Little Toe writes:
I feel obliged to lay a command upon you: "Stop hurting my little sisters!"...Bona:
Sorry to hear of your trials. Rom.15:33
Thank you for your understanding and kindness. An admirable and rare quality found in people (Christian or otherwise) nowadays.
Bona Dea and Plum are not your sisters in Christ if you truly hold on to the biblical doctrine of salvation as layed out by the Westminster Confession of Faith.
Bona, Andi, and Plum Go to this website and see if you can embrace this churche's presentation of the Gospel of Christ. I can by God's grace and consider them like minded brotheren.
Clash, I would like to remind you:
Galatians 1:9
(NWT), "
As we have said above, I also say again, Whoever it is that is declaring to you as good news something beyond what you accepted, let him be accursed."
Proverbs 30:5, 6
(NWT), " 5
Every saying of God is refined. He is a shield to those taking refuge in HIM. 6
Add NOTHING to his words, that he may NOT approve you, and that YOU may not have to be proved a liar."
Deuteronomy 4:2
(NWT), "
You must not add to the word that I am commanding you, neither must you take away from it, so as to keep the commandments of Jehovah your God that I am commanding you."
Revelation 22:18
(NWT), "
...If anyone makes addition to these things, God will ad to him the plagues that are written in this scroll"
How can you agree with this (with out crossing your fingers) and at the same be assured that Plum and Bona or even Andi (whom I think she is sadly confuesed)are your sisters in Christ. Have you ever read thier attacks on Christ and the Bible on other threads?
Clash,
I am in no way perfect. Nor will you ever hear me claiming to be so. Nor will you ever hear me, in all self-righteousness, rant and rave about how others aren't worthy to be called "sisters" or "brothers", nor will you ever hear me condemn/condone others for using their freedom and their conscience. I realize that I am imperfect and that, God alone will judge me..and you, and trust me when I say, he won't come begging for your advice, thank God!
Here is what I have written on other threads (including this one):
I AM a christian. Before and After (jwism). May 29,2002
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.aspx?id=28362&site=3&page=6
I think I am probably right about where you are, spiritually speaking. I have lost faith in supposed "men of God" (and that's not just within the WTBS), which has in effect bled over into my faith in the bible...and somewhat in God. I just got out of the borg about 7 mos ago, and even before then I had my doubts about the bible. I had many folks show me inconsistencies in the bible, that I tried for the longest to just ignore or to excuse by telling myself, "Well, that doesn't prove anything because God can do anything. It is beyond our human comprehension." Now, I am at the point where I do not believe the bible is infallible. I simply cannot. I have read too many contradictions, and things that just don't make sense. I believe that the bible has many stories that can be morally beneficial (but at the same time, it also has many that are brutally atrocious). But I can't let go of my belief in a higher power; a creator. I am simply not ready to do that, and I don't know if I ever will be. I consider myself a theistic agnostic. I also read a thread by someone about Deists...their beliefs sound a lot like the way I believe too. I'll see if I can find that Deist thread and post it for you. -Jul 19 2002
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.aspx?id=26124&site=3&page=3
I m a Deist (I believe in God, but not organized religion). Oct 14, 2002
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.aspx?id=38594&site=3&page=5
...I don't deny that I have "questioned" the bible. I won't deny that I am confused. I will readily admit that I don't know my head from a stump. Next month, I may be claiming to be an Atheist or a born-again...but I ask you, who are you to sit on a throne of judgement and declare me, not just unworthy of your acquaintance, but dictate to others on this forum that if they are adhering to the Westminster Confession of Faith or to "bible principles" even, that I shouldn't be worthy of their acquaintance either. Talk about kicking someone when they are down.
I know it is really easy to get on this computer and see a bunch of fonts and smilies and forget there are real people behind those words. I know you can't see my hands that are trembling as I type this, nor the tears that are streaming down my face...but I want you to know, that they are. I am a person, thank you. A person with feelings. A person who, like everyone here, is trying to find some answers. A person whose faith has been shaken and who has been knocked off of their foundation.
