Undercover apostates...

by Maze 93 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  ProdigalSon

  Prodigal: your atheistic low view of Scripture is based on misinformation. Alleged discrepancies/contradictions have been answered satisfactorily. The problem is that your idol god of your own making does not match the true and Living God, holy, majestic, awesome, just, loving, beautiful.

  Oooh the LOVE......it's just....just TOUCHING..... it just brings tears to my eyes how loving this god is....

  "I have wiped out many nations, devastating their fortress walls and towers. Their cities are now deserted; their streets are in silent ruin. There are no survivors to even tell what happened. I thought, 'Surely they will have reverence for me now! Surely they will listen to my warnings, so I won't need to strike again.' But no; however much I punish them, they continue their evil practices from dawn till dusk and dusk till dawn." So now the LORD says: "Be patient; the time is coming soon when I will stand up and accuse these evil nations. For it is my decision to gather together the kingdoms of the earth and pour out my fiercest anger and fury on them. All the earth will be devoured by the fire of my jealousy. "On that day I will purify the lips of all people, so that everyone will be able to worship the LORD together. My scattered people who live beyond the rivers of Ethiopia will come to present their offerings. (Zephaniah 3:6-10 NLT)
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  Hoffnung

  Hi Maze,

  If the watchtower policies would allow JW to discuss doubts and alternative ideas freely amongst themselves, this board and many others would not exist. I am a born-in, my wife and I take care of my mother-in-law, who sits in a wheel chair, and my entire extended family are all "strong JW". I cannot leave without losing my family as well, and I am not ready for that, and I might never be. Who is going to take care of my MIL? The JW consider going from door-to-door way more important than caring for their fellows in the faith. Furthermore I don't think it would be very loving towards all these nice people to shock them by quitting. Even when there is a high price to pay in time and energy, and I have to weigh carefully every word I say, it is well worth it. Every day my wife and I continue this path undetected, it is a further proof, God has not much to do with the organization, governing body, etc. If God is involved at all with JW, then it is only on a very selective individual basis, the 'good' guys, if you want. There are not too many of those in the congregations I was part of. This board is the only place where I can share my thoughts and off-load my burdens, because only here, people understand what it's like. I am not an apostate, I am a victim, trapped in an organized structure that is becoming more un-christian every day. If you know an easy way out, please give us some help in finding it. If you can't help us, keep your labels like 'apostate' to yourselves. Your lack of empathy is quite evident. But JW are not unique in this respect, some born-again-christians display the same regretful attitude. What can I say, Jesus died for everybody, there is still some hope left. Have a nice day.

  Hoffnung
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  godrulz

  sizemik: I do consider the Genesis record to be historical narrative, not allegorical. I am younger earth creationist (www.icr.org) and believe in Adam/Eve (because Jesus, the Truth, did in the Gospels....creation marriage mandate), Fall, Global (vs local) flood, etc. (because Jesus, Truth did).

  Mormons think the Fall was necessary and good, an unbiblical position. Leaving JWs to become Mormon is leaving one false cult for another.
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  SweetBabyCheezits

  Godrulz, just curious, what did your parents believe?
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  godrulz

  My mother was Catholic, but died evangelical like myself (a few years ago from cancer). She was not a mature believer, but one nonetheless.

  My dad was a schizophrenic alcoholic who went to church as a kid, but lived most of his life away from God. Before he recently died of lung cancer, he returned to his childhood faith.

  My godly grandmother (Dad's mother) was Pentecostal. She prayed me into the kingdom. I received Christ when I was 12, but lived like the devil until age 18. I fully surrendered my life to Christ in 1978 and was transformed by the power of God. I am Pentecostal by denomination and experience (speaking in tongues as the initial physical evidence of the fulness of the Holy Spirit Acts 1:8; Acts 2:4; I Cor. 12-14). My grandmother was the main influence. I am Pentecostal because I believe it is the most biblical in belief and practice, but generic evangelical will work (since I have fellow believers in many other denominations, even anti-charismatic ones).

  I retained mental assent to biblical Christianity during my teen years, but it had to move from head to heart in order to be born again.

  Did you have any other background, cheez, than JW?
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  SweetBabyCheezits

  Godrulz: Did you have any other background, cheez, than JW?

  No.

  Though you could say I started out with no particular belief in God(s). It was only when I reached infancy that I started being indoctrinated to accept the Bible and JW doctrine at face value. Being a gullible little boy, I didn't question my parents. It doesn't appear you questioned your grandmother, either.
  
  
  Are you able to acknowledge that you'd be a Muslim if you happened to be born and raised in, say, Afghanistan?
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  steve2

  So, after all this huffing and puffing in the replies to Maze's extraordinary act of hypocrisy, where's Maze? I suspect s/he raises questions but is more interested in making a point than reading answers
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  sizemik

  Thanks godrulz for your honest reply . . .

  sizemik: I do consider the Genesis record to be historical narrative, not allegorical. I am younger earth creationist (www.icr.org) and believe in Adam/Eve (because Jesus, the Truth, did in the Gospels....creation marriage mandate), Fall, Global (vs local) flood, etc. (because Jesus, Truth did).

  I once held a similar belief and for quite some time.

  The problem I have now, in particular with the flood account, is that the geological evidence just does not support such an event ocurring in the recent past.

  If it were to be true . . . it would require God to remove all physical evidence of it. Not only that, but to replace that evidence with new evidence to the contrary . . . do you think he did this?
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  Maze

  Maze I am still in due to my family. If you have read threads and posts from members you would plainly see why MOST are still in.

  I have a cousin that was raised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. When he graduated from college and left home he completely quit attending meetings. This doesn't change the fact that he's still welcome in the family. I personally wouldn't engage in or disengage in a religion for family related reasons. That would give me a headache. I guess it makes sense to someone, but I don't really understand this.
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  serenitynow!

  This doesn't change the fact that he's still welcome in the family.

  Your family is the exception, not the rule. So many here have been totally cut off from family, just because they no longer believed.