TheListener

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Posts by TheListener

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  22

  Church of Christ

  by TheListener in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  .

  is anyone here associated with a non-denominational church of christ congregation?.

  i read the fairly detailed write-up on wikipedia and found it somewhat, key being somewhat, similar to the jws except for the rules and regulations and the strong focus on end times.. it seems like an intriguing religious group.

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  TheListener

  From Wikipedia:

  • Church of Christ is also the name of a number of Restorationist churches:
    • Fellowships influenced by the (Stone-Campbell) Restoration Movement, found mainly in the United States and Australia, which include:
      • The very conservative Churches of Christ (often designated "Non-Instrumental").
        • The International Churches of Christ, an offshoot of the Churches of Christ.
      • Less frequently, the ("Instrumental") Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ.
      • The Churches of Christ in Australia
      • The Fellowship of Churches of Christ in the United Kingdom
      • The Associated Churches of Christ in New Zealand
    • The fellowships with a shared Mormon heritage, which include:
      • The Church of Christ (Mormonism), was the first name of the Latter Day Saint sect founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr., which was also called the "Church of the Latter Day Saints", and later settled as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. See
        • The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) (a Latter Day Saint sect).
          • The Church of Christ with the Elijah Message (broke away from the Temple Lot group in 1929).
        • The Church of Jesus Christ with Headquarters in Monongahela, Pennsylvania (a Latter Day Saint sect, also known as the "Bickertonites", which until recently called itself the Church of Christ).
        • The Church of Christ (Whitmerite) (an extinct Latter Day Saint sect).

  • In the United States, the United Church of Christ (or UCC) is a Protestant denomination formed from the union of several earlier denominations.
  • Church of Christ is also sometimes used as the name of the Church of Christ, Scientist, also known as Christian Science.
  • The Church of Christ in Congo is the administrative and spiritual union of the 62 protestant denominations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

  AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  Forget it, I'm done with all of them. anyone know anything about the methodists?
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  22

  Church of Christ

  by TheListener in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  .

  is anyone here associated with a non-denominational church of christ congregation?.

  i read the fairly detailed write-up on wikipedia and found it somewhat, key being somewhat, similar to the jws except for the rules and regulations and the strong focus on end times.. it seems like an intriguing religious group.

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  TheListener

  All I know is this: No country song on the top 10 charts would mention a cult. would they?

  I'm starting a petition to send to the president to demand that all churches named church of christ rename themselves so they can be distinguished from each other
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  18

  Did Your Congregation Ever Get Away With Doing Things Until The CO's Visit?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i remember knowing that we could have a "large gathering" in the circuit before the new circuit overseer came on the scene and this was during the beginning of the "no large gatherings" edict.

  when the co had his meeting with the elders in the circuit, he chastised more than a few and even made an example ot of one somewhat "prominent" elder by demoting his duties in the circuit to send a message not to play around and try to get away with things because "mothr" is always watching......anything that you got away with?

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  TheListener

  xbhere and minimus, you're not the only ones to have done that. It was done, not out of dishonesty, but I truly believe out of a sense of trying to take care of the friends so they didn't get dinged for being irregular; especially if they were trying hard and having a hard time.
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  34

  Is it easy to fade...???

  by Balaams Ass in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  any comments or advice gratefully recieved.

  diehard pioneer wife etc...

  ba

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  TheListener

  Yes, the fade can provide time to develop outside interests and friends.

  But, at least in my case, I've spent my fading/faded time helping my family to see that I'm not a bad person and that whether the congregation decides to df me in the future or not I haven't changed on the inside. The main person I care about maintaining a good relationship with is my wife. By fading I gave her time to digest everything slowly.

  A friend of mine once said:

  "If you leave the organization you will be pulling the foundation right out from under your wife. She doesn't stand on her own, but upon your faith. You must build a new foundation built upon your love for her/and her love for you and slowly move her over to the new foundation before you break apart the old one. Only then will your marriage survive."

  That foundation shift took years of discussions, depression, fights, uncomfortableness and love love love. It's not over but I'm well on the road to completion.

  Good luck.
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  129

  607, 70 years, 1914

  by crazies in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  sorry for the long post!.

  what the watchtower society says:.

  24 the book of truthful historical dates ***.

