AwSnap, Were you raised a JW? In the JW view, mainstream Christians are considered to be part of Christendom and actually under control of the Devil. JWs are even instructed not to attend weddings or funerals in a church. Because of that, it's common for ex-JWs to have a weird feeling about Christianity & churches. I don't see that as extreme at all.
Saoirse
JoinedPosts by Saoirse
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29
To all the Christians on here...
by homeschool ini realize you believe the bible is the truth.
do you believe it is the only truth?
i wonder how you feel about other major religious books, like for other religions who have and never will be christian.
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My Monster House for Halloween 2009
by sacolton inhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjy163p0i2a.
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halloween is so fun!.
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Saoirse
Very cool! I love the eyes in the window!
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29
To all the Christians on here...
by homeschool ini realize you believe the bible is the truth.
do you believe it is the only truth?
i wonder how you feel about other major religious books, like for other religions who have and never will be christian.
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Saoirse
Hi wavvy,
judgment: the cognitive process of reaching a decision or drawing conclusions
Pointing out biblical truth is not judging. Pointing someone towards salvation is not judging. Guidance maybe, but not judging. If you knew someone was in danger, wouldn't you warn them?
JWs are a counterfeit Christianity. Nothing but a deception meant to lead people away from Christ. You can't compare the two because they are nothing alike.
As far as open-minded - I guess that depends on what your definition of open minded is.
After I left the JWs, I spent over 10 yrs being so-called open minded. I looked at everything (Buddhism, Paganism, New Age, Agnostic) EXCEPT Christianity. Those Christians are crazy you know - and demonized! They're just like JWs! Why would I ever want to be one of those? I guess I wasn't so "open-minded" was I?
Those other beliefs or non-beliefs never brought me real peace or joy. They only made me more confused. The true Christians (non-JWs) I encountered over the years were the only ones that seemed to me to have their act together. They weren't perfect, no one is, but they were joyful, they had peace, they weren't bitter and negative all the time. At one time, I used to despise them for it. I guess because I knew they had something I didn't. Sad isn't it? But deep down, that's what I really wanted.
When I finally turned my life over to Christ, He completely changed me. He turned my world upside and made me into a new person. For the first time in my life, I knew what freedom was and I have never looked back. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner.
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Rumor: JWs in Canada paid for new recruits???
by Saoirse infor the 2nd time this week, when i mentioned to someone that i am a former jw, i was asked if jws were paid for each new recruit.
one girl told me that she heard that jws were paid $1200 for each new convert.
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Saoirse
Thank you dissed. I had forgotten all about Special Pioneers. That scenario makes sense. I have no idea where the $1200 comes from unless that was their monthly/yearly stipend. Not much to live on either way. The special pioneer I knew lived with her parents and got handouts from congregation members. I'd love to know what they are actually paid and how many there are.
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Rumor: JWs in Canada paid for new recruits???
by Saoirse infor the 2nd time this week, when i mentioned to someone that i am a former jw, i was asked if jws were paid for each new recruit.
one girl told me that she heard that jws were paid $1200 for each new convert.
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Saoirse
For the 2nd time this week, when I mentioned to someone that I am a former JW, I was asked if JWs were paid for each new recruit. One girl told me that she heard that JWs were paid $1200 for each new convert. I told them it wasn't true and I had never heard of this before. I never attended a Canadian congregation and I never heard this rumor in the US. Does anyone know why people think that or where that rumor got started?
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help friends urgently needed
by yellow inive had doubts for years had my mind opened and over the past year have decided enough is enough.
sick of the lies and double standards no longer believing in what ive been told cant even step into a kingdumb hall i just feel like screaming ive decided to d/a, best decision ive ever made a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders no more pretending to others finally free.
the announcement is being made this week.
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Saoirse
Welcome yellow & finding my way!
