Hello everyone, from CO.

[casey]

I have been hanging around for a long time,I just
recently became a member,the best to all of you.


                      Casey

[Wanda]

Hi Casey,

It's great you've decided to join in. I was hanging around for awhile myself before joining.

Wanda

[Musterseed]

Welcome Casey

In Christ,,,Pamela

[Rhys 🕊]

Welcome Casey. Good to have you here.

Rhys 😉

[Dennis Vogel]

Hi Casey, happy to see you here.

Dennis

[Dave in Tenn]

Good to meet you, Casey.

[virginiabm]

Hi Casey good to see you

[Joel]

Hello Casey, welcome!

Joel

[Cherry]

I have been hanging around for a long time,I just
recently became a member,the best to all of you.


                      Casey

Hello Casey and welcome!

[indianabob]

Hi Casey,

Great  to have you on the forum.
Love to know more about you.

Old (83) Indiana bob

[casey]

Hello Indiana Bob, I live in Castle Rock Co I have lived here about 5 years,I moved here because I wanted to be near two
of my grandaughters. I have an in-law suite at my daughters house. I moved here from hebron Ohio I lived there about 3
years, I moved to hebron from Akron Ohio because I wanted to be near my sick mother, I got to spend A lot of time with
her before she died, at 89.I have been retired for almost 13 years, my wife died of cancer in 1994 we had been married
for 28 years. When I was about 15 I started to listen to A man on the radio by the name of Herbert W Armstrong who was
the leader of the Radio church of God(later named World wide Church of God). I went into the Army at A young age, I
continued to listen Mr Armstrong and embraced his teachings, A couple of years after I got out of the Army, I became A
member of his church,I was in this church about 20 some years, I was ask to leave this church because I supported
Garner Ted Armstrong, Mr Herbert Armstrongs son who was put out of WWCG. Sometime later I became A member of the
Church of God International, this was an offshoot of the WWCG, they taught about the same thing I was A member for
several years,I want say here that the people in WWCG and the CGI are great people from what I experienced, God has not
opened their minds yet. I begin to see things I did not agree with, after A few years resigned. I still belived in God, but my lifestile was not what it should be,sometime after this I came across BT, I think it was around 2006 or 2007,Ray had mention
on BT that he was going to be holding a conference,I went to the conference and had A chance to have lunch with Ray
and his wife, I felt he was truly A humble man and someone God was using.Since then I have been hanging around the forum, I have read (The Lake of Fire) several times and I plan on reading it more, I have learned so much from reading it,
seems like the more I learn the more I need and want to learn. My life is A little hard right now, my health is not real good,
I gambled in the stock market for several years and lost almost everything I had,ect,ect,ect, but don't pray for me too
much God is chastening me. Thank You (Old Indiana Bob) for asking. I hope to be around for awhile.

[indianabob]

Hi again Casey,

Sounds like you have a lot to share.
My life was similar and I was in WCG from 1969 to 1999, easing out for about five years until I finally heard about L. Ray. Attended the conference in 2006 I think and met Ray and dropped WCG completely.
I will leave it there unless someone has specific questions.
Great to learn all about you.
Thanks much, Indianabob

[Heidi]

Hi Casey, welcome to the forum.  We all have had similar stories to share, I can hear Ray say, "not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called"
What a privilege to be shown these truths.  I hope you are as humbled as I am. 
Heidi

[Deblyn]

Welcome to BTF, Casey. God bless you as you continue to grow on your journey with Him.
There is so much to glean from the "Lake of Fire" book-as well as on this forum.

[indianabob]

Hi Deblyn,

Just learned of you today.
Checked up on your original post from 2015 and found the song "Dark Angel"
Looked it up on youtube and listened to Haley Westenra's presentation.
Very interesting and inspiring.
Thought you would want to know...that your offering was appreciated.

Regards, Indianabob

[microlink]

Hi again Casey,

Sounds like you have a lot to share.
My life was similar and I was in WCG from 1969 to 1999, easing out for about five years until I finally heard about L. Ray. Attended the conference in 2006 I think and met Ray and dropped WCG completely.
I will leave it there unless someone has specific questions.
Great to learn all about you.
Thanks much, Indianabob

I too was a member of WCG for many years, but finally had enough in 1995 and left. joined some of the offshoots, but they had much the same teachings and internal squabbles. When I found Ray Smith on this forum and read his works, it helped me understand more of the truth. Grateful for that. 

[Wanda]

Interesting so many from WCG continue to look for truth in God's word. I find just the opposite with many who leave the JW'S religion. I suppose I'm one of a small minority from what I've discovered.

I think the reason is because of the belief,  from extreme brainwashing, (indoctrination) that this is the only true religion on the earth today. Being convinced,  if you leave, there is no where else to go, truly has a deep and lasting effect on the majority who leave. They either stop believing in God altogether, just to cope, or go into Babylonian Churches, abandoning all former beliefs. Some return to the religion for fear of dying at Armageddon, which they're taught is the end of life forever.

The  shunning aspect leaving has on a persons life, is overwhelming too. loosing all friends and family has kept many from leaving and some to return as well. The God of love is a total mystery and contradiction to this religion.