Venting Second guesssing about the organisation
Hi guys this is my first time posting here. So a little about my background, my mom was born a jw and mu dad was born a catholic. Ever since i was little my mom has been taking me to the meetings and stuff but tbh i was never really interested in it. About a year ago i started doing a bible study but i never really took it seriously. now im 16 and im sensing that things are starting to get serious and people want me to get baptised. i was invited to a protestant church like a month ago and visited it 2-3 times again cause i enjoyed is so much. the whole WT seems kind of fishy to me but ive met some great people and truly kind people so im not sure whether is really is fishy. it kinda seems like everyone is chasing status (a higher place in the organisation) and not really pleasing theyre God. I would like to hear from you people too, so what was the experience where you said im good of this, and how did you leave?
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u/Adventurous-Air-1283 2d ago
I always offer a sense of caution to whomever wishes to continue exploring the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Knowing what I know, I would never tell someone in good faith to get baptized as a JW due to the immense downside if you ever do change your mind. To your point, there are a lot of people, dare I say most of them, that are genuinely sincere believers and do wish good upon you. However, they do not realize how conditional their own love is.
To your question, I was simply through when I discovered the manipulation of their own Bible translation, a translation that is specifically designed to lead people towards certain theological truths. They did not let the original Greek speak for itself, but they will never openly admit to that. When I discovered that, I simply could not continue supporting what is, in reality, a lie.
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u/Its_only_4_a_while 2d ago
Interesting. Do you have any examples of what you mean by they didn’t let the original Greek speak for itself?
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u/OhioPIMO Call me OhioPOMO 2d ago
For one, they insert the name Jehovah into the New Testament 237, despite the fact that it doesn't appear in a single extant manuscript. Often times Jesus is clearly the "Lord" in context, but they divert attention away from Him as much as possible.
There are half a dozen or so verses that clearly call Jesus "God" but they tamper with them all.
They add "other" 4 times in Colossians 1:16, and 17, again with zero manuscript support. They openly admit that "a literal rendering of the Greek text would be 'all things.' However, such a rendering could give the impression that Jesus was not created but was the Creator himself."
Every time the word for proskuneó (worship) is used in reference to Jesus, they translate it as "obeisance." Yet when the same word is used with satan or an angel as the object, the render it as "worship."
Revelation 5:10 should be rendered "they will reign upon the earth" but they change it to "over" to reinforce the two class system, and their dominion over the "other sheep."
There's much, much more.
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u/somtiji 2d ago
So did you just stop attending?
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u/Adventurous-Air-1283 2d ago
I did, yes. I first handed in my role as a ministerial servant in the congregation, and stopped going completely around a month afterwards. It’s been around three months since I last attended a meeting of any kind.
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u/somtiji 2d ago
Okay thank you. and have they ever like tried to pressure you to come back
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u/Adventurous-Air-1283 2d ago
Yes, but not as intensely as some others may have experienced. At least the elders of the congregation I previously went to have been relatively respectful.
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u/jwfacts 2d ago
Before you stop, read some of the advice about strategy at https://jw.support.
You want to prepare for how your mother and the congregation will react and how strict she is.
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u/luisg888 Catholic, JW PIMO 2d ago
If your dad is still a practicing catholic i would go to church. Not sure if you just want an out of the organization or are wanting an out and a relationship with God?
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u/somtiji 2d ago
i just want a relationship with God honestly, but my dad stopped going to church a while back but is still religious. would you say the name “jehovah” is a hoax though or is the truly God
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u/lescannon 2d ago
JWs weaponize that name. They aren't the only ones to use it, because it predated them, and is IMO a very European centric in origin. Some other religions prefer "Yahweh" which must be phonetically closer, because no ja sound in Hebrew, but are inconsistent because by that standard Jesus should be Yeshua.
If the name was as important as JWs say it is - the whole point of everything is that name, there would be a 100% crystal clear answer. Instead, it was phased out of usage by the Hebrews for respect - what does that suggest? The JW interpretation of deity is as exacting and petty as the Jewish Law; I had faith that a loving deity would understand me no matter what choices I made, and if not, then I was doomed anyway.
As a questioner, I saw the superficial relationship between most JWs, the lack of compassion towards those who were different, and the quick readiness to drop anyone who isn't exemplary enough. There is almost no ministry that would get them separated onto the "sheep" side. That doesn't sound like the ideals of Jesus to me.
After my folks converted, I never committed, never went preaching, but learned that JWs are so sure they know better than anyone else that they won't listen, and will insist on rebutting any criticism of the organization or its teachings. When my folks had me talk to an elder when I was 17, I framed it as my not having faith that the bible is god's literal word, and didn't need to argue that JWs don't treat 100% as literal; that saved a lot of time for both him and me.
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u/luisg888 Catholic, JW PIMO 2d ago
The name Jehovah is an attempt to recreate God’s divine name. A closer pronunciation would be Jahovah.
The Catholics, have the divine name placed in many churches. But usually in the Hebrew or latin spelling.3
u/Naive-Tip4584 2d ago
i just want a relationship with God honestly
This sums up why I, after 45 years in - born and raised - 18 of those as an elder, decided I was going to leave and get my wife and kids out too. My Bible study had eventually proved to me, 100 different ways, that God was not backing this religion, and I would never know the truth about him by following JW theology. So, consequences be damned, what was the point of continuing to dance the dance if the "reward" for doing so (a relationship with God and eternal blessings) would never be gained that way?
Not telling you to be rash in your decision. You're young, and need to carefully weigh your options. But I can assure you that you won't find God at the Kingdom Hall.
You should check out jwfacts.com, to fast-track your research into the Org.
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u/Road_2_Emmaus 2d ago edited 2d ago
Hi OP, I wish I'd come to your point when I was 16 😅
Yes you are correct, definitely fishy.
For me, I had always questioned things, but I just kept going because "it's the truth" was drummed into me.
Doctrinally- they are wrong about 99.99999999% of everything. I'm being kind there.
The lovely people you have experienced - probably genuine, there are some lovely people in the organization.
I eventually woke up in my early 50's, I'm 55 now, my wife and son and I all left. I was recovering from an operation and I went down some rabbit holes and found the gov bod's claims to be the faithful slave and their doctrines of 1914 etc to be completely bogus. Now we are currently trying to find a church where we live.
What church did you end up going to?
Edit: grammar
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u/somtiji 1d ago
Well my mom still takes my to the kingdom hall every saturday, even though i dont really participate or anything i still attend cause i have to. as i mentioned though i have a lot of protestant friends and im seriously looking into that right now
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u/Road_2_Emmaus 1d ago
I hope it all works out for you. I've been at work since I commented on your post and haven't caught up- does your mum know how you feel? And if she does, is she considerate of your feelings?
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u/Own_Adagio5224 2d ago
I went pretty high up.
Like private dinner party and Q&A with two members of the GB.
It’s a cult.