Wow.... That was fascinating and revealing. The likeness to the JW experience is quite incredible. Almost everything they said had a parallel to the WTS world.
FWFranz
FWFranz
JoinedPosts by FWFranz
-
6
Jehovah's Witnesses v Scientologists - 36 min. YouTube
by Gayle inhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?nr=1&feature=endscreen&v=ie3e-ox3nmi.
these two organizations are "cult" cousins!
(though perhaps scientology is a bit worse - but they're both horrific).
-
-
-
21
A bit of a rant... the selfishness of older generations
by cedars ini was talking to mrs cedars earlier about one of the things that really frustrates me about our situation as "faders" - namely the fact that we are looked down on by our respective parents, not to mention other older generations of our family.
it strikes me that the incessant attempts to drag us back into unquestioned loyalty to the organization is actually extremely selfish, even though (in their minds) they have only our best interests at heart.. i think of it this way.
they made a decision when they were younger to follow in the footsteps of their own parents' faith - without doing objective research into the beliefs or history of the organization.
-
-
FWFranz
Hi Cedars
I do sympathize with your family predicament. Unfortunately, I am sure your parents will never fully let you off the hook. Time will eventually create the great divide that breaks up families. Its a WT specialty. Personally I think the best advice is to come clean with a full admission of all your doubts, new discoveries and reasons for being unable to return to the life of a JW. We know that the facts speak for themselves. If your parents refuse to listen or even consider your present evaluation then so be it. There really is no way to escape this reality, no matter how painful this will be. The WTS does not provide an easy exit. A gradual fade will only cause people to talk behind your back, inventing all kinds of false reasoning for why you left. I think its best to put ALL your cards on the table now. I recall a conversation that I had with Ray Franz and he had to laugh at all the things that people said about him and what motivated him to leave. Ray had a very dry sense of humour and sometimes I wasn't quite sure when he was being funny.
Years later I was talking with an old annointed brother who began to tell me why Ray Franz had left "the truth". I informed him that I knew Ray personally and had spoken with him at length about these matters. I also informed him that I had purchased both his books and had read them thoroughly. That silenced him pretty quickly. To his credit he sat there and listened while I gave him the facts.
If you share everything with your family it might provoke a reaction in them. They will immediately realize that your present mindset will necessitate them cutting you off. That will be upsetting for them and maybe, just maybe, they might bend an ear to some of your new found discoveries. I wouldn't challenge faith issues. That will shut them down completely. I realize that your faith has been shattered by your new found knowledge. As you already know there are countless inconsistencies within WT teachings and piles of failed predictions. I would work with those. My stock question to any JW is this. How do you explain the one true end time prophet of God, having all their predictions fail? Not a single prediction came true! Is that the mark of God's end time prophet. To say this is blasphemy!
Anyway, I wish you strength in this tough predicament. I will remember you in my prayers. I have been in these shoes for quite some time now.
FWFranz
-
85
Leolaia: Where is your story?
by pirata ini looked through your posts but couldn't find your life story.
have you written it?.
i would love to read your progression from/through jw to avid scholar :).
-
-
FWFranz
Hi Leolaia
Thanks for sharing your story. I have a question for you. After such intense study of the bible, would you say that its increased your faith?
FWFranz
-
77
Distrust and paranoia among faders
by cedars inhi guys.
i'm interested in knowing whether any other faders out there ever find themselves feeling a little paranoid about establishing contact with other faders or former jws, just in case the unthinkable happens and things turn sour.. personally, i'm now fairly comfortable with the idea that i will be disfellowshipped or disassociated within the next year or so.
i see it as inevitable, and an essential transition in order to do what i want to do with my life.
-
-
FWFranz
Hi Cedars
I walked away from the WTS in the late 1970's. Absolutely burned out from full time pioneer work and related duties. I didn't even have the luxury of contemplating my departure. It just happened one day. When I reflect on it now it must have appeared very strange to those who knew me. I was an uber zealous witness who one day just stopped going to meetings and ceased contact with any in my congregation. No one from the KH ever called or inquired about me from that day forward. Not a single call. Hard to believe but true. My family have been JW's since the late 1930's. Most of my relatives are in fact JW's. What I wasn't prepared for was the fact that from that day onward, none of them would speak to me again. 34 years ago was the last time I spoke to many of my relatives.
So, leaving is not the tough part. One must be mentally prepared for the isolation that will likely follow. It matters little to even my own mother that I never lost my Christian faith. Its the only thing that keeps me strong through all this madness. As Jesus said, we must count the cost of discipleship, and we must also count the cost of leaving the WTS. I hope your transition will be better than mine has been.
