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Critics of Jehovah`s Witnesses/Hello again Andrew
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Hey Andrew,thanks for taking the time to respond.
I have to admit,I was expecting to get my head torn off!(ha-ha)Thanks for holding back!
As I stated,I used to work with a Jehovahs Witness.
So,the reason I was browsing through this area,was to get an idea of what they believe.Without being talked down to,or (guided)!
No,I don't consider them my enemies.But I do see it as false teaching,so,I feel it is something I shouldn't be a part of.I don't claim to know all of God's thought's.But,being a believer in the bible,I DO claim to know some of them.That being said,I feel it to be the right thing to do to correct an individual when (unfortunatly)they twist what HE DID SAY!
I couldn't agree more about blocking out the world to quietly listen to God.And for what it's worth,I have NO right to judge or hate anyone.
Even (unfortunatly)if there is a group of people cutting up (or whatever)animals,surrounded by a billion candles,and chanting praises to satan himself!All while worshiping goats,cows,or a tree stump for that matter!Believing what I do,I DON'T hate them.In fact,I fear for them,and can only pray that they have a change of heart before thier own passing.
I feel the same way about the ancient egyptians.All of thier praising of (Gods),obsession with precious metals,thier own demanding of selfworship,and possesion of forced slavery.They went so far as to bury themselves with all they wanted to "take with them"to the next life,including servants(buried ALIVE).Swearing the (Gods) would protect thier tombs!Today we see hundreds,if not thousands of people looting,and dragging thier bodies out to be studied.
My point is,ALL of these different beliefs throughout history (including wearing purple shoes and commiting suicide to catch a comet...WOW)all have teachings & beliefs that I can't phathom how people sit and,well....believe!
Yes,I was raised to be a believer in Jesus.But I did question,look around,and attend various churchs.Not only do I feel it in my heart to be right,but It Is the only story of creation,purpose,and destination that makes SENSE!
Again,Your Thoughts....Please! Kevin
Dear Kevin,
I do not wish to challenge your beliefs. But as you have asked for my thoughts, I will try to comment honestly...
I understand that you consider the Bible the word of God. I have deep respect for the Bible because millions of people have found grace in it's pages and elevated their lives by following it's values.
However, is it really the direct word of God? Even Bible believers generally say it is not, but rather is the indirect word of God, written down by men in response to divine inspiration.
There exists disagreement on whether the Bible actually reflects what God himself said. Of course, it is up to you to decide whether such disagreement is worthwhile.
Myself, I believe God has inspired men throughout the ages, and some of the men He inspired wrote down their experience, therefore the Bible and other holy scriptures reflect a worthwhile account of such divine experiences. Feeding our minds on such experiences, if done in a spiritual, non-intellectual way, can be the most rewarding pursuit of life!
However, you and I can have the same kind of experiences, receiving the same kind of inspiration from God, and this experience is even more rewarding.
So the direct word of God, from my point of view, is not received through scripture, but rather is received in answer to prayer, when we tune in to divine whisperings, and is difficult to quantify and intellectualize, which is why the holy scriptures of different cultures seem different even though they contain the same universal messages. Therefore, the "direct word of God" to me means received inspiration, and is a very private personal matter.
By letting go of attachment to the meaning and interpretation of scripture, I am able to experience "the peace of God that excels all thought", because I then enter into a state of being which does not depend upon intellectual processes, including analysis of scripture, interpretation of scriptural meaning, comparison of scripture against the practices of others, interpretation of the meaning of the practices of others, and especially drawing conclusions (judgements) about how well others are aligning their practices with my interpretation about the will of God. These are all intellectual and non-spiritual processes.
Spiritual processes include affirmation, making room for awe, abandoning judgement, abandoning attachment, prayer, opening ourselves to divine whisperings, believing in God, ourselves, and our fellowman, loving everyone and everything, and seeing the good in others no matter what.
When I put the meaning of scripture ahead of scripture itself, that is love ahead of intellect, then I focus on the being rather than the doing of my fellow man, and especially of myself. Then it becomes possible to realize my potential, embrace every living thing as a brother, and the behavior of others becomes completely unimportant.
I hope this makes sense to you in answer to your inquiry about my thoughts. But if it doesn't make sense, that's OK, because God will give you your spiritual food in answer to prayer much better than I ever could.
Love & Blessings,
Andrew
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Andrew
Expertise
I don't object to Witness theology, but rather their use of social pressure & deceptive manipulations to undermine family ties and control minds. (This may seem contradictory to Witnesses, who draw no distinction between spiritual belief and organizational policy.) I do not engage in theological debate. I support persons impacted by an experience with the Witnesses and advocate early education for everyone so that they can protect themselves from cults by understanding what to watch out for. (It's not what most people think.)
