Keeping it to yourself

[Twinky]

On the thread "How Close were we to the JWs?" on page 3 there's a number of interesting posts, including a couple from Socks (but not just his posts) that got me thinking.

Bear with me, I'm trying to break these up into smaller posts so I can get my post count up a little. Basically what you described is a very typical pattern ham.

It's like.. perhaps one has an isolated, non-mainstream dogma one adheres to..

fine. Doesn't bother me at all..

What's isolated? What's non-mainstream? And who gives a hoot - other than the mainstream group, the "collective" of regimented opinion? The simple fact that we evaluate another's dogma as being acceptable while being isolated and out of the mainstream says something. Not sure what, I'm thinking though.

but then one adds a controlling oversight for the "standard" (whatever or whoever that is) follower..

This is normal behavior for nearly all societies in which there are laws. Who gives the control? Who added it and who accepted it? And why?

and it starts smelling a little bit like a cod left on the dock a little too long..

then ultimatums from the pulpit, how devilish holders of different opinions have become. .

I was Roman Catholic, raised and braised in the doctrine. I am now, in fact, hell bound as an RC. I am unable to receive any of the sacraments - well, first I'd have to find a church that had a priest and that was having services and then I'd have to go and if I did and just didn't tell anyone, I could receive the sacraments of the Holy Communion and particpate. In other words, lie. But the "sin" would fall to me and only get me further down the toilet.

There are true blue practicing RC's who won't even talk to me like a reasonable human being because I've left the True Universal Mother Church. I'm dammed unfortunately so why bother?

I was once........

Well, the list goes on. I've been a lot of things, and for many of those groups and affiliations, both religious and otherwise, my lack of continued membership, support and attendance is a dammed sorry state of affairs, boy howdy -

Being a "Wayfer" didn't suck for me, most of the time. Well, till it did and then I stayed for years and let them beat me over the head..with and then I....and it was all....

Oh. Wait. That's not what happened.

Never mind.....

I'm not trying to be mean, just a healthy reminder that there are a 1,000 stories in the Big City....and these are some of them.

We all did that witnessing thing, door-knocking, accosting people in shopping malls, and whatever, proclaiming our brand of "the Truth".

Of whatever of those beliefs you once subscribed to (or at least spouted off), what do you adhere to and yet don't talk about? Why not?

For instance: I can't think of a time I ever believed Jesus=God. Even though that's what the church I was raised in taught. It wasn't till I got to TWI that I realized people actually did believe that. And they do! They are astounded that I don't believe this and look at me like I've sprouted horns and a tail. Good friends of mine want to pray for me to see the light about this heretical belief.

I go to a mainstream church now. They believe Jesus=God. Because of that, I think some aspects of their theology are so rubbish that I have to re-sort it in my head whilst listening to the sermon or whatever. But generally, there is enough there that it leads me forwards not backwards.

But do I raise the status (?) of Jesus with other members of the congregation? No! Or its leadership? Doubly no! Why not?

• Possibly partly because of a fear (?) that I will be banned, ostracized, persona non grata, again (being M&A'd from TWI was a hell time for me; I lost everything).
• And possibly because they're as committed to their beliefs as I am to mine.
• And because I believe God looks on the heart and these people's hearts are to love God. Every denomination, organization, makes some mistakes. We're all wrong in something.

And to raise this - causes division. Makes an issue where there should be unity of heart. Better to concentrate on what we have in common, than in petty differences.

If anybody in a Christian context were to ask, though, I'd stand my ground.

I'm just not willing to make an issue of it.

And certainly, for non-Christians, it's not an issue and they're willing to accept "one God" for more readily than "one trinity of Gods".

What've you hung onto, that distinguishes you from mainstream churches? Have you gone back to your old beliefs, adopted some new ones, just don't care any more (some of you don't).

Do you, in fact, try to win anyone for Christ/God/your current deity - in whatever form?

[waysider]

I just try to follow The Golden Rule. That ought to be challenging enough to last me a lifetime.

[cheranne]

I don't go to any church,but consider myself a Catholic at heart. Nature is my peace time.

I want to add that in the beginning I did go to churches and lots of them,trying to find the one best for our family

I took a lot of bible studies from Precept Ministries,to get wrong teaching out of my head from The Way International.

It worked .

Edited October 4, 2010 by cheranne

[Broken Arrow]

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Edited October 5, 2010 by Broken Arrow