Hi. I have kind of lurked here for a while. I'm 40 years old. A housewife. Stay at home Mother to 3 kids.I'm one of those people who has studied off and on for nearly 20 years. I have never quite been able to cross the line and become baptised. Can't really put my finger on why. One thing I am very uncomfortable with is pledging myself to the organization. I have no problem dedicating myself to God though. It's all so, well.....I know you guys know how I feel LOL!
Anyway, I really want to belong to a church, you know, attend some sort of organized service. I was just wondering how all of you ex-JW's have dealt with this issue. I mean, after all this time, how can you let go and choose another place to worship? Where do I begin? I would love to hear how the rest of you dealt with this.
Sorry for the ramble,
Thank for listening,
Cam
Wondering
by AC 4 Replies latest jw experiences
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AC
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jayhawk1
Hi Cam,
I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness, well sort of. See my post for if you want to know what I mean. I can't tell you what to do regarding the Society. But I will tell you this. Recently I started going to the Central Christian Church. The pastor there gives talks strait from the bible, and it is not this is what the Society says. I swore off religion for about 10 months, it took me that long to cool off from my frustration. One day, I just had the urge to go to a church.My recomendation is pick a non denominational church, like the christian church. I agree it is easier to worship God with others around you. I think it is very good you want to go to an organized religion.
If you do become a baptised Witness, you are more or less stuck in it. Think long and hard about becoming a member! You can just never "walk away" they will send the Circuit Overseer over, and make you feel guilty for not going. Or if you ever wanted out after you join, the only way out is when they kick you out.
I don't know if any of my thoughts are what you are looking for, but I thought I should try to answer. Try posting this in the main board, you might get more responses. Then again, you might get too many bad ideas too.
Another thing to keep in mind, so many things the Society says are wrong. Please do your own independent research.
Jeremy Black
A recovering Jehovah's Witness. Yes, I think it is similar to alcohol. Just ask Judge Rutherford -
Billygoat
Cam,
I understand the desire for "corporate worship". I truly believe that since God doesn't speak to us from the clouds anymore...that he uses people in our lives to speak to us. I have found so much love and healing in my new church. I've been there for three years and love it! Yes, people are imperfect and make mistakes, but they SHOW love - they don't just preach it. Unlike JW, if I decide to go to another church in the future, they won't stop being my friends.
I agree it's not good to pledge allegiance to a particular denomination if you're not comfortable with it. Pledge your allegiance to God and he will take care of you. Pray long and hard about where to go. You'll get very quiet direction from God if you listen close enough. He loves you and wants you to be happy and spiritually healthy!
One piece of advice that I'm sure you've already heard:
DO NOT GET BAPTIZED IN THE JW RELIGION!! Save yourself the heartache that you've been reading about on this board!!
Godspeed,
Billygoat
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Disengaged
I agree with Billygoat,
STAY OUT OF THE WATER!!!!!!
FEELIN BEROEAN "Just making sure!"
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spinner
Dear Cam,
I am glad you found your way here. I wish I had been cautious like you, and had not gotten baptised at all in the org. I think I
hear you saying "I have a need for GOD in my life". That's great!
So where do you go? There is a scripture that says to me, there is
no true religion, Romans 2 12 -16. It tells us that when the people of the nations, who do not have law, keep the laws by nature, that will be the day God judges the secret things of man through Jesus.
So, as long as the blessings, and destruction of armageddon have not
arrived, that tells me no one is "in the right religion".What are the laws we keep by nature? Exodus 31:12-14 say the most
important law is the Sabbath Law, and anyone who does not keep it will
positively die.How do we keep this, the most important law, by nature?
Easy to understand, but very hard to do.If you keep the Sabbath laws by nature, no buying, no selling, no burdens, no fires, no work and you must be very happy, you are in
PARADISE.That's EXACTLY how Adam and Eve lived. AND THAT my dear one, is God's fulfilled Sabbath-- GOD"S KINGDOM realized!!! At Matthew 17:20-21 Jesus said, "For, look! the kingdom of God is in your midst. The Greek word translated midst, is more accurately translated "in you."So YOUR ACTIONS bring God's Kingom to the earth.
So many say, "I wish God's Kingdom was here" It is here when you decide to act!
What will happen to you if you live this way? Look at Luke 14:25-
33; notice it says in verse 33,"Thus, you may be sure, none of you that does not say goodbye to all his belongings can be my disciple."Matthew 24:36-42 mentions some will be taken, and some will be abandoned. Those "taken" are those who are gathered together to HIM++
(Jesus).Read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. Also, read Mark 10:29,30. It will not be easy, but you will get life by keeping the Sabbath.Remember, the oldest known MSS says in Rev22:14," Those who
keep God's laws have the right to the tree of life"(see the Diaglott) Also, Rev 12:17 says," and the dragon grew wrathful at the woman****, and went off to wage war with the remaining ones of her seed, WHO OBSERVE THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus."
++Some believe that this is talking about the 144,000. But Rev 7:3
says," Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until after we have sealed the slaves of our God in their foreheads." This sealing
is done on their foreheads, a mark of unconditonal ownership of God,
carried out by God's messenger. Unconditional ownership is only given
to one who has died faithfully, as any person can sin (Moses, David) and fail.So this sealing is done at death for the 144,000. So this gathering is of the great crowd.p****referring to parousia, Greek for "alongside, substance, female."
not presence, male-- Jesus. Matthew 24:24, says correctly translated,
"For false Christs and false prophetess Greek-pseudoprophetes (pl) will arise and will give great signs..." verse 45 says the faithful and discreet slave (neuter, not male, fem) who is "in charge of HIS HEALING" not of the domestics. see Acts 7:37,says ..Moses said to the
sons of Israel, A Prophetess God wll raise up for you--female, NOT MALE(see Diaglott).
Jesus said, KEEP AWAKE! With this accurately trans. Greek, you can be more AWAKE, so as to be one who is GATHERED TO HIM. Going to a
"church" that does not teach the truth, just to fulfill your need for
God, might cause you to not have enough OIL in your lamp, and be lost
forever. Pray for God's insight. SpinnerJayHawk 1 I am with you! Do research, research, research. "Be Sure of ALL Things"
