This is to inbetween and any other JW who has finally start to question certain doctrines etc. in the JW organization.
I am not a JW nor have I ever been. My sister, however, became one forty years ago through her husband and his familly. My sister has been physically 9her husband began giving her black eyes in front of her 4 sons when they were young) and mentally abusing her telling her she was stupid, fat, etc etc.
He also is a "serial whore," going outside his marriage from the very start with many women. Eventually, his lustful nature caught up with him and another woman had a child by him about 12 years ago. My sister found out when the woman called her and told her not only about the child, but told her how horribly he would put her down and talk about her to this woman.
He also gave his youngest son a horrible complex by putting him down and making fun of him as a child when he failed to learn to read until 7 years old. This young man, now grown, went into a rage a few years ago and callling his father a "hypocrite" hit him upside his head (I don't know what he used, but he required stitches).
They claim to live in the world, but not be of it, yet he has always made sure he drove Cadillacs, moved to the suburbs from his home in the city, hung gold jerelry around his neck, etc.
When I finaally learned that the situation was worse than I had imagined, I asked my sister (who is four years older than me, and turned sicty lasy Occtober), why she stayed with this monster all these years. Her reply was: "They (The JW Organization) told me I couldn't leave him."
I was flabbergasted, to say the least. I reiterated my belief that this is a CULT and anyway, God gave you a BRAIN for a reason.
We were raised in the Lutheran Church, and although I stopped going to church as a teenager myself, I never stopped believing or loving my creator and His son Jesus, my savior. I would go on to get involved in drugs for years before one day (and after my husband praying for me after joining a Holiness Church), I dropped to my knees in my living room, and there alone in the house, I asked God to forgive me for all my sins I had ever done, and to please save me. I confessed my belief in His son Jesus Christ, and from that moment my life changed, and has never been the same since.
I have been endowed with His Holy Spirit and even after my husband died in front of my eyes from a heart attack, I have had peace that goes beyond understanding, just like the Bible teaches.
I especially wanted to share my newfound salvation with my sister, but for the last five years, I have been unable to help her open her eyes and realize that she is NOT in the "true religion" and even though I have studied every bit of the JW literature and bible that they ALTERED to fit their unbiblical doctrines, I have been unable to even have my sister READ the Bible for herself, without using the propagandistic, slick, and inflammatory teachings.
I could give you NUMEROUS examples that go against God's/Jesus teachings, but suffice it to say that IF you have DISCERNMENT that ONLY the Holy Spirit can give you, you can and will easily be swayed by this demonic organizagtion- yes, I said demonic. It is NOT of God. As Timothy said, it is a "form of godliness." And, yes, I know that the JW's teach exactly that about "Christendom." But please know this, if you don't know anything else: Satan is very cunning. The Bible tells us he was the First Liar and he will even use God's Word to get to you. Do not take him for granted. Remember, as the Bible also says, he comes to kill and destroy you.
One last example of the wrong teachings and practices of the JW: I discovered that everyone is NOT allowed to partake in Holy Communion, as Jesus instituted at the Last Supper. My sister told me she only gets to "pass the cup" but never drinks or partakes in eating the wafer as symbol of His body and blood. How sad!! There is not one word that you can find where Jesus said it was "only for certain ones." And, who are HUMAN BEINGS, like you and me, that get to decide who gets to partake or not?
And I won't even go into the history of the JW's where they were giving numerous dates time and time again as to the end of the world. The Bible CLEARLY says that NO MAN KNOWS THE HOUR, and that He will come as a thief in the night. Why would anyone believe that this organization is the "true religion" when there is so much BLATANT heresy being taught? And as for whether Jesus died on a tree as opposed to a cross... OR Christmas trees and Christmas is PAGAN, and His REAL name is Jehovah ONLY, I can only refer you to the Old Testament which sums up the whole thing: "God looks at the heart." So no matter what or when I celebrate Jesus birthday, or put up my tree, it is my HEART that He looks at. That is ALL THAT MATTERS TO MY FATHER IN HEAVEN. He wants to know that I love Him more than anything and anyone, that I worship and adore Him. I hardly think MY GOD would punish or penalize me for such silly, petty things.
If the JW's would stop being obsessed with their meetings where they only seem to zero in on a lot of unimportantand silly things, and if they would simply start to PRAISE AND WORSHIP our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they would discover what God will do for them too- just as He has done for me and others. Finally, I also notice that they skim past the most important teaching in the Bible- and that is HOW we are saved. It is by FAITH ALONE; good works will come naturally when you believe. You cannot do "good works" to get into paradise. Speaking of paradise, as for being on the "New Earth," yes, the old testament does mention that. BUT, it does not elaborate any further, and in fact, Jesus talked of HEAVEN, and compared it to many things in parables, NUMEROUS times. He NEVER spoke about the "new earth." Why can't JWs just believe in what the Bible does say, and leave the rest alone. There are many mysteries of God, including the three "aspects" of God, The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost. It is NOT FOR OUR PUNY BRAINS to understand everything about our Creator! Stop letting men give you their own version of what they THINK the Bible means. Whatever is there that you don't understand, just let it be and have FAITH and simply LOVE HIM AND EACH OTHER. It will be revealed perhaps when we leave this earthly plane, but until then stop trying to figure out things you will NEVER understand in this state of being.