in the last few weeks it seems that instead of one or two new posters a week we seem to be getting several every day.
many seem to be long time jw's who are troubled by the path of the organisation.
this is really encouraging to those of us who have been here sometime.. welcome!
Steady stream goes in and a steady stream goes out. Nothing new.
There is some truth to that, but misleading. The halls might be packed but I wonder how many are there in dissent and out of obligation. There parking lots may seam full but there coffers are drying up. Not a cent from me, that's how I vote...."Nada"
MC
in the last few weeks it seems that instead of one or two new posters a week we seem to be getting several every day.
many seem to be long time jw's who are troubled by the path of the organisation.
this is really encouraging to those of us who have been here sometime.. welcome!
The Watchtower might be sowing seeds of mistrust but what's new, they have been instilling Fear, Guilt and Suspicion of others for as long as i can remember. We just had our CO visit and wow, I will just say extreme, everything is geared towards end time paranoia, don't trust the strangers voice(apostates) also the New's outlets are controlled by Satan don't believe what you hear on TV or the internet, only listen to the shepherds voice, be submissive to God arrangement. Blah, blah, blah.
He said "anyone who says the end hasn't come, it wont come in my lifetime is apostasy". To even think it is "enemy of truth". Oh Brother talk about mind control, a few years ago I would of been squeezing my wife's hand and nodding in agreement looking for the stranger among us.What a delusional bunch we were, now I see it for what it is complete bullshit.
As far as the Watchtower sending spy's here or to other websites to out Elder's or others that have escaped their mental bonds, I say let them. They will have to send mature Brothers; MS or Elders to come take a look and If there honest they will have to deal with the conundrum or as we refer to it TTATT.
Last I would like to welcome all the new posters, there are to many to name, and a lot of Elders & MS. If your honest the road ahead is clear your journey is long but the destination is mental freedom, freedom does not come cheap.
If your married, as I am, know I feel your struggle and the anguish and helplessness of not being able to reach the person you love, the only person who really new you, the person you have shared everything with, tears and pain with. The person you choose as well because they where sincere Christian of Jehovah's witnesses, the future you would share in a perfect world, perfect children, rebuilding a earth paradise. Now you are the stranger, they look at you with disappointment their life shattered, ruined there dream gone because of you. You cant replace there utopia all you have is reason and truth. So I share this, with pain in my heart but I know I am not alone and I'm not the cause of so much disappointment that I have brought into my life and marriage, knowing the "truth about the truth" has been difficult but necessary, liberating. I look forward to the next five years when we will be over the hump, kids will be out and my wife, well we will see. I just spend as much time with the family and try to teach them about the beauty of life.
MC
i just "da'd" friday.
i've been posting on here for years but do to anonymity, i had to start with a new account.
would love to connect with anyone that i may know.
well, well, that was quite a heartfelt welcome on this site four days ago.
thank you all for the encouraging replies.
one of them was this one from magnum: "hey now, don't just pop your head in and disappear.
Welcome to all the newbies, as you can see we keep a tidy home. Make yourselves comfortable.
MC
i have been lurking on the site for a few months and thought it about time i plucked up the courage to step out of the shadows and say hello.. i am in the process of fading after realizing all is not right with the organization i had trusted implicitly for over 40 years.
there have always been 'truths' i have struggled to accept entirely, even as a child, but was confident that trusting in jehovah, building my faith and remaining patient would be enough to settle any nagging doubts that remained, so i pushed any inconsistencies to the back of my mind and concentrated on being the best witness that i could be.. over the last few years, however, i have been preoccupied with a number of crises in my family and stepping back slightly from 'theocratic' activity has allowed me to re evaluate a number of concerns and research sources other than the sanitized wt publications.. my eyes are now wide open - i found things which have appalled me and left me feeling extremely let down and disappointed by people i had really trusted.. i tried gently raising a few subjects with my mum (who was baptized early '70s and still remains a staunch wt supporter) but she will hear no criticism of the organization.
i understand this because the best part of her life has been invested in the religion and to acknowledge it may have got things wrong would be to recognize the last 40 years have been a vain waste.
Work and family situations are going well so I tend to speak about that rather than spiritual matters. I want my friends to realise that true happiness and success isn't dependent on abject devotion to WT.
This is in fact how I feel as well. I woke up around 3 yrs ago and it has been a very difficult process up until last year, Ive realized, Ive been deceive by a movement that is larger then my immediate circle of friends and congregation, so I hold no animosity towards them. I gave them my life and offered them my family's life for a utopian fantasy. Because of obligation and guilt I'm complicit in spreading their deception.
