I do not believe spiritual abuse is a "get out jail free card" at all. But since I can't read the heart, I always hope that some here will eventually "wake up" once again. I have only been out a year myself. I have always believed in God and Christ. In fact, that alone has kept my life in tact for the most part. But I am still healing. And while we personally don't want to abuse God's forgiveness, I can't limit the time span of God's forgiveness for others. You see, I have learned alot from the Watchtower. I learned that I was a jerk when I was a witness. No, I wasn't mean to people. But I never considered why people said and did the things they did. I judged on external appearances. And so my words to Terry are not just for Terry. They are for me as well. I am healing and TRYING to rise above my old self and show consideration for people even if what they say, makes my skin crawl. I don't know anything about Terry. A little over a year ago, I would be in his face saying that he is with the company of those who "crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame."- Hebrews 6:6. But now I know that is not my place. David probably felt similar after God forgave him. I feel God has forgiven me and understands that my association with the Watchtower and the way I looked down on people, was not really what I wanted to be. Two scriptures that I always loved was this: : "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," says Yahweh. . "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8,9
You see, the Watchtower always applied those words to God's superiority. And that is correct. However, those words mean more to me now, since I viewed the context. Verse 7 : "let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
In other words, Verse 8 and 9 tells me that even if my heart condemns me, and I feel God can't or will not forgive me, he promises that he will. My mind tells me I can't be forgiven, but God says his thinking is higher than mine, and thus he will forgive. A person today may say the worse things possible. But something may click years down the road, and they need to know that God has not closed the door on them.