FWFranz
-
94
Unbelievable Assertion!!!!!!!
by The Searcher inwe had our special assembly day this weekend.. what the district overseer stated in his talk totally stunned me, and made me feel sick to my stomach.
he said, "christ is directing us through the governing body, and we cannot get holy spirit except through them!".
i do not wish to reveal all my thoughts on his statement, but i pray to god that it acts as a wake-up call to at least some of the audience.. suffice to say that the gb is now the mediator to our mediator, and from now on, i will have to pray for holy spirit through the name of the gb!!.
-
-
FWFranz
This appears to be an effort in further strengthening their position as God's only channel. Yet their teaching of how the holy spirit is given and works in the believer is clearly not stated anywhere in scripture. The spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, period. All NT examples show this to be a fact. They have attempted to push Christ out of the role as sole mediator for all Christains and now they have decided to "redirect" God's spirit through themselves. A classic example of the WTS attempting to rewrite the scriptures through their own perverted lens.
FWFranz
-
191
What is your religious belief now?
by jwfacts ini have a new poll at jwfacts.mobi/pollsarchive/ as i am very interested to see what people have moved on to believe.
as this is considered sensitive by some, you can answer anonymously at the jwfacts.mobi/pollsarchive/, or answer on this thread.
this is what i have created in the list, but feel free to add comments, corrections, or options i have missed.. .
-
-
FWFranz
Christian. I don't feel compelled to belong to any one particular denomination, but I have had wonderful fellowship among "Free Bible Students". For those who have left the WTS, they might feel comfortable with this group as there are numerous shared beliefs. ( no trinity, or immortal soul for example)
-
74
New video: Jehovah's Witnesses and Watchtower's secret child abuse letter
by cedars inwe have decided to let the world know what happened when our websites were shut down earlier this month by means of this new video..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_9efi84qnc.
huge thanks to nugget for lending us her gorgeous voice, and also to cantleave for his cameo role as the voice of the big bad watchtower!
cedars.
-
-
FWFranz
Hi Cedars
That was brilliant! I am glad to hear that your not intimidated by the big bad ole WTS. The WTS's dirty little secrects can't remain hidden for forever. Certainly not from God who will judge them in the end.
FWFRanz
-
49
Jehovah's Witness elder clears his conscious
by BlindersOff1 inhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be2ltdktyhe.
-
-
FWFranz
Wow... That was a very powerful personal story. I m glad he had the guts to share it with the world.
Hi ÁrbolesdeArabia I wanted to chime in with my own personal experience about NOT finishing high school as a 16 year old JW. On the morning of my 16th birthday I went to the principals office at 9:00am to announce that I was legally able to quit school. I started pioneering immediately with a vengence as the end was "right around the corner"! I was not the only one who did this. Of course I was held up as a shining example of a zealous preacher of truth. I shortly after attended the first "Pioneer School", studying the "Shining as Illuminators" book. Absolutely nobody batted an eye at quiting school to enter the full time work. This was in the mid 1970's and we all know the story well....
FWFranz
-
28
Anxiety Attacks At Meetings
by EmptyInside ini believe i posted on this before.
but,i was recently thinking back when i was still regularly going to meetings.
and how sometimes,just the thought of having to start to get ready to go,sent me in a panic.
-
-
FWFranz
Hi Emptyinside
I also suffered with some peculiar symptoms when attending meetings. I remember when I started attending meetings regularly that when I sat down in the KH that my stomach would start churning like mad and I had this overwhelming feeling like I was going to let the loudest fart in recorded human history. I would sit there thinking that if I squeezed my cheeks any tighter that my head was going to pop off. I am sure this sounds pretty hilarious, but at the time I was certain that I was going to embarass myself so badly that I would never be able to live it down. I also felt very uncomfortable after meetings, like a lot of those smiles where undoubtedly manufactured. The meetings where designed to keep you at such a high level of WT indoctrination that you where doped up enough just to last to the next one. All this was a million miles away from real Christianity. I do feel that my experience with the WT was for a specific purpose. To understand deeply what its like to be lost in a cult. Once again, a million miles from NT Christianity.
FWFranz
-
42
TV Ministry a No Go for Watchtower Society....ever wonder why?
by Terry inpastor russell had 20 million readers of his newspaper columns worldwide and as many eager students of his topical bible study, studies in the scriptures.. he advertised for 1000 preachers to sell his books door to door!.
the photo drama of creation wowed 9 million people in the early 1914 synchronizing film, hand colored frames and phonograph recordings.. state of the art!.
judge rutherford availed himself of victrola recordings of "religion is a snare and a racket!
-
-
FWFranz
Hi Terry
When I was pioneering in the mid 1970's I was recruited by the Toronto Bethel to work as a camera man on the Societies TV show called "The Bibles View". It was shot at a local TV station that provided free air time for some religious programming. 3 brothers would sit around a table discussing various topics. It ran for a few seasons. I did eventually meet all the Bethel heavies as they would often show up to watch the taping.
FWFranz