Where Do I Go Now? Is There An Answer??

by individual 24 Replies latest jw friends

teejay

Where do you go now, Individual? why... to Disneyland! Life is a smorgasboard of possibilities. Give yourself time and you will find your way.
Live.
peace,
tj
kes152

Individual,
May you have peace!
I totally understand what you are going through, and what you are feeling.
If I may, I would like to point out that you asked which religion do you go to now.
We who are "looking for truth" aren't supposed to ask "which religion do I go to now?" Nor are we supposed to be asking "Where do I go now?" This is all due to brainwashing of the WTBTS. They ingrained this in us while we were in so that if we EVER do find out they are imposters, we would never find the truth. How so?
When many of the disciples left off from following Jesus, Jesus asked the 12, "Do you want to go also?"
Peter answered: "Lord, WHOM shall we go away to? YOU have the word of everlasting life and we have come to know and believe that you are the Holy One of God."
John 6:66-69
If you look through the Bible, where in the Bible does it say "Look for the 'true religion?' " Or where in the Bible does it say: "Look for a place to go?" In fact, where does the Bible direct us to go "anywhere?"
Our Father said:
"This is my Son, LISTEN TO HIM"
Holy spirit says:
"Today, if you people will HEAR HIS OWN VOICE, do not harden your hearts..."
The scriptures say:
"The law through Moses was a tutor, LEADING us TO CHRIST."
And the Christ says:
"Come to ME all you who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh you. Take MY yoke upon you, and LEARN FROM ME, for I am mild-tempered and LOWLY in heart."
"All who have heard from the Father, and has got the 'sense' of it, COMES to ME."
"I am the bread of life. He that COMES to ME will never get hungry and he that believes in me will never get thirsty at all."
Individual, we were asked, advised, and warned to not put our faith in man, a 'group of men' or even religion. Our faith, our love, our obedience belongs to One. The Christ. And it is Him we are supposed to seek. If you ask for a religion, you will be given a religion, if you ask for a place, you will be given a 'place.' Remember he said:
"Anything you ask me in the name of me, this I will do."
So, if we ask for HIM, we ask for Christ himself, we will get Christ HIMSELF. And once we have him, we will have no need of religion, or men, or a 'group of men' trying to mislead us. We can go directly to Christ and listen to his voice.
Christ offers a free gift (not Watchtower and Awake) of holy spirit which he recieves from his Father. Such spirit comes to live inside you and fills you. By means of that spirit you get to "know" Christ and thus know the "way."
I was once looking through the yellow pages and I asked Jesus "Ok, which one of these billions of religions is the one?" I heard his answer, and he kept repeating:
"I am the way, and the truth and the life."
"I am the WAY, and the TRUTH, and the LIFE."
He also said that when you recieve the free gift of holy spirit, "In that day you will KNOW that I am in union with my Father and you are in union with me and I am in union with you."
today the world beholds him no more, but you who recieve the holy spirit, YOU will behold him. You will see his figure, hear his voice, talk to him, and he talk to you.
All this is available if you indeed wish it. all you have to do is look in your heart, be repentant and ask him out of a 'clean' heart to see and 'know' him. When you DO hear his own voice, "do not harden your heart like at Meribah and as in the day of Massah in the wilderness" like our fathers did.
Believe what you hear, and obey. When you have time, read Psalms 78 and begin preparing your heart to believe and obey Christ alone. christ will hear from his Father, and declare it to you. It is up to you if you want to believe him or not. For he will come to you and he will lead you out of the darkness and into HIS light. All you have to do is hear and obey. The more you obey, the more you hear. The sooner you get out of the Darkness and the closer you get to the Light.
May his peace be upon you, as he guides and directs you. All I am, is your servant in Christ.
Aaron
cyberguy

