Perhaps things are different in the UK, but celebrating Christmas in America stunbles no one, it is just the opposite. By JW's making a big fuss over not celebrating Christmas, they are stumbling alot of people who would maybe consider them.
Now there is alot of commercialism in Christmas nowadays, but that is just a general reflection of modern day society at large and shouldn't single out Christmas only.
My church downplays the secularism of Christmas and Easter, and always exalts Jesus above any other aspect, and to me that is what Christianity and Christmas are about.
Junction-Guy
JoinedPosts by Junction-Guy
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407
Is it the JW's or the God of the bible you no longer believe?
by reniaa ini have a question for the ex-jw's on this forum after months of reading the forum..... many say how good it is to be free of the oppressiveness of the jw's that they can now enjoy the freedom to... have sex, celebrate christmas, gamble, embrace politics etc.
there are still biblical scriptures and principles in place that if you still followed the bible would mean you avoid these things and yet these are now embraced as one of the perks of no longer being a jw so in my confusion i ask.... if these are what you want, isn't it more correct to say you no longer follow the bible as apposed to just the jw's?.
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Junction-Guy
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407
Is it the JW's or the God of the bible you no longer believe?
by reniaa ini have a question for the ex-jw's on this forum after months of reading the forum..... many say how good it is to be free of the oppressiveness of the jw's that they can now enjoy the freedom to... have sex, celebrate christmas, gamble, embrace politics etc.
there are still biblical scriptures and principles in place that if you still followed the bible would mean you avoid these things and yet these are now embraced as one of the perks of no longer being a jw so in my confusion i ask.... if these are what you want, isn't it more correct to say you no longer follow the bible as apposed to just the jw's?.
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Junction-Guy
Here is something for you to ponder further Renaia--
1. You mentioned earlier that if Christmas was so important then God would have mentioned it in the bible.
2 You also mentioned that Christmas was a Catholic inspired holiday.
Well if you look at it that way, then it would naturally follow that the name "Jehovah" is a Catholic invention and that if then name of Jehovah is so important for his sovreignty, then why did God not see to it that his name was in the bible? The original pronunciation was lost in time and the name of Jehovah was invented by a Catholic Monk.
You see where I am getting at? -
407
Is it the JW's or the God of the bible you no longer believe?
by reniaa ini have a question for the ex-jw's on this forum after months of reading the forum..... many say how good it is to be free of the oppressiveness of the jw's that they can now enjoy the freedom to... have sex, celebrate christmas, gamble, embrace politics etc.
there are still biblical scriptures and principles in place that if you still followed the bible would mean you avoid these things and yet these are now embraced as one of the perks of no longer being a jw so in my confusion i ask.... if these are what you want, isn't it more correct to say you no longer follow the bible as apposed to just the jw's?.
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Junction-Guy
Reniaa, I left the JW's so I could have a normal life, not because I wanted to rebel against God or the Bible.
Being a JW hindered me from dating and from marriage. In order for me to find a JW mate I would have to have gotten baptized into the organization. Following baptism I would have been required to shun my Mom and distance myself from my "worldly, but christian family" I weighed the costs and decided it was much too high for me. My brother was just the opposite. He willingly got baptized and subsequently shunned Mom and distanced himself from the rest of the family. Because my brother was baptized, he was considered good JW marriage material, and therefore had numerous opportunities open up to him.
I finally decided the heck with it all, and quit going to the meetings, within 3 months I met Amanda, we started dating and things fell into place, and the rest is history.
My stepgrandma told me point blank about 6 years ago--"That JW religion is a bunch of sh-t, it nearly destroyed you boys" and in my case that is so true. Thankfully for me I was able to salvage my faith in Jesus after leaving the JW's. On Feb 14,1999 I surrendered my all to Jesus at my church up in Kentucky. What brought me to the altar was something the preacher said about being ashamed of Jesus. You see 2 months prior I was riding high in life, I was about to embark on a new career. I was a practical shoe-in for the job. When I went to the interview, I was asked who was the most important influence in my life. I wanted to say "Jesus" but I didn't. I was pre conditioned since birth not to give any special devotion to Jesus and was therefore embarassed to say Jesus. I never did get that job, and for weeks my conscience bothered me.
The JW religion binds people up in non-biblical rules and regulations and when they finally leave it is like a coil/spring that has unwound. Yes alot of XJW's go on to commit many biblical sins and many even end up atheist, but that is the legacy that the JW's leave behind. If someone can leave the JW's with their beliefs in God intact and still live biblically sound lives--well they are probably in the minority.
This religion is destructive, it is destructive to families, it is destructive to the developing minds of children.
If celebrating Christmas,birthdays, thanksgiving is displeasing to God, then surely being a JW is even worse.
