Raymond Franz, a former member of the Watchtower's Governing Body,
has released a new book, In Search of Christian Freedom
Lol, That's what it's said at the website I found it. It's new for me though. Lol
.
raymond franz, a former member of the watchtower's governing body, .
has released a new book, in search of christian freedom .. this book is very interesting but i don't know if it is allowed to post the link to get information about it here.. any interest n knowing send me a reply..
Raymond Franz, a former member of the Watchtower's Governing Body,
has released a new book, In Search of Christian Freedom
Lol, That's what it's said at the website I found it. It's new for me though. Lol
.
raymond franz, a former member of the watchtower's governing body, .
has released a new book, in search of christian freedom .. this book is very interesting but i don't know if it is allowed to post the link to get information about it here.. any interest n knowing send me a reply..
Raymond Franz, a former member of the Watchtower's Governing Body,
has released a new book, In Search of Christian Freedom .
This book is very interesting but I don't know if it is allowed to post the link to get information about it here.
Any interest n knowing send me a reply.
i was baptized by the jehovah witnesses in 1970. in arecibo, puerto rico.
i believed in god and i believed that jesuschrist was a god ( according john 1:1 on the jw's bible) created by the true god.
i didn't believe in life after death much less that i was a conscious spirit that would leave the body when i died.
I was baptized by the Jehovah witnesses in 1970. in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. I believed in God and I believed that Jesuschrist was a god ( according John 1:1 on the JW's Bible) created by the true God. I didn't believe in life after death much less that I was a conscious spirit that would leave the body when I died. According to JW teachings at that time (I don't know now since they change their teachings often) only the supposely chosen class ones would inherit a spirit at time of death since those were the ones to have a celestial life. The rest (according to their teachings) will just die and resurrect from the dust in the new world system. I didn't believe in any kind of miracle healing nor I believed that God would communicate with people through visions or dreams. I believed that all kind of healing, miracles and visions were the work of the devil. I was very loyal to these teachings and nobody could convince me of the contrary. That means that at the time of my experience I was a loyal Jehova Witness who wouldn't been convinced of any other teaching should a dream or vision had being the case. In order for me to believe something opposite to the "truth" I had learned from the JWs It had to be something full of realism.
In October 1972 I had a kidney operation since my right kidney was clogged and stopped working due to a bacteria called "aeruginosa". I had signed up an affidavid not allowing blood transfutions if needed. I ended up with 1/4 of my kidney since the doctor removed all the damaged part. Besides he had to make a plastic surgery in the ureter since it was narrow and short from birth. When I woke up from the operation the doctor explained me what he had done and that there was a hole on the right side of my body through which were hanging a tube holding a bag colleting the urine from the kidney part left. A few days later he sent me home with the tube still in but advicing me to be very careful the tube would not be pulled out by accident.The tube was removed two months later. By that time the plastic surgery was already healed as the doctor explained. Few days later the hole on my skin had closed and healed completely.
In January 1973 I realized I was pregnant and went to the urologist in fear that the pregnacy would affect my kidney surgery some way. The urologist explained that there were no danger with the pregnancy.The laboratory tests showed my left kidney was also infected with the bacteria. During my nine month of pregnancy I had to take medications (to avoid the bacteria from spreading and destroying my left kidney) since that bacteria was resistent to all antibiotics except one which couldn't be used during pregnancy. Later on my eight month of pregnancy the doctors agreed on practicing a C-section to take my baby out at due time .
On September 12, 1973 I was ready to have my C-section done. While I was still on the operation table I could see how the doctors and nurses were getting ready to do their job and they were kind of painting my abdomen with an orange liquid. I was concerned about it and asked why they were painting my abdomen. The doctor explained to me that they were getting ready to start the operation but they had to put the anesthesia on me and start cutting at the same time to avoid the baby to be sedated.
