Breakthrough with JW mother - Stunning Anti Witness ! (page 4)

garybuss

I like the Chex mix and the red paper at Christmas time.
By the way, the Kingdom Hall seats smell funny. Have you ever smelled them?

Honesty

but will someone please explain to me why it seems many here go running to beliefs and practices that are hardly improved over the WT (e.g., celebrating christmas)?

Christmas.

Christ - we all know who He is.

Mas - shortened form of mass. Mass is worship.

Hence, Christmas.

Worship Christ.

Got a problem with that?

redneckhillbilly

Thanks for the replies. I have come to appreciate this site. Those scrips are some of those I myself use.

I expected to be viewed as a "judger" despite my disclaimer. At this point, I am all for anybody judging for themselves what's acceptable- far be it from me to impose or presume or necessarily even care, whether I agree or not- so long as it's legal and doesn't harm a soul. It's just highly confusing and/or perplexing at times for me, particularly in light of historical facts regarding the origin of such things and same scriptural admonitions about the degree of cleanliness of true worship. I'm just hoping for some perspective.

I'll admit that recently my very close, beloved and depressed DF'd older sister (lives in down in south FL) confided that she, wanting to boost her spirits, celebrated christmas of sorts this year and, without questioning or judging her in any way, I simply acknowledged it and felt comforted knowing that it made her feel better.

P.S. Forgive my ignorance, as I'm the least computer-clued guy, but how exactly do you get the selected white box/statement selection, especially with yellow highlighting, to appear? Simple cut & paste? Thanks.

AlmostAtheist

>>P.S. Forgive my ignorance, as I'm the least computer-clued guy, but how exactly do you get the selected white box/statement selection, especially with yellow highlighting, to appear? Simple cut & paste? Thanks.

Hiya,

If you're using Internet Explorer, you can paste in the text you want to quote, select it with the mouse, and click the quote button in the editor. (I think it looks like a little talk balloon, top-right of the tool bar above the area you type)

If you're using firefox or netscape or anything else, you're on your own. There is a way to do it, but I can't remember it. (I'm using firefox, and I just quote like you see above, with a bold tag (<B>) and a close-bold-tag (</B>) around the quote.

On the celebrating Christmas thing, the Watchtower teaches that anything with a pagan background (like Christmas) should be avoided. But as was pointed out in a recent thread, embalming has pagan origins, and was originally used in a religious rite in Egypt. Knowing this origin, however, Joseph's family had his body embalmed. It seems from the Bible that God cares less about how a custom was once viewed and more about how you are viewing it while you're doing it.

Of course, whatever you decide is up to you. I'm not judgemental either! :-)

Dave

redneckhillbilly

garybuss- LOL (I have noticed the smell!)

Honesty- apparently I touched a nerve with you, despite my intentions to the contrary. I definitely don't require an expository regarding the defintion of christmas. As for the "worship" Christ statement yes, I do have some problem with that, as he himself would have instructed us to worship his/our/the Father.

Perhaps I misunderstood your intent. I see you're from Tennessee. Nice. I used to live in/around Memphis and Clarksville.

BTW, should anyone care to wonder, as with the apostles, I do acknowledge and accept Christ Jesus as my Lord and personal savior, for it is an absolute scriptural teaching and requirement for continued forgiveness and salvation- two things I need and desire in ultra-abundance.

redneckhillbilly

David- Thanks. Perhaps I'll try one day. I see the little balloon with quotes in it.

Regarding the info. on Joseph and embalming, very interesting. I had not known that heretofore. I agree with your statement about how Jehovah may see it. Nonetheless, can it truly be said that practically anything we do worship-wise may be acceptable to Him, contingent upon our intent? It seems that, Old Testament, New Testament or All Testament would indicate some clear lines drawn, and standards expected. The Apostle Paul was quite clear on many occasions, despite alluding to our being non-judgemental, as well as the great grace and mercy of God and Christ.

Can one possibly say the Way is and was meant to be a spiritual jumbalaya? (I mean not to infer any expertise in Cajun cuisine.)

LOL. I recall scrutinizing EVERYTHING- playing cards, wedding rings, neckties, etc.

I should have put my moniker as "the seeker", because that's exactly where I'm at (and been) right now, but I'm a proud hillbilly just the same.

AlmostAtheist

>>Can one possibly say the Way is and was meant to be a spiritual jumbalaya? (I mean not to infer any expertise in Cajun cuisine.)
LOL. I recall scrutinizing EVERYTHING- playing cards, wedding rings, neckties, etc.

I know what you mean. I also was careful to strain out every gnat. But it's hard to imagine God cares so much about things that he said so little about. Eye makeup is only mentioned twice in the bible, for instance, and both times it is attributed to someone bad. And it also is thought to originate in pagan worship. But one of Job's daughters is named after a makeup container.

There is quite a whack of evidence in the Bible that the God described therein just doesn't care all that much about the ancient origins of practices. Most of the verses we as JW's used to promote that thinking don't actually say that. It was out interpretation of the verses that supported the claim, not the verses themselves. All this "don't go following after the nations" stuff can mean anything. Can we still drive on the right side of the road? Can we still drink tea at 4pm? Where does one draw the line?

Most importantly in that regard for Bible believers, God himself didn't seem all that anxious to draw the line. It leaves me with the impression that he isn't depicted as thinking it was any big deal.

But there are those that would diagree with me right here on this board. So take everything you read with a grain of salt. Perhaps two. :-)

Dave

caryl

Wowwweee Zoweeee...........and much APLAUSE!!!!

redneckhillbilly

Thanks again for your perspective(s), David. It seems we've struck up a positive dialog/discourse (you'll find I do ALOT of these: /'s and -'s), and I look forward to future conversations. Perhaps it will become a rapport! Here's my e-mail if you should care to add it to your list and drop a line: [email protected].

P.S. How long a JW (David)? Details?

Have a good night, y'all!

serendipity

Hi redneckhillbilly! Welcome to the forum!

Breakthrough with JW mother - Stunning Anti Witness !

Share this