NOW WHAT (page 3)

logansrun

Don't discount anything. Try reading John Shelby Spong's book, "Rescuing the Bible From Fundamentalism."

Bradley

codeblue

Welcome jt stumbler

I asked the same thing about a year ago!!!

I was raised a JW and lived it for 36 years (before and after baptism).

One thing as a JW I always remembered was this scripture which became a year text: "Trust in Jehovah with all your heart." Prov. 3.5

To this day I still look at that scripture, which was also was a bookmark with the Bible Reading for that year on the back of it.

I trust in Jehovah to know that I want to serve him with "spirit and truth" as well...there can be no hypocrisy...

When I think of those 2 scriptures it helps to reinforce my determination to serve him the best I can and as a parent myself, I know that if my kids loved me in that way, I am more than happy to accept them!!!

I came to realize much life much like Nina...being a good neighbor with "works"...show them I care. Just being a good person. What a switch from worrying about how much time, literature, return visits or Bible Studies I must turn in each month!!!

I think that Candidly nicely summed up things that we already know as students of the Bible, but weren't really highlighted as someone that read the WTBS materials.

There are a lot of great people here, that make the transition easier...

take care,

CodeBlue

Satanus

Find yourself. Be yourself. Find out what things you like doing, what kind of people you like. It takes a while. Don't be afraid to shed old thoughts, old beliefs, old aquaintainces if they are blocking you. When you have found your authentic self, external beliefs are not that important. Some people say that we already have evrything that we need. We just need to let it come forth.

S

Carmel

By all means be "inclusive"

caveman

Siddhashunyata

James Thomas says : " How about looking deeper into what is Real, as opposed to giving attention to "beliefs"?

To do this first become clear on what is "beliefs". Watch the mind as it weaves various thoughts into interpretations about life. "

This advice needs repeating.

Throwing off the tyranny of ones own mind can only be done by one's self. It cannot be done through someone elses knowledge or teachings. It must be "experienced " by ourselves as we .... "Watch the mind as it weaves various thoughts into interpretations of life." Get free of concepts. That is where to start. Then you will see beliefs as they really are. Empty.

Pistoff

When my beliefs in the borg were crumbling and I was getting the sense of doom that comes with doubting, I found a soft landing in recovery meetings. I have been sober/clean for many years but when my son got clean I went to NA meetings. The concept of 12 step is that each person must find out for himself what God is. For a witness this goes against all we have believed; it seemed hoky and phony. It worked for me; I feel great now about how and what I believe, even though I am not "sure" what God is. I just know that I don't HAVE to KNOW all; it is enough to realize that I have a higher power/God and that when I pray, it works. I now completely reject the idea that any other person knows more about what I should believe than me; after all, Jesus said we all are brothers and that no one should be called teacher. It feels GREAT to be free!

maybesbabies

"And you shall know them by their works..." Or something to that effect, I can't quite remember after all these years. Basically, you show your uncoditional love for your fellow man by the way you treat others, and the way you live your life. If you produce beautiful works, full of love, designed to help and facilitate joy....you are doing Gods work. Most of all, learn to love yourself as well. I believe it was Peter who said that you cannot do well by others if you have not first taken care of yourself (paraphrasing, of course). Point being, make sure to take time to enjoy the life that you have, use it to fulfill the promises of Christ on this side of whatever "afterlife" you believe in. Why do something solely to get into a "heaven" or "paradise", how selfish is that? Do things because you love your fellow man, because you are humble, and do not shout your works from the street corners like the Pharisees of old. It is an amazing thing when you learn how to truly love. It makes miracles happen, you can do the impossible all of a sudden, you can make yourself everything you've ever wanted to be. Most of all, you learn true compassion and empathy, not through judgmentalism, but through unconditional love. We all know the scripture:

Love is patient, love is kind, Love is not jealous; love does not brag, is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Golf

JT, now what? Give yourself time. Keep seaching and asking questions, things will slowly fall into place, as the saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day.

Guest77

eyeslice

JT,

Many of us here have been through exactly the same as you are now. I left after nearly 50 years in, right from being a little child. I have not been in a KH for a year now.

My advise is take things very slowly, rushing will only unnecessarily upset relatives and close friends.

It is difficult to pick up the pieces though. What do people like us do about Xmas, birthdays, etc? Again, I think that this is something to take slowly. After being out for just 6 months, I didn't feel able to give my daughter a birthday present (she still attends), but next year when she is 18, prehaps it is a special occasion that I can use to break the 'birthday' ice.

Eyeslice

Carmel

"Yee shall know them by their fruits..." was a reference to future prophets. Christ warned against false prophets, then gave that utilitarian standard. Were there never to be any further of God's messengers, there would be no need for a standard of measurement. Seeking truth and being receptive to Christs in whatever culture or setting they appear is what "standing in the right place" or having "eyes to see, and ears to hear" means to me. Hence, keep your options open, use scientific standards of discerning truth from falsity and enjoy life.

carmel

NOW WHAT

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