My Church Visit Today felt Strangely JWlike....

by AK - Jeff 27 Replies latest jw experiences

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  AK - Jeff

  Don't get me wrong - there were things I enjoyed.

  • The casual atmosphere and dress.
  • Nice people and not pushy.
  • The Christian message.
  • Wearing my blue jeans and tennis shoes instead of cheap poly suit
  • Exposing my G-kids to religious choice without any pressure to commit or conform to anything.

  I attended the adult Sunday School program in the sanctuary while the kids enjoyed children's Sunday School in the lower level. There were only 15 or so adults in attendance. But here is where the felling of uneasiness came in; They are using a workbook and video presentation by a televangelist. He had taped these sessions like mini-sermons I guess. The one we did today was about 'Authority' and how Christians need to submit to the authority of the church leadership. The taped guy went on a rant in my opinion that was so much like WTS thinking that I cringed. He pointed at the examples of Miriam and Aaron resisting Moses' appointment. And the sons of Korah of course. And intimated, if not stating outright, that those who did not conform to those appointed by God today [meaning religious pastors] they did not have a Christian personality.

  After it was over and the Sunday School Teacher resumed - he looked embarrassed and stated ' Well, er, that was not what I was expecting...' rather nervously, and concluded the program. If this had been the regular minister of the church making such bold statements, I would likely have just exited mid-sermon. But, it looked like many in the class were less than happy with the way it was stated so strongly also.

  I had never been to this church before - and likely won't ever go again. I have few Sunday opportunities due to my regular work schedule. Once I use up my vacation days, I won't be able to attend Sunday services anyway. But this one was not great.

  That and the board on the wall that listed the donations for the past two weeks made me uncomfortable. I like the country church setting, and this was clearly that. But I do not wish to find another set of doctrines that insists that I need to follow the Lord as I follow the Pastor. I had enough of that as a JW.

  I think that had not the children been in another room, and I would have had to make a scene, I would likely have bolted. We didn't stay for the Worship Service. Enough was enough.

  Thought I would share.

  Jeff
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  At least the folks there won't shun you for the rest of your life if you
  either disagree with some of their teachings or decide it's not for you.

  Stay alert.
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  AK - Jeff

  At least the folks there won't shun you for the rest of your life if you
  either disagree with some of their teachings or decide it's not for you.

  Point taken. There is power in having taken back one's life isn't there? No need to keep attending because one thinks they have the 'Truth'. Attendance optional, is a nice feature.

  Jeff
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  RR

  That is the one thing that irks me about certain groups. They love to point fingers at JW's for relying on Watchtower books or the Bible Students for reading Russell's books, yet many of the Churches I deliver too, all have books they use in their studies. Whether it be Joel Osteen or some other Christian author.

  RR
• 

  ex-nj-jw

  What's the old saying, "fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice shame on me"?

  I think all of us will always have a skeptical side and be able to spot bullsh** as soon as it's dumped!

  Never second guess your gut feeling!!

  nj
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  Apostate Kate2

  That sounds really creepy Jeff. What church was it if you can say.

  One thing that is different when it comes to this kind of thing is you can go to the church leaders and voice your concerns. Recently something happened in one fo the churches we work with. Hubby went to the pastor for a face to face sit down. The pastor could have easily said well if you dont like it maybe another church would suit you but he didn't. He said the harsh truth from a friend is better than gossip behind your back and he told me how much it meant to him.

  The next Sunday he preached a really good sermon that included what hubby had talked to him about. They have a tough job and get tired of the endless complaining over stupid stuff like; so and so didn't greet me when I came in, there wasn't enough donuts, the coffee was too strong wwaaawaawaaa BUTwhat you experienced was something that cannot be overlooked.

  I am sure that the Sunday school teacher if he has the guts to do so, or one of the others you said it did not sit well with, went to the church leadership to complain about that already. The lovely difference is you will not be disfellowshipped, shunned and they will not form a judicial committee. If the church leadership does not listen, time to move on.
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  exwitless

  That's what LDB and I term: Creepification

  Jeff-have you read In Search of Christian Freedom by Ray Franz yet? If not, I would highly recommend it. He has quite an interesting perspective on the nagging feeling about 'where to go' once you've left the borg. If I were you, I'd skip a Sunday church visit and stay home to read it.
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  RisingEagle

  I've really been enjoying my Sunday school class. The church issues a free study guide each quarter that's divided into weekly lessons (I think it's used by all the churches in it's convention) that uses between 4 and 10 scriptures with a written commentary from different pastors around the country. For Instance, this weeks lesson was on Naaman's skin disease and Elisha's recommendation for a cure based out of 1Kings. Our Sunday school leader is pretty good in that he doesn't really stick to the guide as a script. He'll use the scriptures out of the guide but spends the majority of the time asking history questions about the time/geography/current events of those scriptures. He then tries to relate them to our classes current happenings. Like today - when we read about the Israelite girl telling her mistress to tell her husband to go see Elisha for a cure, somehow that led to talking about the children of my classmates and the upcoming schoolyear. This was great because so many of the people in the class have children.

  The other thing that's kind of nice is that when a question does come up about, well anything really, Mrs. Eagle and I usually have the answer because of the 'my book of bible stories' experience we had in our youth. That and we can pronounce the names and places in the bible for good or for bad. Today I made the mistake or saying 'a-ram' out loud when a classmate read it as 'Ar-man' for the third time. Mrs. Eagle promptly punched me in the arm and gave me a withering look. I still have the bruise and I deserve it.
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  fedorE

  Although im allergic to church, i definelty would have politely interupted and said "Im being punked right..am i being punked?'
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  Junction-Guy

  For years I have been attending my Freewill Baptist Church up in Kentucky, but I never did attend sunday school until this past march. I was always a little leery of churches using certain literature in their sunday school programs, plus the last time I attended Sunday School at a FWB church in Ohio, I found it quite boring. So I never went to Sunday School again.
  
  Imagine my surprise last march when I finally went to Sunday School again and found that they used no other pre-printed materials other than the bible, and also my cousin Harold Dean was teaching. I really enjoyed it, and realized a blessing I have been missing all these years by foregoing Sunday School.
  
  
  I guess my point is that maybe you should give them another opportunity, and dont let this one particular service bother you. Like you said, there were probably many other people bothered by it too, so you werent alone in those feelings too.
  
  As for the offering board, well my country church in Kentucky has an offering board too, I dont find any objections to it, I just appreciate the fact that they are open and honest about their donations, unlike the Kingdom Hall.