# ros4GB

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Posted by Michael001 [Michael001] on October 30, 1999 at 02:21:02 {G0PnT/qYmkiMxWEMCgXQqSPOADOmNU}:

I have been reading your posts. Like many others here, I am both curious and sceptical. It seems so implausible that a member of the GB should be doing what he is. It also seems to be almost too much of a coincidence that this should start in the very month that JWs are being urged not to go onto the Internet. On the other hand, similar events have occurred previously, so to finally know, we shall have to wait and see.

For my part, I am not overly concerned. It has been nearly 14 years since I decided that I was going to leave JWs. This was a gradual process, not caused by a single event but rather a growing mis-trust of what was being taught.

My story is one of being raised as a JW (second generation). As a child and young person I accepted things mainly because I think it is difficult to believe that your parents could be wrong. As I got into late teens and early twenties I began a serious examination of the some of the foundations of the doctrine, mainly the chronological argument. Study of books focussing on Daniel and Revelations (Babylon the Great has fallen…., Then is finished the mystery of God, etc.) convinced me in the context of external evidence that there were many flaws in argument. Having observed the events of 1975 first hand (I was 15 at this time) and the aftermath I realised that it was not “The Truth”. Additionally, when I checked some of the favourite quotes used I was presented with the fact that these had been taken out of context to support a particular piece of dogma.

When my son was born, I was presented with huge responsibility of bringing up a family. At that point I decided to take positive action and leave. Why should I follow things that I simply did not believe when I now had to help my son to grow up? I needed to take responsibility for my own life and that of my family, something I did not feel was permitted being a JW. I did not know where things would lead, as my wife was still an active JW at that time, but I knew that I did not want to continue going through the motions any longer. So I left. Over time, my wife left too. We remain married and have reshaped our lives significantly.

I think that I remain interested to see what’s happening because of the impact being a JW had on my life as a young person. I have been looking around the different sites for that last few months, posting intermittently on some but not taking too much of an active part in the ongoing debates. What I do observe are people at different stages of what might be regarded as the healing process. Early on lots of anger and bitterness, gradually mellowing as people get their lives back under control. This is reflected to some extent through the differing types of messages which your posts have provoked. What is obvious is that there is a shared experience amongst ex-JWs. There is a very good support network in cyberspace because we understand each other. We have been through largely the same thing, and this is true wherever we live across the globe. Loss of all our friends, in some cases family, belief system turned upside down, incredulity at how naive we have been and so forth. Some people have maintained a religious perspective on life. Others like my self do not and would not trust religion of any description any more.

My personal issues would point to the impact your doctrine had on my education and resulting career opportunities. Back in the mid-70s, we were urged to leave school and go pioneering, working part time because of the “nearness of the time of the end”. My parents were urged to sell up and go pioneering. Fortunately, they did not! Where would they be today? Fortunately for me conversations about future direction at 16 with an elder led me to take a better job rather than tow the “society” line. In retrospect, it is clear now that he was also disenchanted and had experienced the results of trying to make a decent living with a poor education. He gave me sensible advice and I am thankful for that still.

My message to not only the GB, but to people managing the JW organization at all levels (i.e. elders, servants etc.) is simply this: You seriously affect lives. Do not under-estimate the impact you have and do not under estimate how long people take to be able to live with themselves following either their rejection of you, or your rejection of them. I believe that the way your people act is very questionable within what purports to be a christian context.

What I observe in the case of the internet is simply a repeat of history. I remember the advent of the video recorder in the late 70s and how similar messages came out from the WT. What I have had the ability to observe through the net, is the ensuing debate between witnesses using the net with the resulting dilemma that they are faced with: To stay on the net or to leave? I must admit that I have felt deeply sympathetic with some of the posts on witnesses.net where people have had to decide or not. Sometimes the stories have been very moving in for example the case of the disabled person who used it as their primary method of staying in touch with people in her belief system. There are many dilemmas being worked out there in real time now. I simply do not understand how the GB et al can carry on being so proscriptive! I must admit that I also find it difficult to understand any more why people should be so worried about it, but that follows a long period of departure for me. If I put myself back 20 years, then no doubt I would have been the same!

Whatever your position is, to me it is irrelevant. If you are who you say you are, then this is simply another story you can add to the many others which support the ideas you are currently publishing. I personally do not believe that root and branch reform will be possible. This then leaves you then to come to terms with your new situation. One thing is certain, you will find a surprising amount of support out here and I wish you success in your new endeavour.

If you are not who you say you are, then so what? Life goes on, and people do what they want to do anyway!

Follow Ups:

- *ros4GB Joe 18:17:25 10/30/99 (0)
- *ros4GB U got that 07:24:54 10/30/99 (0)
- *ros4GB Beaver 06:26:51 10/30/99 (1)
  - **ros4GB Michael001 06:59:51 10/30/99 (0)
- *ros4GB Observer 03:48:08 10/30/99 (4)
  - **ros4GB Michael001 07:21:30 10/30/99 (1)
    - ***ros4GB Observer 08:16:19 10/30/99 (0)
  - **ros4GB ros 07:06:39 10/30/99 (1)
    - ***ros4GB Observer 07:47:34 10/30/99 (0)

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