Progressive Christian Xjw

[BeachOfEden]

I am not new here..it's just been a while since I visited. I think I have been a member here since 2005 or 2006..at least. Anyways, thought I'd share my story..just incase anyone one else may have background like mine. I was raised in JW (Jehovah's Witnesses). In October of 1996 I simply walked away from it because it was so fundemental. I found this site around 2005 and found it the most agreeable. I have used my experience, background and Progressive outlook to make my own web site..The Progressive Network of XJWs..which list of topics...Which can be found here:

 

http://www.angelfire.com/al4/progressivejws.html/TopicsSubjects.html

 

As far as I know I think I am the only XJW to turn Progressive (non0fundamental far right) Christian.

[AllInTheNameOfProgress]

Welcome! I have a lot of respect for the passion, conviction, and commitment of JWs. When I was newly married (20 years ago) I spent quite a bit of time on Saturday mornings discussing the Bible with an enthusiastic JW family.

 

Because I was not raised in the tradition, I saw nothing of greater value in the message they were trying to communicate than in the liberal protestant Christianity which I was raised. For me, our focus and energy should be spent on loving others and assistance to those less fortunate, rather than conversion.

 

I hope you enjoy the message board!

 

Janet

[Mike]

Hello BeachofEden, welcome (back) to the board. I've never been affiliated with JWs or known anyone personally of that faith. In the church that I grew up in (Independent Baptist), JWs are anathema. But toward the end of my run with fundamentalist faith I was very close to Christadelphian theology, which is very much closer to JW than Baptist.

 

My problem with the JW faith is that I am wary of any religion that has anything resembling a centralized autocracy (in this case the Watchtower, but in other cases it may be the Vatican or any kind of magisterium). I think that it too easily leads to dogmatic tendencies that discourage independence and individual freedom. It's not so much that I have a problem with hierarchy for practical and organizational purposes as for doctrinal purposes - I just don't like the idea of getting word from some location about what I'm officially supposed to believe. I don't like the idea that I'm 'supposed' to believe anything, actually.

 

Peace to you,

Mike

[soma]

Beach of Eden welcome back. If I remember correctly, you had a nick name or some association to Hippie and I say this in a good way. I respect what the Hippies stood for. Soma

[BeachOfEden]

I was very close to Christadelphian theology, which is very much closer to JW than Baptist.

 

You are very right about that, that is, Christadelphian being close to JW and also close to both of these is The Church of God of Abraham Faith sometimes also caled The Open Bibel Church. The 3 main beliefs that these share that are different than Protestant beliefs are:

 

1. Belief in a unitarian God

 

2. Hell simply means the grave..not eternal torment

 

3. and the belief of this earth being restored instead of the belief that Jesus will come to destroy the earth and rapture believers..as Assembly of God, Calvary Chapel and Southern Baptists believe

 

These are, infact, the 3 things I like about these groups and what I do not like about JW..as with other far right fundamental Protestants..like the 3 I just mentioned above...is..like what you said here...

 

My problem with the JW faith is that I am wary of any religion that has anything resembling a centralized autocracy (in this case the Watchtower, but in other cases it may be the Vatican or any kind of magisterium). I think that it too easily leads to dogmatic tendencies that discourage independence and individual freedom. It's not so much that I have a problem with hierarchy for practical and organizational purposes as for doctrinal purposes - I just don't like the idea of getting word from some location about what I'm officially supposed to believe. I don't like the idea that I'm 'supposed' to believe anything, actually.

 

To this I agree also..on Rick Ross website site, likewise he pointed out people who had been Calvary Chapel as revearing their pastors too much like this..turning it into some sort of autocracy. I agree, whether one man, like a pope or many of them, like a board of 4, 12 24,ect..still whether one or many..either way people getting in the way of God.