Posts by Apostate Kate

21

The plain facts about ANY religion

by sinis in

lately, i have even been questioning my beliefs in christ.

lets face it the ransom just does not make sense.

regardless of this, religion is soley a chronological and geographical entity.

Apostate Kate

Like I stated there is a difference between authentic followers of Jesus, and religion. There is no cloak and dagger about it, but I understand how you feel.

Many people have experienced spiritual experiences with God. In fact most authentic Christians do. It becomes such a natural occurance that you don't consider it abnormal at all.

Jesus made it clear what God's intentions are towards man, man has complicated the message. I completly agree with you about religion. What I have experienced is that not all gatherings of all who call themselves Christian are religious, in other words, some churches are very genuine, some are religious.

I guess you can see the glass half full or half empty. I see authentic followers of Jesus making the world a better place. Mother Teresa did incredible good in the world and she was just one small frail woman. She started so many charities all around the world, but never inststed on being praised for it.

Love is doing small things with great love. - Mother Teresa

21

The plain facts about ANY religion

by sinis in

lately, i have even been questioning my beliefs in christ.

lets face it the ransom just does not make sense.

regardless of this, religion is soley a chronological and geographical entity.

Apostate Kate

Why has no one seen from or heard from this supposed god for over 2000 years?!

People have. It is a personal choice to believe them or not.

21

The plain facts about ANY religion

by sinis in

lately, i have even been questioning my beliefs in christ.

lets face it the ransom just does not make sense.

regardless of this, religion is soley a chronological and geographical entity.

Apostate Kate

religion is soley a chronological and geographical entity

I used to think that too, but when I realized that the real followers of Jesus were at the wrong place and the wrong time to believe Jesus was the Messiah, it negated that hypothesis.

Now there are still authentic followers of Jesus all around the world at the wrong place and the wrong time being beaten, imprisoned, and killed for their beliefs. BasicFellowship.com : Prisoner List

After the devastation of life in the WT, I do understand how you feel.

Edited to add; I now feel there is a distinct difference from religion, and someone who has made a choice to follow the life of Jesus. There is as much difference today in this concept, as there was 2000 years ago. It was the religious people of Jesus time that hated him and everything he said and stood for. James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction.........

31

I need some friendly support...

by LuciousJ in

jw
friends

so, we left the org.

back in december.

i went & visited my mother in february & shared with her some of the research i had found.

Apostate Kate

It sounds like she just got her copy of the September WT that delineates how to treat their relatives who "leave Jehovah"...if you havent read that one it is posted here. What she is doing is PRECISELY what they told her to do towards you.Jehovahs Witness Discussion Forum - Topic: FRESH OFF THE PRESS.... 9/1/06 WT "When a Loved One Leaves Jeh." (page 1)

Yes, this was my thought also.

There are so many subliminal fear responses that Watchtower material can trigger.

I'd guess that she is acting out of fear, for what it's worth.

I wouldn't rule out medical problems either.

Regardless, don't take it personal, even though there is nothing more personal than a relationship between mother and child. The Watchtower's greatest power over families is being able to negate that bond.

Hang in there.

39

my story

by jaberwalkie in

jw
friends

this is a difficult thing for me to do, i used to be a jehovahs witness 20 years service as a pioneer.. last thursday it was announced from the platform at my local kingdom hall that i was disfellowshiped.. it was a bit of a shock.

i still have a deep sence of anger at what happened to me and its so unfair.. it started 3 years ago when i began to feel ill and i missed a couple of meetings.

the elders were wonderful and came round and cheered me up.

Apostate Kate

I agree with Perry if you have any more thoughts of hurting yourself seek help immediatly. Don't wait until you do, if you can get any kind of counseling go for it. Many of us have. I had a couple of great counselors while I made my transition out of the WT. They really helped.

66

Rejecting God or rejecting religion?

by kojo in

jw
friends

i have read many posts on here and on other websites from people who were brought up or became immersed in a particular religion or belief system, who later ,often because of bad experiences with their religion, went to the opposite extreme of not believing in god at all.

this often puzzles me because i wonder if people who reject a belief in god because of the hypocrisies they experienced in their former belief really are rejecting god or just a man-made organization which claims to be god's spokesman and has shown to be anything but.. i was raised in a presbyterian church which is about as traditional and conservative as you can get and my image of god was molded by that belief.

i saw the services and people there as dead basically.

Apostate Kate

My best argument against an interested god? If there is a god in the sky who cares more about punishing me for my stupid choices than doing something for the starving and oppressed people all over the world, then I don't want to "serve" that god anyway.

Who would?

That is the god of the Watchtower, and the god that some people have put a spin on. Not the God that I know. And He said all the other gods are fakes.

As humans we want everything to make sense, well that is not going to happen. The most rational human in the world can not put the universe in a neatly labled box. I try not to over think things.

God sent his Son to give his life for us and to teach us what it means to be godly. He told us it should be our lives work to care for "the starving and oppressed people of the world" Jesus taught us how to be part of the solution instead of the problem.

You will find more Christian charities and orphanages around the world than any other group sponsering them.

The dying, the cripple, the mental, the unwanted, the unloved they are Jesus in disguise~Mother Teresa

31

I need some friendly support...

by LuciousJ in

jw
friends

so, we left the org.

back in december.

i went & visited my mother in february & shared with her some of the research i had found.

Apostate Kate

I agree with everything everyone has posted so far. Let the tears flow, forgive her, continue to reach out to her gently. Hope that she will come around soon.

Deal with your pain in a healthy way, don't turn it inside like some of us have done. I found writing really helps. I will write fictional stories about the pain, or write letters to people that I never send.

Love hurts, but is not lost.

This is not your fault.

