What are your reasons for not joining another religion? (page 4)

silentWatcher

actually Ruther-fraud was right: "ALL religion is a SNARE and a RACKET".

Gregor

Wonderful, insightful comments on this thread. "Socially accepted insanity" ColdRedRain, was that original? I will be adding that to my repertoire (sic).

james_woods- You put it well also. Like never being able to eat sausage after watching it being made. Or, like my father, who, in the late 30's and early 40's would occasionally pick up work in the Southern Calif. film industry as a carpenter and laborer. He saw a lot of movies being made and for ever after he was never a big movie fan, like the experience spoiled the illusion for him.

serendipity

Well, I haven't left yet, but I've been investigating other religions and churches via their websites. This is what turns me off:

1. Involvement in politics, prayers for the government, elections and country. (I like the concept of neutrality.)

2. Willingness to fight in wars, prayers for victory. ( I like conscientious objector status.)

3. Docrine: trinity, immortal soul, hellfire, speaking in tongues, holding to Jewish tradition-in the case of the WCG/Armstrong offshoots.

4. Money: Emphasis on fundraising to build large buildings, passing the collection plate and paid clergy. I can see paying a pastor, but do they really need Youth ministers, XYZ ministers, etc? Those positions should be voluntary.

5. Church governance/bureacracy. I was researching one religion and their website contained more info about the relationship/rules between the individual congregations and the national church 'conference' (or counsel - I forget the term), than was available about doctrine or church activities, etc.

6. Sermon content: Ministers using the pulpit to offer personal opinions. Few references to the Bible during sermons. (Granted this observation is based on sermons posted on various websites.)

I think being a JW has influenced my expectation and perception of religion, causing me to place more importance on certain areas than a normal person would.

(Lest anyone thing I'm all negative: There is REAL Bible study, freedom to be independent thinkers, the concept of grace, charitable/volunteer activities that actually help people and a social network that won't be quick to drop you when you sin. )

I've checked into almost all denominations and the ones that I've found to be the most interesting are the Biblical Unitarians, with their home churches, the Disciples of Christ, and the Unitarian-Universalists.

poodlehead

I went through a faze were I was very mad at God. But now I no longer am. I was involved with other religions before I was a JW. So maybe that helps to go back. My beliefs in God as a child were given peacfully and easily so I never felt that there wasn't a God. My father was American Indian and taught me the ways of his beliefs and my Mother was Catholic. So it wasn't about religion, but about a apriciation for the creator or great spirit. I guess if I had been brought up a JW and that was my only association with religion I too would never go to another church.

It is very hard, but me and my new husband are trying to find a church I will be comfortable in. But to become a member.....That I don't know if I ever will.

Even though I left being a JW. I never once doubted the exsistence of God. I do have faith that someday I will find somewhere I feel comfortable again. To this day my best religious experience was walking through the high Mohave dessert in California with my Father and him telling me about God. He felt the Earth was Gods church and his spirit was all around if we would stop and listen. We sat in the dessert listening to the wind and animals and life that was around us. We looked at a beautiful cactus flower and my father said,"Se here is where God is. In every flower and every animal. And this is his church."

I miss my father a great deal. I thought of me never being with him again is impossible for me to believe. Maybe that is what makes me seek out the bible.

free2beme

I was always Wiccan, it was within me, I did not join and I never have. I am only Wiccan in description as it is the easiest way to explain what I feel.

Wasanelder Once

Yep, Jesus and I have a close personal relationship. Sometimes we just hang out and shoot hoops. I tell ya he's one good friend. It turns out we both dated the same girl in high school.

W.Once

Carmel

Well I spent well neigh unto 18 years after leaving the JWs as a professed agnostic before finding a cosmology that made any sense. I never went through the "all religions are alike" phase since I hadn't investigated ALL religions. My seven years of university taught me not to make absolute statements when I didn't have the data to support them.

carmel

unclebruce

"Organised Religion™" - two oxy moronic* words diametrically opposed to pure spirituality. <--- an oxymoronic term wrapped in an oxymoronic sentence? (I'm either smart or very stupid today. oxy moronic uncle

unc's dictionary of the damned™:

*oxymoron: a literary figure of speech in which contradictory or opposite terms or ideas are combined to create a rhetorical effect by paradoxical means

:::

From an outsider like myself Im suprised no one has mentioned the trinity doctrine I thought that would be a big factor

Hey Barry - Even JWs™ don't fall for the Trinity™ thank God (organised religion's oppresive hybid interpretaion of man's long held recocognition of his being made up of mind, body and spirit - please let's not get into the 'immortal soul doctrine™' either!

looking_glass

Why allow another religion to tell me what I can and cannot believe. I have free will, I have a brain. I can figure out what is right for me and go from there.

Leolaia

the Three things we can all be sure that will tell us where the REAL truth is is THE BIBLE!!, THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND JESUS CHRIST!!

What happened to the Father?

What are your reasons for not joining another religion?

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