avidbiblereader

Joined

• started 66 topics
• posted 1,757 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by avidbiblereader

• 
  14

  What's a "Non Believer"?

  by JH in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as far as i'm concerned, a "non believer" is one that doesn't believe in god.. as for the jw's, a non believer is someone that doesn't believe 100% of what the watchtower says, no matter if there were flip flops on many subjects.. i find it insulting when a jw will consider a member of another religion that prays ,and who may devote lots of time helping people, like jesus said to do, and still be branded a "non believer", no better nor worse than the worst scum of society that may be in jail for murder..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  avidbiblereader

  Well said JH and again trying to equate the WT as God, a non believer is one who does not profess belief in God or His sent One Christ.

  abr
• 
  30

  You Never Did Enough As A Witness!

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  one thing that i will never miss is how you were made to feel inferior----that nothing you did was ever really good enough to satisfy the organization and of course by extension, jehovah god.

  i know of sooooooo many witnesses that are truly depressed because they can never seem to satisfy god or the elders.. people even start getting mysterious illnesses and believe the "demons" are always trying to get at them.

  the mentality is that "everyone hates us because we're jehovah's witnesses".

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  avidbiblereader

  Good thread Minimus and I agree with you wholeheartedly with your comments,

  They are right in one thing, We can't do enough to please God fully, the difference though is God knows that and it is why He sent forth His Son to die for us, the difference with them is they are trying to earn life.

  They just don't get it, faith in the sacrifice and not trying to supplement it, is what God really wants.

  abr
• 
  16

  Did you REALLY ever have faith in God or was it more in men?

  by avidbiblereader in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  seriously, think about this, when you look back on your faith, was it really in god, or was it the god from the witness perspective and you really did/do equate the witness organization with god, or was it really in men?.

  with so many that have been disillusioned with god since leaving the witnesses, where was your faith really in?.

  respectfully,.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  avidbiblereader

  Middlechild welcome and this is exactly what I am talking about, a religious system that tells you everything to do and no personal relationship with God and equating everything that the org does as God and yet the two of them have nothing in common. I too was so disillusioned when I left and felt the same way until one day I begged God to open my mind as he was able with the Bible writers and allow me to see what He wants me to see from His Word, what a difference from the 22 years wasted as a witness.

  abr
• 
  16

  Did you REALLY ever have faith in God or was it more in men?

  by avidbiblereader in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  seriously, think about this, when you look back on your faith, was it really in god, or was it the god from the witness perspective and you really did/do equate the witness organization with god, or was it really in men?.

  with so many that have been disillusioned with god since leaving the witnesses, where was your faith really in?.

  respectfully,.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  avidbiblereader

  Hello FreeWilly and thanks for posting

  Do you ever worry that your 'relationship' with God exists merely in your mind?

  NO, I don't worry about that at all and glad that I have relationship now.

  Afterall, this must be the case for those of other religions - yes? If you are an ABR, then you likely discount the validity of millions of other people's 'relationship' with God. For them it DOES exist ONLY in their minds.

  I dont worry about others and who is right and try to figure out who is or isn't, I have LEARNED this is not my call or duty as a Christian, As a witness I was judgmental and pray that God does forgive me for such arrogance and ignorance. Yes I truly do love to read the Bible and try to as much as possible and within reason. Whether or not it is only in their minds is not my call or descision.

  Yet you are different -what makes you so certain its not the same mental trick?

  I don't proclaim to be different, just when I consider where my faith was, it was built around men and an organization, completely misdirected, yes it takes faith to put into someone you cannot see but nonetheless this is where it is at and I wouldn't want it any other way. I thnk and believe that we are all so scarred and beaten like the sheep in Christ day when the religious leaders harassed the flocks into submission to men and not God. I see God as a loving person that the witness do not REALLY teach about, One that considers all things and reads the hearts of men,

  Like many of other religious beliefs, yours likely follows a similar model. You believe (I suspect) writings in an ancient holy book that dipicts supernatural interractions between God and humans from a time long long ago - events whose veracity is extremely difficult to substantiate with evidence.

  You are coorect in saying that I believe in the Bible and its ancient writings. I believe in them doesn't mean that I understand everything and only now as a non-witness do I feel comfortable in saying this. However I know that what I do not know is NOT important to bringing Glory to God and salvation. It really isn't important whether I understand all things, as Paul said "make sure of the more important things", those things are not really important as faith in Christ and to God the Father belongs Glory and not to any man or organization.

  And, just like those other belief systems, yours too must explain why these depicted supernatural interractions, for some reason, are never observed or substantiated by evidence today. This leaves modern believers of religious writings today with no other choice but to accept the supernatural claims of these ancient writings on the basis of "belief", "faith" or some other concept that overlooks and avoids tangible, confirmable evidence.

  Must I explain what is not important to me as outlined in the teachings of Christ, simple faith in his sacrifice as I acknowledge my own sinfullness and yet do not use it as an excuse but realize that this is important and not my own self vindication or righteousness, which mean absolutely nothing. It is not about me or anyone, any religious system but rather our own personal relationship with God through Christ and our own willingness to admit that we don't know everything but it really isn't important as showing love as demonstrated with God and Christ. No wonder Christ asked the simple question and the apostles focused on faith in Christ, as simple as it may seem and yet Christ said, "when the Son aof Man returns, will he find the faith on the earth?" The witnesses have destroyed my faith in organized religion whether I am right or wrong, but not my faith in God where it should have been all along. I will never trust another man when it comes to God and Chirst.

