If you're not a born-in and there are few if any family in the cult, RUN, don't walk, and just GET OUT. It is not really productive to FIND a new faith right away. It's like breaking up with a control freak and then running out to find another one asap; bad news is you end up right where you started. You have your entire life to find God. There really is no hurry.
Honest Question..........
by thraxer68 45 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Rufus
You have your entire life to find God. There really is no hurry.
Of course, your "entire life" could be a matter of hours. Heaven forbid, you might be hit by a bus in the morning. We really don't know. And so I wouldn't tarry long.
-Rufus
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OnTheWayOut
You have your entire life to find God. There really is no hurry.
I like to think that as far as most of Christianity goes (or virtually all of religion that believes in one creator), God would understand those that earnestly want to do what is right and He would further understand those that were sidetracked by false religion. He would not hold it against them if they had nothing to do with organized religion either for the rest of their lives or at least until they received some more solid evidence than WTS provided on what "the truth" is. Do the right thing and you really do have your entire life to find God.
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garyneal
Hello, and welcome to the board.
I can tell you a bit of my personal journey. Maybe it will help you put some things in perspective.
I remember, even from the time I was little, that I always wanted to have some sort of relationship with God. Well, I wanted to be a Christian at least. By my early twenties, I gave my life to Him, got baptized and began serving Him in a local Independent Fundamental Baptist church. I learned a lot about the Lord and the Bible but I also saw very early on what can happen when a church becomes too legalistic and even somewhat 'culty.' They preached that their particular denomination was the closest to the true gospel and berated other religions (including other protestant denominations) as getting away from the Word of God. Exhalting the KJV Bible as the Word of God, bashing the Internet, preaching urban legends as truth, you get the idea. One preacher constantly pressed that every Christian should be out 'soul winning' all the time (soul winning is the Indy Fundy version of Field Service).
I remember getting depressed and suicidal even because I remember feeling like I would never measure up to being a real Christian. I later left, dissillusioned, and thinking that I no longer needed God to be happy because I was actually becoming happier outside the religion. A few years later, I met a group of Christian students in college and learned what real Christianity was all about. They were a multidenominational group that had a real love for the Lord and for each other. Were it not for them, I don't think I would be a Christian today.
I met my JW wife in 2002 and married her in 2003. Studying with them was interesting to say the least. However, it did not take long to see the negatives about them. Their exclusivity for one and their claim to have The Truth TM made no sense to me since by this time I had come to accept that no one Christian denomination had a monopoly on or could claim to have the truth. While I would accept the Bible as truth and Christ as the truth, most religious teachings were simply man's interpretations of the Bible and Christ's teachings.
Their rigidity was another red flag in my mind as this reminded me of that old indy fundy church and the effect it had on my psyche. The final straw for me was their altered Bible, I mean I find it humorous that they would take the Protestant canon of the Bible, alter it by removing Christ's deity and inserting Jehovah's name in the NT where it did not belong and then tell the Protestants that their church teachings are wrong. I suppose, however, this is similar to what happened in the Protestant reformation movement but I digress.
At any rate, I felt like I was more Christian during my tolerant years in college than I had felt before or since. I am a bit under the WT spell due to years of studying under them but I am getting over that and returning to my origins with new understanding. I am still on the journey, and I expect to be on it for a long time (probably the rest of my life). But as long as I continue to follow the paths of love, respect, and tolerance for others and love for the Lord, I believe I will be on the path of true Christianity.
At least one person here swears the Holy Spirit actually talks to them.
Um, Shelby?
Another believes there are only two paths, his path and all the others. His path is fed by circular logic just as bad as WT's.
Um, Perry?
As if I had to guess. Yes, just as OTWO said, the people here have different spiritual paths. People like Perry and Shelby bring different things to this group that I appreciate.
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alfmel
Maybe they want the certainty of being the only ones who have 'the truth'; whatever that is.
That's exactly it. Truth is universal. Nobody can claim a monopoly on it, and no organization or person can claim to possess it or understand it fully. I took a graduate class on learning psychology (heaven forbid) where we learned that even if there was an absolute truth, it would always be understood differently by different people.
