i was listening to a radio program the other day and i must admit after the dj finished i felt so foolish to be a believer in the bible.
he was asking listeners if someone were to come up to them now and say that their donkey talked to them or their snake said a sentence to them or that their neighbor turned into a pile of salt would they want that person committed as "crazy" or want to know what "drugs" they were on.
but as believers in the bible we swallow anything it says without proof and rely solely on faith.
I've always LOVED the Bible!
I think it provides the BEST way to live!
I don't feel foolish at all.
It has given me the greatest relationship I could ever be in, Jesus Christ! It has changed my life! My life is filled with love, joy, and happiness! It's been good to me despite losing my children, father, sister, and ex-wife to a cult.
good evening,.
i am a virgin to this forum do bear with me!.
i am curious who visits.
I was disfellowshipped twice. EACH time I wanted to go back thinking it was 'the truth'.
The second disfellowshipping made me investigate my beliefs so that I could make them stronger and NOT get df'd a THIRD time! In my research, I discovered it to be in error! I now see them as ones who will say lord, lord, did we not....Get AWAY from me you workers of lawlessness.
I am now 'born again' and go to two community churches each weekend! I LOVE it!
Much success to you!
Ethan
i've been out a while, but i remember thinking about this as a teenager and being confused, (my mother told me i must be posessed by demons to think such things and so never offered me an explanation).
what do the jws say about it.
if jehovah can see into the future, he would've known what a mess he was going to make of creation so he would've decided against it before he even thought of it.. based on the theory that he went ahead and created everything anyway, that must mean he can't see into the future.. i also seem to remember that god doesn't interfere with man, because we have free will, so all our actions are down to us and in no way "steered" or "influenced" by god.. so how can he make predictions about the future, i.e.
I've been hearing this version:
God knew EVERYTHING that was to happen. He predestined before the world's creation who would accept and deny Him. He knew before creation that He would send His Son to die a cruel death for mankind.
EVERYTHING is following His purpose. For those who SEEK Him, He will bless them more than they can imagine! He is able to work ALL things for HIS glory!
Everything we know and see has been to glorify Him and show that on our own we are nothing.
how many of you out there were disfellowshipped under the "old" way of disfellowshipping "conduct unbecoming of a christian" and under the "new" way of disfellowshipping "no longer one of jw's"?
or the very original way of df "disfellowshipped for adultery"(in the 50's-60's the jw's elders would announce what the jw's actually did to be expelled).
" xxxx has been disfellowshipped from the Christian congregation".
Me too.
one day i'm going to a lake and submurdge myself, repent of my sins, ask jesus to forgive me and baptize myself.
i'm not kidding.
becasue if you get bapitzed with any of these "organized" religions, theres alwasys the whole 9 yards.... .
Baptism is NOT for salvation. It is for public declaration.
Baptising yourself would not do that. Therefore, I guess it would lack the impact it would before onlookers.
I go to community churches and there seems to be NO strings attached with baptism. NO nothing, just a baptism. I think it would be safe for you to do.
God KNOWS your heart. If you HAVE Christ, you HAVE salvation. Baptism shows that you are publicly declaring with your mouth and actions that you HAVE accpeted Him!
Much success in all you do!
Ethan
much of christianity is spread by a person telling another person of what christ has done for them.
it is called a testimony.
they can be very helpful in bringing others to chirst.. i was wondering how effective it would be to create a podcast featuring all of our experiences in and out of jw.
Much of Christianity is spread by a person telling another person of what Christ has done for them. It is called a testimony. They can be very helpful in bringing others to Chirst.
I was wondering how effective it would be to create a podcast featuring all of our experiences in and out of jw.
I was hoping that maybe personal testimonies might help many to realize that jw is something to stay away from. It is ALSO possible that jw's would listen and hear something that is similarily going on in THEIR life and that leaving the org isn't as scary as it might seem.
I'm not sure it is necessary with the internet age, but podcasts are very popular and testimonies are always interesting to listen to. I thought as helpful as this website is in helping people be educated before stepping into jw, that podcasts would do the same thing for a different generation of ipodders.
I thought maybe we could write our 'stories' and have a podcaster among us read them. Life stories are interesting. I think it would be cool if the actual indivdual could record it for the podcast as hearing the testimony from the individual is probably more effective.
It could be a good medium to use.
What are YOUR thoughts?
Ethan
did anything exciting or alarming ever happen at your hall?
i remember only funny incidents, like one brother getting up there with his zipper down.
(i knew alot of brothers after that felt no shame to actually check down there before going up on the podium!
The speaker didn't show up and the meeting was AN HOUR SHORTER!
One time the power went out and the meeting ended early!
When we still had live music and a piano player she had to leave to deliver her baby. We sang accappela and were thinking about the new baby to come!
how many of you who decided to remain christian and started to go to church had a hard time building your faith back up again after leaving the wts?
i'm having a hard time.
it's been 4 months since i began attending the penticostal assembly of god church in my town, and i love it.
I go to two community churches each weekend now and I love them both!
Christ the King and Cornwall Church. I also recommend Mars Hill Church.
I stayed away from church for 6 months at least. Then my girlfriend said it was time for me to start looking. I began by listening to a ton of stuff on my ipod. The three churches above I have found life changing and very positive.
I also encourage The Daily Audio Bible by Brian Harding on iTunes for a reading of the Bible. He reads a different translation each week. I have found that VERY encouraging as well.
I hope you find your faith! Christ the King is very good at bring you to Christ! That is the central them to everything they say - Jesus! I think that is how it should be.
Hope you find your joy! Keep searching and asking and you will get it! Come to Jesus! He is your answer! I also found Christian radio very upbuilding. At first, I was repelled by it before I was born again, but now that is all I listen to.
Ethan
i was converted in the early 1980's.. warlock .
My parents were not going to church and were 'converted' as they too were expecting Armageddon soon, just so happened to be 1975. So I was raised in it since age 9. Left age 38. Best thing I ever did!
i have left jw for 2 years now.
i have been divorced now for 2 years.
i have 3 children; 14, 12, 9 - all girls.
Yes, I am living with my fiance. I have not PUT her in a place to help, but she has desired and longed for it to help make peace between me and my kids. My ex and her actually get along very well. My fiance is a good mediator for two sides who can't talk. I do think she is of much more help to the situation than a hinderance. ALL my family responded very well to her and actually ended up trusting HER more than me. So, no, it is not her responsibility, but she is someone all sides have seen as a help.
Yes, my fiance was with me on the last trip. The last trip was for my divorce hearing. My sister from Illinois was there to help support my ex and when she had to go home, she called her back from her drive home to come back and get the girls. I still don't have an answer as to why she did it. The girls and I had a nice visit the night before and we were going to go shopping the following day. I was told I would have the time, but didn't get it.
Actually, the girls ended up NOT wanting to go to the hall with us. We ended up being the ones to be really recommending going to the hall. I had previously brought them there when it was closed so they would be familiar with it.
Yes, we had Christmas. Not TOO many presents. At first, they said they wanted to try Christmas as they had never done it before, but then later said they didn't want it.
Hope the extra info helps!
Thanks again!
