A Religious Sub-Culture That Many Americans Have Never Heard Of, Yet Which Has Thousands Of Churches Across The Country, Churches That Critics Claim Can Foster Physical And Sexual Abuse, On ABC NEWS' "20/20"

by whereami 27 Replies latest jw friends

  • garyneal
    garyneal
    The IFB go door to door like the JW's.

    Yes indeed they do, it is called Soul Winning and one pastor of an IFB church I used to attend would push it every bit as hard as the witnesses push Field Service. I remember one such phrase from that pastor going something like, "You can play the piano but how many souls have you won for Christ?"

    Many similarities between that denomination and the witnesses.

    The feeling you are never doing enough for the Lord.

    Even though they believe in once saved always saved, they often made you feel like your relationship with God was in jeopardy for doing even the slightest infraction.

    Parents kick out and shun children in some cases too. I've personally witnessed this with one family.

    One lady who was a Sunday school teacher told me sometime later after I left (and apparently so did she) at college that the people at the church made you feel like a heathen or even of the devil whenever you began attending church irregularly. The other side of that, I heard, was that since she was a Sunday school teacher, she was held to a higher standard.

    Legalism and preaching beyond the Bible was rampant. Of the many 'rules' I was bombarded with include no listening to rock, rap, or even country music. This included the Christian rock, rap, and country music. No drinking. Women were always expected to wear dresses, wearing jeans was frowned upon. Strict dress code was preached from the pulpit (no earrings for the men or tattoos). One pastor even said that living at home past 18 was frowned upon.

    Spiritual adultery? The pastor also said that if you had a home church and you later decide to visit another church, you were committing adultery against the home church.

    Needless to say, after leaving that church a great weight was lifted off my chest and my suicidal thoughts receded. I never encountered such oppression again until I began regularly visiting the Kingdom Hall with my wife.

  • lovelylil
    lovelylil

    Dont' forget to watch this tonight at 10pm, peace Lilly

  • Snoozy
  • Rabbit
    Rabbit

    Maybe JW's will get an "honorable mention"...?

  • Sayswho
    Sayswho

    Thanks for the heads-up...watching it now...

    EDITED: Watching this I just keep thinking it was about JW's---my mind just keep inserting JW for IBF without knowing it

    Sw

  • troubled mind
    troubled mind

    Watching this now .........OMG ........it is making me so angry !!!! You could just insert JW and it would be oh so familiar .

    I wonder how many Witnesses will watch this and recognize the similarities ??? Or will most watch and say "Oh how terrible ,see how bad worldly religions are ."

  • Snoozy
    Snoozy

    I agree, it's like hearing them talk about the JW's. Especially their views about headship and Flipper posting about the latest Watchtower magazine stating the same this month..Could be the same writers for theIFB and the Jehovah's Witnesses...

    Same rules and views..it's disgusting...I wish they would lump it in with the JW's on the program..

    Snoozy..Thanks for the thumbs up. (My daughter called me and her and her husband are watching it. She is amazed at the likeness also)

  • garyneal
    garyneal

    I got the same vibe, just insert JW for IFB and they're the same. I now know why I felt the same depressing feelings I felt with the witnesses that I felt with the IFB's when I was a member there.

    Former IFB member here.

  • troubled mind
    troubled mind

    Gary Neal so no wonder why you understand the JW condition so well !

  • garyneal
    garyneal

    Sadly, yes. I'm attempting to join those groups on facebook shown in the 20/20 clip. I am also going to look into getting the video of that 20/20 show.

    I've already linked some of the clips on my facebook wall warning my friends about this group and it has answered for me a nagging question my wife had concerning my 'being so into her religion.'

    Needless to say, I was in a cult. Who knew....

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