I bought an idea that it could change the world and make me super duper better than the rest "believer".
well it did make me a believer, but what I took so seriously was all about me and what I could do. It made Jesus christ so small even God was told what to do in twi.
I do not have regrets because I grew more in many ways of who the spirit is in my life because I no Longer have the people pleasing and polictical agenda of a group.
but I do have wishes unfullfilled, I wish the fantasy of what these groups try to make happen could happen now.
but it can not.
the third heaven and earth , the hope of the returning christ to rule it, all of the FUTURE stuff I have learned is where I now am.
it isnt going to happen today not until we get rid of all this world offers in the context of sin and death etc.
We want a better life the life Jesus christ was raised to have us live in.
but we cant make it happen now no matter how much we try to work it... it just isnt available.. heh heh.
we want love we want acceptance we want basic needs of all flesh, and we think the magic formula is in these groups.
it isnt it is truly in the HOPE of a better place and life.
To turn our eyes onto what Jesus has in sight means we have to lose sight of what is here with us each and every day, and it is difficult to say the least.
it is a great loss of a dream, and of course compassionate people will feel grief i think that is normal.
to be a part of something so BIG so Special So powerful is the lie.. we bought it , and then found out by the very grace of God at the end of the day we are no different than the rest of humanity hoping for a differnt life that is not filled with the issues we ALL face.
the idea of seperateness is one I think that hurt people involved in these groups folks begin to sperate so much from life and living on its terms in their mind it takes the "leaders sin to slap them into the reality I too can have problems that are serious and hurtful!!
it makes people afriad when the leaders are the ones they have thought they should live up to as examples.
it makes us doubt our own ability to make it through life.
to find out your just a normal joe is no big revelation (truth is always on the inside) but when the leaders can no longer hold onto the fantasy life it gets frightening .
Our risen Saviour hung alone , and knows the aloneness of obeying God.
he did fix the situation just not yet .
till then I love when ever I can and pray a great deal for all of us here waiting for a better day.
the spiritual life is a personal thing that is on the inside and so exciting we want to share it. and we can , but we must remember it has its own life not one we dictate or wish for.
My initial thoughts on this, Michael, are as follows (not promising to be coherent, I'm having a rough day)...
TWI purported to offer:
Peace
Knowledge
Security
A more abundant life
Answers to questions regular men have grappled with for centuries in a nice, tidy package
Instant friends
Keys to essential truths
Guaranteed box seats at the bama
a bama to go to
Godly marriages
Wonderful, healthy compliant children
Healing
Deliverance from affliction
Confidence
What was also promised, though, not in the black and white literature...
A smug sense of superiority in the knowledge that you were right and everyone else was wrong
A reason to ignore the interests and concerns of others if they wouldn't listen to your advice
An excuse to stop your own learning processes in any other subject but TWI's interpretation of scripture and thereby the world
I am not an arm-chair psychologist. I'm just writing down what I observed. That sense of wistfulness however is quite normal when considered in the following light: The disillusionment that comes with the recognition that you gave a good portion of your life in the pursuit of something which was ultimately unreal, just something made-up by men but didn't really exist in the way it was promised to exist...well, that's painful. Everyone deals with it differently.
Some people come here and stay.
Some people never come here.
Some people come and go and come back again.
Some people take on the mantle of telling "the truth of what happened" so that others might be warned.
Some people just get on with their lives, chalking it up as an experience and looking for something better or more fulfilling.
Were there good times and good memories for me? Of course. That those memories were based on a fundamental untruth, well, that's just sad. Like any loss, the loss of innocence can cut very deep.
Whatever that entails (friends, hanging out, excitement @God in your life, knowing THE bible like no one else does........)
It was all new, fresh, exciting, fun.....................................
in the beginning. Once you hit DTA class(around).............all fun stopped. There was a certain ''nievite'' in the beginning.........but once you got into the nittygritty....(the real twi) you took it more serious.
therefore, you miss that ignorant stage. Who wouldn't? (my O)
You make a good point. I have thought about this too. I would never go back to the Way.
Could it be that human nature compels us to want to belong to something. There seems to be a common bond that is formed when you move together in the midst of a likeminded environment.
I think the Way capitalized on this. They used us for their own advantage.
