Some "final" (perhaps), thoughts, then, if I may (peace to you, ALL!):
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There's just nowhere to go with you all...
Forgive me if what I am about state offends, dear Char (peace to you!)... but I hope that rather than take offense you TRY to HEAR what I am sharing with you:
Exactly "where" are you TRYING to "go" with us? Indeed, are YOU... TRULY... TRYING... to go WITH us... or are you TRYING to get US... to go with YOU? If the former, then how can you reject what we share with you? Even you often acknowledge that things are TRUE. So, where, dear one, are you trying to take us... and why? From the responses here, can you not see that WE consider your "direction" as leading AWAY from Christ, not TO him? You rarely, RARELY... refer to him/his words. Instead, you often "opine" as to those forms of belief/worship that make you "feel good." And that's totally OKAY... for YOU. We are not trying to go with YOU on YOUR course, luv. We have REJECTED that course. We also don't TRY to take you with us on ours... because we know it is not UP to us. We can only share what we RECEIVE... whether others hear... or refrain. If you HEAR... WONDERFUL! Praise JAH! If you don't... that's between you and him. Right? But we don't take issue with you for NOT hearing (although, I have taken issue with your change in stance on whether you DO or not... and how... and whether you've changed your profession of that when it's convenient...).
Now, if you are TRULY... TRYING... to "go"... "with" us... then you can't (righteously) come HERE, can you... and take issue with WHERE we SAY we're GOING... or more importantly, WHO... WE say we're FOLLOWING... unless Christ himself SENT you to do that, yes? And you have NEVER made THAT profession. So, we have no recourse but to believe that either (1) YOU come...
because Christ has led you here so as to "go with" US (and so, not we with YOU)... where HE is leading US ("into ALL truth")... and I have shared with you more than once that that is MY understanding, indeed, it was why he called you OUT of the WTBTS: to follow HIM)...
Or you have come on your own.
If it is the first (and, again, I have shared that I believe it is)... then it is you who is "pushing AGAINST the goad" (you know, that long staff thing-y that a SHEPHERD uses to
guidesheep?) as to Christ, not us, yes? Because you are ignoring HIS leading.
If it is the second (and, again, I don't believe it is, but YOU might think so, so just to give the benefit of the doubt), then there is no basis or reason FOR us to listen to you... go with you... or change what WE know and understand to comport with what YOU wish us to [know and understand]. It is simply what YOU want/wish, YOUR will... and not what CHRIST wants/wishes... or HIS will.
And since HE is our Teacher, Leader, Guide, Master, Lord, Savior, and King... any expectation that we put anyone ELSE'S beliefs, understandings, opinions, assertions, assumptions, presumptions, or speculations ABOVE his... even hold them UP to his... is kind of ridiculous. Wouldn't you say?
If HE is the Truth... and we absolutely believe he IS... then what OTHER "truth"... and from what OTHER source... can trump HIM/HIS truth?
Yet, that seems to be what you are asking: consider that perhaps HE is the liar... and not you or those YOU follow.
Our FAITH, however... IN HIM... along with his either showing us where it IS written and/or his FULFILLMENT of what he tells us... TELLS us... it ain't him, luv. That he's not the imposterish perpetrator of truth, but the real deal. NO ONE else can say this. Not the WTBTS GB, not Pat Robertson, not Jimmy Swaggert, Billy Graham, Ghandi, Mother Teresa... or the Pope O' the Day, whoever that one might be.
Now, that YOU need to put YOUR faith in such others... rather than SOLELY in him... is on you. Your prerogative and thus your choice. And WE do not fault you FOR it. We try to admonish you AGAINST it... but our love for you hasn't failed because you DO.
And so, we have never written you off nor rejected you as our sister (in Christ). And we wouldn't, save blasphemy, in whci case, we CAN'T call you our "brother." The spirit won't allow it, luv.
YOU are the one who keeps resorting to rejecting us... because you can't get us to a place of "agreement" with YOU.
Do you SEE?
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There is hardly any common ground between us at all.
Yet, "hardly," is not "none," is it? Does there need to be MORE... than Christ and holy spirit?
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It doesn't occur to you that perhaps I might feel both frustrated and really very sad indeed.
It does to ME, but I don't think it's occurring for the reason YOU think it is. You (perhaps) think it's because we don't have a greater "common ground." For us, that's irrelevant, though. And so I think perhaps what you're experiencing is a feeling of "rejection." But we have NOT rejected you...
or anyone. We do ask not to be attacked/harassed. Otherwise, to the contrary, we KEEP saying "COME!!" If you cannot "go with" us, though, then perhaps THAT is the underlying reason for your sadness: that like those who couldn't go with Christ when HE invited THEM... because their HEARTS was elsewhere... you cannot... because YOUR heart is "elsewhere." Indeed, we have been trying to help you SEE that - that it may be on people and things... OTHER than Christ... and his kingdom. A review of what you share with us MIGHT help you "see" how perhaps that is situation for you, too, at this time.
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I am actually very, very disappointed. For a short moment, against all the evidence and history, I thought that we had enough in common to be able to move forward.
If CHRIST isn't enough, dear one... then I venture to say... nothing is. Nor will be. Not for US.
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But it is clearly not to be.
Then that's your decision, not ours. We can live with our decisions, as I am sure you can live with yours. But you know where we are... and we're not hiding from ANYONE.
Again, peace to you, dear, dear Char!
YSSFS of Christ,
Shellamar