This, to me, is an important lesson one has to learn when searching for "the truth." Even if an organization claims to posses part of it, people will have their own interpretation of it and can only explain it from their own understanding. Therefore, anything we find should be used as a compass to the truth, rather than the truth itself.
I hope that made sense.
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diamondiiz
Welcome;
Most people that have their eyes open about their present and soon to be past religion still believe in God and wish to continue on that jurney. Many realize that either God doesn't care or is not existent as your prayers will not be answered since none are. Obviously if you pray to have food this day and aren't a bum in some third world country you will eat and it's not because your prayers were answered. Honestly no one can really give you a right answer to your question. Some may leave and join a church for various reasons and to them that may sooth their need for spirituality and some of us with time became agnostic since there is no evidence for god but there is many unanswered questions as to evolution, and some have become athiests and are happy with that. The road you choose is your own to decide upon. If you want to join a bible group there are myriads out there, good luck.
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agonus
"doctrinal issues I can't fully understand - blood, 1914, 607, and the new overlapping generation"
You're not meant to understand these things - just to accept them without question. Unscriptural nonsense cannot be "understood" by people who do not have a very convoluted thought process.
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tec
First, welcome!
I'm coming in kind of late to the discussion, and there might not be much that I could add to the good advice you have already received. I would just like to add that you should be patient with yourself. You don't need to know everything today. I'm not saying to put God on the back burner, because my faith brings my immense peace and joy. But I drove myself crazy trying to find the truth, before and after my experience with JW's.
When I decided they didn't have the 'truth' (though they seem to have some truths, but not a monopoly on the whole truth as they claim), I went into panic mode. What do I do now? How can I find God? How can I ever trust my own judgment again? The stress and worry were unbearable (and I have a low tolerance for stress as it is)
One day, I simply and sincerely placed myself in God's hands. I gave complete trust to Him, asked Him to lead me where He wanted me, and no matter how long or bumpy the road.
It felt as if a huge pressure lifted from my shoulders at that moment. I still read the bible myself. (NIV translation, not the NWT) I still reflected on things that I read as I went about my daily life. But the pressure to know everything now had lifted.
I lost my way a couple of times, but I now have such a close and personal relationship with Christ, and I have so much peace and strength from placing my trust in Him.
I don't go to Church, btw. I have nothing against anyone who does go, but I personally do not feel as close with Christ in a Church setting. I'm a quiet person, and I think that's why my faith is quiet also. (Perhaps not so quiet on this board, mind you ) But He is rarely ever out of my thoughts, and my faith and relationship with him continues to grow.
So... that was a long post when really I just wanted to advise you to breathe, take your time, be patient, and place your full trust in God, through his Son. You'll find your peace.
Tammy
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yknot
I am a born-in and I know I had hang ups on 'where to go'...........and all that jazz
I like people but trinity and the absolute insistance, plus additional allegiances just grate on my nerves right now.....
The most profound thing of my 'awakening' was to really discern the scriptures which all JWs derive 'Where to Go'.......
(John 6:68-69) . . .Simon Peter answered him: “Lord, whomshall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life; 69 and we have believed and come to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
'where to'.............and there it was.....
it was never 'where shall we go'.......but to WHOM shall we go!
So as the Lutherans and Episcs say...... Go in peace and serve the Lord....
(meaning you know right and wrong, follow the lamb in you daily dealings so as to give a fine witness and give praise)
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Hadit
Welcome! I can certainly empathize with your situation! You've been given a lot of great suggestions so there's not much for me to add. We all have to find our own way. Patience is a key - I drove myself crazy looking for the "real truth" out there and I'm still looking, but I've calmed down and lessened the pace. I have decided that organized religion is not for me, as they all swear by their own brand of truth. Jesus did not preach a religion - he said "I am the way and the truth and the life." He promised that he would be with each and every one of us - NOT an organization.
Crisis of Conscience is a wonderful book (eye opening and sad too) and points out what true Christianity as about.
This board is a wonderful resource to bounce ideas around - you definitely get a well-rounded viewpoints.
I wish you all the best in your journey.
Hadit