  How do you explain the descrepancy of miraculouse historical dipictions, yet their complete absence in our modern experience?

  What convinces you that your beliefs represent reality?

  I don't know everything but as a child acknowledges a father's abundant wisdom and knowledge above and beyond his own, I do the same and throw my trust and burdens on the One who has carried me this far and especially since I left the bondage of spiritual darkness and following men.

  Thanks again for your comments and respectfully to you,

  abr
• 
  16

  Did you REALLY ever have faith in God or was it more in men?

  by avidbiblereader in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  seriously, think about this, when you look back on your faith, was it really in god, or was it the god from the witness perspective and you really did/do equate the witness organization with god, or was it really in men?.

  with so many that have been disillusioned with god since leaving the witnesses, where was your faith really in?.

  respectfully,.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  avidbiblereader

  Brinjen, thanks for your comments, SOBERING when you really stop and ponder, smacks you in the face

  CoCo, thanks for the welcome back, I think too that it is different for everyone but when I look back I realize that my faith was so misplaced and it is sad that very insidiously they get you from trying to please God, to pleasing men and your faith is in them and not God. I remember back on a 4 part KM, Directing New Ones to the Organization. How stupid I was and didn't see or didn't want to see it. It is always about faith in FD salve. GB or the organization. I knew the artificalness(?) of the Society but wanted to believe it with my whole heart and yet knew better. I too thank God for allowing me to see the simplistic message and to come with grips with where my faith really was. I guess as the Bible says, "he will finish your training", just glad it wasn't attached to Brooklyn Bethel but rather to Him and the Christ. Yes it is great Friend!!!!!!!!!!

  abr

  It truly is different for all of us, isn't it? As a very little boy I walked to church with my older sister every Sunday because I had this childhood thing about God. I loved my Sunday school books and Bible. Fortunately for me, when I finally became a JW at nearly 20 years of age, I was so tuned in with my Heavenly Father, that the Organization was more repellant to me than attractive. Oh sure, I did as I was told, but cognitive dissonance seemed to settle in subconsciously from the outset. There was just so much that smacked of artificiality and was at odds with my perception of the Gospel's simplicity. Yet the "true message" came to me nearly 40 years later and put me in company with the likes of you! Ain't it great, new friend?

  CoCo
• 
  16

  Did you REALLY ever have faith in God or was it more in men?

  by avidbiblereader in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  seriously, think about this, when you look back on your faith, was it really in god, or was it the god from the witness perspective and you really did/do equate the witness organization with god, or was it really in men?.

  with so many that have been disillusioned with god since leaving the witnesses, where was your faith really in?.

  respectfully,.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  avidbiblereader

  Thanks for your comments and I try to be a person of faith and have a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG way to go, thank God for His patience. When I think back on my 22 years as a witness and how hurt, disillusioned, stumbled and every other negative thought and emotion, I realized that my staying away from the Bible was only hurting me and that my faith was misplaced because I equated even when out, the organization with God.

  Wow, was I wrong and only by personal reading, studying and praying WITHOUT witness influence and publications that the God of the Bible and the witness Bible are two very different persons. My faith is now properly restored where it should have been for over 22 years. The witness, have done more damage than the good they think they have done. I hope you find peace and comfort.

  abr
• 
  16

  Did you REALLY ever have faith in God or was it more in men?

  by avidbiblereader in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  seriously, think about this, when you look back on your faith, was it really in god, or was it the god from the witness perspective and you really did/do equate the witness organization with god, or was it really in men?.

  with so many that have been disillusioned with god since leaving the witnesses, where was your faith really in?.

  respectfully,.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  avidbiblereader

  As a dub, I thought my faith was in God.

  I too thought it was in God until I got out and realize the way that I was stumbled and could not even read the Bible and pray for over two years that my faith was more in men than God.

  I am glad now that God has straightened me out and showed me a serious flaw in myself. He has plenty more revealing to do to me.

  abr
• 
  24

  A Major Dream Has Been Fulfilled!!!!!

  by XJW4EVR in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it has always been a dream of mine to transfer to, and graduate from the university of southern california.

  last year i applied, and about two weeks ago i was accepted.

  that was cool, but i had no way of paying for it, and the financial aid i applied for would not cover enough of the tuition, and other fees.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  avidbiblereader

  Congrats and hope you the best success

  abr
• 
  16

  Did you REALLY ever have faith in God or was it more in men?

  by avidbiblereader in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  seriously, think about this, when you look back on your faith, was it really in god, or was it the god from the witness perspective and you really did/do equate the witness organization with god, or was it really in men?.

  with so many that have been disillusioned with god since leaving the witnesses, where was your faith really in?.

  respectfully,.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  avidbiblereader

  Seriously, think about this, when you look back on your faith, was it really in God, or was it the God from the Witness perspective and you really did/do equate the Witness organization with God, or was it really in men?

  With so many that have been disillusioned with God since leaving the witnesses, where was your faith really in?

  Respectfully,

  abr
• 
  8

  Not Dead Yet

  by Outaservice in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been off the net for about a month now as i have moved to georgia and do not have internet service at our new place yet.

  cable is not available and the local phone company leaves a lot to be desired.

  but, i can check in at the local library once in awhile.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  avidbiblereader

  Welcome back and looking forward to constant return.

  abr