithful Slave is. And then I introduce a topic, like Blood Transfusions. For example:

"I am so glad the Society now allows blood fractions. I was talking to a Hospital Liasion Committee brother, and he told me that blood is almost all water, and the other 7% is fractions. So basically we are taking blood, but only after it is broken down. I am glad the faithful slave made this change. And those that died will be resurrected anyway."

Or

"I don't understand why some people leave the Organization over the pedophile issue. Jehovah loves children, and for those kids that are molested, he will erase their memories at Armageddon. We should just trust Jehovah. If there is a pedophile in the congregation, we shouldnt worry, just have faith in Jehovah. And trust the elders. We have to respect the principle in the Bible of having two witnesses. Jehovah will not bless us unless we respect those principles and try to go ahead of the Organization. That is the most important thing, the Organization, not our children."

I have been having good results doing this. Just remember, no matter what, always say you support the Faithful Slave and the Governing Body. Then you can say whatever you want. Its funny because now my friends are saying, "Yes, I support the slave but this point that we learned seems wrong." Then I counsel them and say it doesnt matter what the Faithful Slave teaches, we should believe it. I tell them that if the Faithful Slave says to jump off a bridge, we should do it.

So make you decision how you want to go about this. When I was honest, everyone shunned me. When I pretend I believe, I can say practically anything, AND GET PEOPLE TO THINK.

BF

22

No emotional highs/lows in jw lives

by rebel8 in

jw
friends

if you've taken sociology 101 or read sociology books, you've seen discussions of the functions holidays serve.

without consulting my textbooks, here are a few of them.

honor important eventsreaffirm cultural, social, or familial tiesrestexperience joyin essence---enjoy life and have strong ties to the community and family!.

BonaFide

I actually did have some emotional high's growing up as a Witness. I think a lot of it has to do with perception of events as important. So my first talk, my baptism, visiting Bethel, those were big deals that everyone around me made me feel were special. I was given gifts also when I reached spiritual milestones.

When I was even younger my family had parties for all the Witness kids in the congregation, about twice a year. They said it was better than birthdays, and I believed it. We had a great time.

Traveling to conventions, visiting Bethel, I really felt like I was having a great time. Yes, some of it was boring, but like when I went to the Gilead Graduation in NY I was thrilled. I dressed my best, so did everyone else. It was a major big deal to be invited.

Now that I look back, I have to say I did enjoy many things, I did have emotional highs. Those around me said those things are very important, so I believed it.

BF

30

Why do we say Witness teachings are idiotic - Weren't all of us Witnesses?

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

so many on this forum talk about how witnesses are stupid, ignorant, unable to reason, and brainwashed.

we also pick apart the watchtower as having such stupid teachings, and how anyone can see all of it is so ridiculous.

some use terms like the filthful slave, and the washtowel.. yet, many of us were witnesses for years, or even decades.

BonaFide

I often wish I had realized when I was in my 20's that it wasnt the "truth." I became a missionary and put my life in danger many times, and didn't get a real education. At least I had fun sometimes, and I did make some friends - I think.

BF

27

Did people with those signs outside the assemblies and meetings strengthen or weaken your beliefs?

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

whenever i saw people with signs against the witnesses outside the assemblies, it always strengthened my belief that the witnesses were right.. what about you?.

bf.

BonaFide

Whenever I saw people with signs against the Witnesses outside the assemblies, it always strengthened my belief that the Witnesses were right.

What about you?

BF

30

Why do we say Witness teachings are idiotic - Weren't all of us Witnesses?

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

so many on this forum talk about how witnesses are stupid, ignorant, unable to reason, and brainwashed.

we also pick apart the watchtower as having such stupid teachings, and how anyone can see all of it is so ridiculous.

some use terms like the filthful slave, and the washtowel.. yet, many of us were witnesses for years, or even decades.

BonaFide

Outlaw, you are smarter than me, and I thought I was pretty smart. I didn't even start to doubt until maybe three years ago. Before that I sometimes would disagree with some points, but I thought for sure that Jehovah would correct things in due time. I believed it was the truth.

BF

30

Why do we say Witness teachings are idiotic - Weren't all of us Witnesses?

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

so many on this forum talk about how witnesses are stupid, ignorant, unable to reason, and brainwashed.

we also pick apart the watchtower as having such stupid teachings, and how anyone can see all of it is so ridiculous.

some use terms like the filthful slave, and the washtowel.. yet, many of us were witnesses for years, or even decades.

BonaFide

So many on this forum talk about how Witnesses are stupid, ignorant, unable to reason, and brainwashed. We also pick apart the Watchtower as having such stupid teachings, and how ANYONE can see all of it is so ridiculous. Some use terms like the Filthful Slave, and the Washtowel.

Yet, many of us were Witnesses for YEARS, or even DECADES. We couldn't see it. We believed it.

