My "Cult", "Exclusive Group", Etc.

by AGuest 18 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  thenoblelodge

  Good for you Shelby and good for anyone that stays on here because of the message they carry. No not everyone wants to hear it, and goodness me how obvious do they make it, but (hopefully not a big but) maybe, just maybe one day they will 'get it'.

  I know another brother who belongs to the body of Christ and he too was accused of creating his own following, or cult. Ha! there is nothing further from the truth, don't like minded tend to draw together anyway?

  And so, I follow the One who CAN give me... and my household... such life... and whose voice NEVER lies. I trust him... oh, so much more than I trust "you"... some of you who used to be one of those lying, misleading men. And if following him means sharing things that bring on your disdain, your ridicule, your anger... your hate... then so be it. Bring it on. Because while you're weeping and gnashing your "teeth" over me... and those like me... I will be bolstered by the "happiness" it GIVES me... to be treated such way... for the sake of Christ, the Holy One of Israel and Holy Spirit, whose name is JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH, and who is the Son of the Most Holy One of Israel, my God and my Father, JAH... of Armies.

  There is no salvation in man/woman, no salvation at all.... only in Christ.

  for Shelby, not because I follow her, but because she is so easy to love.
• 

  Sapphy

  Shelby - I don't know where whatever is motivating you is coming from, but I think you're a sweetheart.
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  Voices

  Uh... I know from personal experience Shelby has never told me to follow her...or get a group together so we can heil hitler or something. Her message is for anyone that is willing to hear...and even those that wont. It's encouragement (most of the time). She does talk about regular stuff too...kittens..dogs...hubby...children... I don't think we should look at the message through our own filter of what we think is snide, smart ass ways. And just because we DO IT...and we read someone ELSE'S posts...we ADD our own SELF PROJECTION on that person. Then accuse that person of being mean, rude, arrogant...wanting to start a cult/church... when in actuality its just trying to be encouraging.

  *yawn* ...still trying to wake up..
• 

  cameo-d

  Voices: "we ADD our own SELF PROJECTION on that person. Then accuse that person of being mean, rude, arrogant...wanting to start a cult/church... when in actuality its just trying to be encouraging."

  Uh, nobody "accused" Shelby of "wanting to start a cult/church".

  Shelby implied she's doing so by announcing it in this title. No denying it.

  MY Cult, "Exclusive Group"

  In her own words.

  No one else you can blame this "rumor" for.

  Brazen Shelby has started her own clamor.

  Yes, Shelby has "come out from among" the ex-JW riff raff and announced her lofty ambitions and "extra super specialness'.
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  All kidding aside. May you all have peace!

  For those who are concerned about my participation in addressing those that "hear voices," let me ease your minds... and hearts. I don't wish to be disrespectful to people of faith, in fact quite the opposite. I had not fully realized how those who "hear voices" (particularly those who use the voice in their lives as 'beneficial' to themselves) are so sensitive to even the suggestion of mental illness. In the legends of religion, people received enlightenment or divine instructions: Jesus, Buddah, Mohammad, Moses, Abraham, Lao Tzu, to name just a few. On the matter of hearing the voice of "the Lord" or any spirit guide, a crucial question needs to be answered: Just how do we know who are the prophets and who are the mad? and who makes the definitions?

  This sensitivity has led to the appearance of differences in terms of the meaning and interpretation attributed to "psychotic vs. spiritual" experiences and also in terms of the emotional and behavioral reactions to such experiences. What people call "spiritual experiences" are said to have adaptive and life-enhancing consequences, whereas so-called "psychotic experiences" lead to negative social and behavioral consequences.

  I explained on some post somewhere that I had felt that I experienced "divine intervention" in my life at one time and that same intervention ended my suicide attempt. A huge part of my concern is that I know what my "intervention" led to- eventual joining a dangerous mind-control cult. (In my case, the JW's.) I denied for years and years that my intervention was anything other than what I believed it was. I was absolutely 100% certain of what I had experienced being genuine and beneficial to me, right up until I knew that was not the case. The direction I thought I received seemed fully beneficial to me and never was I guided to destructive actions, quite the opposite. Yet, eventually I realized that such an experience was a product of my own mind. If I had received proper medical help immediately instead of just a couple of doctors making sure I was done wanting to kill myself and putting me back on my way in life, I am pretty sure I would have avoided becoming a JW. I don't imply that everyone who hears a voice needs some kind of serious medical help in their life, but I want them to consider the possibility. I cannot say this very delicately so I will just say it: One possibility is that people hearing a positive voice in their life are in the non-psychotic group of people that will never have serious problems, but another possibility is that the same people are in the pre-psychotic stage and could go on to develop negative symptoms from their condition.

  If you need to blast what I say, I will give you your lightning rod in this paragraph so that you can leave the rest of my concerns alone. It is my belief from learning about myself that strong religious belief allows the mind to insist on things that simply cannot be proven and are even contrary to common sense or revealed evidence. I believe that people who are certain they received divine intervention in their life will look for a way to reinforce their certainty- joining an evangelical church or looking for others with similar experiences. I am not suggesting that AGuest or any others are looking for "a following" by what I say. I am just concerned for the well-being of others. It's like trying to make sure a hungry person gets a sandwich. I want to make sure all people get the help they need.

