My Story: My Current Religious Experience from Birth to the Present

by the_classicist 20 Replies latest jw experiences

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  jwfacts

  An interesting read. A brother I grew up with used to take a stopwatch witnessing and stop counting time whenever everyone milled around talking on the street. He also memorised every single do-not-call on every map in the territory. I thought he was anal but maybe he had OCD.

  If your father likes the da vinci code you could print off the page at http://jwfacts.com/index_files/davinci.htm for him to read, he should find it intriguing. If you dont want to offend him maybe copy it into a word document so that you can cut out some of the commentary.
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  Panda

  
  Classicist, Hey thanks for telling us your story. You sound much older than your years, maybe because you're a very serious young man. Anyway, have you read Thomas Hardy's poem "God's Funeral" . There is a line in it(stanza XIV)

  I could not buoy their faith: and yet

  Many I had known: with all I sympathized;

  And though struck speechless, I did not forget

  That what was mourned for, I, too, long had prized.
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  Pole

  Great post, and welcome back. I can relate to many parts of your story.
  
  Pole
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  muslima

  Well put Juni,

  "I believe there is a God of the Universe. I believe that one's relationship w/their Creator is personal and should always remain that way. It's you and God. I'm a person who stays connected w/God by showing love toward others and trying my very best not to purposely sin. What the future holds? I don't know. I take each day and be as good a person as I can be and enjoy life. Really when you consider Jesus's words to "do unto others as you would like done to you" you will have God's blessing."

  Thank you for this simplistic overview of personal behavior....

  (I am sure God in his wisdom knew we would have ADD -- so we need the core clear and precise...!:)

  :)

  Denise
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  jgnat

  Very pleased to make your acquaintance, classicist. I look forward to your comments with greater enthusiasm, now that I have them in context. Narkissos, this is deep:

  Suspending judgement, including self-judgement, is one of the best reliefs a religious mind can experience

  This might explain my general peace of mind these past few years.
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  jschwehm

  Having one though(t) of a sexual nature is a mortal sin provided that the three conditions for having incurred mortal sin are fulfilled. If you die before confession of the one thought, you will go to hell.

  Classicist:

  For a sin to be mortal it must:

  1. Involve a Grave Matter (like violating the 10 commandments)

  2. Done with full knowledge

  3. Complete consent

  Having a passing impure sexual thought, would probably not fit into the scheme above. There are many things that can diminish ones guilt when one commits a sin even in a grave matter such as external pressures (like the sin has become a habit and as we all know habits are very difficult to break) and psychological disorders. It has been my experience that having a good confessor can help one in these areas to break these disordered habits and that many priests have some knowledge of counseling and psychology and can help. I think your view of things may be skewed due to your underlying problem of OCD. Also, a good confessor can even help you with your problem of scrupulosity and help you to experience the love and mercy of Christ more fully.

  The Catechism of the Catholic Church states the following in paragraph 1864:

  "There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit."

  In other words, God can forgive any sin if we want to be forgiven. Also, if a person were to commit a sin and ask God for forgiveness prior to reaching a confessional (which is something that I do) or even if their intent was to go confession to repent and they die on the way, God in his infinite mercy knows what is in that person's heart and knows their intent and can and will forgive them. There have been many private revelations among the saints such as my patron saint, St Faustina, that indicates that God fights for our soul at the moment of death and allows us to repent even at that late date of all of our sins so that we can spend eternity with our Lord.

  Remember that God is infinitely more interested in our salvation than we could ever be. Look at all the trouble He went through to save us. I do not believe that I would have become a slave, like He did, and died such a death, like He did, to save everyone. God's love and mercy is unconditional. It belongs to all of us if we want it.

  God's blessings to you,

  Jeff S.

  www.catholicxjw.com

  P.S. If you would like to continue this discussion email me at [email protected]
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  jschwehm

  A good example is in only showing the quotations of those fathers who interpreted Peter as the rock mentioned in Matt. Other fathers interpreted it as being his confession or Jesus himself (so this isn't a Protestant invention).

  Hi Classicist:

  Yes, I am aware that some of the Fathers intepreted it as being his confession and certainly most of the fathers did refer to Jesus as the Rock or Foundation of the Church. And, I do not think I ever thought that any of those interpretations were a Protestant invention. The great thing about being Catholic is that we do not have to interpret things in an either/or fashion. Catholics tend to interpret things using "both/and". I see no reason why both interpretations cannot be correct. Also, I think the preponderance of the historical evidence is that the Roman Church and her Bishop certainly did have some type of preeminence among the Churches at a surprisingly early point in Church history and clearly the Bishop of Rome was the one that was appealed to on numerous occasions to decide matters that were in dispute between Churches.

  Another interesting example is Canon 28 of the Council of Chalcedon which puts the Patriarch of Constantinople on the same level of authority and power as the Patriarch of Rome. Catholics will object and say Pope Leo vetoed this. True, but look at his Letter CV and you'll see his reasons: not because another bishopric can't be equal with the bishopric of Rome, but because it violated the canons of the Council of Nicaea (which he said could never be abrogated, and modern Catholics have clearly done that) and because Constantinople did not have an apostolic foundation like Rome, or Alexandria, or Antioch.

  I read the canons of the Council of Chalcedon and I read the Canons of the Council of Nicaea. I can see why the Pope would reject Canon 28 of the Council of Chalcedon given what the Canons of the Council of Nicaea had to say. However, I fail to see how modern Catholics have violated the Canons of the Council of Nicaea and I fail to see what the problem is when it comes to the reasons Pope Leo enumerated for rejecting Canon 28 of the Council of Chalcedon. Perhaps you could explain it to me more thoroughly and if you would prefer to do it off the board just email me at [email protected]

  Thanks,

  Jeff S.

  www.catholicxjw.com
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  Sad emo

  Hi Classicist

  Good to have you back and I hope your studies are going well in spite of the struggles with depression. Are you on a summer break now?

  I can relate to a lot of what you wrote too - just don't stop fighting back even when it feels like the whole world is against you, try to pamper yourself a little from time to time - you're worth it

  I wish you peace on your future journeys.
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  sinamongurl

  "So I became disillusioned, disbelieved in God, depressed, then theistic again. I swear I went through these cycles at least once a month." in response to the above--- i, too, went thru this, but the difference is, i am still going thru it.....educating myself has made the emotional rollercoaster lessen now....so instead of every other month, its more like every 3 months....lol anyway, thank you for sharing ur story....hearing things like this continually help me to heal....i am 5 years out and i still struggle between guilt for not staying in and happiness for leaving.... sin
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  Balsam

  Classicist,

  Glad you posted your story and shared your insights. My sons 22 &18 left the witnesses when I left but they have never craved any kind of spirituallity. Both of them have said they want nothing to do with religion and feel no need for it. But I have and have explored various spiritual paths. Hope you can find peace and happiness.

  Balsam