it just breaks my heart when i read some of the posts on this websites and hear all of the horror stories about people and families suffering because of what the church or religion did to them.
not just jw's or mormons, but catholics, born-agains are also included in this group.
i bet you could find just as many disgruntle ex-catholics and ex-born-agains out in the world who have been severly hurt by their church.
Thank you Lillian. I'm sorry you have auto immune problems too. May we both have more good days than bad.
I am at a place in my life where I don't often take anything personally. I am not easily offended and I would hate to ever hurt or insult anyone here. I appreciate the support here. Your posts are always informative and gentle in spirit. {{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}
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hope the scans show up ok.. the article is presented as it comes, for your own assessment.
you could not make this stuff up!
Unbelievable. The era of porneia speculation is back!
Leolaia that was my first thought!
it just breaks my heart when i read some of the posts on this websites and hear all of the horror stories about people and families suffering because of what the church or religion did to them.
not just jw's or mormons, but catholics, born-agains are also included in this group.
i bet you could find just as many disgruntle ex-catholics and ex-born-agains out in the world who have been severly hurt by their church.
Tomorrow is another day. Should I complete the sentence from the other side? Tomorrow is another day... and you may discover like I have that Jesus never existed. How does that feel to you?I don't really feel anything either way. It means that we are ever changing beings, ever learning. It means that right here right now I accept you for who you are and what you believe. I have utmost respect and admiration and share a common history with you. That is today.
Tomorrow is another day. I will still share the same history with you and I will still respect you. I will still care to get to know who you are because that is how I am. People usually go through changes in life and I am not a psychic to know what tomorrow will bring.
I was not alluding to anything more than that. I am truly sorry if it sounded as if I were. I never said that in the future you may have an experience with Jesus. I said up to this day, I respect who you are today and what you have experienced. You can equate my wordage of tomorrow is another day with; life goes on. For most of us, life will go on tomorrow.
hey!!!
i know how opinionated you all are so dont kill me....just wanted to bring up an interesting thought i had.....not that this necessarily shows my beliefs, but in an effort to still try to find myself and discover the truth, it is something i have been pondering for quite some time now.....
so, if the only law we need to follow is to show love to one another.....
Barnes; Joh 15:13
Verse 13. Greater love hath, &c. No higher expression of love could
be given. Life is the most valuable object we possess; and when a
man is willing to lay that down for his friends or his country, it shows
the utmost extent of love. Even this love for friends has been rarely
witnessed. A very few cases--like that of Damon and Pythias--have
occurred where a man was willing to save the life of his friend by
giving his own. It greatly enhances the love of Christ, that while the
instances of those who have been willing to die for friends have been
so rare, he was willing to die for enemies--bitter foes, who rejected
his reign, persecuted him, reviled him, scorned him, and sought his
life, 1Jo 4:10; Re 5:6,10. It also shows us the extent of his love that
he gave himself up, not to common sufferings, but to the most bitter,
painful, and protracted sorrows, not for himself, not for friends, but for
a thoughtless and unbelieving world.
"O Lamb of God, was ever pain,
Was ever LOVE like thine!"
{n} "greater love" Ro 5:7-8
hey!!!
i know how opinionated you all are so dont kill me....just wanted to bring up an interesting thought i had.....not that this necessarily shows my beliefs, but in an effort to still try to find myself and discover the truth, it is something i have been pondering for quite some time now.....
so, if the only law we need to follow is to show love to one another.....
Biblical love; John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
it just breaks my heart when i read some of the posts on this websites and hear all of the horror stories about people and families suffering because of what the church or religion did to them.
not just jw's or mormons, but catholics, born-agains are also included in this group.
i bet you could find just as many disgruntle ex-catholics and ex-born-agains out in the world who have been severly hurt by their church.
As I read the posts on this thread it irritates me how Jesus is spoken of as fact. To me it's a subtle way of telling everyone else they are wrong. From the research I have done Jesus was nothing more than one of many messiah figures squashed by the Romans, that is if he existed at all. I personally don't need a Jesus or a god or anyone else to give me happiness. And I think most of the ones that get happiness from a church is because it's nothing more than a social club.
I have not told anyone they are wrong in any way. I respect your perspective on the person of Jesus. That is your personal experience with Jesus up to today. Tomorrow is another day. I fully respect that that is your human experience. Can you have a little mercy for me to have mine?
