And you call yourselves 'People of God' ?

So, Most of you know that I was brought up as a Jehovah's Witness & that I am no longer (haven't been for a long time) part of this belief system. And what I will explain below is the perfect example of why I cannot stand religious people, or their reasoning as they act superior to every other person that is not of their faith.

So, everyone has family issues to some extent, right? My whole family are Jehovah's witnesses and go to 'meetings' 3 times a week. My brother, who lived with them is no longer of the faith and is dating a Wiccan(sp) girl. Another member of their family has been put out of the 'Truth' as they call it. The thing is, these 'elders' of the church, rock up at their house because their son (who was put out because he got a divorce!) is now living with them.
These elders confront my second aunt, and advise her to have her son removed from her house and cut off all contact or she risks being 'put out' herself. My grandmother is totally for this, as she says God does not allow her to associate herself with 'worldly' people.

This is the procedure - When you get 'put out' of the congregation, no one may contact you in any way. Not even your family members. This is so that you feel remorseful for your actions which then after 6 months you may attend the meetings, but no one may speak with you, you may not answer question nor may you ask any questions.

After another six months of attending the meetings with the conditions above, they welcome you back into the congregation where you may associate with your family.

So, for an entire year, you are cut off from you loved ones and friends...
Now I ask you this, if you are such a Christian, or person of God..how can you turn away people who clearly need your help and guidance, kick your child out of your home. Aren't you supposed to help people like that, people who need you... if Jesus was real and you (as a christian) believe in him, should you not practice what you preach and do as Jesus did.

What makes you so superior, that you are too good to associate with 'worldly people'.
Seriously, it makes me sick! It sounds more like a cult than than anything else.

I just don't get these people or their way of thinking.

What repercussions did you personally face at the hands of family and church when it became apparent to them that you had "moved on"?

Religions and families seem to operate in the same way. As a member of either, one has to reconcile that the supporting, teaching and loving side is countered by a punitive side.

I'm grateful that I was raised in an areligious household and have only had to deal with the family aspect of this dichotomy. In most cases that's more than enough on its own.

reply to post by GoneGrey

What repercussions did you personally face at the hands of family and church when it became apparent to them that you had "moved on"?

I was never baptized, so I could never be 'put out'. Thank goodness I was too young to be baptized, and left before I was old enough...I left when I was 16. I just don't get how these elders march into your house and threaten you to basically disown your family, for such a stupid reason as them getting divorced.

Well seriously this statement.

" Why i cannot stand religious people "

That's generalizing. I'm religious. You don't know me. So rephrase your statements next time please

Hypocrites you can't stand, not religious people.


ok?


Now, as for jehova witnesses. i believe they are a Cult. They twist scripture and teach things that are completely anti biblical.

And so you'll get alot of that with some of them. the radical ones.


Christ did teach this.

" I come for division not peace "

Because truth has to be seperated from falsehood. So some in a family will hate God and some will love them. Infact I got athiest in my family.

I'm not close to them at all, BUT, I don't put them off and still love them and pray for them,.

That's what Christ taught. Forgiveness, and love for people not of the faith.


Go to the source, not to the people. Christ is what we worship, not people who aint living by his words.


peace.

Originally posted by JesusisTruth

Now, as for jehova witnesses. i believe they are a Cult.

Definition of cult: the OTHER GUY's religion.

Play fair.

reply to post by JesusisTruth


No no, I meant religious people...And for a couple of reasons. The ARE right...they ignore everything you say, and stick to one phrase that the feel is 'proof'. They ALWAYS start an argument and lose their temper, but somehow they pin it on you because 'people of God' are incapable of that. (Times like that where I wish I had a camcorder handy.)

Now, whether it be Christian or Jehovah's witness...They all act as though they are superior to the person they are talking AT. Pretend they have never made mistakes in their life and that's where the hypocrisy comes into play.

The best thing for me to do now, is just avoid any such confrontation with my family, I have tried to reason with them and have a civil conversation but it falls on deaf ears.

I know this comes across as harsh, but this has been my experience with Christians and especially Jehovah's witnesses my entire life.

I asked my Granny (who when she is just normal is an awesome lady)- "Isn't that like, the opposite of what Jesus teaches..does he not say, turn the other cheek and love thy neighbor, & love thy enemy?" Simple question really.... Omg...she flipped out! "God does not allow me to mingle or communicate with..blah blah blah. Seriously, so much rambling I can't even remember most of it.

Although, if you have never done any of the above mentioned, then I applaud you, and wish for all of our sake as human kind, that your Christian behavior will rub off on your fellow Christians. You then, are one of a kind!

reply to post by jinx880101


I completely agree with you 100%. My father blindly loves religion more then his own family and it just makes me when he goes to his quire practice on multiple nights instead of spending time with the family. I still love him but sometimes religion is too evil to cause any good.