GSC is great, but some of us are not very close together geographically.
However there are community groups. We joined a boat club and are having the time of our lives. Great people, loving, forgiving and fun.
My point is if you miss the fellowship, think of something you love to do and there is probably a group out there doing it.
There are even volunteer groups for those who want to give something back to society.
I haven't any interest in joining a church group but I'm not against it. Some here have found some very loving church groups in their communities.
When all else fails there's chocolate ice cream-lol.
I've said it before, that when it was good, it was really good but when it got bad it was terrible. Would I ever go back to it again? Absolutely not. But I find at times that I look back on the memories I have wistfully, as if I miss......what? The relationships? The fellowship? The gatherings? Even though my mind tells me "YAYYY your'e free!", there is still regret, and for the life of me I cannot put a finger on specifically 'why'.
Perhaps what I am asking cannot be identified by anyone else but me, but have any of you experienced some of those same thoughts and feelings? I would be curious ....
I think we can all identify with what you're saying. I've found that the only thing that works for me is to be sure of my personal beliefs, of which there are few, and not to trust in any religion. It gets a bit lonely at times, but at least I know I'm being honest with myself and not setting myself up to be cheated.
Yeah, I sure do miss the good times. But I miss lots of things I'll never see again. You just got to move on.
TheDraw?Well for me to be accepted,Friends,healing alcohol had ravaged my life,Though 3 days after pfil I was sent round the world to Diego Garcia,liile island in the Indian ocean.No felllowships so you could say I did it on my own,That is became
accepted socialize ect.
Spin it ahead 6 months I am back in the "world"Next fellowship was roa77 First thing this beautiful gal gives me a hug and says"welcome home" Iwas hooked....... Next fellowship I met my future wife and a good friend who posts here....
So acceptance friendship for me
Now the draw? Good question.I would say zip zero nada If "I got out" will allow me to say what he has said" They are internet savy
they will read here and proceed to run for the hills.
The pain and strife came later much later... Legalism....Became law of the land..... Do as I say not as I do...
Thou shalt give of your life,let us suck you dry for us(BOD) We are filthy rich you are nothing crappy car rent a house you do not need ritirement savings ect We are filthy rich>Well you get the picture
Being out is like a new lease on life,Abreath of fresh air,Being at the helm of a ship ya baby it is our life not the blood suckers.....
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pond
I think it has to do with dealing with failure.
I bought an idea that it could change the world and make me super duper better than the rest "believer".
well it did make me a believer, but what I took so seriously was all about me and what I could do. It made Jesus christ so small even God was told what to do in twi.
I do not have regrets because I grew more in many ways of who the spirit is in my life because I no Longer have the people pleasing and polictical agenda of a group.
but I do have wishes unfullfilled, I wish the fantasy of what these groups try to make happen could happen now.
but it can not.
the third heaven and earth , the hope of the returning christ to rule it, all of the FUTURE stuff I have learned is where I now am.
it isnt going to happen today not until we get rid of all this world offers in the context of sin and death etc.
We want a better life the life Jesus christ was raised to have us live in.
but we cant make it happen now no matter how much we try to work it... it just isnt available.. heh heh.
we want love we want acceptance we want basic needs of all flesh, and we think the magic formula is in these groups.
it isnt it is truly in the HOPE of a better place and life.
To turn our eyes onto what Jesus has in sight means we have to lose sight of what is here with us each and every day, and it is difficult to say the least.
it is a great loss of a dream, and of course compassionate people will feel grief i think that is normal.
to be a part of something so BIG so Special So powerful is the lie.. we bought it , and then found out by the very grace of God at the end of the day we are no different than the rest of humanity hoping for a differnt life that is not filled with the issues we ALL face.
the idea of seperateness is one I think that hurt people involved in these groups folks begin to sperate so much from life and living on its terms in their mind it takes the "leaders sin to slap them into the reality I too can have problems that are serious and hurtful!!
it makes people afriad when the leaders are the ones they have thought they should live up to as examples.
it makes us doubt our own ability to make it through life.
to find out your just a normal joe is no big revelation (truth is always on the inside) but when the leaders can no longer hold onto the fantasy life it gets frightening .