My church is no social club. We have a direction, a purpose based on non conditional love of all mankind and providing for their needs, and joy filled worship. I am truly happy that you are happy. Can you try to be happy for me?
it just breaks my heart when i read some of the posts on this websites and hear all of the horror stories about people and families suffering because of what the church or religion did to them.
not just jw's or mormons, but catholics, born-agains are also included in this group.
i bet you could find just as many disgruntle ex-catholics and ex-born-agains out in the world who have been severly hurt by their church.
On the other hand, I am often baffled with admiration whenever I meet people who have experienced terrible hardships or suffer from illness or handicaps and yet are full of life and joyful individuals.
Freetosee
Free you just described me. I was born with a genetic disease that caused major organ damage, autoimmune disease-lupus, thyroid disease, and a full range of other "diseases." I was near liver failure in 1994. I have to have a unit of blood removed every 8-12 weeks for the rest of my life. The pain at times is excruciating. I have suffered as many others have in homelessnes and poverty. I'll be on SSD the rest of my life.
Do I rely on a church or religion for happiness? NO. Not at all. But my personal relationship with Jesus gives me peace. He knows about suffering. So many people have after death experiences...all the time. I had one too. I know what is on the other side. I know what the important things in life are for me. ....Love...~Kate
it just breaks my heart when i read some of the posts on this websites and hear all of the horror stories about people and families suffering because of what the church or religion did to them.
not just jw's or mormons, but catholics, born-agains are also included in this group.
i bet you could find just as many disgruntle ex-catholics and ex-born-agains out in the world who have been severly hurt by their church.
Ken I certainly understand how you feel.
For me the glass is half full and I can see all the wonderful and good things my church has done for the community. I can gaurentee you I am not psychotic. I do have a relationship with Jesus that is not based on any church or religion. There is give and take. I have evidence, science, of miracles he has done for me. Some people say, "well great you healed yourself." No, didn't happen that way. I cried out to Jesus, he came through. I am not alone here, throughout the last 2000 years there have been many who had this deep personal relationship and trust. They were willing to be horribly burned at the stake for this relationship and truth. Read; "Foxes Book of Marytres."
"The primary goal of all istitutions and subcultures is self-preservation. Preserving the faith is central to God's plan for human history; preserving particular religious institutions is not" From "The Myth of Certainty by scholar Daniel Taylor
it just breaks my heart when i read some of the posts on this websites and hear all of the horror stories about people and families suffering because of what the church or religion did to them.
not just jw's or mormons, but catholics, born-agains are also included in this group.
i bet you could find just as many disgruntle ex-catholics and ex-born-agains out in the world who have been severly hurt by their church.
The main function of healthy mainstream churches are focused on charity and joyful worship together. The Christians I surround myself with are not legalistic or controling. Our happiness has nothing at all to do with the church exept in that it offers us an unconditionaly loving extended family. The pastor does not ask for us to obey him, or look to him, but to God. We have no set of doctrines but for the Nicene Creed.
The one main problem I think we have as a forum family is not everyone has experienced this type of healthy church to be able to judge it. My relationship with Jesus has nothing to do with where I go to church. I look forward to Sundays because I love the worship. I enjoy my pastor.
I adore my church family who do not come with phony facades and fake smiles. If they are hurting they say so and we help. We don't judge them or take them to the back room. I love them deeply, their children, their families, and when they hurt, we all hurt. We do hide from each other.
My particular non denominational church provides many charities to surrounding communities. Food, clothing, shelters, orphanages, drug rehab homes, financial aid, you name it. If there is a need, we fill it. Because that is what we who follow Jesus believe it means to be a church. Love~Kate
wow.. so, you know i'm an active witness, very active.
hah.
and i'm not laughing at y'all, but wow, i can't believe how extensive this is.
Welcome Darcy! The eclairs sound yummy.
You stated; Thinking solely of the scriptures, and flinging the Society to the side for a moment, it seems that most of what Mat. 24 had to say about the signs of the times are being most significantly fulfilled right now in our day
Actually according to WT records (2005 Service reports) there has been ZERO progress spreading the "good news (and then the end will come)" in a country that contains 1.3 Billion people, China. They have missed most Middle Eastern countries too.
The WTBTS is nothing more than a doomsday cult that has been predicting the end of the world as long as they have been gathering. Love~Kate