I have a bible form HarperCollinsPublishers

Matthew 17:20 It was because you haven't enough faith, answered Jesus. I assure you that if you have faith as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this hill, Go from here to there! and it will go. YOU COULD DO ANYTHING!.

Matthew 17:21 IS NOT THERE

So in fact they deleted Jesus words how to drive this demons out and say there is no way to drive them out.

Matthew 17:21 But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.

Collins is one of the 13 satanic bloodlines.

Originally posted by leftystrat

Originally posted by JesusisTruth

Now, as for jehova witnesses. i believe they are a Cult.

Definition of cult: the OTHER GUY's religion.

Play fair.

Actually, Christianity itself is a cult;
a group or sect bound together by venertion of the same
person, ideal, etc, etc.

You then, are one of a kind! "


And so you see OP that you just said religious people. Don't generalize please. Because I am one that has never done that in my life.

I was Godless up until age 20. I'm 28. So I converted by my own will. I used to make fun of religion. Now I know what it does for my soul. communion.

I never put myself above people and I myself am a piece of garbage. You know what I did when I was 14?

Threw rocks at peoples heads for fun with my boys. Threw pencils at my mother out of anger.

I sucked and still do sometimes. I put everybody above me as God wants us too.


Trust me, you search hard enough and you will find people who actually live as Christ told them too.


peace.


Now as for.

" stoploss "


I'm the exact opposite. My family loves family more than God and it makes me want to because God comes first.


there is nothing wrong with putting God first. And Christ said he comes before family. Doesn't mean treat them like low garbage. It just means seperation in belief.


OP. Remember we serve Christ not the hypocrite.

bye peace.

[edit on 6-2-2010 by JesusisTruth]

About 10 years ago, my son was diagnosed (at 24 mths) with Wilm's tumor (kidney cancer). Removed the affected kidney and chemo. Wife was devastated. Bills were pouring in from the hospital and the wife had to quit work to be wih him.

The cancer spread to his lungs and prognosis was 50/50.

The only thing I had going was sheer blind faith and trust in God. This faith and belief was the rock upon which I had to anchor my entire family's existence on.

I had many friends who said prayers and wished us well.

I remember vividly, a friend, who told me that she would arrange for a mass through some Nuns (I refrain from disclosing the Order of the Nuns). I thanked her profusely.

2 days after, I was told that the Nun had a bad vision and that she saw my son nailed to a cross, all gaunt and skinny and that he was beng punished for the sins of his parents. I was also requested that I tell my wife about this and that we should repent.

Been married to the sweetest most loving most caring most trusting and most family oriented woman all these years.

It could only have been my sins that caused a punishment on my son.

I thought about it for awhile and told my friend that she was most fortunate that I knew that she was coming from a good place, and that saved her (also the fact that she is a she) from getting a sucker right in the face.

I told her that my son is not Jesus Christ and all our sins have been paid for in blood by Christ and that in addition to the present issues regarding my son then, she was asking me to tell my wife that my son's illness was caused by his parents ? What ? Add divorce to the cancer ?

My point of relating this personal experience is to say :

Believe what you believe. Have faith the way you wish to have faith. Trust in God or any other the way you wish to trust. You will find your way. God will allow you to find Him if you wish to find Him. You are right in not wishing to have any part of any belief system which your conscience and inner being is not comfortable with.

God Bless you and you WILL find your God.

Well they sound like screwed up people to me.

But my question is this: If you denounce/cut off all religious people aren't you really acting/doing things in the same manner?

I understand your frustration and don't blame you and think it's good you can see the hypocrisy. But I think it's also up to you to raise the bar don't you think? Being you are the one who can see the truth of it?

Originally posted by dixon
About 10 years ago, my son was diagnosed (at 24 mths) with Wilm's tumor (kidney cancer). Removed the affected kidney and chemo. Wife was devastated. Bills were pouring in from the hospital and the wife had to quit work to be wih him.

The cancer spread to his lungs and prognosis was 50/50.

The only thing I had going was sheer blind faith and trust in God. This faith and belief was the rock upon which I had to anchor my entire family's existence on.

I had many friends who said prayers and wished us well.

I remember vividly, a friend, who told me that she would arrange for a mass through some Nuns (I refrain from disclosing the Order of the Nuns). I thanked her profusely.

2 days after, I was told that the Nun had a bad vision and that she saw my son nailed to a cross, all gaunt and skinny and that he was beng punished for the sins of his parents. I was also requested that I tell my wife about this and that we should repent.

Been married to the sweetest most loving most caring most trusting and most family oriented woman all these years.

It could only have been my sins that caused a punishment on my son.

