by AK - Jeff 56 Replies latest jw friends
Neo-paganisim... although ulike Sirona I would not describe that as "Wiccan"
(my JW parents are thrilled their daughter is a witch! hehehe)
I love it cause it is open to many interpretations and does not discriminate. (I love the idea of a GODDESS too!)
-Krystal
I'm dabbling with the philosophies of Tasoism & Buddhism through my studies at Uni. I believe there can be great physical and mental benefits derived from meditation, but feel absolutely no need to attach myself to an organised group or congregation...still working through it. froglett
After the JWs I stuck to the core christian beliefs but I never believed there is a totally genuine christian religion out there but many are much better than the WTS. I quite liked the evangelicals and at one time helped one of their theologians in his anti JW and general anti cult activities.
Remember the WTS is a very high pressure cult group, a business that tries to pass itself off as a serious religion. They irresponsibly place the burden of salvation squarely on their members shoulders and do nothing to help them instead they constantly whip them and selling their publications is part of the salvation process. This certainly makes for a lot of unease, stress, anxiety, and sense of being constantly oppressed.
The catholics, orthodox etc put more emphasis on salvation through the church sacraments minimising individual responsibility, the born again christians emphasize faith rather than works, such attitutes make for a non pressured more relaxed and peaceful approach to spirituality. After all did not the Christ crush the forces of Satan on the cross, so why should we stress ourselves out too much for our salvation?
I think it is good to associate with a serious christian entity ( but beware of cults!!!) though the totally genuine version does not exist and perhaps never did and never will until the second coming.
I haven't changed and have no real plans to join another religion. But, I have been checking out a web site that I clicked on here as one of the Google ads in the right column. It's the Biblical Unitarians web site, and I've been looking at some of their beliefs.
I was away all day, and just now got to see the response to this post.
Thank you all for your honest and concise thoughts here.
Contrary to some who seem to feel a need to 'talk me out of joining another religion' [although I do appreciate the honest concern], I am not really all that close to feeling a need to join anything. Don't know if I ever will be really.
For the most part I am sickened by religion since leaving the Wt. I am just interested in how others have filled the void left after discovering the truth about the 'truth'.
I do thank you all for your thoughts and hope to open this post again tomorrow to even more interesting comments. Thanx for taking the time.
Interesting aside; when we exited the borg after two adult lifetimes [wifey and I] we had never even been asked why. But this wonderful group of so-called apostates has taken so much time to explain how they feel and think and aid in trying to help guide others. It makes me happy to be part of your forum.
Thanx
Jeff
Diest, along the lines of Jefferson and Payne.
I'm very happy with atheism, but if I was going to pick a church, it would be one that proudly declared it didn't have the "truth". There's a couple of Vineyard churches around here, Gina and I listened to a tape from one of them. The preacher said, "If you're not feeling closer to Jesus here, you may need to be somewhere else. There's plenty of churches in Columbus, find one that makes you comfortable and brings you closer to Jesus."
He's still hung up on the Jesus thing, he wouldn't encourage you to become a buddist (sp?) or a Wiccan. But at least they're open minded enough to say "maybe you don't need us, that's your call." Refreshing to hear something like that from a religion.
Dave of the "Seeks the guidance of the IP_SEC's and SNG's of the world" class
I haven't joined any other religions, or even reconciled with my own beliefs. I'm still too jaded.
I do miss something though. I don't think it is the interaction with others who think like I do. (I get that with my friends). This isn't going to sound quite right...but the closest I can come to explaining is that I have lost touch with my spiritual side.
I have a friend, ex-nun, who is a member of something she calls a Spirit Group. I know, it sounds corney when I type it. It's this small group of people from various religions, Christian and non, who just get together every now and then to learn about and talk about spirituality. They practice meditation and go on field trips and such. They are not looking for "the truth" they are just interested in the journey. It sounds really healthy.
If I every do regain any type of spirituality, I think that's the closest I would come to an actual organized religion.
"what church, how has it gone?"
I spend my Sunday mornings at St. Sealy of the Mattress, praying next to Sister Feather Pillow.
Jaff, I am not trying to say the people, but the religions, all religions have mechanisms for controlling their people. it is inherent in the structure of a religion, and you must follow the thinking of the religion, but on the other hand, their is only a few religions that go to the extent of the wts, and that is scientology,Mormonism, most Islamic faiths, I personally reject all religions as myths, since there is no evidence to support any of them, and they are based on faith, which is believing in something with out evidence.
