Maintaining Faith In God As An Ex-JW

by pronomono 73 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • adamah
    adamah

    Caliber said-

    or scientifically tested for their existence; things like belief, friendship, and love."

    The biology of emotions and mood disorders has been well-understood for over a century now: haven't you heard of neurology, psychology, psychiatry, and the ability of scientists and doctors to alter, recreate and understand these emotional states, even down to the specific parts of the brain and/or neurons involved? Not heard of the science of treating emotional states like depression with meds, yet?

    Adam

  • anonymouz
    anonymouz

    Thus, as we see in our own case in some, the main purpose of the recent JW addition to the plethora of distraction ultimately undermines people's faith in God and the revelation of Him through the Bible and his main representative Jesus Christ.

    Bethel proves, in time as have others, even well meaning religions end up controlled by men who are experts at control of people, by which is control of money and wealth. The "root of all evil" at Bethel, is that the WTS and GB and the rest are by and large lovers of money and power, and in that root corruption everything else soon develops and displays fruitage as such in spite of the "holy men's" claims the lemon tree of corruption is a plum tree of love. It is not, that love, God, Christ and Bible natural attraction of man with a spiritual need, is merely the bait these kinds of spiritual predators use to attract in people and to extract their money and work power with gradually applied corruptive deceptions unto systemic terminal condition.

    So it again, as in the apostle's time or Israel's time, or Noah's time equals the same fundamental pattern of corruption explained in Adamic divergence from God. It just keeps replicating in new forms of the same old love of money and power needing to disguise itself effectively to attain that desire and object.

    The Bible itself recounts the pattern over and over and so it is in JW repeating form also seen, the only document actually describing the generic basic of the development consitently is the Bible. Like human history, it repeats because the basic base elements of greed and deception also repeat (and expand), and also are present in JWs while in repeating fashion, they too are blinded to it's repeating principle evident in repeating examples of Bethel corruption. It is like a fractal of the whole world's various organizational corruptions directed to power purposes, is merely perfectly reflected in Bethel's own development.

    Thus if we stay detached from the central distraction all this scandal and puppetry creates away from the basic developmental reality, we see the big play, the main stage, the big truth, the big picture, the repeating principle, the repeating consequences to manifest soon, are all contained in the Bible truth script. Human liars do not make Christ or God also a lie, it is human corruption always reflects on God and Christ and man's "image of God" is the core reproach in the affect of such lawlessness. And it distracts people from the reality, God already described the whole condition of the world and Bethel's microcosm of it, in basic principle and details of the development of corruption. JWs merely repeat what many have manifested in time previously.

    No surprise really, it just requires an impartial assessment.

    So as ironic as it is focusing on God through Christ with Bible reading and prayer aid, removing the corruptive distraction from it's inserted mediation as the JW organization, actually then turns rampant corruption into but more evidence of the Bible's veracity in completely describing the basic motives, clues of operation, patterns and outcome. Lawless Bethel merely repeats a pattern (2Thess2:1-4) that indicates more replication of the overall picture will also follow suit. (Zech3, for example).

    Strangely, with the proper persepctive, Bethel lawlessness actually builds stronger faith, when we see God has foretold also Bethel's downfall and accounting. It also has a freeing effect into the reality of undeserved kindness by God on an individual basis through Christ, not dependent on Bethel's modern papacy. (In fact requiring the removal of the Bethel leavened self imposed mediation, which works against faith in God, Christ and actual undeserved kindness by virtue of Christ's merit, not the GB "Pope", and not ourselves - Bethel is very self conscious and self focused and guilt inspiring to aid control of the JW person by such inner strings and delusions actually anti-sacrificial and anti-Christ in overall effects).

    That is why trusting men and organization is a sure recipe for eventually not trusting God and not having faith in Christ and undeserved kindness therein, and not seeing the Bible truth, but rather the human diversion and all it's scandal and distractions is all we see soon. To me Bethel corruptive implosion will equal a far more serious actual implosion, as they too, collectively will also reap what they sow, because no one can for long use God and Christ as the well engineered shill for what is just a manmade con.

    Thus as hidden as Bethel tries to keep their greed and power lusts, is also as well hidden their objective is to also damage faith in humans, and to use their lawless developments as the central focus of distraction away from divine truths, as the more one concentrates on Bethel hypocrisy, the further one drifts away from faith in God. People have a hard time understanding greedy men have purpose in their planning and activities.

