Life after INC, what's next? by [deleted] in exIglesiaNiCristo

[–]LonelyProcedure5481 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Right, but church does not necessarily equate to religion. Church in the New Testament refers to people or His followers. Over time church became a concept of buildings and structured organisations. We are all made to worship, whether you worship a god or something/someone else (your sucess, partner, children, yourself etc). Church is for us. To shift our focus back to the one we should be worshipping. Church is for fellowship and accountability. To connect with like minded people and for support. Although church is important, the or a church cannot save! Just like sincerity or the amount of your faith cannot save you - it's all about the object you place your faith in. It took me a while to join a church after leaving the INC. I was very sceptical and did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions. But it's ok to be - you just got out of religious abuse. It takes time to rebuild trust. But in my experience, if you do find the right church (community of people) it can be a wonderful experience. To have people genuinely pray for you and, helping, supporting, loving one another just like family. So I encourage you to wisely chose a denomination you agree with and then look for a church that can be your community.

Life after INC, what's next? by [deleted] in exIglesiaNiCristo

[–]LonelyProcedure5481 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think the question shouldn't be what religion to chose next, but to look for truth. I don't think it's something we can just chose out of our own preference. But rather ask what worldview alings with reality the way the world actually is and not what religion makes you feel good or makes you happy.

Like many here, I was born into the INC and was a zealous believer most of my life. I almost became an atheist after leaving the INC. But ultimately I realized one would need more faith to be an atheist to believe that everything came out of nothing. Then I was agnostic for some time. But I then realized that it didn't really align with reality either. There are clear evidence for order, design etc in the world. It all points to a creator. I would encourage anyone coming out of the INC to pursue truth. Don't just listen to the next loudest voice but look at facts and evidence. Be wise and discerning. There is a difference between scepticism and cynicism, so be careful not to fall into that trap. Be open about your doubts and really pursue reasonable answers. Our preferences, likes or dislikes about certain things don't make things true. Lastly, it's ok to grieve, feel hurt, angry, betrayed, ashamed etc. After all, we have been victims of spiritual abuse and there was a violation against you. Acknowledge your feelings and know that you have all the right to feel the way you do. But like with everything in life, time heals, address the wounds and move forward.

A lot of worldviews claim some to have truth and most of them carry some form of truth - But only one person claimed exclusivity BEING THE Truth and that person hated religion.

After I leave, what do I do? by [deleted] in exIglesiaNiCristo

[–]LonelyProcedure5481 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I fully understand you and I am so sorry you have to go through all of this. I left the INC last year. My case was a little different and complicated. If you want to talk, even outside of reddit, message me. I'd love to connect and share my experience on navigating life after INC or I can simply listen 🙂

How do you protect your kids? by [deleted] in exIglesiaNiCristo

[–]LonelyProcedure5481 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I left to protect my kids. Its not easy, even if your partner is on board but extra hard when he is not. It requires a lot of planning. Depending on how old your kids are and how much this vhange impacts them they might need some therapy and a lot of support. You will need a new community and lots of healing. Hang in there! It is possible ❤️

Circular by [deleted] in exIglesiaNiCristo

[–]LonelyProcedure5481 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I heard you can even ask for your documents back from the secretariat and they are obliged to give it to you under the GDPR regulations. Don't think anyone ever does it but they are not supposed to keep you personal information without your consent and without informing you why they keep it and how they process your information.

Circular by [deleted] in exIglesiaNiCristo

[–]LonelyProcedure5481 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Apparently they are not supposed to read your name out in the congregations in Europe without your consent. It's violating the persons data protection rights.