by Nathan Natas 39 Replies latest jw friends
Hi Tom
I always enjoyed reading your experience about leaving the Watchtower and i was shocked to learn today that you are now Catholic. I left last year and in my studies on the Early Church i have been drawn to Eastern Orthodox and have been attending the Divine Liturgy, it doesnt hurt that i am Greek. :)
My question after reading your reasons for going to Catholicism is had you studied Orthodoxy and why didnt you consider them?
I await your reply.
Thanks,
Hi Yannis, I did take a very close look at the Orthodox Church. I have a number of books and other materials published by various Orthodox writers. Since I became acquainted with the catholic faith by reading the ante-Nicene writings, I am quite comfortable with the Eastern approach to Christianity, including some aspects of Christians mysticism and spirituality. I really love the writings of the Eastern Fathers which I have read.
The Orthodox communions have completely valid apostolic succession, and for that reason the churches of the Eastern Rite (Orthodox) are viewed by the Latin Rite as the "other lung" of the great catholic church. There are a number of reasons why I did not become a member of the Orthodox Church, however.
The Orthodox church is divided up along national lines. And local parishes are the same way. The ones I have visited seem to be more like small ethnic communities than part of a great universal church that will evangelize all nations.
There also seems to be less consensus about some matters of teaching and practice represented by the respective heads of these national churches. One of these is how to view their Catholic brothers and sisters. Some are very open to communion, whereas others are quite opposed to it. But despite these comparatively minor differences, I deeply respect my Orthodox brothers and sisters.
There is also simple practicality. There are five Catholic parishes in our town. Ours is less than a mile from our home. The nearest Orthodox church is a Greek Orthodox Church several miles from here. There is a Syrian Orthodox Church about the same distance away in the other direction. I visited these parishes, and they are largely composed of members of a handful of families who came here from the old country and founded the local parish. But they put on wonderful ethnic festivals in the summertime, where we go to eat stuffed grape leaves and baklava. Yum!
There are other reasons, but this will serve to give you some idea as to why we chose as we did.
Tom
Tom, what was the REAL STORY regarding Knorr? Was he really gay?? And did the other 2 GB members get removed for sex sins as has been suggested?
It's funny that people seem to naturally assume that belief in hell as a place of torment could only be a product of ones character or disposition.
No one ever thinks to "blame", say Mark 9:43-49. Even if you blow it off as figurative language, how can you not be understanding of someone who takes it at face value?
So their bishops can do outrageous things such as appointing an openly gay bishop
Tom:
One of the best things that has happened to me since I came to my senses and walked away from dubdom in '03 is that I now understand many things, not the least of which are these:
1. The fact some people are born gay is not an 'outrageous thing.'
2. Intolerance is not a spiritual concept.
Well hello again Tom Cabeen. Long time no see. I understood it was your son that lead you into Catholic religion.!!!!
We have met several times ,& you were the first contact I got in touch with when I was first ousted by the WT
. But I do not have a church per say. as a religion, I believe all religion is seperating sheep. But I do have a personal relationship with MY GOD, the Creator....Father, Son,& Holy Ghost. & Jesus Christ has become my best friend .
Tell Gloria Hello, I will never forget one very cold winter she sent me a coat. ((((HUGS to Her.
Grace Gough
If I had cable, I would watch it, but I don't.
I do see some similiarities in the Catholic Church and the JW's, but they are few and far between. The main similiarity beween them is the organizational structure.
I don't believe in Catholicism, as I am a Baptist, but as far as religions go, I would'nt have a problem with an XJW becoming a Catholic.
As for hell, I do believe it is a real place that burns with fire and brimstone.
Hi Tom
I am also an Ex-JW (faded) from Perú (so my native language is Spanish)... I have read several of David Bercot's books (Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up..? Common Sense…, a Dictionary of Early Christian Writings )… and I have read also the writings of several of the Ante-Nicene Fathers…
So, I`m close to Catholicism (I was one before being a JW and this is mainly a catholic country… my whole family is catholic and I was the only JW in it), but I have some problems with the RC church yet (Images, Mary)….
I also have visited an Orthodox Church here (I like them but still have problems with the Icons)… but that church is far from my home. I like Anglicans (no Icons, images)… and the Anabaptists (I have not found any of them here)… so I have not made up my mind yet..
I would like to contact David Bercot… Does he have a web page?... I would like to contact a Catholic Ex-JW group too… so, if you have information to share with me, please do
Caballo Sentado
Hi Min,
I hardly knew NHK. We had maybe two conversations. I very seriously doubt that he was gay, but he certainly talked about sex a lot at the head of the table. It was on his mind quite often. But maybe he felt he had to do that to keep a Bethel home full of young testosterone from going crazy. His wife Audrey was a very nice lady. Very classy, I thought. She remarried after NHK died.
I have heard rumors about the other two guys, but cannot confirm anything. I was in meetings with most all of them at one time or another, but the only GB members I really knew well were Ray Franz and Dan Sydlik.
Tom
Hi Grace,
Well, Matt and I certainly talked many things over. But I don't think it was a case of either of us leading the other into the Catholic faith. We all (Gloria, too) were reading things separately, and thinking and praying. But of course we had lots of pretty heavy conversations. Ultimately I think we each came to the same conclusion sort of separately, but at about the same time. Matt was confirmed about two months before we were, but I was headed toward the Catholic church before he was.
You are right that there are Christians in all denominations. One thing that surprised me about Catholics is how non-judgmental they are, and accepting of those of other denominations. Maybe they used to be more judgmental before Vatican II, but I sure haven't seen it.
So nice to hear from you, Grace!
Tom