They started injecting me the anesthesia and I felt a strange sensation. My body got paralized but my mind stayed awake. I realized they were going to cut my abdomen and I was not asleep. I tried to move and scream in panic but all efforts were in vain. I could hear the doctors and nurses talking but they were not even aware of what was going on . I started feeling a terrible pain as my abdomen was being cut. I was screaming in my mind, "No,please I'm awake!" But no sound could come out of my mouth and no movemet could be made. In the middle of my ordeal I heard a voice saying, "Look what is going to happen to you!" In that instant I was pulled in a swoosh out of my body. I knew I was me and was completely conscious. Hovering from the ceiling I could see how my baby was being taken out of my womb. I felt very sad and I said: "This is it, everything is finished for me on the earth. I was so anxious to see that baby and I couldn't even hold it in my arms. What can I do?" I righ away though about my other three children and I sadly said, "My children will forget all about me". I then started going up away from the hospital room. I could realize I didn't have a solid body. I was some kind of energy force moving at a high speed like in a vibrational circular motion. I had all my consciousnes. I knew I was me and I had all my memories with me. I knew I had left the earth. I found myself in a pitch black place. I started asking questions. "Is this the universe? Where am I? Where am I going ? Am I going to stay here forever? All of a sudden I started feeling something very strange. It is a kind of feeling that doesn't exist in the material world. The only nearly comprehensible word I can use for this is agony or torment. I was feeling a desperate need for my body. I couldn't bear the torment. In the midst of my anguish I remembered the voice I heard at the operation room before coming out of my body ("look what is going to happen to you"). I started screaming "PLEASE, DON'T LET THIS TO HAPPEN!" " I ACCEPT I WON'T EVER GO TO THE EARTH , I ACCEPT I WILL NEVER SEE MY CHILDREN AGAIN, BUT I CAN'T ACCEPT I WILL BE HERE FOREVER". "NO, PLEASE, DON'T LET THIS TO HAPPEN!" I then heard a group of voices saying at the same time "This is for you to believe". I answered " I only believe in the Almighty God. There was a silent.The torment I was feeling stopped. I started moving out at a high speed. and I found myself back to the ceiling of the hospital room. This time I saw my body was laying on a stretcher and a nurse was tapping my face and saying "Haydee, wake up" I could clearly see her while I was hovering down closer to my body. Then I was softly dropped inside my body. The nurse was still tapping my face and calling my name when I entered my body. I opened my eyes and there she was right in front of my face. I looked at her eyes while I was thinking "I wish you knew where I'm coming from". I couldn't take the experience away from my mind and I was in a big concern about people in the world. I thought, "The Jehovah Witnesses deceived me, there is a conscious spirit that comes out of the body. People don't know what can happen to them. They should know about this."
A few days later I was discharged from the hospital. I couldn't stop thinking about my amazing experience. I kept on repeating to myself, "I was deceived by the Jehovah Witnesses. There is a spirit that leaves the body, I just experienced it myself". I started to care for everyone in the world. I wanted to warn everybody about that dark place.
It was about a week I was out of the hospital when I got up one morning feeling some kind of tightness on my face. I went to the mirror and I noticed my mouth was twisted to the side. My left eye couldn't wink nor close. I became hysterical and rushed to the hospital. The doctor said I had a facial paralysis and prescribed me a series of injections and sent me for facial therapy. Every day I went to have my injection administered and I started my facial therapy which it was the application of electrical mini shocks to my face in order to bring the nerve movement back. Unfortunately the nerve had died and my face (as the doctor said) was going to stay like that for the rest of my life. I was only 26 years old. It was the end of the world for me. By the end of my facial therapy I was experiencing some kind of weird dizziness. Little by little I was entering like into a different dimension. I lost my memory completely, I didn't know if I fed the kids and the baby. I felt as the walls of the house were falling on me. I saw everything together, like the trees and the clouds were falling on me. It was horrible. I cried constantly asking God to at least let me know if I had fed my children and specially the baby. My skin turned yellowish and everyone in my family and in the neighborhood ( they told me later) was expecting me to die. I was getting weaker and weaker each day. My husband used to leave the house in the morning and I was alone with my kids all day until evening when he returned. Nobody helped me with my kids. One evening I felt such a strong weakness I knew I was going to die. My kids went to sleep and I lied down next to my sweet 5 year old one. He had helped me so much during my ordeal. I wanted to die close to him. I wrapped my arm around him and I started to say God's name . I said "Jehovah I want to die saying your name". I didn't mention Jesuschrist because I didn't believe in Him yet. Even when I had the out of the body experience. I learned I was a spirit inside a body but I had not believed in Jesuschrist as my savior yet.