    So a balance must be met, Bethel are not representatives of God but tools of greed and deception, plain and simple, merely disguised in contrary claims of hyper-piety. (2Cor11:13-15). So, yes, we need to recognize corruption in action, but when we read the Bible corruption descriptions of say Isaiah, Micah or 2Thess2:1-12 leading in time to naturally catalyzed retribution, we need to see Bethel as well in those Bible patterns and pictures of common easily seen elements that undeniably repeat, as does the overall lack of recognition of the basic red flags of the replication in action.

    It cannot just repeat in part, when we use the Bible as a guide and basic logic, the whole thing is an active replication of principles JWs use to describe Jerusalem and Christendom, repeating in Bethel, but as per the repeating principle, JWs too are blinded and miseld by greedy leaders. Bethel is a Xerox copy, a cellular split, a pea in the same pod, a bird of the same feather - and yet JWs see only the dominant illusion.

    Rather than not read the Bible, we just read it to see descriptions from the past, of things now evident in Bethel's own corruption, and they are not the only ones, it is just that their claims to the contrary are commensurate with the reciprocal disguise effect they cover-up what is actually grand lawlessness and complete blasphemy with. They are rather amazing, because the more grand their claims of divinity (2Thess2:4), the more effective is their disguise, and the more astounding is their actuality as even UN worshipers (Dan11:30b-31), they are surreal, and that detachment to seeming reality is what greatly aids their overall operation of greed, control, power and the love of wealth. JWs simply cannot and do not want to believe what is really in operation; (2Thess2:3)

    The disguise present in the GB/Bethel claims, but removed in their actual spiritual barbarity and abuse of children and adults and all common sense now, is what keeps JWs showing up in part. And the use of many old JW props of former JW history and it's traditions, dialogue and jargon, is merely plagiarized and presented in endless repeating hypnotic fashion to further the illusion everything is fine and dandy. But it is not. The quest for God and Christ also keeps JW sheep magnetized to a Bethel wolf pack, and will continue as if it is perpetual 1980 until the sham is fully revealed fully in what has to equal an eventual abruption and Bethel organizational dysfunction to complete the theft. (2Thess2:8).

    The GB and WTS spiritual criminals are not there for no reason, and it is not the reason they claim. In time, something big has to give. And the Bible truth has the basic pattern of what it is that will give way. And since it has repeated on numerous occasions, the Bethel system is not immune, in fact it sets itself up for such a finale, it is now intuitive, logical, algorithmic, formulaic as well as certain and prophetic. Bethel is humpty dumpty on the wall for now. Lukewarm, divided, and sitting on the fence, not fully Christian and not fully Satanic, but a well engineered mix; (Rev8:10-11).

    And we know what Jesus said about divided kingdoms. But Bethel fits all the basic principles of a downfall to come. A judgment. No one, not Bethel or any other can play with God and not risk a certain accounting in time. That is the only thing that can remove the new main distraction.

  • LucidChimp
    LucidChimp

    "The Bible does say to beware of false prophets and not to live by fear of man."

    Warning someone who is stranded out on the African savannah that lions are dangerous is not preventing lions from preying upon them.

  • Watkins
    Watkins

    Just a reminder - THIS was the question: "Would you share some of your experiences on how you maintained your faith after leaving the JWs?"

    I had faith before I became a JW, but was not IN another church, though I'd visited many... the hellfire doctrine really turned me off and was one big reason I chose to 'associate' with the JWs in the first place. When I found out TTATT... the thing that broke my heart was how wt doctrines really drag God through the mud and makes Him into the most hateful, malevolent being, a monster, really - like He's just waiting for you to screw up so He can kill you. I began to understand how and why someone who had only experienced that religion could reject the Jehovah God of the wt, the only one they'd ever known. I'm a believer but even I reject the wt god! The god of other sects is just as contemptible, just waiting for you to misstep so he can burn you alive - forever? I reject that god too! I just don't believe God is anything like religion teaches - ANY religion.

    Mr. Cellophane's post reflects my feelings to a T: "The resolution that's working for me, right now at least, is that that problem isn't with God, it's with mankind's attempts to explain it all and provide all the answers. So what I've rejected is the concept of the Bible being the full and literal explanation of God and mankind. The Bible was written by men and even if some or all of them were "inspired", that doesn't mean they were infallible. They recorded and explained as best they could for their understanding and the science of the times. Much scripture that various religions take as dogma may be fables provided by the ancients to try to rudimentally explain our existence and provide some ground rules for civilization. But mankind's shoddy theological cobblings don't preclude a Creator God."

    I believe many stories of the OT were written AS IF God said this or that, when in reality He had nothing to do with it. They did what they wanted and then either blamed God or made it seem like He condoned/ordered their actions. So, I believe in God and I believe Yeshua was/is the Messiah, but other than that I believe very little of 'the history of the Jews'. The Israelites aren't, imho, a role-model for Christians today, but a lesson on what NOT to do and how NOT to be. The victors write history from their own narrow perspective. And yes, the wt is a very OT religion. So many of Blondie's comments on the studies include "where's Jesus?!"

