Catholics

by BlackSwan of Memphis 41 Replies latest jw friends

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  mouthy

  Damn, mouthy, you are a feisty one!!!
  
  Are you really 80? Hope I'm still as kickin' then. >>>> Yes I am 80 & alot on this board hopes I dont make 81 LOL!!!

  I am opposed to the Roman Catholic church because there was a time in my life -before I got hooked into the JW ....that the church turned me off big time....Many.,many reason not worth repeating..
  But it was very damaging in my married life.I feel if your happy in your Catholic religion Great!!! I happen to feel it damages SOME folks just like any of mans teachings.
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  Open mind

  Hello BSOM,

  I don't know if I was one of the Catholic bashers, I hope not.

  Earlier today when welcoming a new poster, (ex-JW, recently appointed Catholic priest) I made reference to him giving his JW family a "two-fer".

  I said something like:

  "First "Apostate". Now a "CATHOLIC"

  Ewwwww."

  I failed to use an emoticon, but in retrospect I should have. Sorry if the tongue in my cheek wasn't clearly visible.

  Now that I've got my "mea culpa" out of the way, on to your bigger question.

  It seems to me that being raised as a JW, there were levels of evil within Babylon the Grape.

  Heathen religions are bad, but at least they don't use the Bible.

  Christendom is especially stinky in Jehober's eyes cuz they claim to represent him.

  And, for some reason, it seems like Chuck Russell and Drunkaford seemed to especially have it in for the Catholics.

  That's just my 3rd gen, raised-in, perspective. To a JW, Catholics are the worst of worst when it comes to religion. (Well, unless you wanna talk 'postates. They're sub-human. )

  So maybe some of that carries over. Just my $.02.

  Sorry if I offended.

  Open Mind
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  changeling

  "Religion ruins everything"

  changeling
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  NanaR

  Hey BSOM,

  I have often wondered the same thing.

  I am enrolled in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation) and plan to be baptized next Easter. My husband, a lapsed cradle Catholic converted to JW now inactive for over ten years, says I've lost my mind.

  Thanks to my new-found faith, I have finally begun to heal from a lifetime of JW nonsense.

  Everyone does not find the same path or make the same journey. But we should all remember that we don't assist our healing when we do or say things that hurt others. And for someone who endured all the putdowns of a JW life, to find Christ and then discover that your XJW colleagues want to attack your Christianity is very disheartening.

  Thank you for starting this thread.

  Ruth
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  tula

  Married to God---Ring and all

  All religious groups have their idiosyncracies:

  Many women were placed into convents by their families. The Church received a dowry from the parents of the nuns, and any jewelry which belonged to the girl which added wealth to the convent or nunnery. Older women also became nuns, many widows chose this way of life after the death of their husband. Many convents and nunneries only accepted postulents who were from wealthy backgrounds. Every candidate for admission to a nun's order took the vow of obedience. The postulancy usually lasted one month, the novitiate one year, at the end which simple vows were taken. The solemn vows of the Medieval Nuns were taken four years later. Having once joined she remained a nun for the rest of her life. The medieval ceremony for the consecration of nuns was similar to a wedding - a nun would be seen as married to God. A ring was placed on the nun's finger and she wore a wedding crown or headdress.

  Actually this excerpt says "medieval" but this custom went on much longer than that. I saw a movie depicting this just a few years ago. The year depicted was within the past 200 years.
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  Kenneson

  I'm a Catholic re-vert. Left the Church in 1958 at the age of 14 to become a Jehovah's Witness. I was easily confused, which created in me a state of doubt that was really never resolved until I returned to the Church in Jan. 1966. It was like a heavy weight was removed from me. The yoke was broken. I was promptly disfellowshipped for apostasy. I have never gone back to the Kingdom Hall and have not regretted by journey back into Catholicism. If I had spent as much time studying it as I did Watchtower literature, I probably would have never left it in the first place. JWs had better answers then, but now I can hold my own.
• 

  BlackSwan of Memphis

  It seems to me that being raised as a JW, there were levels of evil within Babylon the Grape.

  Heathen religions are bad, but at least they don't use the Bible.

  Christendom is especially stinky in Jehober's eyes cuz they claim to represent him.

  And, for some reason, it seems like Chuck Russell and Drunkaford seemed to especially have it in for the Catholics.

  That's just my 3rd gen, raised-in, perspective. To a JW, Catholics are the worst of worst when it comes to religion. (Well, unless you wanna talk 'postates. They're sub-human. )

  So maybe some of that carries over. Just my $.02.

  You know that is the truth. If I told my family I was a pagan they'd likely not be happy. If I told them I was a Catholic I think they'd have a friggin meltdown!!!

  Hehehehe, boy some funny thoughts just went through my head.

  Sorry if I offended.

  Ya know, not being a Catholic, I don't think you owe me an apology.

