yes you did say Barbara was non-trinitarian many times.
Who would care if Barbara did not believe in the trinity?
TO BARBARA ANDERSON: MY FOURTEEN YEAR OLD SON
by deborahs_song 71 Replies latest jw friends
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Junction-Guy
I personally believe in the Trinity, I totally disagree with the Watchtower. If someone wants to believe or disbelieve in the trinity, then so be it. Your son is 14 he is old enough to start making up his own minds on religious matters. If you personally havent found a group for you to associate with then how can you expect your son to find one. There are many varied doctrines within "Christendom" , why not let him start picking and choosing which churches he wants to attend?
You dont have to believe in the Trinity to attend many churches. I attended a different denomination of Baptists last week, and although their doctrine is quite foreign to me, I still enjoyed the experience. -
AK - Jeff
Dear Deborah's song -
When I first left the organization, I had some very similar sentiments about doctrine. When I look back to that time it is obvious to me that I was 'out' physically, but my mind was still under the mind control of the religion. It must have been very obvious to others, but not to me. In an email to a former elder I must have sounded much like you - desperate to replace the 'truth' with another 'truth'. His comment to me was 'Slow down - your journey out has just begun.' Or the essence of that.
Since that date I have carried the axiom along, that, "exit from a cult is not a moment, but a journey."
Your panic in finding children that accept a God who is not trinity shows me the same thing. The Watchtower, in an effort to make themselves appear 'select' and 'separate' from other religion took on doctrinal mantels that made them very different. In addition, they made you and I believe that our view of God's nature, the condition of the dead, and nature of mans morality, were unique doctrines, that made it clear whom God was using. Fact is; many religious groups believe very similar to these same doctrines - unfortunately many of them have the same fanatical view of being selected exclusively by God. This primary doctrine is the one that creates a cult environment. It seems to me, in examining the literature of these groups, that they too are cultic.
So, what's a good Non-trinitarian to do? Take time. Allow the possibility that God is far above the need to have every worshipper on earth believe they know his precise nature. If you had billions of people gathered at your feet in adoration, would the fact that some do not know your intimate make up be of interest to you? Or would you be appreciative of the worship? After all, does any religion have it all right in your opinion? If Jesus thought it was all crucial for us to worship God, all the time mumbling, 'I know you are not a trinity', would he not have instructed us to do that?
The fact is - Jesus focused on the Character of God, not on His Nature. Many churches follow that pattern too. I have attended a few church services over the time I have been out of Jw's - and I have never heard the minister, nor any of the parishoners, even mention God's nature. The long standing hyperbole that the Watchtower has planted in your mind is just not real. These people come together to worship God. If that is what you desire for your son - then do so. Look around the churches and test the waters.
I have discovered over time [I have been out 4 years] that the Nature of God has faded in importance to me to almost zero. I still believe in God, but I don't concern myself at all with His nature any longer. I suggest one of the churches mentioned above, one with a liberal acceptance of many individual belief platforms, at least until you are able to clear your mind. If you want your son involved in Christianity, you have to go investigate Christianity. On the other hand - this board has taught me that there are some pretty good associates to be found in all walks of life - some atheists here I class as friends. I call myself Christian, and hope they accept me for what I believe.
Sorry for the ramble - welcome to the board. Stick around, allow your mind to open up to other possiblilities. I hope we can help.
Jeff
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Gayle
For children, including teenagers, just raising them with stressing "principles" (honesty, joy, unconditional love, morals, ethics, education, fairness, no prejudice, etc) is a lot. Children don't need the push of doctrines, more needed is the "fruitage of the spirit" things. Arguments about the trinity or not of God is like trying to put the Creator thru a telescope or microscope. Children need more just guidance getting through their day to day stuff and to enjoy their youth as much as possible in posititive spirit. I have raised 5 kids and now a proud grandma.
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sir82
If I walk by a movie theater and notice it is on fire, I have a responsibility to open the doors & yell "fire!" to everyone inside, so they can escape.
I don't have the responsibility to tell the exiting patrons what other theaters are open now so they can catch the rest of the movie.
Barbara Anderson has exposed another aspect of the ugly underside of the WTS.
Why does she (or anyone else) have the responsibility of helping you find association for your son?
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poppers
What seeker4 and sir82 said.
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Mum
Character and behavior are much more important than a belief system. It is better to be a kind, caring, thinking trinitarian than an amoral or immoral non-trinitarian. Your son needs to learn to make his own decisions based on his own experience and analysis.
Freedom to think for himself is the best gift you can give your son.
Regards,
SandraC
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Open mind
AK-Jeff:
this board has taught me that there are some pretty good associates to be found in all walks of life - some atheists here I class as friends. I call myself Christian, and hope they accept me for what I believe.
CAN I GET AN AMEN BROTHER?!?
I'd be glad to repair a roof and then knock back a beer with a "Christian" like you any day, Jeff.
I love this place.
Open Mind
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Honesty
Do you realize you said the word nontrinitarian 7 times in that short paragraph? I suggest you let your child be a child and maybe you need to research the Trinity and understand what Christians think about the matter rather than what the wt has obviously drilled in your head about it. Seven times in just a few short sentences seems a bit odd, no?
You have left the jw's? I take it you were like most jw's and only allowed your child to have jw friends? and now you want to control his friends further by saying he can have no friends who believe in the Trinity? I would suggest you seek counseling for yourself and your extreme bigotry. You are going to turn your child into a nut case or at least one who is socially inept and unable to get along in life.
Give your son the tools he needs in life, some social skills, courage to say no when needed, courage to say yes, allow him to develop and have interests of his OWN. This is a human being not a pet you have total control of.
Or you can continue to be so judgemental of the human race in general and we will see your son here or some other place on the internet in a few years bemoaning what a controling manipulative parent he had and how he does not know how to cope or make decisions in life now and has very little contact with you because you still refuse to allow him to be his own man as an adult.
carla
Or you can continue to be so judgemental of the human race in general and we will see your son here or some other place on the internet in a few years bemoaning what a controling manipulative parent he had and how he does not know how to cope or make decisions in life now and has very little contact with you because you still refuse to allow him to be his own man as an adult.
Amen.
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AK - Jeff
I'd be glad to repair a roof and then knock back a beer with a "Christian" like you any day, Jeff.
Thanx OM. Same back at ya' - but can we knock back a beer without the roof repair?
Jeff