Leave

Written by a sister in Christ


I want to leave the True Jesus Church.
Why?
-I no longer have faith in the doctrines, apart from One True God and perhaps keeping the Sabbath as the seventh day of the week: Saturday, not Sunday.
-I believe in the Holy Spirit but think it can be found in other churches, and there is no requirement that you have to pray in tongues because it is not expressly mandated as such in the Bible.
-I believe in the Bible.
-I believe in Jesus and the power of His resurrection.
-I believe in His commandments to love God and to love one another as you would love yourself.
-I believe in treating each person with respect, regardless of his or her station in life. I believe we should be impartial.
-I believe in setting our sights on heavenly things. I believe that money is the root of all evil.
-I believe in spreading the gospel of salvation to nonbelievers, atheists, agnostics, Daoists, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus and Jews.
-I believe in reflection and in repentance and prayer.

What don't I believe?
-Criticizing other denominations in sermons and proclaiming that ours is the only true path to salvation. If you do not ascribe to the 10 basic beliefs, you are condemned to hell. This is the teaching. I am going to church out of fear. Shouldn't I be going out of reverence to God?
-Judging members who do not attend Sabbath for being unholy.
-Judging members who marry non-believers or Christians of other denominations as being unholy.
-Stigmatizing women in their late 20s or 30s who are unmarried and judging them for being "picky."
-Judging people who dye their hair different colors, have tattoos or piercings in strange places.
-Setting out a TJC "educational" plan whereby one must attend NYTS, PVMP and become a church leader in order to be "holy" and therefore, respected by other church members.
-Labeling people who express different viewpoints as "lost sheep" who must be guided back to the correct interpretation, rather than engaging in fruitful discussion and listening to their viewpoints.
-Ignoring the needs of the poor and underserved in the community and failing to acknowledge the importance of community service and social justice in the life of a Christian.
-Using the pulpit as a means to preach against the corruption and moral depravity of modern society, such as gay marriage, rather than against racial violence and xenophobia, which are equally pressing issues.
-Cultural homogeneity and the refusal to acknowledge that it exists in church.
-Starting a "Spanish-speaking" ministry to preach to the Latino community and ignoring the fact that millions of Latinos are American-born and speak English as their primary language.  Focus should be on bringing culturally assimilated Latinos to church as well.