(Ex-)Witnesses: I know how upsetting it is to experience doubts (or anger) about your experience. Time does not heal this wound until you first remove the splinter, which takes more time and effort than you may realize. So, unless you have already put in that time and effort, don't be surprised if you are deeply affected long after the experience. But there is good news! You're NOT an enemy of God for doubting or for failing to meet the requirements of a human organization. An organization that lies cannot be the exclusive spokesman for the God of Truth. Tell me where you're at. I'll understand. I can show you how to begin or continue your recovery and make a life for yourself worth living.
Non-Witnesses: Describe your experience with your friend/relative who is (becoming) a Witness. I can help you understand the Witness indoctrination and social dynamics that are affecting him or her. I can help you put your options into perspective. Keep in mind that people do make their own choices (even though they may sometimes do so under outside influence) and you may not be able to affect this person's choices, even though they impact on you. After all, you do not have the arsenal of tactics that a cult does (and wouldn't want to). A few people manage to save their friend/relative, but don't count on it. What you can count on is navigating the maze more successfully by becoming more informed about your own options.
Experience
I was a Witness for 30 years, and a volunteer at their headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, for a year. I have attended meetings with many Witness congregations across the United States, a thorough cross-section, carefully observing patterns of behavior. Although being a Witness was difficult, and I gradually had more and more doubts about Witness teachings--I was a true believer, so I kept trying to make it work somehow. I stopped attending meetings in 1997 only after receiving an answer to a prayer about doing so, and have since been actively involved in recovery. This includes both my own and supporting others in theirs. Recovery can include reading books, communicating with others in recovery, and participating in support groups and/or therapy. It always involves reclaiming one's own mind and discovering the other sides of the issues that you have been blinded to in the past.
My gradual awakening was socially, psychologically, and spiritually tumultuous. I lost everything from my former life. My suffering was substantial.
But I have gained everything, so it was worth it. Only after beginning my recovery did I gain social, psychological, and spiritual healing and growth, peace of mind, and self-respect. Only then did I discover who I am; and--for the first time--the meaning of real brotherly love.
For more resources on this topic, try these web sites:
http://freeminds.org/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freedomofmind/
Education/Credentials
Like most Cult Recovery Counselors, I am a cult survivor. I have life experience, not professional training. Also I feel no need to apologize for that. People with professional training cannot understand what it is like to survive a cult unless they have been through it themselves, which few professional therapists have. Understanding what really happened and what works in this unusual social context is as important as psychological training. Most professional therapists are not specifically trained to support cult survivors. Those who are represent a rare and precious resource.
I sometimes refer people to professional therapists regarding deep personal issues. But surviving a cult is a broad experience with other dimensions. Professional therapy can be very helpful as part of your recovery process, assuming that you choose the right therapist. When choosing a therapist, remember that you are the client and they are a service provider. You are the one who holds authority about the relationship. You get to interview the therapist and decide which one to employ.
Be sure to ask what specific training and experience they have around recovery from cult mind control. Most therapists do not have relevant training. Some carry serious misunderstandings about what cult mind control is; and therefore will misunderstand your struggle. So it pays to be selective as a consumer of professional therapy services.
Past/Present Clients
The Witness organization is not like other churches. Most non-Witnesses really cannot imagine what it is like to be a Witness. The organization has unimaginably extensive rules and monitoring that affect every aspect of life, so there is no privacy and no sense of personal independence. "Independent thought" is considered their greatest "sin".
The organization insists on absolute conformity, and claims to directly represent God; so dissent is not tolerated, and authority is totalitarian. Being a Witness is more like living in China or the former Soviet Union than being a member of a religion as you know it. It was the research of Robert J. Lifton, who was studying--not religions--but totalitarian governments, who first began to illuminate the problem of religious cults around the world, which employ exactly the same tactics as totalitarian governments. His work remains a cornerstone for Cult Recovery Counselors still today. (This may be why many governments are tolerant of cults, to avoid exposing their own control tactics.)
Witnesses often experience unusually dysfunctional lives and an extensive array of personal problems stemming from broken family ties, stunted social development, inner unrest resulting from repressed doubts, inability to defend boundaries, and an extreme, persistent feeling of irrational shame. I can help people impacted by an experience with the Witnesses by revealing in detail the policies and social dynamics in the Witness organization that cause these problems.
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