I know what you're going through; I've been in the organization since I was a little kid, nearly 40 years! I even went to Bethel, but I'm thankful, because it was there that I soon realized that things were not at all as they appeared from the outside!
According to the Society's teachings in the 1960's, I was quite assured I would never see old age, but survive into God's New World. Perhaps you had similar hopes. Feeling any younger yet?
However, Paul makes an interesting statement at 1 Corinthians 13:13: "Now, however, there remain faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." If we believe this, then we would have to conclude that we should be able to have true faith, hope, and the type of love that is fundamental to true Christianity.
But where can we go? Which group should we associate with? These may be the wrong questions to be asking. Why? Well, consider this illustration at Matthew 13:24-30:
______________________
24 Another illustration he set before them, saying: “The kingdom of the heavens has become like a man that sowed fine seed in his field. 25 While men were sleeping, his enemy came and oversowed weeds in among the wheat, and left. 26 When the blade sprouted and produced fruit, then the weeds appeared also. 27 So the slaves of the householder came up and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow fine seed in your field? How, then, does it come to have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy, a man, did this.’ They said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go out and collect them?’ 29 He said, ‘No; that by no chance, while collecting the weeds, YOU uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the harvest season I will tell the reapers, First collect the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them up, then go to gathering the wheat into my storehouse.’”
_______________________
Of course, the Society applies this illustration to some imaginary events in the 1914-1919 era. But ask yourself this, have the "reapers" really pulled out the weeds yet? Interestingly, you'll notice that the "slaves" wanted to correct matters by trying to pull the weeds out themselves. If these "slaves" represent Jesus' true disciples, individuals who are truly serving God (compare Matt. 25:14), then it is understandable why they might want to try pulling out the weeds on their own! But Jesus said to wait until the "harvest season," whereupon he would tell the "reapers," who are "angles" (Matt. 13:39, 41), to " collect out from his kingdom all things that cause stumbling and persons who are doing lawlessness," to finally "pitch them into the fiery furnace" -- see Matt 13:36-43 (You might also want to consider a similar illustration, that of the "dragnet" (see Matt. 13:47-50).
To summarize, we're still living in the time when no one organized group can claim to be the only one God is using. Furthermore, like a literal mixture of "wheat" and "weeds," it may be difficult to even identify "wheat" like Christians among the devil's "weeds". But Jesus indicated that they would be there. Therefore, why not search out for such like ones? But a word of caution, you won't find them under the banner of some named "organization."
Finally, just a few comments on Matt. 25. As you are probably aware, the Society's discussion of Matt. 24-25, defies any manner of reason! By your comments, it seems that you're trying to reconcile these illustrations with the Society's regrettable "class" distinctions. However, I'll briefly point out a couple of things that might help in having the correct view.
There's a common, fundamental thread that runs throughout the illustrations of Matt 24-25, starting with verse 36: "Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angles of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father." With this in mind, Jesus uses a number of illustrations to highlight various aspects about how true disciples should live their lives, while not knowing when his arrival (his parousia) would take place.
Matt. 24:37-39 -- Noah and family didn't set dates for the flood, but waited until God brought it upon earth; in like manner, Jesus' arrival (his parousia) would come in God's due time, and therefore no human or angle can determine when this will be.
Matt. 24:40-44 -- Because no date can be determined, true disciples would be carrying out daily activities when he actually does arrive, but living in such a way that when he does come, they would be "taken along," saved. Proving ourselves "ready" means we would not be caught off guard when our master returns "at an hour" we "do not think it to be."
Matt. 24:45-51 -- Note that there is only one slave in this illustration. "But if he is a bad servant and says to himself, 'The master is a long time coming,' and begins to bully the other servants and to eat and drink with his drunken friends…" -- Matt 24:48, New English Bible. Here, the "trusty servant" (Matt. 24:45 New English Bible) never set dates, but was ready no matter when his master finally returns, whereas the "bad servant" evidently set a date, and when this didn't materialize, he began to "bully the other servants." As individuals, which of the potential outcomes will be ours? Will we like be a "trusty servant," serving our master, contently prepared, no matter when he arrives?
Matt. 25:1-27 -- These illustrations prepare us for the long wait (see Matt. 15:25:19, "After a long time…"), until the master finally returns when we least expect it (Matt. 25:13). Each covers a different aspect of waiting patiently. For instance, you'll note that in the case of the "ten virgins," the "foolish" started their course without taking enough oil. Early on, they evidently figured that the Jesus would return sooner rather than later. Perhaps they even determined in their own minds, that surely Jesus would return before some predetermined time (hence, no need in taking any additional oil). However, they were wrong, and were left out when he did finally come (Matt. 25:10-12). Hence, one should be prepared for a long wait, he may not return in one's own lifetime.
Matt. 25:31-46 -- Since both the righteous and unrighteous say "when did we see you" (Matt. 25:37, 44), surely both groups realized that Jesus never actually returned. This is still in keeping with the central theme of the illustrations covered up to this point, still highlighting "we know neither the day nor the hour" (Matt. 25:13). Therefore, in this illustration, how we treat fellow Christians during the long wait will determine how Jesus will deal with us. We need to be careful about the sins of omission; what we fail to do toward fellow Christians can determine what will happen to us (see Matt. 3:31-34, 19:29 for explanation of "brothers" in 25:40), when he does return in that day of inspection.
individual