    The thing is... we x-jws feel like the odd-man-out in most any religious setting now. Some have moved on to another Christian sect, with some amount of difficulty I assume, but I don't believe half the crap any of them teach... I do not fit anywhere anymore. But I've come to terms with that; being outside all religion is a fine place to find oneself - believer or not. I was never in it for the social aspects. I believe in evolution and don't find it incompatible with faith in God - it doesn't present itself as an either/or problem to me, but then, I'm no 'fundy'.

    As you read the NT without wt blinders on, you may find that Jesus' words speak to you in a way that reaches your heart, and lets you 'know' him without anyone ele's interpretations - and that builds real faith, imho.

    I love God and I love Yeshua... I just do. That's not popular on this forum, but everyone's entitled to their opinions. :)

    My 2 cents, pronomono, for what it's worth.(probably less than 2 cents, lol)

    ~W

  • MadGiant
    MadGiant

    "The Bible does say to beware of false prophets and not to live by fear of man." -Ding

    Don't quote or bring a book that can be used to say whatever you want.

    1 Kings 22:23 Now, therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.

    2 Chronicles 18:22 Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets.

    Jeremiah 4:10 Ah, Lord GOD! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people.

    Jeremiah 20:7 O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived.

    Ezekiel 14:9 And if a prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet.

    2 Thessalonians 2:11 For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.

    All KJV

    Ismael

  • Hortenzie
    Hortenzie

    Pronomono - I find it very hard to believe in most of things that people say about God. But, by choice not faith, I continue as a Christian. I like majority of Jesus's sayings about life (morality, virtues, love, charity...) I go to a church almost every Sunday and do my best to live up to the Christian standards. It partially satisfies my spiritual needs, gives me a measure of peace, and makes me a better person. I understand that we (humans) don't have all the answers, and even though I don't like it, I accept it (I really have no choice, beacause only JW's have all the answers, and I'm no longer one of them )

  • QC
    QC

    pronomono,

    Godlessness with its vitriol is incentive for faith.

    Check your PM email.

  • caliber
    caliber

    Don't quote or bring a book that can be used to say whatever you want. ~~MadGiant

    Reading just one verse without context or understanding the setting can be misleading and misunderstood without the proper framework

    2 Thessalonians 2:11 For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.

    who is God sending a delusion too ? very next verse...

    12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness

  • caliber
    caliber

    The biology of emotions and mood disorders has been well-understood for over a century now: haven't you heard of neurology, psychology, psychiatry, and the ability of scientists and doctors to alter, recreate and understand these emotional states, even down to the specific parts of the brain and/or neurons involved? Not heard of the science of treating emotional states like depression with meds, yet? ~~Adamah

    I am afraid I don't put a lot of faith in what man has learned about such things as depression.. the more I read and hear personal

    experiences, the more I am in doubt in fact as to their true long term benefits

    Most mental health experts agree that when depression is severe, medication can be helpful—even life saving. However, research shows that antidepressants fall short for many people.

    A major 2006 U.S. government study showed that fewer than 50 percent of people become symptom-free on antidepressants, even after trying two different medications. Furthermore, many who do respond to medication soon slip back into depression, despite sticking with drug treatment.

    Other studies show that the benefits of depression medication have been exaggerated, with some researchers concluding that—when it comes to mild to moderate depression—antidepressants are only slightly more effective than placebos

    .http://www.helpguide.org/mental/medications_depression.htm

    The additional fearful concern is on not fully understanding the effects of such things as pain killers on mood and addiction etc

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7p-TQyoExA

  • Band on the Run
    Band on the Run

    The Bible is not a single book. There is a big difference between the Hebrew Scriptures and the Greek scriptures. The Bible is a massive collection of books. It was not written page 1 to page 5000. Jesus did not have a Bible. He had access to the Torah, a few prophets, and the Psalms. The Bible only became canonized at the insistence of the Emperor Constantine. He felt a more unified church would serve his political ends.

    These are objective facts that can be verified.

    If you feel a yearning for spiritual stuff, I would also recommend reading a Bible. Witnesses rarely read the Bible. We read WT literature. I started with the gospels. Mark 1. I tried to read Mark in a few sessions. Reading it as a regular book is very different than jumping around the way we were taught. I suggest just reading it by yourself without any reference guides. Sometimes you just want to confront text itself. Does it make sense to you? What do you think based on your own common sense. After I read Mark in one or two sittings, I read secondary sources concerning Mark.

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