Hi everyone, it has been awhile since I have visited and I just wanted to share a few thoughts with you today on the topic of confession of sin. For those who have never attended a church, I will explain the view of 'Christendom" on the matter.
Church for most christian denominations is a place of healing and recharging of the spirit. The New Testament acknowledges that ALL are guilty of sin and that Jesus is quick to forgive sins upon confession. The only person with authority to forgive is God himself. There is no other mediator. Telling your sins to a preacher, priest, or fellow congregant is optional (catholics excepted,but still, it is up to the congregant whether or not a confession is made to a human entity.
If a person has a problem or "sin" and chooses to confess it in a public manner, the church would rally around that person and do all they could to help. Ratting out anothers sin is highly frowned upon, as that is judging another, and unseating Christs authority. It is also gossip.
Not so at a kingdom hall. Confession of sin is to be made to elders in a back room. Sin is met not with forgiveness and healing, but with punishment and public humiliation. Sin is not between you and the Lord, but between you and the watchtower corporation. Did you ever wonder why so many jw's live "double lives"? It is not that they are hipocrits or dishonest. It is because they must hide their human faults to avoid public critisism and berating punishment. Who can blame the ones who sit in the back and leave as soon as the meeting is over. The quiet ones who can never open up on any level with fellow congregants are in reality the smartest of the group. They know the price they will pay for being honest.
I feel so bad for those who will never know how easy biblical salvation really is. The weight of salvation by works is a heavy load to bear.
Do you all remember that feeling of putting your guard up when you pulled into the parking lot? Smoothing every hair, stressing out, and trying to pretend you were someone you are not? I really hated that feeling. Comfort in any sense was elusive to me during my kingdom hall days. Boy am I glad that is over!