I celebrate just about all holidays now, and I also vote. I don't fornicate, I don't drink, I don't smoke pot. I don't even buy lottery tickets anymore.
It is my goal again to remarry, have a happy family life, have kids, all of this without the Watchtower's influence, or shall I say desipte the Watchtower's influence. -
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Apple Day is here again
by Junction-Guy inin five hours i head out for kentucky.
this is the kentucky apple festival weekend, otherwise known as "apple day".
this is always the highlight of my year and something i never want to miss, though occasionally i have.. .
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Junction-Guy
Well I never would have thought that IP-SEC, now why didn't you bring your guitar to the Aposta-fish fry?
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18
Apple Day is here again
by Junction-Guy inin five hours i head out for kentucky.
this is the kentucky apple festival weekend, otherwise known as "apple day".
this is always the highlight of my year and something i never want to miss, though occasionally i have.. .
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Junction-Guy
Sacrificial--one of the local Freewill Baptist churches has the apple butter booth, and every year they make it in the streets in big black pots, I didn't purchase any this year, but I did buy a fried apple pie, and it was delicious.
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Apple Day is here again
by Junction-Guy inin five hours i head out for kentucky.
this is the kentucky apple festival weekend, otherwise known as "apple day".
this is always the highlight of my year and something i never want to miss, though occasionally i have.. .
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Junction-Guy
You like Bluegrass IP-SEC? Who woulda thunk it?
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18
Apple Day is here again
by Junction-Guy inin five hours i head out for kentucky.
this is the kentucky apple festival weekend, otherwise known as "apple day".
this is always the highlight of my year and something i never want to miss, though occasionally i have.. .
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Junction-Guy
The Gospel music was plentiful at the festival, along with Bluegrass and Country. I forgot to mention that the Martha White Bluegrass bus was there, and I got to walk through it. They had pictures on the wall of that bus of many old time Opry stars.
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Wanting to date, but
by Junction-Guy inwell first off, i am mostly happy being single.
i don't have this big desire to get married again, in fact i am kind of commitment shy now, and don't know how i ever would be able to function in a relationship again.
but there are certain events and certain times of the year when i feel alone and would like a date.
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Junction-Guy
Thanks to my friends Country-girl and FHN too!!
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Wanting to date, but
by Junction-Guy inwell first off, i am mostly happy being single.
i don't have this big desire to get married again, in fact i am kind of commitment shy now, and don't know how i ever would be able to function in a relationship again.
but there are certain events and certain times of the year when i feel alone and would like a date.
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Junction-Guy
Thanks Amanda, I feel so much better after going to Apple Day, so many friendly people there, I truly felt at home. I believe I may start looking around there, just to see what is available, this time without the constraints of the JW beliefs holding me back. Peace to you and may you have happiness too.
Dave -
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Apple Day is here again
by Junction-Guy inin five hours i head out for kentucky.
this is the kentucky apple festival weekend, otherwise known as "apple day".
this is always the highlight of my year and something i never want to miss, though occasionally i have.. .
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Junction-Guy
Well I got home early this morning after taking a detour through West Virginia to see the New River Gorge bridge.
Apple Day was great this year, the weather was perfect, not a cloud in the sky. 80 degrees and sunny. The crowd was large and the there seemed to be more booths this year. The parade wasn't quite as long as in years past.
I got to shake hands with US Senator Mitch McConnell who was riding in a convertible in the parade. Rebecca Lynn Howard sang at the festival. Funny story, Rebecca Lynn Howard called my uncle's house to talk to him, and my grandma answered the phone, had I answered the phone I could have spoken with her too.
Well I found the Republican headquarters there and went in spoke with them for the longest time, They were so friendly and we just chatted it up like we had been best friends forever. I picked up several McCain/Palin stickers and a button. I had campaign stickers all over my shirt, and everyone kept approaching me wanting to know where to get the stickers. I only saw one Obama sticker in the whole festival, and ironicall she was sitting right in front of headquarters staring at us. Everyone I talked to down there absolutely loves Sarah Palin, there was even a democrat woman who asked me for some stickers.
Sunday morning came and I attended services at Rockhouse Church and then sunday night I went to the Church of Christ with cousin Rosemary.
I got up and testified at Rocckhouse thanking the Lord for the many blessings that I have, one of which is my family.
Lets see, well I ate twice at my favorite chinese restaurant there and half the people in the restaurant I already knew, so it was a good chance to see people I hadn't seen in awhile.
Monday morning I left and headed over to WV, that was the longest ride I can remember, all 2 lane highways, all mountains, and many small towns to pass through. I ended up in the New River Gorge and saw 3 different bridges and a historic train depot.
I got home early this morning, and now I am getting ready to go back to work after a 5 day weekend.