I stops here, its stops now. I don't answer their calls, I don't return texts and I don't let them interrogate me in any way shape or form. I stand my ground as graciously as possible and respond with everything is fantastic even if its not. I now devote my time and energy to my family and my business and making this world a better place than I found it. I enjoy every day for the miracle it is and take nothing for granted.
Welcome to the forum take your shoes off and relax
MC
so it's official, i am happy to report that we merged with another congregation having the same problem.
why is it good news???
because people are either waking up, fading or just not buying into this organization any longer or walking away.... i think many young ones are just not buying into it as much, i see many in the congregation i go to very depressed and some i know personally going thru major depression especially the young "sisters" in their early 20s.... .
I've seen this as well, In my sisters congregation (english) they dissolved her congregation and made them merge with another congregation in another hall about 20 min away. This was because of lack of attendance. I also know of kids from the spanish congregations that are leaving in droves in my area, I think the younger spanish generation is more educated and are not easily manipulated as their predecessors.
Its a matter of time, the elderly will pass away and the young leave, this will leave them with a dilemma. Their biggest growth is in third world country's with limited incomes and minimal education, so how do you protect your assets? Mandatory contributions, liquidation of some assets and re branding yourself (jw.org). I believe all the changes we have seen is directly connected to their shrinking numbers in more affluent country's and all the lawsuits you can see the desperation in there eyes. That's why we are seeing new ones come here on a daily basis, we need to be mindful of there presence they might come off as apologetics but are battered and lost and are looking for answers.
MC
i am going to engage on a trip to the past and share with you some of the matters that marked the beginning of the jws persecution in cuba.
you will be surprised that the pattern that was followed is very similar to what happened in other dictatorial countries.. in the cuban case, i am going to surprise you and tell you that like what happened with hitler; the wt was partially responsible for their clash and confrontation with the cuban government.
during the early 60s the revolution was fighting for survival and they were willing and ready to demolish any perceived enemy to their cause.. a prime example was their war against the catholic church that was the most influential religious entity in the country; it took the supreme leader only a few public discourses to send the vast majority of clergy packing and back to their country, in this case spain.. the jehovah’s witnesses were an insignificant minority but they over estimated their importance and displayed a belligerent attitude, it was known that this was a us based religion and an easy target to connect them with the cia.
Thanks for posting this, I love history especially Watchtower History it feeds my current resolution for being here.
I once asked a brother why God would allow deception or misrepresentation from his earthly organization? The most powerful force of the universe would really seem unnecessary? He said "Jehovah has allowed any means necessary for the survival of his organization even if that means deception". At the time i was fully engaged in the kool aid supplementation, now in retrospect I would of said "But wasn't Satan the Father of the lie, the one called deceiver. God vilified him because of the original LIE." We profess to have the TRUTH, yet defended by lies. Now I know there was no original lie, and there is no current truth. Its all just a billion dollar corporation trying to protect their assets. Its all quite simple really.
so, a few years ago my jw parents, my non jw sister and her husband, and myself were discussing religion and jw beliefs.
my parents of course defending the jw's, the rest of us, against jw's ( it may not have been specifically against jw's, maybe just religion in general) anyway, things are getting a little heated, and i finally ask my pops, if the watchtower bible and tract society told you to go out and start killing muslims, would you do it?
yes i would, was his reply, to which i say, then your not any different than the radical muslims killing in the name of religion.
just thought i'd introduce myself and share my story.
up front, i'm not bitter.
okay now that that's out the way..... i first heard "the truth" when i was about 14 years old from a friends mom who was studying.
Thanks ‘Keverknew ‘for that great video, logical and to the point.
Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world and the soulless conditions. Its is the opium of the people. Karl Mark
okay, i'm about to engage in a major word vomit.
just giving you fair warning as your time may be better spent somewhere else.. so, i'm sitting on my lunch break, bawling my eyes out, and writing on this forum to people i don't know yet probably have a great deal in common with but at the same time, used to scare the daylights out of me.
for years, i would come across this forum and 'lurk' awhile if you will, or see things on youtube.
Hi stephanie61092
There are so many new ones coming to this site, You need to ask yourself why? Your story resonates in so many of us here. The best advice I can give you is to take a break from it all, give your self time to heal. It was very difficult for me to wrap my mind around everything all at once and I should of seen a therapist. I think of all this stuff when I go to bed and when I wake up. I come here because I have no one else that I can relate too and talk honestly with. Funny thing is their are a lot of people around me but I'm really all alone. Welcome to this forum take your time and think things through. There is no need to rush into another belief system just breath.
MC
