I was cleaning up my files and came across this letter I wrote to a friend of mine. She was the main reason I wanted to try to fade as she was like a mother figure to me - but alas since I made my videos and they were discovered I am now disfellowshipped. At any rate I thought it had some good points that were worth publishing so decided to share here. I have altered a few things that were private but most of it is intact.
You can also see the "letter of explanation" I sent to all my JW friends right after my DF announcement General - My "Letter of Explanation" after DF announcement 12/29/20 | Simply Christian
==========================
On November 11th, 2019 when I was driving us home from the eye doctor and lunch you were saying how appreciative you were of the organization, how no other organization has translated in so many languages and how wonderful the website was. I agree.
But then you said “I don’t care about the doctrine - I don’t really know it all or understand it all”. That took my breath away. I wanted to respond to you then but I knew it was not time because once I came out with my new understanding it would label me an “apostate”.
When I was in pioneer school they said we should care about doctrine - that indeed it was every Christian’s obligation.
So that is what I said I would do. I would take the time to really study the Bible and make sure of all things. I have really been working in harmony with what Paul advised us to do in Ephesians 5:6ff
Now of course we have learned from the Organization that anyone not in association with the organization are the ones in darkness. But I decided to focus on the Bible. Yes eventually I allowed myself to look at books we’ve been told are apostate like Raymond Franz books. But I submit that it is a ploy to keep us in darkness by the very organization we’ve pledged our lives to. Why I asked myself? It is brilliant actually - it keeps us all in unity - but unity under lies is not what Jehovah wants for us.
The apostates they fear are the same the church has always feared: men and women who can use the Bible to ‘overturn strongly entrenched things’. (2 Cor. 10:4)
My conclusion: I had to abandon the sheltered existence I had for the last 30 years and the delightful illusion that we were special and saved simply because we belonged to an Organization.
I love you very much so I will share my thoughts. We all have areas of our worship we need to improve on. I need to rely more on my heavenly father instead of myself. You need to stop making your own interpretations.
The organization doesn’t want us looking at non WT literature as it will expose them. But you can use the scriptures. We should use the scriptures. We are obligated to use the scriptures. Notice what Matthew recorded of Jesus words himself.
Matthew 7:15-23
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)
Is the WT Organization false prophets? What are their fruits? These are the questions JESUS tells you to ask. I am doing that and I encourage you to do that too. I have a tremendous amount of information that proves to me BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT that our beloved organization is not what it appears to be. You have to do your own research - if you want.
I can give you my conclusions.
I think of the situation with the family that suddenly left. When you first told me about it and we discussed it we both jumped to the conclusion it was because she didn’t like some council about her son. And that may have been the catalyst but my point is we were programmed to react that way. To immediately reject what she had to say. Our training was masterful. Perhaps she just found out some hidden information - some facts that is not known among the congregation because we are told not to look outside the organization.
I just want you to know that when you choose to serve the WT organization and turn your back on friends like me that have done nothing but love and support you as long as I’ve known you but especially in the last 7 years - that sums up the EVIL that is really behind this organization.
I will not allow my children to become indoctrinated by this organization any longer but instead, I will continue to indoctrinate them in the Bible itself, in Jesus' teachings.
You don’t care about doctrine? You are blinded by the shiny things - the beautiful website, the accolades of the translations etc. All of this was done on the backs of those that love Jehovah - they did it to glorify him as many others in other religions do. It makes the people special - not the organization leaders. It doesn’t make their message “the truth”.
Some “truths” that are indeed false doctrine are as follows. Note that these came from spiritual men in the organization that dared to question things and research things in the bible alone or in small groups - they have since been disfellowshipped for it:
I don’t believe your everlasting life depends on it, however - unlike the WT Organization that makes everything they say equate to our everlasting salvation. I believe you got baptized in the name of Jehovah and Jesus and as such you are a baptized Christian. You are still in line for everlasting life on a paradise earth.
However what you are teaching others - that the Governing Body as of 2013 WT article is the ONLY channel to God and our allegiance should be to them. That is blasphemy. That is AGAINST what Jesus taught himself. I implore you to study that one fact alone. You have distanced yourself from God and Jesus by putting the GB between you and them.
And consider this - it wasn’t always this way. The WT Organization has morphed into this. Using their “light gets brighter” teaching we have been eased into accepting this new understanding. But it is FALSE. We have been operating under a LIE.
If I - probably one of the weakest spiritual persons you’ve known - can WAKE up while in Pioneer school you can too. It is happening all over. The internet has changed everything. Using just our own literature we can jump from article to article, book, Bible, etc., and see - if we allow ourselves - that something is amiss.
Something changed along the way. And yes you can take the position to just “wait on Jehovah” to fix things but you are making a big assumption. You are assuming that this really is Jehovah’s Organization on earth.