I thought about it for awhile and told my friend that she was most fortunate that I knew that she was coming from a good place, and that saved her (also the fact that she is a she) from getting a sucker right in the face.

I told her that my son is not Jesus Christ and all our sins have been paid for in blood by Christ and that in addition to the present issues regarding my son then, she was asking me to tell my wife that my son's illness was caused by his parents ? What ? Add divorce to the cancer ?

My point of relating this personal experience is to say :

Believe what you believe. Have faith the way you wish to have faith. Trust in God or any other the way you wish to trust. You will find your way. God will allow you to find Him if you wish to find Him. You are right in not wishing to have any part of any belief system which your conscience and inner being is not comfortable with.

God Bless you and you WILL find your God.

quote; 2 days after, I was told that the Nun had a bad vision and that she saw my son nailed to a cross, all gaunt and skinny and that he was beng punished for the sins of his parents. I was also requested that I tell my wife about this and that we should repent.>

This is certainly not the teaching of the Church. Jesus has refuted conection
between parent's sin and suffering, as has Ezekiel.

Most of these experiences seem to come from encounters with, no matter
which religion, a fundalmentalist mindset.

I think sometimes we simply need to allow God to find us.

"quote; 2 days after, I was told that the Nun had a bad vision and that she saw my son nailed to a cross, all gaunt and skinny and that he was beng punished for the sins of his parents. I was also requested that I tell my wife about this and that we should repent.>

This is certainly not the teaching of the Church. Jesus has refuted conection
between parent's sin and suffering, as has Ezekiel.

Most of these experiences seem to come from encounters with, no matter
which religion, a fundalmentalist mindset.

I think sometimes we simply need to allow God to find us. "

Amen to that. He is well and fine. Much like any other 13 yr old. Everytime I look at him, I know there is God.

reply to post by jinx880101


You have figured out our way of life, for this you cannot live. [sarcasm]

Do you seriously believe every Christian is the same? According to your logic, every Middle Easterner is a suicide bomber, every Russian is a drunk and every Canadian is born on the ice and is a very good hockey player.

Grow up. We feel superior to you? Show me. Me and you are speaking equally and I will treat you like I want to be treated. So don't go thinking every Christian is like these guys.

I asked my Granny (who when she is just normal is an awesome lady)- "Isn't that like, the opposite of what Jesus teaches..does he not say, turn the other cheek and love thy neighbor, & love thy enemy?" Simple question really.... Omg...she flipped out! "God does not allow me to mingle or communicate with..blah blah blah. Seriously, so much rambling I can't even remember most of it.

That shows how un-Christian your granny is. If you quote Jesus and she gets upset, she is no woman of God.

"Which one of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, would not leave the ninety nine sheep in the pasture and go look for the one who is lost. Finding him, he returns and tells his family and friends how happy he is to have found the one who was lost."

NEWSFLASH

We aren't all like that. Blaming other people for family problems will only get more people to stop communicating with you.

Originally posted by jinx880101
So, Most of you know that I was brought up as a Jehovah's Witness & that I am no longer (haven't been for a long time) part of this belief system.

That is good that your not part of the belief system. They are not real Christians.

Originally posted by texastig

That is good that your not part of the belief system. They are not real Christians.

Wow, who decides?

It's so much easier to be a-religious.

Originally posted by JesusisTruth


Well seriously this statement.

" Why i cannot stand religious people "

That's generalizing. I'm religious. You don't know me. So rephrase your statements next time please

Hypocrites you can't stand, not religious people.


ok?


Now, as for jehova witnesses. i believe they are a Cult. They twist scripture and teach things that are completely anti biblical.

And so you'll get alot of that with some of them. the radical ones.


Christ did teach this.

" I come for division not peace "

Because truth has to be seperated from falsehood. So some in a family will hate God and some will love them. Infact I got athiest in my family.

I'm not close to them at all, BUT, I don't put them off and still love them and pray for them,.

That's what Christ taught. Forgiveness, and love for people not of the faith.


Go to the source, not to the people. Christ is what we worship, not people who aint living by his words.


peace.

If all the Christians who have called other Christians “not really a Christian” were to vanish, there’d be no Christians left. – Anonymous


(*waves to JIT)

Originally posted by texastig

Originally posted by jinx880101
So, Most of you know that I was brought up as a Jehovah's Witness & that I am no longer (haven't been for a long time) part of this belief system.

That is good that your not part of the belief system. They are not real Christians.

and the same quote for you, lol

If all the Christians who have called other Christians “not really a Christian” were to vanish, there’d be no Christians left. – Anonymous

I have to tell you from my observation JW's are a fringe Christian religious group.You should not group them with all other groups.

Some people only join religious organizations for the social contact with others of the same belief and status.

And not all us consider ouselves "People of God".

I prefer the term,"Child of the Universe."