Wendy and Everyone,
I too followed the org. to a tee. I was in a congregation for almost seventeen years which was in a very little WV town. I used to get very upset that more effort wasn't made to give better talks and to become more effective in f.s. I tend to put my heart into whatever I am doing. And my heart was in the Org. for a very long time. I made strong efforts to do well in all the required areas. But my main thrust was always love for people. I thought f.s. and giving talks was a way to help people so I was the best I could be at it. I guess that is why I have a long list of names of people who became witnesses at my direction. Sometimes that bothers me now. But I know my heart was in the right place.
My parents are still very strong witnesses. Both pioneering. Dad for over forty years. They won't even have the internet at the orgs. direction. I would have never even dreamed of reading "apostate" literature. I was like RHW, I even worried about reading the wrong kind of novels. (always loved romance novels, the one's of the innocent variety, and always felt terribly guilty about reading them)
I don't understand some of the flip attitudes either. But I can tell you this, I don't think it is the norm. Regardless of what these one's claim. And I would never have even come to a board like this, let alone comment. To be honest, I was a little bit paranoid when I first started here.
Now to be honest, I always did have my own thought process. I.E. I didn't buy into the "your not married if you die and are resurrected" theory, and "all the children of wicked parents are going to be destroyed" theory. I had my own thoughts, just so I could hang in there and keep believing. But I kept it to myself.
TW
Gosh, no more edits, think I finally got it right
Edited by - thinkers wife on 17 February 2001 5:42:55
Edited by - Thinkers Wife on 17 February 2001 5:45:10
Edited by - thinkers wife on 17 February 2001 5:47:27