people remembered me from last sunday and actually made an effort to fellowship with me (even though i bolted for the door after the closing prayer).
everyone seems very warm and genuine.
i'm looking forward to going again next sunday.
I was freaked out the first time I attended church afyer ejecting out of the JW cult.
My experience was similar. I was happy to have my boyfriend with me when I went. Not sure if I would have ever gone if I weren't introduced to it by him. The fact that the church I attended in my area was exactly like the one I attended in his area (approx. 1 hour's drive away) convinced me that it wasn't phony and staged.
people remembered me from last sunday and actually made an effort to fellowship with me (even though i bolted for the door after the closing prayer).
everyone seems very warm and genuine.
i'm looking forward to going again next sunday.
I'm attending the Church of Christ. I first became acquainted with it through my boyfriend who lives about an hour away from me. He and I attend his church when I visit with him. Initially, I tried it because I knew he wanted me to, but eventually (after a few visits), I really started to enjoy it. I decided to find one near my home and started attending two Sunday's ago. I didn't tell him that I was going until I got back because I didn't know what the experience would be like going alone and I didn't want the pressure of curious questions from him about my experience. Every Sunday, I'll play it by ear. I'll plan to go and decide when I wake up if it's what I want to do that day.
Funny thing is having that freedom of choice is what makes me want to go. Interesting, huh?
an 18 year old supposed to be a young adult.. there are certain things an 18 year old supposed to do.. there are certain ways an 18 year old should behave.. there are certain things an 18 year is still not old enough to do.. what is your opinion?.
how do you feel concerning 18 year old males and females.. concerning an 18 year old female..... should she sleep until 12 or 11 in the morning?.
responsibility to cook, clean ----help out around the house?.
It depends on the individual. Some 18 year olds have the maturity level of a 13 year old. By the time I was 18, I had full-time employment, I was living on my own, and I was caring for my own physical needs. My parents' next door neighbors still have their 33 year old son living in their basement. Not sure exactly what that says about him, but ever since I moved out he's been saving for a house and he's only 1 year older than I.
people remembered me from last sunday and actually made an effort to fellowship with me (even though i bolted for the door after the closing prayer).
everyone seems very warm and genuine.
i'm looking forward to going again next sunday.
People remembered me from last Sunday and actually made an effort to fellowship with me (even though I bolted for the door after the closing prayer). Everyone seems very warm and genuine. I'm looking forward to going again next Sunday. There is an area-wide worship weekend scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 24th-25, and I am definitely going to make it there.
i've heard some tawdry stories about the "goings on" in bethel.
wondered if any of them are true?
i don't want to repeat any of them because none of them were first hand accounts, so the stories could be extremely distorted.
I've heard some tawdry stories about the "goings on" in Bethel. Wondered if any of them are true? I don't want to repeat any of them because none of them were first hand accounts, so the stories could be extremely distorted.
i usually go with my boyfriend to his church, but i felt the need to explore this without him.
so since i liked his church (church of christ) i decided to find one in my area to attend.
i was a really nice experience.
findingmyway said:Schizm,
That would be the United Church of Christ. There's a distinction between the UCC and the Church of Christ, which does not supply the US Armed Forces with Chaplains.
Okay, but do those who go to the United Church of Christ get involved in the wars of the world? Will they themselves join the Armed Forces and go to war? Have they? They claim to be Christ's Congregation. Would Jesus approve of such ones joining up with the military and going to war?
Another question: Is there a U.S. flag displayed on the platform at the United Church of Christ?
I am not familiar with the United Church of Christ so I cannot answer any questions relating to the United Church of Christ. To my knowledge, the Church of Christ, which is the church that I explained I attended in my initial post does not adjoin themselves with the Armed Forces and there is no flag displayed there.
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my younger brother may finally after 2 years have seen jehovahs witnesses for what they really are.. the whole time he has been studying he has had no social life, they have been happy for him to go to meetings and out on field service but nobody has wanted to bother with him socially.. he has been living in the house of my older sister who is a devout witness and a bit of a cow.. anyway, a few weeks ago she asked him to leave as she didn't think he was trying hard enough to 'make the truth his own', so he moved in with a couple of his collegues who share a house.. anyway, he has just been round to my house and told us that he has had a brilliant weekend with these 2 collegues, he even went to the pub yesterday and met a girl and has been on a date with her today.. this may not seem like a big deal but it is, the difference in him was phenomenal, he seemed so much happier and its given me hope that he might finally be breaking free.
Few things can impair a persons social skills as much as excessive association with JWs.
Very well put. I have been described as an introvert by my very close friends. I'm finally coming out of my shell, but I used to walk around with my head down so as to prevent eye contact and welcome greetings from people who I shouldn't associate with. Now, I only do that when I go to the KH and I haven't gone there in months.
i usually go with my boyfriend to his church, but i felt the need to explore this without him.
so since i liked his church (church of christ) i decided to find one in my area to attend.
i was a really nice experience.
Yeah, I know their meetings are very similar in tone and they do believe in df'ing and they rarely resort to this. They don't go to the same lengths as JWs. You won't be df'd if you confess and ask for forgiveness. The diff is that people who are df'd make the decision that they don't want to follow the bible course...it's more like they DA themselves, but every effort is made to keep that person in association. If they don't want it an announcement is made that that individual is no longer a member. From what I understand they don't shun and shame people, though. I could be wrong and I certainly will investigate.
my sister although not df'd at the time, explored at least one other religion.
she attended regularly and was a sunday school teacher.
i asked her today what was her motivation and asked if she had ever done research about the organization.
My gripes about the JW were strictly intellectual
I think for me that's the reason why the teachings never took root. I felt dishonest and untruthful whenever I engaged in door to door witnessing. I could only support the things that spewed out of my mouth to a point and I would always have to come back. That's why eventually, I resorted to simply placing literature and never attempted to give a heavy witness. I always knew that this was not for me and that I would leave one day.
my sister although not df'd at the time, explored at least one other religion.
she attended regularly and was a sunday school teacher.
i asked her today what was her motivation and asked if she had ever done research about the organization.
So rebelliousness isn't a bad thing. According to the dictionary, it means defiant, unruly, disloyal, and insubordinate. But you're saying that embracing the anger and rebellion is what will lead me to take my own road. What if my road is the wrong one? Why do I struggle between need someone to lead me and needing to be in charge of my own life?
Ever since I was a child, I always did what my parents and others in authority told me and it wasn't until I did differently that I suffered. Having that ingrained in me makes venturing out on my own a very scary experience. And now that I have a child, my decisions affect him too.
This is a torturous situation that I am in.
