JWs vs WCG

I was doing some research on the computer yesterday and what I had searched for brought up a very interesting page written by Worldwide Church of God. It had the harlot of babylon picture on the very top and it looked very very similiar to a lot of the photos I remembered seeing the the JW Revelation book. (remember how many times we studied that one?) I could not believe my eyes. I know now after doing alot of (forbidden) reading and studying that the JW religion is not all that original but I guess sometimes I forget.

Did you know that the Worldwide Church of God (Armstrongism) has alot of the same beliefs as the JWs. I had never even heard of them until I was inactive and they have been around since at least 1934 also. There are just so many coincidences. Especially when the witnesses act as if they are the only ones with this knowledge. Part of me thinks that is partly the reason they don't want you to read others magazines. You might find that Armstrong is a better religion and go there. You may not feel so special as a JW if you know that WCG is also against the trinity and pagan holidays.......

Here are just some of the similarities between JWs and the WCG religion:

• Reject the trinity
• Practice disfellowshipping
• Do not participate in war
• Do not vote
• Believe the cross is a pagan symbol
• No christmas, easter, or bdays
• Love millenialism
• Believe they are the one true church
• Believe all other churches are from the devil
• Prophesied the end of the world in 1970's
• Published the Plain Truth magazine
• Owned radio show

I am sure there are probably more similarities but these are the most surprising to me. Do I believe as a JW anymore? no. But, I did think that they were at least pretty original. Now I wonder who copied who. Did the two religions feed off each other? Did the leaders know each other? Did they both believe and follow CT Russell? Miller?

Now the WCG has lost their Armstrong leader and now someone else is doing the leading. It sounds as if they are now going back to mainstream christianity and changing alot of their beloved beliefs. I wonder where the followers will go that do not agree with all of the new changes.

And, should we be going to a church at all? They are just human leaders. But, if not a church where do we go for fellowship and worship? Should we just be meeting at small home groups? I am still left wondering and searching (not such a bad thing).

If anyone is out there with similar thoughts and questions please let me know what you have gone through!! I love fellowship on line at least. Can you imagine being in the 1970s and not being able to communicate with others who are questioning!!?? I guess that is why most simply did not question. Very sad.

Follow Your Heart

I am very curious where people are going after leaving the watchtower organization? I really wanted to go to a local christian church but my husband was really against any organized religion again. Very understandable. But, I was very looking forward to meeting new people and having my children meet new friends! I (we) really miss the gatherings and BBQ's etc. and the sunday services!! But, where do we go? Who has the answers?

I started watching christian programs on cable and I really liked a guy named Les Feldick. At first I did not know what to think of him. He is not a preacher per say. He is a rancher from the south who is very good at teaching the Bible from a christian perspective. He really helped me understand the new testament expecially. But, he taught the trinity and this was not something I was willing to accept and very upsetting to my husband. So, I stopped watching him and started looking around again. A year and a half later we still do not go to church. I started wondering about other religions outside of christianity. I stumbled on some information about Judiasm and why they do not accept Jesus as the Messiah. I had never wondered why because I thought I knew the answer. I had been taught from an early age why and I had accepted the "offical" answer and never questioned it.....until now.

I was very surprised by what I read. I had never heard anything like it before. It left me wanting to learn more about Judiasm. I find it very fascinating the differences between christianity and Judiasm. I did not really think it was going to be that much different except for the facts about Jesus. After all I reasoned, the old testament came from them. But, in Judiasm they do not call it nor consider it the old testament. It is the Hebrew Bible. The first five books make up the Torah. Still very relevant and still very important and studied and is the basis for everyday life in orthodox Judiasm.

It just goes to show that we cant assume we have all the answers and we cant stop searching because we think we know the whole truth already. That has proven to have devastating consequences. Please, keep searching, keep reading. The answers are there like hidden treasure and follow your heart and conscience even against seemingly all odds. Yes, I know it can be scary and lonely if family is against you but you will lead them by your example. Have an honest heart and it will not deceive you!

Family Time

So, I am wondering how others have dealt with leaving the JW organization and their immediate family. When I decided to leave my husband was less than thrilled to put it mildly. I had been baptized at 17 (long long time ago) and he had just gotten baptized the year before. But, you cant really control the timing of these things. He actually told me he was going to take the kids to every meeting and function wether I liked it or not and wether I went or not. I was so upset! What to do!!!?? Plus, I did not really have anyone to ask since I had just left my support system. I could not go to my mother-she was furious about me leaving (and still shunning me). My other siblings supported me leaving but had no experience in it breaking up the family and father still going...... I was terrified.
To make a long story short, I decided to take a deep breath and think about it for awhile and then decide how to go about this. I decided to keep going to the meetings until my husband could see "the light". That way at least I would know what my children were learning and I could talk to them about it at home and give them more than one perspective. At least they were still very young. And, in the meantime I would tell my husband little things here and there which started adding up. And, then one day a very good friend of ours came and told us about her being abused by her spouse (one of my husbands "very good friend"). We were so shocked. They had met as a pioneer couple and her father was an elder etc. How could this had happened. Well, for me it was too close to the truth of my childhood (which my husband knew all about). And, he decided when he was not counsled even after a police report!!, that was enough for my husband. Plus, we had seen the stories from silent lamb website at around the same time.
Since then we have been studying with our family at home and trying to decide what to do next. Any comments, suggestions or experience?!