Calling all - PLEASE!!! Big Step For Me.

by Doubtfully Yours 36 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Doubtfully Yours

  Now, please remember, JW my entire life. Therefore, many prejudiced and warped ideas.

  The deal is that a very nice co-worker invited me to a 'Christmas Play' at her Baptist church and I accepted. The play is tonight, and I have all these messed-up ideas that perhaps it's wrong to step foot into another church; or that perhaps since I've been taught all my life that demons reside in the false religion churches that I'll be bothered by these demons if I attend this event tonight.

  PLEASE, help me win over these live-long thoughts.

  Look forward anxiously to your responses.

  DY
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  Lady Lee

  It is a building just like a KH is a building. I would think that if the demons lived anywhere you will be more likely to find them in the KH than a church

  From my experience, it is a good safe way to expel the demon-fears that were implanted by the borg. The sky didn't faal when I went. Lightnining didn't come crashing for from the sky. It's been over 10 years and I'm not bird food yet. Besides if everything else they said - all those "prophesies" never came true what on earth would you think they are right on this.

  Make it a test to show yourself how wrong they are
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  Brummie

  DY, confront your demons and go, otherwise you will never know how stupid the JW belief is that all these places have demons in em.

  I agonised over going to a baptist church when I left the JWs, I was also invited but dreaded it, I never regret going, just go for observational purposes, the baptist church I went to was great, particulary the part when a huge demon played amazing grace on the piano... ;)

  I'd say go

  Brummie
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  blondie

  Doubtfully, I'm going to the Messiah on Wednesday in a biiiiiig church. I'm an inactive JW but have been to churches for weddings and funerals. Go and have a good time. I was just listening to Christmas songs and the words are so on the mark, and why not, they're based on the Bible.

  Blondie
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  gumby

  DY,

  I attended a baptist church for 4 years after exiting dubs and have also known many others who attend various churches and I have never heard of a demon problem The only times I ever heard of demon problems was when I was a dub.......they ALWAYS had demon stories.

  If there were truely demons......I would think they would hang out in the Kingdom Halls where they can destroy more families. Go the the party.....you'll enjoy it.

  Gumby
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  Nikita

  DY, I can recall having the same fears when invited to a Catholic church! And the 1st time I went to a Pentecostal church-well, you can only imagine the EXTREME fear I was feeling!

  Go, enjoy the play. It will be a great big hurdle for you to overcome as you put your JW past behind you.

  Nikita
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  undercover

  I've been to a Baptist churches for funerals. No demons got me.

  I went to a Catholic church for a wedding. I was close enough to the bride and groom to get hit with holy water when the priest shook the doohickey thing at them. It didn't turn to acid and burn my flesh off.

  I was nervous about going to both of these events, but in retrospect it was interesting to see how different these religions were. I think knowledge about different faiths and cultures is a good thing. What better way to learn something about these things than observing them in person. It doesn't mean you have to join their religion or believe as they do. It also helps you break free from the prejudices learned through the WTS.
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  Gopher

  If and when you go to this play, it'll all be okay afterwards. Go for your friends, go along as an "observer". Just because you go doesn't make you a member or a believer.

  The only time I've been to a church since 2000 was also for a Christmas play at a friend's church. I went mostly out of curiosity, and really was made to feel "at home" because a couple of my friends (who invited me) were there too.
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  Dansk

  I fully understand your fears, DY, but you've already been questioning Watchtower dogmma or you wouldn't be here - and you're still alive .

  You'll probably love it and it'll give you an insight into how others really behave at church rather than what you've been led to believe. Trust me, you'll make it!

  If you believe in God He knows your dilemma and He'll see you through it ok. If you don't believe in God, then you've still nothing to lose as the occasion will be a pleasant one. You'll be with a friend and you'll meet lovely people - and it won't be conditional.

  Have a great time and let us all know how everything went.

  Love,

  Dansk
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  La Capra

  DY, I was the same way, but at the first opportunity after I DA'd, I went into other houses of worship-it was a field trip in college to look at some specific architectural styles, and in San Francisco, these structures offer great variety of styles for the professor to prove her point. I wasn't even nervous at the first one, but in a few of them I experienced something I had never experienced in any KH or AH, or even at the Cow Palace for conventions...I physically felt the presence of a higher power, in one place it nearly knocked me to the ground it was so strong. Did I think it was demons? Nope, it was all benevolent light and energy. In the other churches, I felt no fear of demons or the devil. They simply aren't there. Mostly they are just buildings that are used for lots of purposes-like this party. But, you might find something you didn't expect to find there (like Jacob did, eh?) Enjoy the party, no fear, no guilt, just go and enjoy...Shoshana