You have no idea the crap that I have gone through this year...so I'm going to tell you! In Dec of 2001, I was still a JW. Unbaptized, yes, but still a vehement believer in what they taught to be true. Upon finding out about their corruption, which lead to questioning their doctrine...and so forth...led me on a spiraling spiritual journey. I am scared, confused, and I feel all alone...and the last thing I need is someone like you, who thinks they have it all figured out, coming down on me with this holier-than-thou, self-righteous attitude, kicking the crap outta me when I am already low enough!!!!! I know you probably don't even care about what I am going through right now since you do not deem me worthy of your love, understanding, comfort...but I'm gonna tell you anyway. About 5 mos into this "spiritual spiral" of mine, my grandfather passed away. I remember sitting there at his funeral, crying my eyes out. I had (and still have) no idea where he is...if he's anywhere. And worse than that, I had to deal with the fact that it was very possible that this man who I loved dearly was just rotting in the ground. Do you have any idea how that feels????? Do you even care????
A month after his death, both of my grandmothers were admitted to the hospital within one week of each other. My mother's mother had suffered a stroke and my father's mother (wife of my grandfather who passed away) had a nervous breakdown. Fortunately, they are both home and doing better now, but those three months of dealing with death and dealing with the possiblity of losing another loved one was scary, to say the least.
In addition to that (as if that's not enough), let me brief you about the details of my present marriage (my husband is still attending meetings and is an unbaptized publisher). All during my spiritual crisis, dealing with the loss of a loved one and the health of my living grandmothers, I get the wonderful task of sitting back and listening to my husband attempt to drill WT nonsense into the minds of my little babies (who are 6 and 4). Now, my 6 year old says things like,"Jehovah is going to kill me if I'm not good". I have tried everything to get my husband to stop teaching our kids these things, but it is no good. I have showed him everything I have read, I have sent him here to this forum, I have prayed for him, nothing works. So out of sheer desperation, I left him. I left last month and realizing that my children (well, particularly my 4 year old) couldn't deal with the separation, I came back. And it is back to the same old stuff again.
So, there you have it. The last year of my life. I can honestly say, this has been the worst year of my life. And it is always wonderful, to come here, and be belittled and judged by a fellow human being who has never walked a mile in my shoes. I will not respond again to this thread, because it would be pointless and I have far more important things to deal with right now than some man who I don't even know, having the audacity to judge me. I will leave you with some words from your own book of beliefs. I wish you no ill will but pray that God will help you develop a milder, more comforting, more compassionate spirit.
Peace,
Bona Dea
Love:
Lev 19:18
Matt 5:43-48
Matt 22:37-39
John 15:12,13
Rom 13:9,10
1 Corinth 13:13
1 Corinth 16:14
Col 3:14
1 Pet 4:8
Comfort/Mercy:
Matt 5:7
Matt 9:13
Luke 6:36
2 Cor 1:3, 4
James 2:13
James 3:17
Judging:
Matt 7:1-4
Luke 6:37
Rom 2:1
Rom 14:13
I could attempt to sum up my feelings, my dilema, my confusion but I feel like someone has already said the things I feel and said it so much better than I would ever be able to say it.
In the wise words of Hilary_Step:
As XJW's we find ourselves moving from a world of absolutes to a realization that we now have to struggle, like mankind has had to for thousands of years with the same basic questions of human identity that actually no person has ever been able to answer satisfactorily. No longer do we live in the absolute world of right and wrong, Saint and sinner that the WTS built around us. It is very hard coming to terms with abstractions when you have lived in a world of steel and rock, philosophically speaking....What has happened is that we have all become people again, plain and simple. Many have to re-discover their humanity, chart their own course, grapple with their own demons, rather than like children be kept in suspended hibernation emotionally, by spoon-fed philosophies.
