Hi everyone. I have been reading this board for a year now, so i'm not new, but new to posting :) Please let me apologize in advance as i am having trouble separating what is true - from what i hear at the meetings, vs here, and private research, so i may ramble or say things that may sound watchtowery. I still go to the meetings due to family pressure which may eventually end, not sure when, probably when i decide its enough. This board has helped keep me balanced, however some things still bother me. All the time i was in the "truth" they say, its either do it our way, or the highway, because if you don't have us, you are nothing. This question is for any that are still Christian after leaving the witnesses, Jesus mentioned in the scripture that there would be ones that said, did we not prophecy in your name.... etc, but that he would not recognize them. Did this mean that there would be only one true religion? I cant get my head around the scripture. Also, when Jesus commanded the disciples to preach, was this meant to be in the door to door style of the witnesses, or something else. I have been feeling immense guilt about me thinking about these topics, and i pray to God that he forgives me if i am not seeing the whole truth about this. Thanks for your answers in advance.
How to get the programming out of my mind.
by Apostate.Jr 37 Replies latest jw friends
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KW13
What your looking for is time Its the biggest healer.
Wish you all the best.
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IP_SEC
Im an atheist now but I considered myself christian when I first left. Let me ask you a question. Does one true religion really make sense to you? Really, really think about that question.
Interested in hearing what you have to say.
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nvrgnbk
Look for what's real.
I prayed to Jehovah to help me to see reality with clarity.
He answered my prayer.
I realized He wasn't there.
Thanks, Big Guy!
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oompa
You can pray all you want to want to for forgiveness, which is funny cause you say you feel guilty just thinking about these biblical points. Lose the guilt already until you do something REALLY worthy of feeling guilt, otherwise it is not healthy! Read a little more it the old testament and you will see God is going to do what suits him whenever he feels like it. He killed lots of innocent jews just for being near somone who actually did something bad. when he wiped out cities, he took the women and kids with the bad guys. If you really are sorry about something, just assume the worst.....that God is probably going to kill you anyway, but hey, he can also make things right again someday if he wakes you back up. That is way mass death is no big deal to God, death just does mean the same to him as it does to us.
As far as the preaching thing, who on earth can prove they are 100% correct in their understanding of the Bible? Even JW's admit we are imperfect and make mistake so why the hell would you spread a possible truth/untruth with anyone. And can anyone prove this bible of ours is error free? hardly. the less said to others the better/safer.
my 2cents.....oompa
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Apostate.Jr
Thanks for all your replies To IP_SEC This has been a large part of my problem. I see many different religions worldwide, every part of the world has its own flavour, this bothers me because of the religion people are born into, most stay with it, just like most born-in jw's stay in too. Therefore, it would not seem fair for all them to be destroyed too, unless of course God can read the heart and makes a decision based on that, i dont know. I am not afraid of death per se, but i would prefer to just go in my sleep, not the way the bible says it is.
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anewme
I have a question for you ApostateJr.
If the Watchtower said one thing and the Bible said another, which do you think the so called truth loving witnesses would follow?
Sadly the Watchtower places great importance on itself as a mediator entity.
It creates slaves of its members who feel incompetent to read the Bible for themselves and interpret its meaning. It manipulates their minds to believe they alone (the governing body) understands the scriptures in the correct way.
If the governing body decided tomorrow that four meetings a week was necessary for its members the people would be forced to conform to their demands. If they decided that witnesses should wear a secret identifying mark, again the witnesses would have to do it wouldnt they, or face the consequences.
Power and Control are dominant and prominent in the Cult Religions. That is why they are so easy to identify. Jesus set people free. But religions like the Watchtower cult place demands on their members to conform to rules and regulations not found in the Christian scriptures.
Anyway, if you stay with this forum and read and learn to express your questions and thoughts, you will taste the freedom of expression the Watchtower Cult has denied you for so long.
There are so many religions for you to explore and ask why they worship the way they do.
Its a big wide world out there filled with beautiful feeling and thinking people. Why are they not all Jehovahs Witnesses if the witnesses are so special and wonderful?
Ask them and they will tell you why they could never join that group.
Your quest for knowledge has begun.
Anewme -
Apostate.Jr
This is a test post To see if i can get my posts to format :)
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IP_SEC
I see many different religions worldwide, every part of the world has its own flavour, this bothers me because of the religion people are born into, most stay with it, just like most born-in jw's stay in too. Therefore, it would not seem fair for all them to be destroyed too, unless of course God can read the heart and makes a decision based on that, i dont know. I am not afraid of death per se, but i would prefer to just go in my sleep, not the way the bible says it is.
Indeed grasshopper. My work here is done. Very good. You are on the right track.
matt