Parlour Tricks of the Mind (page 7)

lisaBObeesa

On another note, I'm going to suggest that the WTS conditioning suggests and reinforces a pattern of "taking in accurate knowledge" that impedes people from "feeling" in touch with anything other than themselves and a bunch of mechanistic actions, or "works". It stiffles passion to the detriment of the soul. Ultimately it is crippling, resulting in feelings of incompleteness and a reduced ability to rise above a series of programmes. Sure extra rules may be overlaid and some may be exchanged, but the basic ability to be whole is overlooked.

Thank you, LT, for this thread.

It always seemed to me, even as a child, that the JWs seemed to be missing that one 'something' that would actually make them a religion rather than just a large club devoted to reading Watchtowers. They are missing the 'feeling.' They are missing 'spirituality.' (They have another thing called by the same name, but it is only refers to keeping up with your JW reading rather than any real connection to any sort of higher power.)

It is ironic how the the whole JW religion is built on 'rational explanations.' There is no need for any mysticism. They have 'rational' answers printed in books that you can look up. You can pray as a JW, but don't expect answers from God, expect them from the WT. Anyone who says they only prayed to God and by so doing found an answer to a problem, is look upon with extreme suspicion . Anyone who gets too excited about God is looked at as a bit crazy. Anyone who say, goes on a relaxing retreat to pray and meditate for a few days, is not a JW.

I don't know if it is connected, but is this why it was so difficult for to walk into a Chruch for so many years after I left? Is this why I felt so s elf-conscious about my religious beliefs...almost embarrassed? Had they actually taken a piece of my humanity out of me? There is no doubt that the JW's took 'something' from me and it has taken years and years to get a tiny piece of it back. I can't define this 'something' but I think this thread is about it!

I may be far from your point here, but these are just the thoughts I had when reading these posts.

Thanks again LT for this thread,

-Lis

LittleToe

Lisa:
I don't think you're missing the point at all

We are holistic beings. As soon as we trample one aspect of ourselves we set up a homeostatic reaction that manifests itself in a variety of symptoms. Just look at how many of the puritans suffered from hemorrhoids

To be candid, IMHO the WTS is not unique in this as science and religion in general can also have this affect on us in varying degrees. I guess it's how we assimilate and use the knowledge/experience that differentiates whether it will be healthy or detrimental.

Oh the joys of 21st Century living.

DDog:

I have found what he teaches to be true in every area of life, at least at some level.

Then that should alert you the fact that he must have something wrong

I guess we are greedy (I include myself in this), we only want to see truth that benefits us, or makes us feel good.

What ever happened to having faith in "all things work for the good of those that love God and are called according to His purpose", regardless of providence?

LittleToe

Deeskis:
The ego is self-perpetuating. If it allowed to become the centre of its own little world, where everything is explained rationally, it thinks itself to be that whole world. On becoming that whole world it has nothing lefdt to feed upon but itself. Entropy ensues, resulting in a mean and feeble shadow. IMHO, of course

Sixy:Tis only thrown out there to discuss, not to encourage the formation of intractable debating teams. I know it's kind of a rare concept around here, but try it sometime, ya may like it

Brucey:
Sometimes things are JW-like, sometimes they are merely human-like. Given that we are mystical patern seekers, they are always "like-like"

MegaDude

The ego is self-perpetuating. ; If it allowed to become the centre of its own little world, where everything is explained rationally, it thinks itself to be that whole world

I came to the conclusion there are systems operating in this world involving energy, thought, intent and connection with others I didn't understand but are quite real once you begin having enough coincidences. I'm not saying these systems are static or even quantifiable, but they are there.

trevor

LittleToe - this is an interesting thread and touches on a vast subject.

Some people try to divide the mind neatly into just two parts - the conscious and the unconscious or sub-conscious. In truth, the mind is not that simple and has many levels of consciousness.

All our thoughts and memories are stored in our unconscious mind and become conscious as required. Sometimes though, thoughts of which we have been conscious can disappear into the unconscious mind and we can find that though we are aware that we know of something we cannot cause it to surface again into our consciousness.

We have many thousands of memories and feelings within us, but they can only present themselves one at a time. If two feelings compete for our attention, confusion results. Our conscious mind is like an attendant keeping order. The values we have consciously accepted are stored as beliefs in our unconscious which will communicate to us through feeling.

If we try to go against our beliefs or the value system our unconscious has accepted, we suffer from anxiety and worry that something is wrong. If we have accepted a belief system that is faulty our unconscious will still cause us anxiety, if it is challenged by us or others.

A skilled Hypnotherapist can help us to make the changes that we desire to at an emotional level by helping to reprogram the computer of our mind. There are also ways that we can make these changes ourselves.

The above is not googled but are my own words taken from my own notes.

trevor

LittleToe

Trevor:

I concur wholeheartedly.

It's a huge subject and I've grossly oversimplified it for the sake of getting a conversation going around here. It makes a change from all the Fluff and Freemasonry threads

For the love of gawd, guys - DISCUSS!!!

LOL

Deputy Dog

LT

I have found what he teaches to be true in every area of life, at least at some level.
Then that should alert you the fact that he must have something wrong

You must be refering to the verse that says natural man loves truth. Where is that in your bible again?

I guess we are greedy (I include myself in this), we only want to see truth that benefits us, or makes us feel good.
What ever happened to having faith in "all things work for the good of those that love God and are called according to His purpose", regardless of providence?

Sorry, I thought we were talking about self-deception D Dog

LittleToe

Naww, I was more thinking of "all have sinned and fall short..." and that old chestnut about the heart being deceitful

Deputy Dog

LT

I guess my point is that self-deception is at the root of all "Parlor Tricks". We love to be deceived, just ask anyone who has watched a really good magician.

D Dog

LittleToe

Do you really think that "faith" is entirely rational?

Parlour Tricks of the Mind

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