|
Post by Slow Learner on Jul 28, 2007 22:05:58 GMT -5
Would anyone here care to share what you felt when you first realized that Truth (the religion) is not the only way to heaven?
What were those first 5 minutes like?
|
|
|
Post by freespirit on Jul 28, 2007 22:26:13 GMT -5
That God is a big God and Jesus is wondrous. A large expansive feeling. Love. And peace. Actually, it's hard to describe.
It's been my opinion for a long time that all "religions"--by this I mean an organized set of whatevers--by their very nature are "false." Not that we should give up church meetings with other people who are believers--because others can encourage and strengthen us--and I think those are wonderful reasons to meet with people and worship and have fellowship,etc. But, just that we have to find God for ourselves and Jesus is the way, the truth and the light.
maybe that didn't make any sense at all. The Internet isn't a good medium to translate this thought I think.
peace to all, freespirit
|
|
|
Post by a believer on Jul 29, 2007 2:26:11 GMT -5
The first 5 minutes and hours and days was shock, disbelief, denial, ambivalence, grief, pain, feeling deceived etc etc
|
|
Having eye yet seeing not
Guest
|
Post by Having eye yet seeing not on Jul 29, 2007 3:48:15 GMT -5
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.” F.D. Roosevelt
I think it was a realization of acceptance of the things which I already knew and God has been showing me all along. No longer doubting what God has been telling me with what I had been told by mere men all my life. Finally having the ability to accept what God has been showing me and move forward with stronger faith then I have had all my life.
I WILL STAND FOR CHRIST MY SAVIOR
|
|
|
Post by janet on Jul 29, 2007 14:37:26 GMT -5
Would anyone here care to share what you felt when you first realized that Truth (the religion) is not the only way to heaven? What were those first 5 minutes like? I never was under that delusion. However it took a life time of becoming strong enough to stand up and say it. Many many years of saying to myself--That is not right---This is not right--Scripture teaches something different (all in reference to the life of meetings) Thank God that in my later years God has helped me to STAND. Well it is to early yet and I need my cafa-fix. bye bye for now. Helloooooo.---Just checking if anyone got out of the Hole yet.
|
|
|
Post by Joy and Relief on Jul 29, 2007 17:09:44 GMT -5
I can't recall the first five minutes but certainly the first five days/ weeks were of great sheer joy and relief - joy that I would never again have to be associated with the embarrassment of being a Cooneyite and all those strange people and relief that I wasn't actually going to hell after all. There was also a sense of anger at having been duped which has developed over time first into contempt and then into sheer indifference to the point where I now view the 2x2 sect as being no different to that of the JWs or Mormons. A bit of a joke really.
|
|
|
Post by Brad Lewis on Jul 29, 2007 21:08:14 GMT -5
Relief. Pure relief and then responsibility. It dawned on me that these were not God's people. They were just members of just another cult and that caused me to feel realy responsible for my actions and make sure I was believing in God and not some careless interpretation of Him. Brad
|
|
|
Post by momence on Oct 2, 2007 19:38:47 GMT -5
Five minutes isn't long enough to grasp the effects of what this means. Depending on the circumstances, it could take 5 months, 5 years, etc. In most cases, I believe that we never fully comprehend what it means to those of us who have professed to truly understand why it happened to US. Just like the previous life, we couldn't understand why WE were saved but the sweet lady at the grocery store was not. She was Baptist and shame on her. She didn't come to the gospel meeting I invited her to, so she lost her opportunity and would be sorry for that in eternity. As a matter of fact, that would be the only thing she would remember in eternity. Or so I was told - all of my life..........until now....and I understand Grace. But I can't go tell the sweet old lady I'm sorry I judged her - incorrectly. She died not long ago. More than 5 minutes ago. The future will never be the same because of the past. Freedom now? yes Sadness still - because the ones I love, they love me less. They don't say so, would not admit it, but less...because I'm going to hell, and they know it. Hopefully, in 5 minutes they'll change their minds.........
|
|
|
Post by wingsofaneagle on Oct 2, 2007 19:46:54 GMT -5
My reaction was much like "a believer". I was devastated to tell you the truth. Most of all I was so mad at myself for allowing myself to be deceived for so long! I wasn't mad at the workers, or the friends, just myself! I was sad, very sad and scared. My entire life was wrapped up "truth" and I didn't know what was next. I cried and cried and cried and cried somemore. I prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed somemore. Then I had peace.
|
|
|
Post by smiling on Oct 2, 2007 20:53:45 GMT -5
Would anyone here care to share what you felt when you first realized that Truth (the religion) is not the only way to heaven? What were those first 5 minutes like? I smiled with both my heart and face, and my feelings were similar to those that I felt when I found out that the very first object of my affection, (puppy love), felt the same way about me: pure happiness! ;D
|
|
|
Post by diet coke on Oct 2, 2007 20:56:12 GMT -5
Would anyone here care to share what you felt when you first realized that Truth (the religion) is not the only way to heaven? What were those first 5 minutes like? What if this is not the revelation I received? Also, I'm a slow thinker, NOTHING happens in five minutes for me....
|
|
|
Post by smiling on Oct 2, 2007 21:23:49 GMT -5
Would anyone here care to share what you felt when you first realized that Truth (the religion) is not the only way to heaven? What were those first 5 minutes like? I smiled with both my heart and face, and my feelings were similar to those that I felt when I found out that the very first object of my affection, (puppy love), felt the same way about me: pure happiness! ;D Forgot to say that I was that happy because before I had that revelation, I had a feeling that God's true love did not have to feel suffocating and restricting.
|
|
Nichole M
Senior Member
I John 1:5 ..... God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
Posts: 486
|
Post by Nichole M on Oct 3, 2007 20:01:22 GMT -5
The 1st five minutes were pure Joy!!! I was elated that I could know God outside the 2x2 system.
The previous 5 minutes before I left meetings were terrifying - I prayed and prayed as I felt I needed to leave the 2x2's. I was terrified that if I did I would not be able to know Jesus/God and I would go to Hell. But as I prayed and poured out my thoughts and feelings to God He led me out and into His arms. At that moment, it was the 1st time I ever felt Gods Love. I had then and still have the most wonderful joy and peace - definitely a peace that passeth all understanding.
This doesn't mean that everything has been easy - I too have felt the betrayal of being deceived - and angry. God still is working to untangle me from the teachings that I received for 36 years - It is His work in my - not my work (I would surely mess it up)
I still am elated that God brought me out and too Him!!!
|
|
skippy
Junior Member
Posts: 79
|
Post by skippy on Oct 3, 2007 21:17:19 GMT -5
Fabulous Thread. Thanks.
I can say that for months and months after things started to become so clear I kept telling my husband that the truth (in the purest sense of the word not in the sense of the religion of the friends) was exponentially exploding in my head, heart, soul. God just became immense, infinite in size.
It is still happening all the time. God is amazing. He makes me laugh and cry at the same time.
God used so many experiences and so many people to help crack my brain further and further open. I remember the biggest crack came from a brother worker whose soul I loved more than I can say. In a terrible situation in which he was grossly in error he told me to never think but just obey exactly what he said. At that moment, looking at this man I had loved so deeply and who I thought had helped me so much, the religion of the friends finally shattered completely into a thousand little pieces. He did help me just not in the way he thought.
It's amazing to be free. Thank you God.
|
|