I woke up in the morning even weaker. I got up and my breathing was so heavy and my legs were so weak that I right away realized that my death was close. I walked away from the bedroom and I fell on the floor. I could hardly breath. I had a scary coldness inside my bones and my breathing was getting difficult. I realized I was dying. I said lowly " Jehovah, give me courage to die and leave my little kids. They don't have anyone to take care of them".
All of a sudden I saw a lady standing right in front of me. I recognized the lady was a Christian neighbor I had. She used to live a few houses away from mine. I used to turn my way when I saw her in the streets. I didn't want to hear her talk to me about Jesus.
While I was staring at her I heard a voice saying "Go to her". I answered back to the voice saying "I won't humiliate myself before a Pentecostal". The voice spoke to me again saying " Go to her, you have an opportunity, you're going to die". When the voice said that I realized it was true cause I was feeling the death already so I decided to go to the lady's house. I struggled and called my 5 year old son to help me get up a go to the lady's house. I was not planning to ask for healing since I didn't believe in miracles. He held my hand very willing to help . I told him If I fell down in our way to the lady's house to call somebody for help and take me to the hospital. He agreed and held my hand to help me. We arrived at the lady's house and entered the porch. When the lady saw me she opened her eyes widely and exclaimed," My Lord, what are you doing here in such a condition woman?"
I said, Mrs. Anna, I'm coming here to ask you to pray God so He gives me courage to die. I will die today and my kids are going to be with no one to take good care of them. She said to me, "Let me tell you something, the same Jesuschrist from yesterday is the same Jesuschrist today". "He has not changed, and He is going to heal you so you can believe in Him."
I didn't want to hear those words. She said " Go to your house and pray I will pray here for you and you will be healed". she gave me a tiny bottle with oil and told me to put the oil everywhere I was in pain cause the Bible said to bring the ill ones and anoint them with oil and pray.
James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
I left the house but I was kind of annoyed by her words. I got home and as soon I entered the door I felt the closeness of my death again and was prompted to kneel on the floor. I took the oil and put it all over my forehead (it was an ordeal to feel myself lost in a strange dimension). I put it over my left kidney. I then felt inside me to start praying. I looked up to heaven and I suddenly these words came from my mouth, I said " Father, in the name of Jesuschrist and by the power of your Holy Spirit, heal me, that I will say whatever you do for me no matter what the Jehovah witnesses say"!
In that instant an actual electricity entered through the sole of my feet moving through my whole body up to my head where it stayed for a while. My eyes were closed while I was feeling this electricity. Right away the current left my body I opened my eyes, I got up and looked outside the window .THE TREES WERE ON THEIR RIGHT PLACE! I exclaimed "THE WORLD AGAIN AS IT USED TO BE!" THE PAIN FROM MY LEFT KIDNEY HAD DISAPPEARED! I ran to the mirror and MY FACE WAS BACK TO NORMAL AND MY MIND WAS CLEAR!!! GLORY TO GOD!!!
I started running around the house screaming "IT'S TRUE THAT JESUS STILL HEALS, IT'S TRUE THAT JESUS STILL HEALS!!
THE JEHOVA WITNESSES DECEIVED ME!"
I felt so good I cleaned the house, cooked and fed my little kids.
When my husband came in the evening I asked him if he wanted dinner. He stared at me as if seeing a ghost and asked me. What's happening to you?" I said , "what do you mean?" He said " What happens that I see you fine?" I said, "You know what happened? Jesuschrist healed me!" My husband exclaimed " We have to go to the church!" I said to my self, "to the church?"
"I wonder what church is he talking about. I hope he is not talking about the Pentecostal church." I thought.
After a while Mrs. Ana the Christian lady came to visit me asking about how I felt. I told her that Jesuschrist healed me. She said "you have to go to the church and testify about this miracle." She said, "Let me know so I can take you to the church. I said,"Let me see."
As soon as she left I went to the bedroom and looking up to heaven I said,"You have taught me that I have a spirit, you have taught me that Jesuschrist still heals. Show me now where is the truth and I promise to serve you."