It is only when reading these replies that I realise just how much my thinking was influenced by the JWs. They teach you that the only way you can learn about God is through them, that there is no point reading the bible without their aid and no point praying to God unless you are a member of their religion, and there is definitely no point praying to Jesus.
I asked a MS once, who is now an elder, why he was in the organisation, his reply was that there was nowhere else to go, nobody else has the truth. Other elders during public talks decried other religions and accused the churches who help others of being goody-goodies, how ridiculous. I was very angry at their labelling of the kindness of others as being self-righteous. Their term 'goody-goody' was derogatory. Their influence on your way of thinking is so strong that it makes it hard to envisage any other route to God and Christ.
It was interesting also to note that during a WT study a couple of years ago an elder put up his hand and made a comment that we as a group do not talk about the Christ enough, we concentrate on God. I was quite surprised but it made me think at the time that how can this religion be a route to Christ when even this elder was concerned that not enough emphasis was put on Him by the so-called faithful and discreet slave. Not many people picked up on his comment, he only said it as an aside in answer to a question and it was quickly papered over. But it did confirm my feelings at the time, that although the publications talked of Christs new kingdom it mostly emphasized Jehovah, and Christ was just a side issue.
I feel now that I would like to take on some of the suggestions that I should pray for Christ to be in my life but I feel that the WT indoctrination is the thing that is holding me back. I remember when I got baptized as a JW, I was expecting something to be different, something to happen, maybe a feeling or something, anything. But there was nothing.. I got congratulated but felt no different at all, I was now able to vote at meetings (making sure to agree with the elders motions of course, as everybody does!) but I felt absolutely no different inside at all. I suppose I worry that it will be the same even if I pray.
So at the end of all this a person feels directionless. It is almost as if God has abandoned me. It is interesting to note from your replies that a lot of people have felt the same way and it is encouraging to see that people do move on from this. I wonder how many people are still in the org. only because they dont know where else to go.
kes152

Individual,
I totally understand where you are coming from. Actually, in the organization, NO emphasis is given to Christ. It's always "Jehovah and HIS organization."
Funny how Psalms says that kings (religious rulers) will mass together as one, against Jah, and his Anointed One. ('organization' doesn't appear there).
There was a time when I was JW I loved to try to convince people they were wrong, and my focus was to 'born-again' christians. But when I spoke to them, they asked a question that I KNEW would NEVER leave me. They asked:
Why don't I ever hear Jehovah's witnesses glorify Jesus?
I couldn't answer that so I remained silent. I then knew we unknowingly degrade the Son, and i felt robbed because of it. I later asked an elder and he said "Because he is just a 'model', nothing more."
Then later a 'voice' which I learned later to be the Christ, came to me and made me read Revelation 5:12, 13.
Then it gave me:
Revelation 5:8, 14
Matthew 28:18
This changed the way I prayed. I tried so hard to give Jesus MORE glory without being seen a 'potential apostate.'
When i finally came out, I saw just how much glory Jesus really did deserve, I was SO happy. One of the questions posed to me was ... "Does Jesus truly have 'all authority' in heaven?"
course the answer was "yes" in Matthew 28:18.
The next question was ... "Ok, if he truly has ALL authority in heaven, does he NOW have the authority to receive worship?"
I knew that if Jesus didn't have the authority to be worshipped, that means Jesus didn't have ALL authority in heaven. Which in turns make Matt. 28:18 a lie.
Jesus has the 'authority' to receive worship. as well as prayers, spirits of men, etc. He sits on God's THRONE! So obviously, ALL adore him as they did the Father.
Peace,
Aaron
Karie

