Posted by morloc [morloc] on November 26, 1999 at 17:12:23 {2lTH7z2znEhsQyEhx3O6LcBL1s11Cg}:
In Reply to: *Question For Witnesses posted by Alan on November 26, 1999 at 10:42:00:
Certainly the congregations are an important part of a Christian's life-- it's a means to measure one's own spirituality and it allows for fellowship and a strength that cannot wholly exist on an individual basis. The problem seems to lie in adjoining one's self to a congregation of believers who may be under the sway of doctrinal error, mismanagement, misconstrued beliefs, or any other several problematic issues.
This can have an adverse effect on the Christian who is adjoining his or herself to that congregation, because the problems will "rub off" onto the newcomer and may even come to be perceived as "normal" and acceptable. I have to believe that when Jesus handed out his view on those congregations in Revelation, any outsider must have seen those things, too. And any person who DID see such things taking place would be hard-pressed to adjoin themselves with that congregation--thus losing out on the benefit of the congregation... for the sake of one's own spirituality. The question, then, is where does one draw the line between recognizing that the congregation is extremely important to the Christian, much as the family is to a child, and recognizing that it would be spiritually damaging to belong to a congregation (or group of believers) who have serious problems from Christ's viewpoint?
I'm not saying that any answer can be quickly given, because it is so dependent on one's own conscience. But, at least for me, this is an issue that will determine how I shall approach my "belonging to" and "being recognized as one who is in association with" Jehovah's Witnesses.
I have the facts. I have read and heard all the arguments. I've spent MONTHS poring over all the pros and cons. What it comes down to, at least for me, is this: I am not looking for an excuse to leave... I am looking for a reason to STAY.
Submitted for your perusal,
morloc