IT IS TIME FOR A___CONFESSION!

by Terry 52 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Terry

  There is an old-fashioned definition of the word "confession" which is the public expression of one's deepest faith and belief.

  Take a deep breath and give a one or two paragraph summary of your deepest belief.

  I'll go first.

  From the time I was a small child I had a deep and abiding reverence for God as a Father. (My own father I never even met until I searched and found him when I was 25 years old.) My Grandmother had been raised in a Catholic convent. My grandfather searched his entire life through books and prayer to find the True Path. He died believing what mainstream Christianity avows. By the time I met a best friend who was Jehovah's Witness I was ready to learn all about my Father in heaven and discover what is love for me might be.

  Now I am 60 years old and my heart is broken. I have a very strong sense of that early love for a heavenly father, but; nothing I've seen, heard, read or experienced can make Him real to me anymore. I feel someone who loves me could not hide himself so well from my searching heart. And as for Jesus? I could never relate to him as a person or reality in any way. In fact, the love affair most people have for "Jesus" is beyond my wildest comprehension. Even as a JW I warmed to Jehovah and not His son. He comes through to me as a painting in a medeival building; damp, cold and distant. This leaves me an agnostic. I'm still in love with the "idea" of God but can find not even the smallest morsel to sustain that vestige of childhood's longing. I devote my time to having faith in people and their goodness and ability rise above even the worst life may offer. To me I believe in mankind despite the few whose desperate acts stain humanity with dark deeds. People and their love make this life worth living. I believe in my children and their bright, transcending goodness. They are the future of the world.

  Now, YOUR TURN.
• 

  Brother Apostate

  I believe life, as well as knowledge and wisdom gained through life, is a journey, and the ability to learn and adapt is crucial.

  I have faith in God and the afterlife.

  I have faith in humans to a degree, however, I feel that we are all basically selfish creatures.

  Further, I do believe that there are those who are mostly givers and those who are primarily takers.

  I believe that we each have strengths and weaknesses that compliment each other.

  Some may be intelectually challenged, but perhaps they excel at kindness, empathy, love or such.

  Others may excel at the physical gifts, but ,may be internally vacuous.

  Others are driven by greed and appearances, yet internally have no real love or compassion.

  I believe in karma- in that what we give, we recieve, what we sow, we reap.

  I believe in love and forgiveness.

  I believe we will never have all the answers, that there is very little that will ever fall into categories of black and white, instead, shades of gray.

  I believe in my children and their love, hopes, dreams, attitudes, and yes, they are certainly the future.

  BA
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  mouthy

  ME??? I was born in 1927 to a Father whom I loved he was an atheist, my Mother studied with the Bible Students & went off her head after she learned about Armeggedon, Shock treatment brought her to being "normal" but she never went to another Church, though she believed in GOD
  Then when I was 12 the 2nd world war started,Seeing the bombing ,death etc I was sure there was no GOD
  The Canadian Army invaded us, I flipped for a Canadian Soldier -got pregnant,married him came to Canada, to a very hard life.... Beatings ,booze, having lost my baby in the bombing in England ( 3 days old) I was sure now that the HELL my Mother had warned me about was HERE!!!
  After birthing 4 kids, 2 lovely girls were arrested at my door ( Montreal) for talking about the Bible...
  Always being for the underdog, when they came back months later I took them in & studied from their Books.
  And because they were so nice & listened to my "sins" & told me if I became a JW they MIGHT be forgiven if I worked hard.
  I worked hard for 25 years. Until I confessed I did not think we could preach Jesus came invisibly in 1914 ----they then gave me the left foot of fellowship & kick me out
  Cant talk about the feelings I went through for two years>>>> HELL
  Lost my hubby & two more kids in death, another to the WT
  But I can honestly say...... That GOD is the real Saviour of me. I read, listened , prayed,& found the peace I was promised....... Jesus Christ is that Saviour. Yes many say---- I am nuts for believing that but I can live with it. He is my Husband, friend, Counsellor, God....But HE IS MINE!!! but he is there if we search ,cry, & ask him to come into our heart & mind.But Terry I see you have what He suggests makes us a part of HIM >>>>>LOVE!!!!!! Cant go wrong with that for your fellow man /woman....

  ..

  ..
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  Tyrone van leyen

  I was born into the religion. I was never given a choice or even had time to come up with the concept. I can honestly say if I wasn't born into it, I don't think I would ever had sought out answers to life life from this angle.

  I have mentioned before that when I was 6 years old I got a bad haircut and when I complained about it, my mother sent me to my room. I was so distraught at the perceived injustice that I decided I would pray to Jehovah to make matters right. I prayed, I sat, I waited. Nothing happened. My next logical step was to prey to Satan. I prayed, I sat I waited. Again nothing! I quickly concluded that both were bullshit.

  I can remember sitting in my mothers lap with the great teacher book at about the same age asking, her "why is it so important to study a book about things that happened 3000 years ago?". I can remember asking my dad at a very young age " What makes you think there's a god when you can't see him and he won't talk to you? His answer was " Just look around you". I was never convinced by his reply.

