Also, though, I don't see that you have to stop associating with those who are in 'her'. In other words, you don't have to shun anyone. Nothing is unclean, to one who is clean. Just don't listen to or follow 'her'.
Peace,
Tammy
What all does it mean to "get out of her"? Do you need to formally disassociate?
by ataloa 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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maksym
Dear ataloa,
A letter of resignation in a corporation is merely a formality. One can leave and go work for someone else and not worry about it. The Watchtower Corporation is nothing more than a religious corporation that draws up the rules and procedures for each member to follow if they should continue.
I'm not sure if they do this now, but many years ago before you could get baptized into the Watchtower Corporation, and which you were formally a member of another church, they would require you to send a letter of withdrawal to the former church before they would baptize you.
When people leave the Watchtower Corporation they seem to take this mentality with them, as if procedures are the end all to everything in order to be official.
Not so.
I am not sure what your faith is now, but if you are tending toward becoming a Christian in another church then these trivial things are not necessary. God does read our hearts and knows where we stand with our faith. Paperwork and procedures are not really necessary.
I found that the best option for me was to just ignore those dictates. I feel it is a slap in their face to just ignore them, because they are pharisaical and it shows you ignore their authority and don't abide by it.
To further this even if I was officially ever excommunicated (disfellowshipped in WT talk), I would also ignore it. I reason I can be labeled by any group any way they want, but I won't label myself FOR them. So if that need arises I can say NO, I am not.
However, each one should make their own decision that works best for them. Some people find personal closure by doing a letter.
Hope that helps,
Peace to you
Maksym
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talesin
dear a,
I hear you! and I think that better advice came after me,,, from Tec and Maksym ...
You are being the best person you could be. Formalities regarding membership in a cult can mean nothing to god. Does that make sense?
with love,
tal
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ataloa
Chalam, my conscience is only as good as my knowledge, isn't it? Besides that thing has a hair trigger on it, and it's been wrong before, due to inaccurate knowledge. So I'm hoping to gather more information so I can see how I feel about it in a few days.
N.drew I think I see what you're saying, that the watchtower is the one that told us who Babylon was. But it still seems to make sense to me so far. But that is something I would need to know before making so final a decision.
Tec, I don't plan to shun anyone. That is why my letter would only be a withdrawal of membership; I would not say anything about disassociation. I didn't use the right word in my title. Kind of a moot point for me anyway; I moved very far away from any witnesses I know and have not had to deal with any of that.
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ataloa
Maksym, I understand what you're saying. No, I'm not concerned at all with following men's dictates. I don't want to be a part of any of the religions. I am only wondering from God's point of view what I should do. I really don't understand why it is bothering me now after all this time.
Talesin and all, thank you. This is helping me feel better.
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GLTirebiter
But to obey the Bible command, is it enough to no longer be a part of it, or is it important to show God where you stand with a formal act of withdrawal from the organization?
You show God what you are and aren't a part of by how you live, not by sending a letter that will sit in a file folder. "If, you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 24:15). That tells God where you stand.
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LV101
Chalem --- Hi Stephen --- Always great to see you here.
LV101
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clarity
The rules of watchtower goes like this ... if you do not go out in the preaching work, you are not one of jehovah's witness!
So, stop doing it ...and you are OUT.
clarity
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tec
Tec, I don't plan to shun anyone.
Sorry; I didn't mean for that to apply to you specifically, Ataloa. I just wanted to add it to what I had said about getting out of 'her'. But to your question, God knows the heart, and your deeds show your heart. Makesym nailed it also.
Peace to you,
Tammy
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TD
But it still seems to make sense to me so far.
Do you know who dea Roma was?
Imperial Rome was personified as a godess and worshipped. This started in the outlying provinces and the cult spread rapidly. The first temple to dea Roma was built in Smyrna about a generation before Jesus of the Bible was born. In the city of Rome itself, dea Roma was combined with Venus, the goddess of love and fertililty, at the Hadrianic Temple of Venus and Roma
Caesar Agustus encouraged this cult and used it to his own ends. He started the custom of building temples dedicated to both the Roman emperor and the goddess of Rome. Dea Roma was depicted on Roman coins as a giant figure sitting by the waters of the Tiber or upon the seven hills of Rome.
This personification of Rome was especially offensive to the Jews. They absolutely despised both Rome and the goddess of Rome because like ancient Babylon, Rome had conquered and subjugated them. They called Rome the Second Babylon.
Revelation was penned at a time when everybody would have instantly understood who "Babylon the great, the mother of harlots" who rode on a beast with seven heads which represented seven mountains was.