"A Boat Load of Guilt."

scout575

"My 'walk', in short, was one big struggle with "fleshly desire" and a boat load of guilt hanging over me. This pretty much describes my life on a daily basis. Despite the advertising, Jesus doesn't make you free."

The above post on an ex-Christian message board, was made in reply to the question: "What was your 'walk with the Lord' like?" If you are a JW thinking about joining a Bible-believing church, please spend a lot of time reading ex-Christian message boards, to get the other side of the story of the much vaunted Christian 'freedom'.

Satans little helper

that's interesting, I felt alot of guilt during my time as a JW and this is part of what has kept me away from organised religion since my disfellowshipping and even made me doubt the existance of god. Only recently have I managed to shift some of those feelings of guilt - reading "How good do we have to be" by Harold Kushner helped alot and made the point that god would never be as petulent or as harshly judgemental as most Christian churches make out.

I understand why religions use guilt as a control mechanism, after all it is an easily weilded weapon and has a deep seated and lasting hold on people. What angers me are the feelings of self loathing and the years of misery it can cause.

Sad emo

scout

Please could you post the web address of this site so we can check it out for ourselves?

mrsjones5

IMO any and every religion can generate guilt. Christianity doesn't have the market cornered on it...look at the Jewish religion.

Guilt is not all bad and I'd rather have a smiggen of guilt that be totally lacking in a sense of guilt (i.e. a pyschopath).

Josie

Fe2O3Girl

I think that people generally end up with the religion that they want.

If you want a religion with a cuddly Jesus that lets you do what you want, you'll find one.

If you want (or need) a religion that constantly condemns you (which has the bonus of condemning every one else), you'll find one.

And yes, I am aware of the "all religions can't be right, that lot are going to hell because they don't go to my church" arguments - I was a JW remember? You've found a religion that lets you be superior to all the other sinners - good for you.

Of course, people who are trapped in a high control group by family and social pressure are in another altogether less comfortable boat.

scout575

Sad emo: If you google 'leaving Christianity' you will find a wealth of ex-Christian websites and message boards. Ex-Christian.net is a good message board.

mrs jones5: Good points. I'm concentrating on fundamentalist/evangelical churches because, in my experience, they seem to attract ex-JWs more than any other religion.

Fe203Girl: Forgive me if I've misunderstood your reply, but I'm an atheist now, and so I don't belong to any religion. I find that people within the SAME denomination of Christianity are affected by it in vastly different ways. One person thrives on it whereas another person feels terribly oppressed by it. It demonstrates that Christianity doesn't work for everyone who embraces it and sincerely tries to live by it.

Fe2O3Girl

Hi scout575,

I wasn't really replying directly to you, it was more of a pre-emptive reply to a reaction I got to a previous reply on one of your similar threads here.

I had gathered from your posting that you are not religious!

I think that we agree that there are religions that suit different people, and for some people, no religion at all is their path.

I find that people within the SAME denomination of Christianity are affected by it in vastly different ways. One person thrives on it whereas another person feels terribly oppressed by it. It demonstrates that Christianity doesn't work for everyone who embraces it and sincerely tries to live by it.

I felt that your previous postings leaned more towards the stance that any religion is bad for everyone.

james_woods

Say IronOxideGirl -

No comment just now on the religion debate, but I have a "found" kittykat named Li-Li that looks exactly like your avatar.

She came up to the patio door and stayed around because I fed her smoked salmon and capers.

Fe2O3Girl

Smoked salmon and capers?

<purrs and weaves around James' legs>

lowden

Whilst i believe that guilt can be a good thing in regulating our consciences, it is also the tool that makes us maleable in the hands of the religious hierachy. It can make us into 'Epsilon-Minus Semi-Morons' (Aldous Huxley-Brave New World).

Peace

Lowden

"A Boat Load of Guilt."

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