Leaving a cult and being shunned for it isn't easy. It was probably one of the most difficult things I have ever gone through. It does get better though. As you will see, many of us have gone on to lead happy & productive lives. There is life after the Watchtower. Nothing is better than freedom.
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29
To all the Christians on here...
by homeschool ini realize you believe the bible is the truth.
do you believe it is the only truth?
i wonder how you feel about other major religious books, like for other religions who have and never will be christian.
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Saoirse
This seems to be a popular question.
As a Christian, yes, I believe the bible is true. I believe that the holy scriptures are the ONLY inspired words of God. Any other so-called religious works are nothing but counterfeits and deceptions. I can't tell you who is saved and who isn't. Only God knows that. He is the only one that can judge someone's heart.
However, God did leave for us, through His word, clear instructions on how to gain salvation. The bible says that Jesus is the only way to salvation. Rom 10:9 "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." John 14:6 "Jesus answered, ""I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"".
I realize that may not be the answer that people want to hear. I know some won't like it and will probably hate me for it but I am not doing anyone any favors by trying to sugarcoat the scriptures. And believe me, it would be easier just to say what everyone wants to hear. No one wants to be despised, especially me. But as a true believer who wants to be faithful to God's word, I must speak the truth. When I believe something, I believe in it 100%, otherwise I wouldn't bother. That's why i didn't last as a JW - I just could not believe in them. But I do love the Lord and I believe in the bible. God's word is God's word. It can stand on it's own. I make no apology for it.
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50
I made it!!!
by purplesofa into fifty!!.
never dreamed life would be as it is now, .
there are times i did not think i would make it.
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Saoirse
Happy Birthday!
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For Those Lurking, Thinkiing of Leaving, Just Leaving, How Do You....
by AllTimeJeff in... start over with friends?.
i would like to suggest that we leave finding another church out of this, not because it isn't a good idea for our theistically minded friends.
for those that choose to do so, it seems like they do alright, and that seems the easiest suggestion to make.. so if thats for you, consider me taking care of that as suggestion #1.. but what if you need a break from the whole church scene?
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Saoirse
To make friends, be one. I know that sounds corny, but it's true.
Bingo. You can't always expect people to approach you. You could try something simple like inviting a neighbor over for coffee. If a neighbor is sick, take them some herbal tea. If someone new moves in, bake a pie for them and introduce yourself.
If you meet someone that you'd like to be friends with, ask for their email address. People are usually willing to give you that. You could email a handful of people and suggest getting together for a girls movie night or a couples movie night. Ask your neighbors. You'd be surprised how many wives & moms are just dying for a night out with the girls. Ex-JWs aren't the only lonely ones in the world. If someone declines, don't take it personally. they may just be busy or too tired.
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For Those Lurking, Thinkiing of Leaving, Just Leaving, How Do You....
by AllTimeJeff in... start over with friends?.
i would like to suggest that we leave finding another church out of this, not because it isn't a good idea for our theistically minded friends.
for those that choose to do so, it seems like they do alright, and that seems the easiest suggestion to make.. so if thats for you, consider me taking care of that as suggestion #1.. but what if you need a break from the whole church scene?
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Saoirse
You could try getting involved in some charity work - soup kitchen, neighborhood clean-up, volunteer at a hospital. You could take a night class at a local community college or learn a new hobby like cake decorating or take a cooking class. One of the first things I did was volunteer to teach computer skills to at-risk teens. Any of the above will help you meet new people and help you build your confidence in yourself.
I would like to suggest that we leave finding another church out of this, not because it isn't a good idea for our theistically minded friends.
I think that's good advice for anyone, not just for the atheists & agnostics. Even though I am a devout christ-follower & attend church now, I wouldn't recommend anyone jumping into a new church right away. I think it's important to heal first and when you are newly exiting a cult you are still vulnerable and in danger of being taken advantage of by another false religion group. Joining a church should only take place AFTER you are on your way to healing and after much prayer, careful consideration and research.