  Out of respect, I won't bicker back and forth on this thread. Tear apart what I said if you must. Good day to you.
• 

  Voices

  Cameo-d:

  Uh, nobody "accused" Shelby of "wanting to start a cult/church".

  Shelby implied she's doing so by announcing it in this title. No denying it.

  MY Cult, "Exclusive Group"

  Actually if you read the first post...your right ...partially... SHE said "Some years ago posters on a predecessor site to JWN put forth the allegation that I was starting my own church. Very recently, allegations have been made that I am forming a cult/trying to pull together an exclusive group. For those who are concerned, let me ease your minds... and hearts."

  AS far as 'my cult' thing...notice that the word "cult" is quotation marks? ...and so is "exclusive group" is ALSO in quotation marks? ...she's "implying" that OTHERS are saying this. Not her.

  I was also responding to quietlyleaving when she said : I think anyone here who may be following you will also move beyond you.

  and responding with the fact that she never has ever told me to follow her..etc..

  You said:

  In her own words.

  my response:

  Actually...she brought up what OTHERS had said, and that's her right...

  You said:

  No one else you can blame this "rumor" for.

  My response: ..i was blaming someone? or sharing my experience of how long i've known Shelby and what has taken in my experience with her? I then added (to no one in particular) how sometimes we (including ME) can ad our own SELF projection onto others.

  You said:

  Brazen Shelby has started her own clamor.

  My response:

  ok? or she's trying to explain once again what others have failed to hear.

  You said:

  Yes, Shelby has "come out from among" the ex-JW riff raff and announced her lofty ambitions and "extra super specialness'.

  My response:

  If you truely knew her...in person...met her...spoke to her about regular things...and know the thngs she does, and sacrifices she makes...then honestly..you would realize how silly that statement is. I don't even know her that much..but what little I do know of her...she's not proclaiming extra specialness or lofty ambitions. She may have certain qualities... like lets say...i have a brand new car...and i'm just driving it *pretends to be driving* ...and some person comes by that i give a ride to and says 'You think your sooo special ...in your fancy car' ... it does not mean i actually THINK or AM special...it just means...i'm using what i have and giving rides to others.

  But you know who is special? ME...i'm special cause i eat my vegetables and wheaties every morning.(not really i hate breakfast) My mom says i'm special! HA! ... yeah....that was pretty lame.

  naw...i'm just trying to lighten the mood a lil.
• 

  Voices

  Just how do we know who are the prophets and who are the mad? and who makes the definitions?

  I guess it depends on what YOU'RE path is...with Truth. Seek out and you'll find. I don't deny that it's hard to distinguish voices sometimes..and i don' tmean voices as in MY screenname...although..that's also a true statement. But in the end....anything done/heard in love can't be 'incorrect' ...no?
• 

  thenoblelodge

  @ cameo-d It was suggested by Sixofnine on Watersprout's topic 'my Lord spoke and told me to post' ....... page 8

  It was said somewhere else but I can't find it. Maybe someone else can remember.
• 

  AGuest

  It is my belief from learning about myself that strong religious belief allows the mind to insist on things that simply cannot be proven and are even contrary to common sense or revealed evidence.

  I agree with you, dear OTWO (peace to you!)... and I believe those like me will agree, as well. What you are missing, dear one... is that we don't have a strong "religious" belief. We have come to understand that since the rejection of the Jewish religious "system" by our Lord... there is no religion... for us. This is not about what we believe... but what we ARE. Which we cannot deny any more than we can deny that we are male, female, black, white, young, old... what have you. It was not a CHOICE... but a CHOOSING... of which we had no control.

  I believe that people who are certain they received divine intervention in their life will look for a way to reinforce their certainty- joining an evangelical church or looking for others with similar experiences.

  I have to disagree, here, as well. People who believe they've received "divine intervention" might. This is not "divine intervention." Balaam received divine intervention. Nebachunezzar received divine intervention. Those healed by my Lord and others received divine intervention. This is not an intervention - it is an understanding... and acknowledgement. To do any different than I am now... and to SAY any different... would be like me being black... and trying to pass for white. Regardless of how hard I try... regardless of how many people accept me as a result of my light skin... I am STILL black... inside. Regardless of what they THINK they know about me... I know.

  I get that you don't understand. WE get that you don't understand. It's like an Irish person trying to explain to a Nigerian person what it's like to BE Irish - you really can't explain that. No matter how much the Nigerian DOES get, there's so much he doesn't. You really have to walk in another man's shoes to truly understand what HIS journey feels like.

  But please know that I thank you, truly, for your kind comments here. You have nothing to fear of us - we're not trying to START anything. It was started long before us. We're just trying to say that, "Hey, yeah, we're Irish... and guess what... YOU CAN BE, TOO... and TOTALLY understand what we now understand... if you want to. Because the Body WE belong to... is NOT exclusive. It is open to ALL mankind, regardless of everything, including your previous religion... or even lack thereof." The message is, even to YOU:

  "COME! Take life's water... FREE!"

  But is it not OUR message... and it is not to US that you would come. It is to the One who issued it: Christ.

  YOUR servant and a slave of Christ,

  SA