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  TheListener

  Scholar,

  I've said it before and I'll say it again. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

  You're posts were instrumental in helping me see the light.

  I owe you a debt of gratitude.
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  22

  Church of Christ

  by TheListener in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  .

  is anyone here associated with a non-denominational church of christ congregation?.

  i read the fairly detailed write-up on wikipedia and found it somewhat, key being somewhat, similar to the jws except for the rules and regulations and the strong focus on end times.. it seems like an intriguing religious group.

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  TheListener

  My God!! This church of christ thing is unbelievable!! There seems to be no end to the various groups with names so similar I can't make head or tails out of it.

  The Kip McKean churches or Int'l COC appears to be a cult. Perhaps he took the names ICOC to make it confusing?

  The Church of Christ that I'm checking out is not affiliated with any denominational governing body. It's independent and may work with one other church of christ to do charity work. The buck stops at the local elders which are chosen by the congregation themselves. There seems to be thousands of these churches around and they all operate independently.

  BTW, I first heard of Church of Christ in a country song that was on the radio. The song was called "My Town", I think.
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  15

  non-denom bible study groups

  by TheListener in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  is there any such thing as a church or group that gathers together to study the bible and share information without ramming it down everyone's throad and trying to disfellowship anyone who doesn't agree?.

  i'd love to eventually attend a bible study group where an exchange of ideas can be had without everyone getting offended or defensive.

  sort of like here, but different.

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  TheListener

  Thanks for your replies everyone.

  At this point I'm just too mentally wore out from fading to start my own on-line bible study group. I'm just looking to discuss bible topics with others in a physical non-internet setting.

  The Church of Christ (the non-cult ones) seem nice. I will also do some checking on the Disciples of Christ.

  Part of this also is showing my spouse that although I don't attend meetings I still love God and am interested in reading and studying the Bible and applying its principles in my life.
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  34

  Is it easy to fade...???

  by Balaams Ass in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  any comments or advice gratefully recieved.

  diehard pioneer wife etc...

  ba

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  TheListener

  There is a lot of good information here Balaam.

  Blondie and Undercover really nailed it.

  The problem I've found, after fading for 3 or 4 years, is that you're never truly free. See, at first I thought that wouldn't matter, but as time marches on I realize that I do want christian association and upbuilding discussions. The problem? As a faded one you still aren't allowed to break the rules because regardless of the WTS stance on those no longer associated with the congregation they can always bust you for apostasy or some other sin if they get a bug up their butt about it.

  Fading

  Pros - allows you to maintain contact with family. Allows you to leave with hopefully minimal problems.

  Cons - You're never truly free. You still get encouragement from time to time and can't freely develop your new spiritual thoughts and actions without fear of reprisal.
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  18

  Did Your Congregation Ever Get Away With Doing Things Until The CO's Visit?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i remember knowing that we could have a "large gathering" in the circuit before the new circuit overseer came on the scene and this was during the beginning of the "no large gatherings" edict.

  when the co had his meeting with the elders in the circuit, he chastised more than a few and even made an example ot of one somewhat "prominent" elder by demoting his duties in the circuit to send a message not to play around and try to get away with things because "mothr" is always watching......anything that you got away with?

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• 

  TheListener

  xbhere that is so true. Lots of times I would totally forget to turn in my time. I know I know what a loser! When the secy would catch up with me, usually just before the CO visit, I would look at my PR card and average my time for the missing months to make sure nothing looked odd.

  whenever you call someone up to give you their time and it doesn't take them a minute or so to look for it you know they're making it up as they speak.
• 
  22

  Church of Christ

  by TheListener in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  .

  is anyone here associated with a non-denominational church of christ congregation?.

  i read the fairly detailed write-up on wikipedia and found it somewhat, key being somewhat, similar to the jws except for the rules and regulations and the strong focus on end times.. it seems like an intriguing religious group.

  1. 
  2. 
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• 

  TheListener

  Ok thanks Auld Soul.

  You too Why Georgia.

  I'm not real familiar with this stuff yet but it seems that there is a difference between ICOC and it's offshoots (which seemed to really start in '79 with Kip somebody) and the Church of Christ which was had an 1800s start and appears to be more mainstream.

  I think we're talking about two different churches of christ.

  If that is so, then someone should tell these people that you can't all name yourselves the same thing. ridiculous.