  "Religion ruins everything"

  Changeling, some days I think like that, other days I see where it has done some very good things. There is good and bad in many things, imho. Religion included.

  I have often wondered the same thing.

  I am enrolled in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation) and plan to be baptized next Easter. My husband, a lapsed cradle Catholic converted to JW now inactive for over ten years, says I've lost my mind.

  Thanks to my new-found faith, I have finally begun to heal from a lifetime of JW nonsense.

  Everyone does not find the same path or make the same journey. But we should all remember that we don't assist our healing when we do or say things that hurt others. And for someone who endured all the putdowns of a JW life, to find Christ and then discover that your XJW colleagues want to attack your Christianity is very disheartening.

  Yep. This is what I'm talking about. It's like your religion, your beliefs are not as good as theirs.

  Thank you for starting this thread.

  Ruth

  Thank You, for sharing this Ruth, I appreciate it. Keep me posted on your RCIA btw. Ok?

  Actually this excerpt says "medieval" but this custom went on much longer than that. I saw a movie depicting this just a few years ago. The year depicted was within the past 200 years.

  Tula, this was an interesting read. Do you have a link? And I'm sure this is me being an airhead, but are you referring to the custom of the ring, or the other regarding the convents accepting women from wealthy backgrounds? (sorry!)

  I'm a Catholic re-vert. Left the Church in 1958 at the age of 14 to become a Jehovah's Witness. I was easily confused, which created in me a state of doubt that was really never resolved until I returned to the Church in Jan. 1966. It was like a heavy weight was removed from me. The yoke was broken. I was promptly disfellowshipped for apostasy. I have never gone back to the Kingdom Hall and have not regretted by journey back into Catholicism. If I had spent as much time studying it as I did Watchtower literature, I probably would have never left it in the first place. JWs had better answers then, but now I can hold my own.

  Kenneson, thanks for posting. I have often thought this when talking with people. There is not a lot of studying happening. It is really interesting. Often I talk to people who go to church, but couldn't tell you anything about the bible. I'm not saying that's bad, only that I can see how so many people end up in religions like the JW"s.
• 

  Frjprice

  am enrolled in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation) and plan to be baptized next Easter. My husband, a lapsed cradle Catholic converted to JW now inactive for over ten years, says I've lost my mind.

  Thanks to my new-found faith, I have finally begun to heal from a lifetime of JW nonsense.

  -NanaR

  Glory be to god!

  As to why their is hostility toward catholics, it happens anywhere you go, and has since the reformation, you get used to it after a while :)
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  anewme

  My husband and I are renting a room in a home where the landlady is going through the RICA too.
  I have read her literature and looked up Jeff's site exjwcatholics.com
  
  I must say I am impressed with the Catholic church's efforts to change its image and distance itself from its past blunders.
  
  I do believe individuals can change and so I guess I believe organizations can change. Heaven knows we all wish the WTS would change!
  
  
  I am glad for her to find a faith that calms her and makes her feel closer to God. People want that.
  I want that. But now I am very cautious and suspicious of organizations claiming to represent God.
  
  
  I may never join another religion again. I think at best they are stepping stones to a full personal relationship with God like Enoch had and Noah and Moses, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Jesus had.
  You dont need a church to have that. You dont need a building or a body of elders or a book bag or time slip, or a rosary or incense or prayer rug. All that is required is a mind and heart filled with deep respect for the creator's will which is clearly discerned by observing his beautiful creation.
  
  
  
  
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  Lloyd Braun

  As to why their is hostility toward catholics, it happens anywhere you go, and has since the reformation, you get used to it after a while :)

  I would say that the most persecuted over and throughout time have been those in Judaism. Seeing as how the Spanish Inquisition and many other pogroms took place over the years, spilling blood and killing in the name of "Jesus Christ", there has been much onslaught that led up to the self inflicted wound that the Catholic Church eventually gave itself.

  As far as changing views and accepting "new light" goes, how is the change that the Catholic Church is undergoing to be read in any different light than what the WTBS does? I find it a bit hypocritical to say the least. Both organizations claim to be "God's". Both are fallible. Both are full of all sorts of iniquitous actions and crimes.

  Gal 5:1

  For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.

  The simple idea that the New Testament is presenting to us is to be free thinkers, emphasizing on the word "free" from bondage to ANY control mechanism other than "the Christ" (a personification of the indweling spirit), as Paul of Tarsus taught.

  The entirety of the ministry of Yeshua of Nazareth was set forth to free people from the control of organized religion.

  Mar 7:5

  And the Pharisees and the scribes ask him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with defiled hands? Mar 7:6 And he said unto them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me.Mar 7:7But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.Mar 7:8Ye leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men.Mar 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition.

  Not sure how the religious institutions are missing the mark on this one...

  Matt