Theos-Talk Archives (August 2004 Message tt00333)

Hi again some good discussion going on ….

Open minded questioners are a great threat to power it seems
My background was in the Jehovah's witnesses my parents converted 
when I was about 5 years old so the program was deeply entrenched in 
me from that early age.
I left the religion at the age of about 21 or 22 and as part of that 
experience saw all the games played the psychological avoidance and 
denial ect that went on in that religion.

What brought the walls crashing down for me was one single 
thought "what if all this wrong!"
That single powerful and completely devastating thought changed my 
life it was the most difficult thing I ever had to face (so far) and 
yet was liberating and opened me up to the deeper wonders of 
existence.

Even after all these years having been out of the JW's my parents 
still live in hope that I will return to the fold.
There was a book written by an ex-JW called "crisis of conscience : 
loyalty to God or to organization" by Raymond Franz.
Franz was a 3rd generation JW was a missionary and was on the 
governing body of the JWs.
At the age of 60 he had some major insights with regard to the JWs 
and there teachings and the misuse of organizational power.
After realizing things could never change he resigned and was ex-
communicated from that organization.
He and his wife had no money or retirement fund of there own no home 
but made a decision based on conscience.
This to me was such a courageous and noble action that it has always 
been a source of inspiration to me much like the way Krishnamurti 
told the "theosophists" to wake up and go away an leave me alone.

These type of acts to me say volumes and volumes more than all the 
seemingly impressive clairvoyant /psychic imaginings of said "seers".

I told my father about the Ray Franz book and asked if he'd read 
it ,he said something to me that burned into my memory and that 
was `Perry your mother and I have been in this religion for the past 
40 years and your telling us its all been wasted".
Its not an easy call to make all those years all those friends that 
reputation of being a "strong witness" 
What do you say? How do you respond?
The lesson has been a huge one for me, a life's work and association 
and you find out much of it, if not all of it was fantasy!

You can imagine my amazement to find the TS no different to the JWs 
once the rubber hit the road.
Platitudes are great but if they are not backed up by action….
There's no dharma higher than truth ….what an ask !

Perry