When you see where JWs got their start and what other organizations were coming up around the same time - 7th Day Adventists, Mormons (Later Day Saints), Christadelphians, Followers of the Way - you see eerily similar history. Small organizations being lead by one man or a handful of men that were earnestly seeking to know and understand the Bible as 1st century Christians did. Noble beginnings but eventually they turned into the very kinds of organizations they used to condemn. They became ecclesiastical legalistic organizations that thought they were the only true channel to God.
So “to whom shall we go”? Back to Jesus - he has always been there. Jehovah made him our King. We are living during a time that is confusing with many different teachings. We should endeavor to find the truth in the Bible - not as dictated by any one man or group of men. We can have elders or older men help guide us - but the minute they try to lord it over us or dictate to us then we should move away from them.
Yes, we should meet together and we should share the good news - that is our commission from Jesus. And yes the JWs are GOOD at that. But if the message they are teaching is not in harmony with Jesus then we should not be preaching that message. We need to go back to preaching what Jesus preached and that was about the Kingdom of God.
We should sing songs of praise to Jehovah and Jesus - not the governing body or any other group of men.
Is it messy and disorganized out there? Yes it is. But that is because of Satan and all the lies he’s been putting out there, blinding the eyes of believers. THAT is what we have to guard against. Don’t just join any church or especially another organized religion - but instead worship God directly through Jesus.
I understand tho if you want to stay "plugged into the matrix” so to speak. You’ve stayed in a horrible marriage for over 40 years. You can endure anything or stick your head in the sand long enough that things take care of themselves. But my final appeal is that if you really love Jehovah you love TRUTH. Seek the truth and it will set you (and your family) free. Jesus said he was the way, the TRUTH, and the life. Think of that every time you read a WT article that puts the GB in his place.
They may very well be the ones that Jesus says “Get away from me. I never knew you.”
In the name of truth and with great affection and warmth,
Laureen
You can also see the "letter of explanation" I sent to all my JW friends right after my DF announcement General - My "Letter of Explanation" after DF announcement 12/29/20 | Simply Christian
==========================
On November 11th, 2019 when I was driving us home from the eye doctor and lunch you were saying how appreciative you were of the organization, how no other organization has translated in so many languages and how wonderful the website was. I agree.
But then you said “I don’t care about the doctrine - I don’t really know it all or understand it all”. That took my breath away. I wanted to respond to you then but I knew it was not time because once I came out with my new understanding it would label me an “apostate”.
When I was in pioneer school they said we should care about doctrine - that indeed it was every Christian’s obligation.
So that is what I said I would do. I would take the time to really study the Bible and make sure of all things. I have really been working in harmony with what Paul advised us to do in Ephesians 5:6ff
Now of course we have learned from the Organization that anyone not in association with the organization are the ones in darkness. But I decided to focus on the Bible. Yes eventually I allowed myself to look at books we’ve been told are apostate like Raymond Franz books. But I submit that it is a ploy to keep us in darkness by the very organization we’ve pledged our lives to. Why I asked myself? It is brilliant actually - it keeps us all in unity - but unity under lies is not what Jehovah wants for us.
The apostates they fear are the same the church has always feared: men and women who can use the Bible to ‘overturn strongly entrenched things’. (2 Cor. 10:4)
My conclusion: I had to abandon the sheltered existence I had for the last 30 years and the delightful illusion that we were special and saved simply because we belonged to an Organization.
I love you very much so I will share my thoughts. We all have areas of our worship we need to improve on. I need to rely more on my heavenly father instead of myself. You need to stop making your own interpretations.
The organization doesn’t want us looking at non WT literature as it will expose them. But you can use the scriptures. We should use the scriptures. We are obligated to use the scriptures. Notice what Matthew recorded of Jesus words himself.
Matthew 7:15-23
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)
Is the WT Organization false prophets? What are their fruits? These are the questions JESUS tells you to ask. I am doing that and I encourage you to do that too. I have a tremendous amount of information that proves to me BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT that our beloved organization is not what it appears to be. You have to do your own research - if you want.
I can give you my conclusions.
I think of the situation with the family that suddenly left. When you first told me about it and we discussed it we both jumped to the conclusion it was because she didn’t like some council about her son. And that may have been the catalyst but my point is we were programmed to react that way. To immediately reject what she had to say. Our training was masterful. Perhaps she just found out some hidden information - some facts that is not known among the congregation because we are told not to look outside the organization.
I just want you to know that when you choose to serve the WT organization and turn your back on friends like me that have done nothing but love and support you as long as I’ve known you but especially in the last 7 years - that sums up the EVIL that is really behind this organization.
I will not allow my children to become indoctrinated by this organization any longer but instead, I will continue to indoctrinate them in the Bible itself, in Jesus' teachings.