  I asked my mother one time also when I was very young and tired of studying the publications when we would be finshed this big fat green book. It was the bible, they always brought it with them to there studies, so I thought it would be a great day when we finally finished with it, as it seemed the most boring one of the lot. To my ultimate horror, she said "NEVER"

  I have always tried to rule my life with logic and beleived in what I see and feel. Despite that Many years later I actually became a true beleiver and would defend it wherever the oportunity presented itself. Especially in school. It would have been very difficult to have the cohonies at such a young age to defy my parents anyways. They were unflexible and wouldn't listen to a word I ever said anyways.

  I guess I became a beleiver because of the 1914 prophecy. To me they were only ones that got the scriptures right. I was teaching it to my classmates in gr. 7. I just couldn't beleive how incredible it seemed and it gave more weight to everything else they taught. I was even preaching in my auto mechanics class. I gave great talks, but I was involved in public speaking way before the theocratic ministry school. Since gr. 1 actually.

  The only thing I could never bring myself to do, was get baptised. I never had a girlfreind of any kind all this time. Just a head full of witness crap. Never celebrated anything either and still havn't to this day.

  When I finally got hammered for immorality,due to there unbeleivably stifling sanctions I was still a witness in my mind. There was no escape from it. Thoses were all the people I knew and only way of thinking I knew. This resulted in a path of self destruction and discovery.

  I am still logical and have survived the self destruction period, but I am more skeptical yet more peaceful now than ever before. In a funny way, it wasn't logic that saved me from this cult and my tight grip family but my stubborness and natural urges. Thats one thing about the witness' ,every thing they do and feel is unatural. If you don't do things that are natural you are not listeneing to your inner pilot. The inner pilot is that voice you should be listening to. After a while I think it gets shut off in some people. To tell you the truth I didn't even think I had one. I beleive in good and humanity. What more do you want. I deal with what I know and, not what I don't know and don't feel such as God. I don't want to close my mind to the possibilty either, so long as the evidence presents itself in a scientific way.
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  seek2find

  Mouthy, I enjoyed reading your post on this subject. I have to agree that Jesus is the answer. I don't know how to get people like our friend Terry here to see that. I would like to Just say Terry, if you never have before, ask Jesus to come into your life and your heart and to help you to make him your Lord and Savior. I have a friend that says that "God does not reveal himself to the casual observer" I beleive that. So we have to go from being a casual observer to an active participant. One good way is to spend regular time in prayer and Bible reading, use several translations. Seek the real "Truth" and he will let himself be found. (John 14:6) Good Luck Terry and thanks again Mouthy for your inspiring testimony. seek2find
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  aSphereisnotaCircle

  I'm still in love with the "idea" of God but can find not even the smallest morsel to sustain that vestige of childhood's longing. I devote my time to having faith in people and their goodness and ability rise above even the worst life may offer. To me I believe in mankind despite the few whose desperate acts stain humanity with dark deeds.

  My feelings exactly.

  Though if I had said it, it would have taken several paragraphs, and would not have been as concise.

  Thanks Terry!
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  JamesThomas

  Terry:

  I'm still in love with the "idea" of God but can find not even the smallest morsel to sustain that vestige of childhood's longing.

  Who or what, is looking to find? I suggest shifting the revealing light of acute investigation -- one hundred and eighty.

  j
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  Terry

  Terry I see you have what He suggests makes us a part of HIM >>>>>LOVE!!!!!! Cant go wrong with that for your fellow man /woman....

  I find the older I get the more the ordinary in life makes me cry.

  I cry at silly tv commercials, at music, at the thought of my daughter's laughter.

  Sometimes I feel like the Hemingway character in Islands in the Stream; as he lay dying he confessed he'd been learning very fast toward the end.....
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  restrangled

  I was born into the religion also. From an early age I learned to be in fear of Demons, disappointing parents and anyone else in the hierarchy.

  Since I couldn't seem to please those that I could see, how could I possibly please God? He was there to call when I was scared of Demons.... kind of like 911. So I never developed a relationship with God. I knew the number to call but did not know someone personally at the other end of the line.

  As I got older and disappointed others in bigger ways, I just let go of the idea of ever having a relationship with God. I felt thankful for what Jesus had suffered as a human and thought he was more approachable having experienced life here on earth. Again though, a far removed entity with many before him, ....parents, elders, COs DOs, and the "Watchtower" itself. The Bible being last on the list.

  In my later years I learned to see God in the small things and some big things appreciating him that way, but not in a personal relationship. For instance when I married my husband, when my children were born, the gardens I have tended, beautiful sunsets, the ocean, my pets, etc.

  I am content with the above and believe that if I have to call that "911" line, there will be someone there to answer.

  Does this make any sense?

  r.
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  oldflame

  God does not reveal himself to the casual observer" I beleive that. So we have to go from being a casual observer to an active participant. One good way is to spend regular time in prayer and Bible reading, use several translations. Seek the real "Truth" and he will let himself be found.

  Amen ! I have met the Lord on a continuous basis, not in person but in my heart and it makes me feel good that so many here still do believe in Jesus..It was not to long ago in the past here on JWD where the majority did not any longer believe. It made it difficult to associate with those who did not. God is real all you have to do is open your eyes and your heart and you will see him. Gods speed to all of you.