Love~Kate

39

my story

by jaberwalkie in

jw
friends

this is a difficult thing for me to do, i used to be a jehovahs witness 20 years service as a pioneer.. last thursday it was announced from the platform at my local kingdom hall that i was disfellowshiped.. it was a bit of a shock.

i still have a deep sence of anger at what happened to me and its so unfair.. it started 3 years ago when i began to feel ill and i missed a couple of meetings.

the elders were wonderful and came round and cheered me up.

Apostate Kate

Welcome Jaberwalkie!

Don't let my name scare you I'm not really a bad person. I did leave the organization but not because I am evil.

The elders are supposed to be like Jesus right? They are supposed to "follow his example"

Jesus; John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Most of what I and others have experienced from elders is shepherds who kick their sheep when they are down.

So they say they have love, but what kind of love kicks a wounded sheep? You are loved as long as you are useful.

66

Rejecting God or rejecting religion?

by kojo in

jw
friends

i have read many posts on here and on other websites from people who were brought up or became immersed in a particular religion or belief system, who later ,often because of bad experiences with their religion, went to the opposite extreme of not believing in god at all.

this often puzzles me because i wonder if people who reject a belief in god because of the hypocrisies they experienced in their former belief really are rejecting god or just a man-made organization which claims to be god's spokesman and has shown to be anything but.. i was raised in a presbyterian church which is about as traditional and conservative as you can get and my image of god was molded by that belief.

i saw the services and people there as dead basically.

Apostate Kate

That's really neat. That's the first time I heard of someone that young having that kind of experience. If you don't mind me asking, how does your mother feel about you and treat you now? And, if you don't mind me asking a second question, what Christian denomination do you belong to?

I love my mother dearly, she reads this forum regularly, and is now "born again" herself. She will be 76 this month. She lives with hubby and I. We worship together at the same church. It is connected to Calvary Chapel. A very good church for anyone who has had bad experiences with churches (which are many).

Calvary Chapels are non denominational www.calvarychapel.com . They were started by one educated minister who saw the need to bring the Light of Christ to a bunch of sick strung out hippies in the 60's in Southern California. All the other church people shunned him for welcoming barefoot stoned beach bums to church.

It is a come as you are church. Of course like I stated earlier you will find posers in any church. But if you stick around long enough you will find some really humble selfless followers of Jesus.

To tell you the truth, I had a harder time trying to believe that all this awesome beauty in the world was the result of some cosmic accident. That there is no scientific laws like the second law of thermodynamics. It was impossible for me to believe that all this appeared by accident, without Intelligent Desighn, from nothingness.

When I learned I had a genetic disease, I started doing research into DNA. I have no doubt now that when God created everything "according to its kind" that He did just that.

However I have no need to sway someone to believe like I do. I do tell people why and who I am when asked. The reason is that God is faithful, He has proved himself to me, and does not shun anyone. He really is the Good Shepherd.

To reject religion is not to reject God, but when you have a healthy combination of both, it is as it should be; an extended family who accepts you as you are, does not judge your imperfections because they know they have some of their own. They do not work for some position, but give out of real love.

66

Rejecting God or rejecting religion?

by kojo in

jw
friends

i have read many posts on here and on other websites from people who were brought up or became immersed in a particular religion or belief system, who later ,often because of bad experiences with their religion, went to the opposite extreme of not believing in god at all.

this often puzzles me because i wonder if people who reject a belief in god because of the hypocrisies they experienced in their former belief really are rejecting god or just a man-made organization which claims to be god's spokesman and has shown to be anything but.. i was raised in a presbyterian church which is about as traditional and conservative as you can get and my image of god was molded by that belief.

i saw the services and people there as dead basically.

Apostate Kate

Hi Kojo and welcome to the Forum.

I too have been blessed with a close personal relationship with Jesus. I am even more blessed to have found a church home that is filled with some posers as is any church, but a core group of lovely selfless kind believers in Christ. Worship in music is a big part of my desire to be with my fellow believers regularly. Today was great and my dear hubby had a keyboard solo on a very beautiful worship song. They really rock! We have lead acoustic guitar, bass, two sets of drums, one is different percussion instruments, and hubby on keyboards.

My very first experience with Jesus was when I WAS a JW child, going out in service, and being left home alone alot. I was about 11. I was home alone reading the book of John, and at some point I got on my knees and said to Jesus, "I am not quite sure what you were explaining to Nicodemus, but whatever it means to be born again, please Jesus, I want it"

That was my first experience with the Holy Spirit as He came over me. There are no words to describe that. I told my mom who was deeply JW at the time (pre 1975) and she had a fit. She thought she was doing what was best for me by telling me to never talk about that Jesus freak stuff again. I learned to keep this experience to myself, but I know, that He was with me from then on.

Years later, it took a miracle to free my mind from the Watchtower's control, and once again that deep peace and quiet stillness came over me. Athiests would have us believe it is something in the brain, but I have documented medical proof of a miracle. I have even had people tell me, "great you healed yourself."

My opinion on finding a true body of believers is to find a church that is love in action. Do they have programs to feed the hungry in the community? Homeless shelters? a food bank? Drug rehab program? As far as morality goes, how do you measure what morality is without a set of standards? Does someone have a list of athiest based hospitals, orphanages or refugee centers? I'm not saying that athiest are not good people or people who do good works. I'm saying that charity is the collective heart of the Christian faith, and one of the main teachings of Christ.

Repent, that is number one. People who repent, confess and repent, will not continue to do the same wrongs habitually. They will see their fallibilities and become broken and humbled servants, not of an organization or to a church, but to the presence of God.

Why some say they have done this and still nothing? dunno. All I can testify to is what God has done in my life. Like Kojo said, we're not "special". Trust may be an issue. Sometimes I don't feel God's presence in my life, but I trust He is still there. He always is.