Posted by Dutchy [Dutchy] on November 25, 1999 at 01:17:01 {yaNwUlwC5cAkfyNSbjKIpcorTDtPjg}:
In Reply to: ***********With a Bang posted by Cheeky on November 24, 1999 at 15:25:06:
Hi Cheeky,
You seem to have a fairly broad view of what's going on in the real world.
you said:
::One day, I just decided I hated religion and everything that it stood for. In a lot of different aspects. When the witnessess came to my door, my main objective what to smash their beliefs as well. I ended up learning ****a lot*** about the bible and Gods future plans instead of being in the dark wondering. I tried really hard to dismiss what they were saying and couldn't. Hence....here I am. They made more sense to me from the bible than anyone ever did or ever has so far.
Your story is not a-typical for Witnesses that joined on a later age (i.e. that are not born in the org.)
The witnesses presented you answers to questions that probably might have been lurking in the back of your head anyway, in spite of your rational decision of not wanting anything to do with religion anymore.
The reason you were not able to refute their arguments was becuase you were not acquinted with their debating techniques at the time, it had less to do with the validity of their arguments.
On this board, and on numerous sites on the Internet, there's tons of info, that, if you would have had the opportunity to access it back then when you searched for answers would have refuted every single one of their points.
With accepting *their* answers to *their* questions, you adopted their "us-vs.-them" mentality, and all info that refutes their points has become hostile to you now, as it threatens your *own* security of having all the answers now.
It's also an investment you made, and nobody wants to hear he/she's put their money on the wrong horse.
But I don't assume all this is news for you.
Cheeky, good luck on your journey.
D.