I went to the Christian book store! I felt like I was sinning when I walked in there. Now I can read anything I want! I have tried to pick one subject at a time and one book at a time. The trinity is taking me a while. But, when I pick a book, I look for one with scripture, not opinion. I have also talked to other christians. I go to a church now. But not because of what religion it is. I feel that I am able to worship God there.
Vienna

Man, oh man, I remember the first time I prayed to Jesus after I left the JWs--it was SO weird! *lol* And it took awhile to even SAY that prayer to Him, I had been gone for about a year. But like after reading some of those scriptures (some Kes posted), mainly "Anything you ask me in the name of me, this I will do." I said, okay here goes!!!!
I asked His direction in helping not only to find truth, but get a deeper meaning of what was truth, from understanding heaven's purpose, to what happens when I die, to who Jesus was in every form and in relation to the Father, and who Jesus came to earth to die for (sounds stupid, but after being a JW we're basically lead to believe WE were only the ones He had died for, I mean, everyone not a JW is supposed to not receive life. So I needed to re-understand Jesus' purpose, if that makes sense.)
So, I prayed and all of my general questions have been answered--not right away--but in time and through reading the Bible, sermons, worshipping with fellow believers, reading more, etc. It's been a great journey, and it's never over. :)
Don't stop your desire to serve God, because he created us with that desire, thankfully. Keep searching and you will find Him.
(Edited two typos)
Vienna

Hey, I just noticed I'm a Senior Member now! Does this mean I get special discounts? (Vienna pulls out her 'Senior Member' card at the local steakhouse and gets a blank stare.)
patio34

Not to trivialize your concern, but the answer to the question "Where do I go?" is "Anywhere you want!"
Who says there HAS to be somewhere to go? That question has been so emphasized by the WTS in order to bolster their own numbers.
Maybe it's a normal reaction after leaving such a controlling group, comparable to leaving prison where everything is decided for you. When you face freedom, you may feel "Where do I go?"
The world is your oyster. The library is full of books to learn from. Etc., Etc., Etc., !!
Pat
JUSTAMOM

Greetings to you Individual
And hello to "Logical" "Kes152" and all of you:
I, too, have been where you are. I must say though, my spirit bears witness with logicals and Kes's.
Yes, we were ingrained that beyond the WTBS THERE IS NOTHING ELSE, so..."Where does one go?"
That "where" was brought out by some here that it is not a PLACE or a WHERE but a WHO...The Christ JOHN 14:5
ALso he says to "COME TO HIM" all those that are toiling and loaded down (and boy have we been) MATTHEW 11:28-30!
Pray for Holy Spirit to come to you. It is yes, a free gift that our father wants us to have despite the org telling us we can't have it unless your ANOINTED (really) It then will REPLACE the "men in charge" that have burdened us with their interpretation of the law.
GALATIANS 4:1-
1JOHN 2:26-29
It will truly guide and teach you.
Remember if "gods spirit TRULY dwells in us", we become the temple he dwells in now. It is not manmade ACTS 17:24-26..1CORINTHIANS 3:16!
That is how we truly begin to "walk by faith and not by sight" "to worship with spirit and truth" and to "keep our eyes on what is unseen"....the city having real foundation that Abraham was looking forward to.
Where do we go????
There is only ONE! "ONE lord ONE faith ONE baptism"
Listen to him JOHN 10: 1-18. Notice Jesus says, "MY SHEEP know MY VOICE and listen to ME!"
May the blessing of our lord and his father be with you.
JUST A MOM (Kim)

Where Do I Go Now? Is There An Answer??

Share this