How long did take to feel comfortable in a church? (page 2)

anewme

I am still too skeptical to join another church or religion. I do appreciate though how much humans like to go to church and focus on spiritual things and God there. I approve of that. As long as it is an uplifting and positive outreaching experience, not an anti-social cult-like experience.
The motives and efforts of the meetings of the Kingdum Hall to separate and distance and shun the world is unhealthy and anti-social, maybe demonic.

When one has gone through the lovely experience of being banished from all friends and family and excommunicated from the only community they know, one draws closer to his/her core, his/her inner home-of-the-heart, and God.

After that one realizes that God is available to us at any time, anywhere. No middle men are required.
No human brokers are necessary between you and God. God your creator is close to you at all times ....at work and play and at night when you lay your head down to sleep.

Go to church if you want to. Join the choirs and feed the hungry and drop the nickels in the plate.
But remember, it is the close personal relationship you have with God that is the most important.
Not where or how often you attend a building.

blondie

My father was not a JW when I was growing up. Thus I had attended several churches.

Roman Catholic

Baptist

Lutheran

Mormon

Episcopalian

Methodist

Independent

I never felt uncomfortable. I found some of the services just as boring as at the KH. I liked the music and singing better. But I never felt that a lightning bolt was going to come out of heaven and strike me.

Blondie

Pahpa

anewme

I do agree with you. But you hit on a very important difference between many churches and Jehovah's Witnesses. Most churches have program to "feed the poor." Soup kitchens, food pantries and similar efforts make the difference with many of the poor in our communities. I have to admire this aspect of their faith because they are willing to put Jesus' words into a practical use. Jesus fed the poor and recommended that his disciples do the same.

frankiespeakin

About a year after I left the JWs I started attending different churches trying to find one i like. I wound up going to one for about 6 months.

They all seemed a little wierd to me but I was still beleiving the bible was God's word so I felt the need to gather with fellow beleivers. Many get invovled with politics, praying for the president, and the like, to which I could careless, but I went anyway.

As time went on I kept up my search for the truth, and to better understand what God's will is. As I researched more and more of the bible I came to see it was not what it claims to be, but instead a book ancient myths will little basis in reality. It was hard for me to except after being indoctrinated for 45+ years to beleive in the mythical god of the bible, but in time it became all too obvious to me, it was just a myth and the christian fundamentalist religions were all based on a ancient myth.

It has been liberating to find out the truth about the bible, as I no longer feel the need look for some religion to belong to, I can now live my life unchained by christian dogma, and fear of some angry god that will smite you if you don't believe or have faith in.

Keep up your search for the truth unbiasedly, for it will set you free.

anewme

I agree with you Pahpa about the beauty of the churches efforts to perform valuable
social programs.

I dont know why the govt leaves it up to the churches to do this.

Maybe it is the tax exemption kickback they get that keeps the programs going.
Some mutual synergy they have going.
I think I remember the WTBS talking about it once...or twice, dont you?

Pahpa

anewme

The Watchtower seems to ignore the practical application of Christian teaching by putting a "spiritual" meaning to everything. For example, Jehovah's Witnesses justify their lack of social programs by saying the "most important" thing for a Christian to do today is to "preach" the good news of God's kingdom. They ignore the fact that Jesus did both.

The truth of the matter is that the Watchtower does not want to channel valuable financial resources into programs that would not benefit the organization directly. But how are people going to listen to the message if they are hungry, ill clothed and homeless?

Narkissos

To my own surprise, as soon as I set foot in one, only a few days after being df'd.

The key, I think, is that whatever I could fear from it (in short, disagreement) could hardly be worse than what I had just been through. Actually I didn't expect anything from it, except sharing and confronting my faith with others' in a mostly non-judgemental way. I'm glad I did it, even though I do not attend any church now (or exceptionally). It helped me move on, quicker and farther than I might have done on my own.

I found that coming from JWs rather raised a positive curiosity in general. This can be tricky too in the long run, but not unpleasant at first.

OnTheWayOut

I have been in church funerals for family members, but as a fader, I still avoid them. I can't wait for the next family wedding to come about in a church (but it seems far off with my family) so I can show them why it's okay to attend. Otherwise, I really see no need to go to a church as my belief system was shattered by a mind-controlling cult.

How long did take to feel comfortable in a church?

Share this