Right away I heard a voice. This time I heard the voice inside my head say "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes unto the Father, but by me." I am the door: by me if any man enter in he shall be saved." I'm the light of the world, he that follows me shall not walk in darkness". All of a sudden my mind opened up with great understanding!
I said, "You say no one comes unto the Father, you don't say no one goes unto the Father, that means you and the Father are one." I said, "You say you are the light and if I follow you I won't walk in darkness" "that's not what the Jehovah Witnesses said, they said if I left then I woulf walk in darkness." You say you are the truth, so the truth is not a religion, YOU ARE THE TRUTH! "Well, that I surely know, that Pentecostals preach you. So I will visit the Pentecostal church."
All the neighborhood saw the miracle God made in me. I recovered my normal skin color. I went to the doctor and all my new urine analysis where normal. The doctor told me . " Haydee, this is the first time in two years that your urine test comes out to be negative". No trace of the bacteria. I got the chance to testify to the doctor who agreed it was a miracle. At my way out of the doctor's office the secretary confessed me that all of them were waiting for my death.
Later on I had a sonogram done and they found both of my kidneys had a normal size and were in sound health. To God be the glory! I decided then to believe in Jesuschrist as my Savior and Lord and started visiting a Christian church. When I entered the church for the first time I felt my heart filled with extreme joy. I past to the front and gave my heart to Jesuschrist together with my children and husband. A few days later while singing praises to the Lord I felt a force entered my chest like splitting it and overcoming my whole body making it move like if it was electrified. The joy I was feeling was out of this material world. My mouth opened itself and praises were coming from my interior. I was surprised and couldn't understand what was going on. In my mind I was saying, "Lord what is this? I will die of joy!" My tongue got a twist and I started talking in other language. I couldn't understand what was going on. Inside me I was concerning of what the people in the church would be thinking. People came to take the baby out of my hands and they led me to the church altar and prompted me to kneel down. I satayed a while there moving and talking in other language. After my body calmed down and I stoped talking I got up and walked back to my seat all puzzled. I felt as if I was walking on the air and a celestial peace overwhelmed me all over. I asked my sister in Christ Anna if she knew what had happened to me and if she understood what I was saying. She explained to me that I had been babtized with the Holy Spirit and that what I spoke was in other language according to the Bible. All this was new to me since I didn't know anything about the babtism in the Holy Spirit. All I can say that all my bad tempered was wiped out of me and my life was filled with peace and joy. Few days after this experience during a night sleep
I woke up and got up my bed. While walking toward the door I took a glance to my bed and I saw my husband sleeping and for my surprise my body was also there next to him. I was so amazed of what I was witnessing. I realized I was out of my material body but I could see I had another body.This time it was different from the first time I got out of my body. I stretched my arms forward and looked at this new body. I realized I had died. I then looked at my children's bedroom and I felt sad to leave them. I thought, "now when my children wake up they will see I'm dead. They will bury me and they will forget all about me. They don't have anybody to take good care of them, poor things". I then knelt on the floor and started praying, "Please Lord, in the name of your son Jesuschrist, return me to my body. My children need me." I felt a force lifting me up slowly from the floor and I was positioned on top of my body on the bed and I started to come down slowly until I fell inside it. Right away I tried to open my eyes and move but the body was rigid like a wall . All efforts to move were in vain. I started to pray "Please Lord, bring me back to life" I started feeling like neddles inside my whole body. I felt the force of life and the beating of my heart. I then opened my eyes and this time they opened. Then I moved my fingers to check and they moved. I then jumped out the bed amazed.
I sent a letter to the president of the kingdom hall testifying my experience. Later I received a letter disfellowshiping me from their congregation. Since then the JWs were not allowed to talk to me. Jehovah Witnesses disfellowshiped me but Jesuschrist received me. I'm 59 years old already and never had had a kidney infection since God touched my body. Every day of my life I keep on learning more and more about God's love. I live my life in awareness that one day I will leave this body and that there is a beautiful and wonderful Daddy waiting for me to wipe all my tears away and lead me to Paradise. TO THIS ALMIGHTY LORD BE ALL THE GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER, AMEN.
With this experience I learned that since I didn't believe in the Son of God I was in darkness. And there is where I went. John 8:12- Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Matthew 8:12 - But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matthew 25:30 - And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.