Any ex-JW's going to a different church? If so, which one? (page 2)

serenitynow!

I'm going to a Unitarian church this Sunday. There's a sermon I want to hear. I don't frequent church though.

serenitynow!

So true, I've been inside different Churches (sightseeing) around the world and found most of them absolutely stunning! Kingdum Hells are as boring as the crap the Watchtower prints.

That's true. I went to a Catholic church for a funeral and was like a kid. My eyes were wide, and I just looked around like "wow!" I was still a JW then, so I amused myself by playing a game of "count the idols" and "count the crosses/crucifixes." They even had stuff painted on the ceiling. I know the other people there thought I was nuts because I was looking around and staring at the ceiling.

Think About It

That's true. I went to a Catholic church for a funeral and was like a kid. My eyes were wide, and I just looked around like "wow!"

That is so true. I stumbled onto a Mass being conducted at Paris Notre Dame. Started out hanging out in the back, but then started working my way up and got to within 50ft of the Priests and altar. Was very ritualistic, but definately a "wow" moment.

Think About It

1Robinella

Before my grandma died she got baptized as a catholic (why do people do that?) anyway at her funeral it was interesting. Although the catholic priest was really annoying. He mumbled a lot and had a heavy accent those two do not go well together. A lot of family were there and it would have been better if the priest had a microphone so we could actually hear him. We were standing up, sitting down, standing up, sitting down..after a while I just stayed sitting down. Then everyone (that's catholic) got up and stood in line to eat the cracker? cookie? waffer? whatever it is. My mother is still active JW and refused to attend the service (even though it was her own mother!) my mom said "If it's at a church, I will not go. Jehovah wouldn't want me to go to a worldly church." ahhhhhh what ignorance. Instead, she waited at the grave site until everyone showed up (about 1 1/2 hours) in the hot heat. Yikes. Non believers were asking for my mother and I didn't know what to say. Some people were saying "It's because she's a JW and doesn't have respect for other religions. We respect her beliefs why can't she do the same." They had a point. Ackward moment.

When I was in the Big Island of Hawaii we found a tiny white church it was beautiful, but very old and parts of it looked like it would fall over to the side. The murals were tropical and very angelic.

I think it would be two faced for any X-JW to join the Catholic Church and still bang on the WTS for it's pedophile scandal.I know that every organization, church or even a football team can have it's major issues/problems. If you have a favorite football team and someone gets into trouble for pedophile, do you stop cheering for that team? Does it make that whole team a pedophile? I believe it's all about balance. Does that make sense?

For me, people are so imperfect that if I do join a church, I kind of have to roll with the punches. I cannot control what anyone else does. I can only control what I do. For me it's not a social thing and I'm not going to get knee deep into it either. I just want a place to go for myself. My hubby has always said "If I was to join a church, I'd never join the mormans, JW's or Catholic church." lol. He doesn't mind if I go, he doesn't want to go. I don't force him, don't ask him, I just love him and let him do whatever he's comfortable doing. If he wants to go, fine. Religion is such a private thing for me I could never force anything like that on my family/friends or my future child like my parents did to me.

I really enjoyed everyone's comments. They gave me a lot to think about and I hope more people submit.

serenitynow!

Robinella it's funny you mention the standing/sitting/kneeling. I was like "good grief" I had worked a 12 hour midnight shift before the funeral and I was so tired. I did the sitting and standing, but being JW, not the kneeling. And then there was the chanting- the priest says something and the congregation is supposed to respond with something out of a book. I was so bored, ironically I got through the ordeal by telling myself "you can do this, some people do this every week." It's funny now because I pitied the Catholics for having to sit through mass, but thought it was no big deal to go to the KH 3 x week, fs, conventions, etc.

Markfromcali

Rituals.. Is it too much to ask for things to be completely or at least mostly impromptu, considering it's like supposed to come from the heart and stuff? Shouldn't be a problem if someone actually knows something by heart rather than just repeating some bit of information put down at a previous point in time in a slightly different form. Far too contrived for my taste.

littlebird

When I do attend church, its a local non denominational.

1Robinella

I agree serenitynow. I have a very physical job and my legs were killing me anyway. I said "Forget it" and sat down and watched everyone else. My hubby and I were giggling quietly.

serein

i went to catholic church as a teenager

and they used to have this friday night special

with loads of singing and then the preast would start asking if there was any one ill and wed pray for em

then hed start thiking he was a mind reader and hed start saying some one heres got a kidney prob stand up and then some one would and hed go up em and lay his hands on em and theyd fall back when i firts started going i thought what aload of bull.......and then every one would form an orderly line,and start walking to the front

wile every one was singing ava maria and hail mary full of grace stuff

then therd be people at the front of alter with big pillows and everyone would kneel down on steps lke 10 at a time and close there eyes singing over and over again the same,

then the preist would walk along the front of em touching there forhead and they be falling allover the place (scareystuff i thought)

well when i was a teen i just thought my goodness what a load of u know what and i said to myself im gona go up there and il stary were i am not fake a holy spirit moment and colaps on the pillow behind me and the preist will look stupid as he keep trying and i wont play the game,

well i got to the fron kneeld down then next thing i know i keep wobbling this is befor hes even got to me,

then he touched my head so very lightly not even realy touching it and i was on the pillow,

then i thought omg a demons just gone through me or sumat,but not cos i new cos i dint it was weird i dont know why i thought that when every one else was thinking it was the holey spirit but i did i was only young and wasnt being brain washed at the time by jws so dint get the demon thing from them it just went through my head and it scared me.

i dint even think catholics did that kind of thing.

Awen

I've been thinking about going to a church for some time (been out since 1999) and still haven't done it. I'm of the opinion that I don't need to formally join a church to worship Jesus. The first cetury Christians just gathered together, spoke about their experiences, shared a meal and it was enough. Why can't it still be enough? There are a few exJW's in my area and we talk from time to time, but it's like the 600 lb gorilla in the room that everyone knows is there, but won't acknowledge. That is to say many of us want to talk about our experiences, but don't out of some sense of loyalty to God.

I firmly believe that the WTS will be in for a big surprise when Jesus does finally make his appearance as he will say "I never knew you, get away from me you workers of lawlessness." I worry about the friends and family I've left behind and sometimes think of going back for them. My reason would be that so far the command to "get out of her my people" has not yet been given. I see the WTS as part of Bablyon the Great or more importantly the False Prophet itself.

I sometimes think of Oskar Schindler who said "I could have done more" (talking about the jews he saved from death) in the movie "Schindler's List".

Armed with the knowledge I have now and what the GB actually is (the evil slave) who has turned and started beating their brothers (and sisters) because the Lord has seemingly not appeared when they prohesized that he would I wonder if I can go back and make a difference. I can't save anyone, but I can show them the door. It's up to them whether to walk through it or not.

Any ex-JW's going to a different church? If so, which one?

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