fairchild,
I may be wrong, but I seem to getting the impression that you are suffering needlessly from a lot of guilt and shame about things that have happened in the past. God will forgive you, no matter how big a sin it was. His forgiveness is unconditional. The love and caring that you feel at the Kingdom Hall is very conditional as you have just stated. The shunning that you have seen is NOT based on true love. It is a very condidtional love. God's love is UNconditional. His love never stops, even if you are very, very disobedient to his commands. He will never turn His back on you. He will still love you.
Most JW's have a difficult time separating God and the "Organization".
To the JW, disobedience to the "Organization" means that they have disobeyed God. This is not true. It IS possible to disobey the "Organization" and yet be in complete obedience to God. The reason this can be, is that "The Organization" is simply a man-made organization - meaning that men, not God, control it. You will understand this concept better after you have read some of the material that is on the web-sites that have been listed in this thread.
NewLight2
My story, please read
by fairchild 108 Replies latest jw friends
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NewLight2
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codeblue
Welcome Fairchild!!!
I too was raised as a JW...but with several moves saw there was no consistant brotherly love.........which is suppose to be the "identifying mark of the true religion"....the last few congregations were only interested in our "publisher TIME CARDS"...not us as individuals. It has been a saddening experience to know that our "TIME CARDS" were more important than our love for Jehovah and our "personal relationship with Jehovah was judged based on the TIME CARDS.....................
When I think about the Bible account of the poor widow........nobody knew what she contributed, but it was just as worthy as a wealthy person......yet still anonymous...The point is: only Jehovah should know what we do..............no one else.
Therefore, the "publisher TIME CARDS"...are not scriptural....
Your relationship with Jehovah should never be judged by anyone....(the TIME CARDS are held as a judgement of your spiritual strength and weaknesses...)
take care,
CodeBlue
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gdt
hello 'fairchild'. You seem such a thoughtful and thorough person, and I must add my experience, as you have had many other's in this discussion. (it is only 5.30pm here in Australia....hope you're sleeping soundly by now!!)
Unlike 'out of the org' who seems to have a nice attitude (maybe except to the brotherhood??), I am now 65, have loved 'the truth' and the brothhood for many years, 50odd actually), have been an elder for half of them, (which just means shared a few more of life's experiences), have been disfellowshipped for a while, and I fully accept the causes and the results, unlike a lot of what you will get here.
The only suggestion I can offer, for the truth's sake, is for you to re-read what the Revelation book chapters 1-3 says, explaining how Jesus Christ looks at his congregations and is applicable today. Notice the words 'I have a few things against you....." and similar judgments against his own approved congregations. Is not that the same today? But for all the 'warts and wrinkles' we do not on our own as an individual have the brotherhood of which you have experienced so well and been blessed by it so much. No more than the early Christians who were told to 'flee to the mountains' and who did so as a brotherhood, despite imperfections, and were blessed with survival.
Please remember to read Hosea chapter 11, Jonah chapter 4, and any page of the Christian scriptures telling us what love really means and allow for the fact that God so loved the world - you, me, every human, no matter what we are, what we have or will be, that he gave his only begotten Son Jesus Christ for us. May my small voice encourage you to stick to the truth of Jehovah's and Christ's 'congregation'.
My special thoughts, Geoff. gdt.
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under74
"Unlike 'out of the org' who seems to have a nice attitude (maybe except to the brotherhood??)"
come on GDT, outoftheorg hasn't written anything here that's harsh or dishonest. I think you're being kind of unfair to outoftheorg and fairchild. It's not fair to tell someone in pain and with so many questions that they should stick with it. If fairchild decides to go back that's fairchilds decision...but the fact that fairchild is unsure and therefore vulnerable is a pretty good reason to take a step back, clear the head and THEN decide what to do next. -
PinTail
Well dear I am sure you have got gods blessing and your effort is well and good with Jehovah. The societys view on effort is how much you go out in the field service and how many meetings you go to. Don't forget its mostly prayer trust and asking for his mercy living a life free of hate, knowing that as the bible says he knows we are dust, and Jehovah loves us anyway. Jesus says the law is fulfilled if we love others as we love our selfs.
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gdt
PinTail, what you said sounded so nice. I thank you for those words and I am sure fairchild will too. And yourself 74, I didn't read the excellent remarks of 'fairchild' as you must have, and certainly hope she doesn't feel bad that I encouraged her to hang on in, she sounds forthright enough to tell me to get lost!!
You may have noticed that I have hardly said boo so many times in reading everyone's experiences, there is truly two sides to everything...(only 2 sides??) or is it His side/her side/right side?
Anyway, thank you for your thoughts, geoff.
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gdt
and 'fairchild', I must say that after my own disfellowshipping, one of my sons, and one of my step-sons at various times over the years (bad bunch eh?) we all in our own ways have fixed any problems, been restored to fellowship, one of the sons now a fine servant, and I must say to you that it is not right for anyone to say 'the caring stops', believe me I know from both sides of the fence that is not true, but if God said in the Scriptures, without qualification, to do something, like 'remove the wicked man', etc etc etc, it is a matter of caring more for what god says as he had recorded in scripture, than caring for our own human feelings. not easy, but to some situations it makes it worse, to others it is accepted as discipline, and what son does a loving father not discipline? So that's another way of looking at it, we usually don't like discipline, do we?
Cheers, I seem to have dragged this matter out, and sorry if my earlier post was taken by you to be hurtful, as was suggested to me. I really hope not.Geoff.
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jgnat
It is a pleasure corresponding with you, fairchild. That you take the time to respond to each of us is truly amazing. Keep in mind that just because a group claims to be the closest to the first century Christians does not make them so. The first century Christians did not even use the bible in the format to which we are accustomed to today. You might find a thorough reading of the early Christian church to be enlightening. Here is a contemporary report, which I think gives a flavour of what it must have been living in those days:
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Golf
Fairchild, I must say you did well for yourself coming from a 'messed' up family, that speaks well of you. With your knowledge and travels you will arrive at an answer to your satisfaction. Guest77
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Granny Linda
Good morning, Fairchild.
Normally I don't reply to what someone says on posts concerning what I wrote, but as you took the time to address so many, I would like to clarify my position.
Yes, at times I do sound bitter because I do not look at the world through rose colored glasses. There is much hatred and cruelty on this planet...and none have such contempt for life as do the JW's, so I was using that as a bases because they teach hate, not love. They teach division, not unity. They teach every form of self-destruction possible through their lack of compassion.
Speaking from my experience only, just because I view humanity as something other than all lovey-dovey, we're gonna love everyone, etc...does not take away from the desire to have more of that warm fuzzy feeling. Such as I wish for you. Anyhow, thanks for the reply. Hope to read more from you as you journey into Self. It ain't really all that bad when we stop letting others tell us how to think and find self forgiveness.
gl