You don’t care about doctrine? You are blinded by the shiny things - the beautiful website, the accolades of the translations etc. All of this was done on the backs of those that love Jehovah - they did it to glorify him as many others in other religions do. It makes the people special - not the organization leaders. It doesn’t make their message “the truth”.
Some “truths” that are indeed false doctrine are as follows. Note that these came from spiritual men in the organization that dared to question things and research things in the bible alone or in small groups - they have since been disfellowshipped for it:
- That Jehovah does not have an organization on earth today and its Governing Body is not being directed by Jehovah.
- Everyone baptized from Christ’s time (C.E. 33) forward to the end should have the heavenly hope. All these should be partaking of the emblems at Memorial time and not just those who claim to be of the anointed remnant.
- There is no proper arrangement as a “faithful and discreet slave” class made up of the anointed ones and their Governing Body to direct affairs of Jehovah’s people. At Matt. 24;45 Jesus used this expression only as an illustration of the faithfulness of individuals. Rules are not needed only follow the Bible.
- There are not two classes today, the heavenly class and those of the earthly class also called “other sheep” at John 10:16.
- That the number 144,000 mentioned at Rev. 7:4 and 14:1 is symbolic and not to be taken as literal. Those of the “great crowd” mentioned at Rev. 7:9 also serve in heaven as indicated in vs. 15 where it is claimed that such crowd serves “day and night in his temple (nao)” or K. Int says: “in the divine habitation of him.”
- That we are not now living in a special period of “last days” but that the “last days” started 1900 years ago C.E. 33 as indicated by Peter at Acts 2:17 when he quoted from the Prophet Joel.
- That 1914 is not an established date. Christ Jesus was not enthroned then but has been ruling in his kingdom since C.E. 33. That Christ’s presence (parousia) is not yet but when the “sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven” (Matt. 24;30) in the future.
- That Abraham, David and other faithful men of old will also have heavenly life basing such view on Heb. 11:16
I don’t believe your everlasting life depends on it, however - unlike the WT Organization that makes everything they say equate to our everlasting salvation. I believe you got baptized in the name of Jehovah and Jesus and as such you are a baptized Christian. You are still in line for everlasting life on a paradise earth.
However what you are teaching others - that the Governing Body as of 2013 WT article is the ONLY channel to God and our allegiance should be to them. That is blasphemy. That is AGAINST what Jesus taught himself. I implore you to study that one fact alone. You have distanced yourself from God and Jesus by putting the GB between you and them.
And consider this - it wasn’t always this way. The WT Organization has morphed into this. Using their “light gets brighter” teaching we have been eased into accepting this new understanding. But it is FALSE. We have been operating under a LIE.
If I - probably one of the weakest spiritual persons you’ve known - can WAKE up while in Pioneer school you can too. It is happening all over. The internet has changed everything. Using just our own literature we can jump from article to article, book, Bible, etc., and see - if we allow ourselves - that something is amiss.
Something changed along the way. And yes you can take the position to just “wait on Jehovah” to fix things but you are making a big assumption. You are assuming that this really is Jehovah’s Organization on earth.
When you see where JWs got their start and what other organizations were coming up around the same time - 7th Day Adventists, Mormons (Later Day Saints), Christadelphians, Followers of the Way - you see eerily similar history. Small organizations being lead by one man or a handful of men that were earnestly seeking to know and understand the Bible as 1st century Christians did. Noble beginnings but eventually they turned into the very kinds of organizations they used to condemn. They became ecclesiastical legalistic organizations that thought they were the only true channel to God.
So “to whom shall we go”? Back to Jesus - he has always been there. Jehovah made him our King. We are living during a time that is confusing with many different teachings. We should endeavor to find the truth in the Bible - not as dictated by any one man or group of men. We can have elders or older men help guide us - but the minute they try to lord it over us or dictate to us then we should move away from them.
Yes, we should meet together and we should share the good news - that is our commission from Jesus. And yes the JWs are GOOD at that. But if the message they are teaching is not in harmony with Jesus then we should not be preaching that message. We need to go back to preaching what Jesus preached and that was about the Kingdom of God.
We should sing songs of praise to Jehovah and Jesus - not the governing body or any other group of men.
Is it messy and disorganized out there? Yes it is. But that is because of Satan and all the lies he’s been putting out there, blinding the eyes of believers. THAT is what we have to guard against. Don’t just join any church or especially another organized religion - but instead worship God directly through Jesus.
I understand tho if you want to stay "plugged into the matrix” so to speak. You’ve stayed in a horrible marriage for over 40 years. You can endure anything or stick your head in the sand long enough that things take care of themselves. But my final appeal is that if you really love Jehovah you love TRUTH. Seek the truth and it will set you (and your family) free. Jesus said he was the way, the TRUTH, and the life. Think of that every time you read a WT article that puts the GB in his place.
They may very well be the ones that Jesus says “Get away from me. I never knew you.”
In the name of truth and with great affection and warmth,
Laureen
