Difficult to build faith up at church after leaving WTS

by White Dove 34 Replies latest jw friends

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  Sasha

  I have absolutely NO intention of joining or even attending any organized religion. Frankly, I would think that would be impossible for anyone to do. I checked out ALL other religions before studing the truth.

  I think I'll just worship God in my own way. I regard myself as a former sinner and haved sinned no more. (10 commandment wise) and just hope for the best. I'm no angel. But non of us are perfect. I have a horrible second marriage and would not even consider divorce or adultery. I am that afraid of God.
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  JamesThomas

  Dove:

  I just don't have any faith, yet.

  Perhaps it is time to stop having faith in some-thing or some-one absent or yet to be, and meet with reality.

  As everything ever written about trees is not a tree, so is the ultimate truth we seek -- not found upon pages.

  j
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  heathen

  I hear ya , tho never a dubby , I've been catholic and don't care for their religion , never had a desire to go back to that , my biggest concern is getting in a cult that hands out Kool aid . I've thought unitarian would be worthwhile since I still don't believe the trinity , There are some pentacostal churches that look OK but again they all believe the trinity dogma and usually some other oddball screwed up things I don't agree with. what to do ?
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  greendawn

  Heathen if you look into every issue you will never join any church, I don't believe in the Trinity but I wouldn't have any problems with being with people that believe it. To me mainstream religions are more or less OK as they don't have wacky ideas and don't pressure their followers emotionally. But still I never got deeply involved with any, only superficially.
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  jaguarbass

  I left in 83, and tried baptist, Methodist and assemlies of God, which bable like pentacostals and a new age church along with reading my bible cover to cover 5 times. None of it took. Being a JW, going to a church is like being a drunk and going to an AA meeting, it screws up your drinking.

  When I left the society, I looked for the truth that I always prayed about as a JW. I found reading the bible cover to cover 5 times and taking notes and researching the book, it is a pile of garbage. And most so called christians I have talked to have never read the book or studied it independently.

  If you study it under a teacher of a religion you are going to come out seeing what the religion believes. Just like the Witnoids did to us. Because bible teachers just show you or focus on the part that supports their belief. The bible was used by the klu klux klan and the southern baptist to persecute the blacks. And it was used by the catholic church to support HItlers ambitions in Germany.

  The book will say anything you want it to say, from have incest with your children to enslave your fellow man. And to be fair, I would think the bible even inspires a little bit of kindness from time to time. I'd have a hard time finding it in the old Testament even the New Testament, but I bet its there. Probably, you could find kindness in the lost books that they left out when they voted in Niacea. It has something for everybody. Your George Bushes, use the Bible to tear things up, colateral damage. George claims to be Gods instrument here on earth. He's kind of like a modified catholic pope, to the born agains in America. And then you have your catholic mother Teresas who use it to feed the orphans from the dictator's wars.

  Let me say thats what I found, I can't say what you will find, because I have come to realize people see what they want to see. So that's where your adventure begins. Figuring out what you want to see, and why.

  The new age church, Unity in Clearwater, was the most palitable accepting and loving. Then again, I'm not even sure they are new age as I see they celibrate easter. Maybe they celebrate the real easter with the Bunny Rabbit.

  Once you leave the tower, if your thinker still works or ever worked, your on your own.
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  jaguarbass

  You say you want Jesus to be true very badly, Do you realize what your saying? The Jesus of the bible is God. The God of the bible is Mad! God being God, knew when he made everything that Adam and Eve would sin and break his rules. Then he gets mad at himself and decides to kill himself on a cross so you will feel better. And be thankful he brought you to his madness.

  That's what you want. Does that make you feel better?
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  heathen

  Then he gets mad at himself and decides to kill himself on a cross so you will feel better. And be thankful he brought you to his madness.

  who the hell believes this? LOL I believe the story where God has his son killed so that he can redeem mankind from the grave according to the statutes of the divine law .
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  DanTheMan

  Pentecostals? Of all the denominations that a critically-thinking ex-JW could find themselves attracted to, this is one that I find especially curious.

  I mean, isn't Pentecostalism all about things like being in the Last Days™, and woe to those who aren't part of our special group because boy are they gonna get it when the fit hits the shan?

  Didn't you just leave something like that? Different doctrines, but pretty much the same saved vs. unsaved mentality?
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  XJW4EVR

  Pentecostals? Of all the denominations that a critically-thinking ex-JW could find themselves attracted to, this is one that I find especially curious.

  I am a Pentecostal for one reason. Worship. I find the Pentecostal style of worship to be much freer than the more reserved styles of other denominations.

  I mean, isn't Pentecostalism all about things like being in the Last Days ™, and woe to those who aren't part of our special group because boy are they gonna get it when the fit hits the shan?

  Where to go on this one? Salvation is not dependant upon what group you belong to. It is dependent upon whose work you rely on to atone for you sins, yours or Christ's.

  Didn't you just leave something like that? Different doctrines, but pretty much the same saved vs. unsaved mentality?

  Yes, there is a "saved vs. unsaved" mentality, however the biggest difference between the Dubs and where I am at now is this: I truly care about the people I talk to, and do not view them as a magazine placement, return visit or Bible study. Instead the person is a person, and not a number.
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  Balsam

  Well the bible it self pretty well shot down faith for me. I go to church now for the social element. I don't expect to have faith anymore as taught by the bible. I've found my own level of comforting beliefs and I've found people I can commune with. That is all I expect.

  Balsam