So why do we say these things about current Witnesses and the Watchtower?

What you say?

BF

11

I always loved the Memorial

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

i am about to leave for the memorial in a few minutes.

family and friends in, you know.. i was raised "in the truth.

" i grew up really thinking the memorial was such a big deal.

BonaFide

I am about to leave for the Memorial in a few minutes. Family and friends in, you know.

I was raised "in the truth." I grew up really thinking the Memorial was such a big deal. Even when I was older and I gave the Memorial talk (In foreign countries missionaries get to do it) I really felt it was important.

I would think about Jesus Christ and all he did for us. I would think of the anointed and how they are being used by Jehovah. I would do the pre-Memorial Bible reading.

I know many on here feel differently, calling it the "reject Jesus" meeting and other terms like that. And I know now that it isn't what I thought it was.

But maybe some of you can remember a time when the Memorial was important to you, the most important meeting of the year. WE REALLY BELIEVED IT, and if someone criticized us, remember what we would say about them?

BF

13

Understand the Witness mindset before we blast them with facts

by BonaFide in

telling a witness "hey, all the stuff you teach is bs" may be correct, but does that approach work?

i have been reading on here how several have tried that direct method with their family or friends.

it didnt work for me, and now i am having more and more success by repeating that i support the organization and the faithful slave, then i bring up "an interesting point".

BonaFide

By the way, I still go in service and to meetings. I have so many opportunities. The elders HAVE NO IDEA what I am doing and I really feel I am getting more done this way than by standing outside the KH with a sign, or blasting my friends with facts. They wouldnt listen to me if I was disassociated. They wouldnt even say hello. But this way, I am getting a lot of info to them.

BF

13

Understand the Witness mindset before we blast them with facts

by BonaFide in

telling a witness "hey, all the stuff you teach is bs" may be correct, but does that approach work?

i have been reading on here how several have tried that direct method with their family or friends.

it didnt work for me, and now i am having more and more success by repeating that i support the organization and the faithful slave, then i bring up "an interesting point".

BonaFide

Telling a Witness "Hey, all the stuff you teach is BS" may be correct, but does that approach work? I have been reading on here how several have tried that direct method with their family or friends. It didnt work for me, and now I am having more and more success by repeating that I support the Organization and the Faithful Slave, then I bring up "an interesting point". Then I bring up about the UN or pedophiles in the congregations or Noah's flood. Then I say again, "But I support the Organization" or maybe, "Thats why I support the Organization no matter what, because even if something seems weird, no one is perfect and we have to wait on Jehovah." Little by little I bring out more and more stuff.

If someone on here has had success using the direct method, that is, "Hey, you know that the Witnesses are liars and false prophets" then let me know. It seems to me the direct method does not work because the Witness always will say to wait on Jehovah or we are imperfect, or some other excuse.

The sneaky method is opening up a lot of conversations for me.

And you? What's working, and what's not working?

BF

15

I went on a Bible Study yesterday

by BonaFide in

an older sisters invited me on a study yesterday.

she wanted me to join them because i was a missionary.

we told her how it is a loving arrangement.

BonaFide

An older sisters invited me on a study yesterday. She wanted me to join them because I was a missionary. The woman has been studying over a year. The study was about Jesus being qualified to be a good ruler. He showed love to all, sinners, tax collectors, children, everyone. The sister talked about how Jesus always loved everyone, etc, etc. I made several comments about how tax collectors were despised at that time, and how Jesus didnt care what the Pharisees thought. The paragraph was talking about how we should imitate Jesus love. So since I had made all these supportive comments, I made one more. I said:

"Yes, and nowadays, we imitate Jesus and we treat everyone alike. Unless they are disfellowshipped or excommunicated. Then we don't talk to them at all."

The study looked surprised and she said, "What do you mean?" So I explained to her that since she has been studying a year, its good to know that. I explained how it is a loving arrangement to help the person to repentance. The sister cut in and tried to explain to the study about how it helps the person. When she was finished I said that those are the only ones we don't talk to, we don't even say hello. So the study said, "Hold on here. Wait. What is this now?" So we explained again, we stayed over two hours, and I explained how we can't say hello to those who are unrepentant sinners. And also that we don't tell this to students too early because they may not understand. But it is a loving arrangement. And I explained how we limit our association with worldly people, people not Witnesses. I told her that Jesus could do it, because he was perfect, but we can't. We told her how it is a loving arrangement. She said finally, "Well, I will have to get my head around that."

After the study the sister said that she doesnt usually bring that up. So I told her that I learned when I was a missionary to bring things up after a few months so the study knows what they are getting into. Otherwise, its not fair to someone who may have a hard time avoiding sin. And we want to have a student that knows everything that we know, right? We are not hiding anything because we are the truth.

The sister said well, the study was interesting.

BF