Maybe you have just woken up to the “Truth about the Truth”, that is the truth about the Watchtower. Maybe you’re still researching. If so, I’d like to recommend some basics, do an internet search, Jehovah’s Witnesses and The Royal Commission, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Pedophile’s, Candace Conti, Jehovah’s Witnesses and the U.N. are all good places to start. Reading websites to investigate?  Jwfacts.com is an excellent site, straight to the point, and loaded with information, always accurate.

If you’ve already found out the lies of the Watchtower and are well on your way with the research, you might be experiencing some fear, which is completely natural, but fear not! Life has just begun!

There is normally a period of adjustment after we leave the Watchtower, after all being one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is not like any other religion, it is a complete way of life. Our entire life revolves around going to meetings and going door to door, preparing for meetings, attending conventions.  Plus, with the law on shunning, most of us lose our families, friends and reputations once we decided to leave the Watchtower Organization.  If only it were attending Church on Sunday’s it would be relatively easy. Unfortunately it also affects the way we think, behave and interact with others. It can take years to learn how to interact with other people, to forge friendships, even to come back to God, as many who leave willingly or are disfellowshipped also lose their faith in God, as their faith was in the organization. After spiritual abuse, the last thing we may ever want to do is step foot inside a Church! But fear not! Attending a Church regularly is not necessary for salvation!

What most Jehovah’s Witnesses who have just left the cult don’t know, is that thousands leave every year while maintaining faith in God. The natural question to ask is, “Now what? Where do I go?”

The Watchtower is slick, they’ve changed the meaning of the bible verse.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom we shall go? You have the words of eternal life. John 6:68

Notice that? It’s not a where, it’s a who! It’s the Lord Jesus who has sayings of everlasting life, and the bible promises that those who have faith in Jesus will have eternal life.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Notice that? Salvation is found in no one else. The Watchtower does not agree, the Watchtower says salvation can only be found in the organization.

“If we were to draw away from Jehovah’s organization, there would be no place else to go for salvation” (Watchtower Magazine, September 15, 1993, p. 22). Not Jesus?

And then say in the WT March 15 2012 pg. 20 “The other sheep should never forget that their salvation depends on their active support of Christ’s anointed “brothers” still on earth.” Really? Where does the Bible say that?

“Only Jehovah’s Witnesses, those of the anointed remnant and the “great crowd,” as a united organization under the protection of the Supreme Organizer, have any Scriptural hope of surviving the impending end of this doomed system dominated by Satan the Devil.” Watchtower 1989 Sep 1 p.19 Again, really? Where does the Bible say that?

Just as Noah and his God-fearing family were preserved in the ark, survival of individuals today depends on their faith and their loyal association with the earthly part of Jehovah’s universal organization.”  Watchtower 2006 May 15 p.22 “Are You Prepared for Survival?” Again, really? Where does the Bible say that?

“In effect, Jesus also conveys Jehovah’s voice to us as he directs the congregation through “the faithful and discreet slave.” (Matt. 24:45) We need to take this guidance and direction seriously, for our everlasting life depends on our obedience.” Watchtower 2014 Aug 15 p.21. Really? Where is the evidence please? Can you prove that claim?
Notice please what the Bible says about salvation and how it is found.

He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”³¹ They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”  Acts 16:30, 31

 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. ¹¹ As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”  ¹³ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9,10,11,13

In context we see Romans 10 is talking about the Lord Jesus, if we believe in our heart God raised him from the dead we will be saved and everyone calling on the name of the Lord! Which Lord? The Lord Jesus!

Watchtower has inserted the name Jehovah in this verse, so Jehovah’s Witnesses call upon Jehovah to be saved, but the Bible says we must call upon the Lord, and context tells us it’s the Lord Jesus we must call upon to be saved.

God’s spirit is in His word. If we read the bible and pray for Holy Spirit we are well on the path into God’s eternal truth.

The single best piece of advice I could give you is throw out everything the Watchtower has ever taught you. Their “theology” is dreamed up by men who have never attended college, never gone to Seminary, never learned Hebrew or Greek and never learned Biblical Context. Most Jehovah’s Witnesses are completely unaware that you can take something out of context, a single verse, and apply it in such a way as it was never intended by the author! There are classic examples of the Watchtower doing this, which will be covered in future articles. Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson, admitted on the witness stand (Australia Royal Commission Trial) that he is a high school drop out! The same is true for the founder C.T. Russell! Some of our elders, the ones who teach in the congregations were plumbers! How and in what way are these men qualified to teach the Bible?

It can take investigation, time and independent study before coming to a conclusion about what the Bible really teaches. This is okay! We are not saved by having all our teachings correct! We are saved by faith in Jesus! The Holy Spirit will guide, direct and teach you and eventually you will come to sound Biblical understandings. John 14:26, John 16:13, 1 John 2:27. Be patient with yourself! Rome was not built in a day! We cannot undo years of indoctrination in a day, a week a month or even a year! It takes time! But relax, take it easy on yourself, don’t beat yourself up! Learn how to interact with other people, make friends, and choose them wisely.

Most Jehovah’s Witnesses after they leave the cult, are heart-broken, or angry, confused and don’t know what to believe. The last thing they want to do is go to another Church after the abuse of the Watchtower! That’s okay! I’ve found some good sermons online, that I’ve learned from, sitting at home, having coffee, listening and looking up the Bible verses and you can too!

I was afraid after I left the Watchtower. After all, I had been deceived for eighteen years! I *still* believed the lie, that all the Churches had apostatized and were not to be trusted! So I did not go to Church, did not speak with other Christians, there *were no* online Ex-Jehovah’s Witness Communities in those days. So I floundered, all alone, just me, the Bible and Jehovah God. After twenty-two years of that, I discovered the online community. I can’t tell you how much they helped me!  I also can’t tell you how much the sermons online from Churches helped me! Don’t do what I did, don’t isolate yourself for years, mankind was not meant to live alone in isolation. It is a long, lonely, heart-breaking experience. Let others help you!

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1598099360430848/

Help Jehovah’s Witnesses Group-for those that have left the organization

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1031504066894317/

Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses Support and Recovery-another group for those that have left the organization

http://libbychristianchurch.com/media.php?pageID=5 Great sermons you can listen to online, by Phil Alspaw of Libby Church, he goes through the Bible chapter by chapter each week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrfnjdrDEKs&list=PLB5r2P47beqJUdLxjVNSVdrw7Iy7CMlF1&index=8 The Meeting Place, Bruxy is the pastor, amazing guy, funny, interesting, great teaching!