Thank you for the kind words, Open mind. JamesThomas and I only wish to point out to others what we've found within ourselves. There is a gift awaiting all who rest within the present moment, fully aware of one's very nature. There is nothing special to know, nothing to believe, and nothing to achieve. Nothing is required for unconditional happiness except seeing clearly what actually is real in this very moment.
What now?
by faundy 28 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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changeling
What poppers just said basically sums up where I am now.
I'm quite comfortable thinking "this is all there is". It makes the present moment so much more important and beautiful.
I no longet waste life on "what if's" and I'm the richer for it.
changeling
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shell69
With the greatest of respect to all of you;
Why do you feel you need a 'religion'?
Wasn't your experience with the dubs enough?
Shell
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AgentSmith
Some excellent posts, that's why I am here too. Faundy, put the NWT aside, don't throw it away. I have found it eye opening to go back to NWT just to see how the scriptures got twisted and cooked.
I am reading the New International Version. However there some easy to read Bibles out there, go and have a look. The NWT is not easy to read, when you compare them to other translation, KJV is a bit heavy with the thee and thou's, that's why I dont have one...
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AgentSmith
Some excellent posts, that's why I am here too. Faundy, put the NWT aside, don't throw it away. I have found it eye opening to go back to NWT just to see how the scriptures got twisted and cooked.
I am reading the New International Version. However there some easy to read Bibles out there, go and have a look. The NWT is not easy to read, when you compare them to other translation, KJV is a bit heavy with the thee and thou's, that's why I dont have one...
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AgentSmith
Some excellent posts, that's why I am here too. Faundy, put the NWT aside, don't throw it away. I have found it eye opening to go back to NWT just to see how the scriptures got twisted and cooked.
I am reading the New International Version. However there some easy to read Bibles out there, go and have a look. The NWT is not easy to read, when you compare them to other translation, KJV is a bit heavy with the thee and thou's, that's why I dont have one...
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AgentSmith
What the heck?????
Sorry chaps, I did not mean to do the 'Repeat for emphasis' thing.
(mumbles to himself) Three times! Dang, you are clumsy....
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aligot ripounsous
Faundy,
If you have been raised as a JW (I don't know if you are baptized), you know how the feeling of belonging to the group is important to them, the counterpart being that they reject as alien anybody who's not like them. That's what makes me feel that you won't be happy with that religion. Even if they don't know you're gay, the malaise will be on your side since you would lead a double life. Now, if you think that you have to associate with the congregation because what you believe in their teaching is important to you, you will have to live with that feeling of not being part of the club, to say nothing about their judgemental approach. I personally can't see how an ex JW who in the past has been convinced by the fundamentals I mentioned in the previous post can adhere afterwards to an altogether different religious teaching - I mean religious, not philosophical. What will remain will be your personal relationship to Jehovah, mainly through prayer. He knows who you are, what you are made of and He will let you know what to do.
If it can be of any consolation to you, belonging to the congregation is very uncomfortable for the standard JW who even feebly tries to exercise independent judgement. Whether he likes it or not, he belongs to the same organization as JFR who said that Behemoth and Leviathan were, not cars as some might have thought, but locomotives.
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writetoknow
Life goes no with or without us. Being an ex-JW's influence every aspect of our lives if we were a sincere person wanting to please God. Rather we admit it or not we expect things to fit into our teachings after were out. The term "truth" becomes so embedded into our brains that subconscienciously we think all things of this world has to be judge against our "truth"! If not the opposite is "No truth" and without absolute truth nothing works God cannot exist for us. Then of course the next logical step is "trust nothing or no one"
And that does work eitther because we as humans want those that know us and love us to trust us right?
And as you know our truth closes doors - shut them - slamed doors - and we shut down because we have been forced out of our comfort zone. And indeed it is uncomfortable accept something that isn't truth - it becomes a moral comprise.
We have a number of choices for the first time here are a few: 1.) the org decieved me so God does not exits 2.) the org has decieved me so God has decieved us 3.) If God isn't the way the org taught then I must find another group that closer but more opened minded 4.) I can't find anywhere to go because the groups teaches things I don't agree with that I believe to be false. 5.) trust God to do what is right believes He loves us and will never lie to us.
When the student is ready the teacher will appear. Are you ready yet - if the teacher has not appeared then you have answered your one question.
When you tell an ex-JW's that Christ has become our justification they have no idea what that means. They can find a bibical answer but it not real to them. Rules and laws doctrines for the most part are for us to justifiy our faith. To say this is what I hold to and because I hold to this teaching or doctrine I will get life from God.
Can you find one scripture that teaches if you obey this teaching God will give you life! And that is why there are so many religions and so many different ways to worship God and why there is so much confusion.
Have you ever thought all things are from God? The bible says salvation is a gift. That God's Spirit is a gift. Justification is a Gift.
The early Christain knew that everything they had recieved was from God. Those were not just good words they had received God Spirit and they were born again - from their faith, to their good works in them, God had given it to them through the Holy Spirit. They could not boast in anything; they were a new creation made not with human hands but God's hands.
If God is hope and they recieved the Holy Spirit then they would also have hope. If God is Love and they recieved the Holy Spirit they had love. Nothing would be forced of thier own will or by their words, doctrine, or teachings. All things were a gifts from God to them. Nothing could force God to give good gifts.
Early Christian did not set around wringing their hands over false doctrine, yes they warned of it, but they had faith in God - why? Because God had given them faith through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. (see the apostle before and after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit) Their lives from that time forward was about letting go of all things that hinders the freedom of the Holy Spirit.
God doesn't care about all these different faiths He see the good acts faith produces. All these in different faiths are justified not by their doctrines, but Christ Jesus, and no one on earth can determines who receives that gift
God does not live in fear that one of His children will be mislead - it not posible if they have God's Spirit He teaches them and correct things not doctinal but in acts of love through ones faith. What condemns a Christain is their own belief system. God has given them justification in His Son there is no condenmation in Christ. There is no more clean and unclean things. There is no relgious confusion with God He is Love and faith produces acts of love. Fear cannot exist with love. Some people hardly read the bilbe but their faith produce great love for others. Some people read the bible daily and produce no faith out of love for others.
The laws and rules of religion are for those that do not have God's Spirit. The Word of God is for those that have received the Holy Spirit, that Word of God is Chirst He is living a living testimony not restricted by human org. If a person wants to assoicate with any group if his/her conscience does not condemn them it is an act of faith to honor God and God will bless them through faith.