Our risen Saviour hung alone , and knows the aloneness of obeying God.
he did fix the situation just not yet .
till then I love when ever I can and pray a great deal for all of us here waiting for a better day.
the spiritual life is a personal thing that is on the inside and so exciting we want to share it. and we can , but we must remember it has its own life not one we dictate or wish for.
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Ham
I think twi got our attention when we still believed in Santa Claus.
Somehow portrayed God as some kind of Santa Claus machine, push the right buttons, and whatever you heart desires pops out the slot on the other side.
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QuietThinker
My initial thoughts on this, Michael, are as follows (not promising to be coherent, I'm having a rough day)...
TWI purported to offer:
What was also promised, though, not in the black and white literature...
I am not an arm-chair psychologist. I'm just writing down what I observed. That sense of wistfulness however is quite normal when considered in the following light: The disillusionment that comes with the recognition that you gave a good portion of your life in the pursuit of something which was ultimately unreal, just something made-up by men but didn't really exist in the way it was promised to exist...well, that's painful. Everyone deals with it differently.
Were there good times and good memories for me? Of course. That those memories were based on a fundamental untruth, well, that's just sad. Like any loss, the loss of innocence can cut very deep.
Yours thoughtfully,
QT
*edited to fix formatting
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bliss
You miss ''the beginning".
Whatever that entails (friends, hanging out, excitement @God in your life, knowing THE bible like no one else does........)
It was all new, fresh, exciting, fun.....................................
in the beginning. Once you hit DTA class(around).............all fun stopped. There was a certain ''nievite'' in the beginning.........but once you got into the nittygritty....(the real twi) you took it more serious.
therefore, you miss that ignorant stage. Who wouldn't? (my O)
edit cuz bliss can't spelle
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polar bear
You make a good point. I have thought about this too. I would never go back to the Way.
Could it be that human nature compels us to want to belong to something. There seems to be a common bond that is formed when you move together in the midst of a likeminded environment.
I think the Way capitalized on this. They used us for their own advantage.
GSC is great, but some of us are not very close together geographically.
However there are community groups. We joined a boat club and are having the time of our lives. Great people, loving, forgiving and fun.
My point is if you miss the fellowship, think of something you love to do and there is probably a group out there doing it.
There are even volunteer groups for those who want to give something back to society.
I haven't any interest in joining a church group but I'm not against it. Some here have found some very loving church groups in their communities.
When all else fails there's chocolate ice cream-lol.
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Jim
I think we can all identify with what you're saying. I've found that the only thing that works for me is to be sure of my personal beliefs, of which there are few, and not to trust in any religion. It gets a bit lonely at times, but at least I know I'm being honest with myself and not setting myself up to be cheated.
Yeah, I sure do miss the good times. But I miss lots of things I'll never see again. You just got to move on.
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cman
I think it's a lot to do with what could have been good and even better.
Mainly the I'm saved you are not attitude and belief is a downful.
Ignorance of what the truth is and attempting to establish one's own righteousness.
It's this mentality that kills life and potential for life.
Though it is a step in the progress of knowing.
We stayed in it too long.
Thinking there would be some great movement by God as in Acts.
It never happened.
Fellowship, however can happen in a multitude of situations.
Without fear of being a 'have not' while others seem to 'have'.
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frank123lol
TheDraw?Well for me to be accepted,Friends,healing alcohol had ravaged my life,Though 3 days after pfil I was sent round the world to Diego Garcia,liile island in the Indian ocean.No felllowships so you could say I did it on my own,That is became
accepted socialize ect.
Spin it ahead 6 months I am back in the "world"Next fellowship was roa77 First thing this beautiful gal gives me a hug and says"welcome home" Iwas hooked....... Next fellowship I met my future wife and a good friend who posts here....
So acceptance friendship for me
Now the draw? Good question.I would say zip zero nada If "I got out" will allow me to say what he has said" They are internet savy
they will read here and proceed to run for the hills.
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frank123lol
The pain and strife came later much later... Legalism....Became law of the land..... Do as I say not as I do...
Thou shalt give of your life,let us suck you dry for us(BOD) We are filthy rich you are nothing crappy car rent a house you do not need ritirement savings ect We are filthy rich>Well you get the picture
Being out is like a new lease on life,Abreath of fresh air,Being at the helm of a ship ya baby it is our life not the blood suckers.....
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