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>>>>I don't think how long I have known the JA is >>>>relevant. I have met people who I feel are very >>>>sincere and I accept, having read stuff here, that >>>>this may only be one side of the story, which is why >>I >>>>am asking people to respond to what I have observed. >>>> >>>>Because this is a public forum there will be many >>>>people reading this who have no experience of the JA >>>>at all and I imagine they would be interested in >>>>people's insights. There will also be people reading >>>>this who have only just met the JA and they will be >>>>interested too, particularly as some of them will no >>>>doubt have similar first impressions. >>>> >>>>As I say, I don't mean any disrespect to people >whose >>>>experience was bad, but I am interested to know how >>>>they respond to the fact that lots of people choose >>to >>>>stay. Why would people choose to be oppressed, >>>>especially as the JFC haven't taught lost salvation >>>>for a good ten years or so? >>> >>>They may no longer state explicitly that you will be >>>damned if you leave but they do say that you will be >>>under God's judgement if you break the covenant vow, >>>i.e. that God may be gracious to you, (you may be >>>saved 'through fire') but ultimately you are being >>>disobediant and therefore the implication is that >>>leaving the JA is to set off on the road of >>>backsliding and possible apostasy. I think this is >one >>>force that keeps people in the JA. There are other, >>>deeper psychological reasons. For many people >>>"choosing to stay" in the JA is like choosing to stay >>>in a bad marriage. There is a lot at stake by leaving >>>and a lot of fears to confront if you do, especially >>>if you have been in the church most of your life - >you >>>have friendships there that you may be scared of >>>losing (which you will as people will be unlikely to >>>remain friends with you if you leave). The barriers >to >>>leaving are not visible but there are psychological >>>barriers... whether you are sincere or not, is not >>>really the point. Many women who are being abused by >>>their husbands are sincere about wanting to stay and >>>making it work, but they often live with the myth >that >>>he will change. Sometimes he is nice and kind and >>>shows he loves her and she clings on to that. It can >>>be the same with people in the JA... sometimes they >>>feel loved, but this 'love' is conditional and >fosters >>>a sense of dependency. It is not like love in a >>>healthy family situation. I know that my parents >would >>>be there for me and love me whatever I did. When I >>>left the JA they totally shunned me and the leader >>>actually told people not to visit me. There is a >>>system of emotional reward and punishment which is >>>used as a form of control in the JA... as in abusive >>>relationships. >>ok so i have known the ja 4 13yrs now when i first met >>them i was homless but i resent that many think i was >>vunerable because of that i have come and gone through >>out my time with them and i have only felt love and >>support from them not pressure 2 conform and become a >>sheep i have always kept my individuality and i have >>become a christian through love and support i thank >>god that i met them i love the worship and praise they >>give 2 god in every meeting ,i have tried other >>churches on my travels round the country and none have >>compared 2 the ja > >I think the Jesus Army seems to a lot of people "quite >nice" because they have not much knowledge of the >Bible, so that they can easily be conned into things >that seem right on the surface. And if your conscience >is not stimulated by the elders to find out more >yourself of the Bible, then you could get quite a >false picture of the reality in Christ. My advice: >keep on searching for the Truth!
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