Hey everybody :)
After a post yesterday about dead loved ones returning in spirit form I started to think, from an ex JW standpoint, when it comes to the spirit world where is the middle ground? Perhaps some ex JW's don't believe in a spirit world anymore, perhaps some still do. Some people are very "informed" on spirits, the spirit realm, communication with, what to embrace and what to avoid. Others try to not think or acknowledge a spirit world at all. JW's are in fear of all spirits except those with Jehovah. Many people have had paranormal experiences, while others attribute those experiences to factors other than spirits. So for the average logical thinking person...where's the balance in view?
The Spirit World - where's the middle ground?
by feenx 8 Replies latest jw friends
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feenx
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Superfine Apostate
the average logical thinking person should look for scientific evidence.
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WTWizard
I have had books on witchcraft before going into the False. And, everything in that book could be explained with pure science. One of the tests was to put a finger about 1" away from the palm of the other hand. You would feel energy radiating from it. That is supposed to be your psychic energy. As it turns out, the palm is shaped like a parabola. This focuses the radiant heat from the palm into a point about that distance away, and that is what you are feeling.
Most other paranormal phenomena can be explained scientifically, often by thermal expansion. Many a spooky noise happens when it is very cold out, and the house is undergoing thermal contraction. Since it is probably heated, the inside contracts less than the outside. This makes for some potentially spooky noises. It is almost never dangerous in any way, and rarely causes damage unless water gets into the cracks and freezes (which will eventually create cracks). The moving orange juice pitcher or the lid popping off the Tupperware is merely what happens when air warms up, increasing the air pressure and causing things to move. Most other such things can be explained in this way.
Still other paranormal events are post-hypnotic suggestions. Often, people are programmed to believe that, if they don't do exactly as the Watchtower Society tells them, the demons will attack. From there, they will take things that can be explained otherwise for demon possession. Usually it works, as the person will throw away whatever it was that brought in the demons or stop doing whatever it was. A variant is the dream. People that are drowsy might start to hallucinate as they are about to sleep (which is perfectly normal at that time) and then suddenly wake up. They often take that for demon possession. Occasionally, people that are programmed by the medical community might take it for schizophrenia: since they hallucinated, they must have it. Either way, it is normal for a person to hallucinate just before sleeping. If the person succeeds in getting to sleep, they rarely if ever remember it.
No, I don't believe in the demons as wicked spirits that are out to harass people. Rather, they are out to disrupt God's plans. And, if God is the terrible being that always tests people inappropriately and wastes their whole lives in doing so, anything good would have to come from the demons. And, if the demons are doing good in my life, it would be totally uncharacteristic of them to attack me. That is why I am not at all afraid of Satan or any of his demons. Fact is, I have invited them with a Ouija board and have had no trouble whatsoever with them. As for trouble with Jehovah, that's another matter--even though I shredded all the litter-ature.
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feenx
What has been your experience after using the Ouija board?
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Satanus
My opinion, you can find middle ground by finding yourself. Meditation is the way to go. Books can help in pointing the way.
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rache31
I don't know about middle ground. But I have noticed from looking into other people's cultures and beliefs that everyone seems to hold some belief in spirits. Most people probably have an extensive blend of beliefs based upon personal experiences and what they were taught. My husband, for example, is from an East African country and was taught tribal and Christian beliefs. So he believes that spirits exist and abound but not always interacting with us. He wasn't afraid to embrace whatever practices or rituals other family members had in that regard either. I, on the other hand, was raised as a JW. My family taught me to be afraid of anything mystical and yet something inside of me couldn't buy into it. Was I more of a spiritual being than they? (not the "spiritual" they were used to) I don't know but I am learning a lot and getting attuned to my own set of beliefs. And I agree, WTWizard, many things are explained scientifically.
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R.Crusoe
I am going to die! There is no question!. If any of you reading this die in the next second then it is very normal human behaviour. So death is normal. If a demon were stood in front of me now I wold simply ask what his big idea was. If it is for me to die then so be it - why make a big thing of it when it happens all the time by ordinary means. No problemo!!
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M.J.
Middle ground? How about the old Hebrew belief in a shadowy semi-conscious existence in the underworld--a state of rest, if you will. Such an existence was not truly life--the perceptions, desires and activities which defined "life" ended with the death of the body. So at least in pre-exhilic times, the overwhelming focus was on the temporal, the existence and concerns of the living. Although it was possible for a "shade" to interact with the living world in various ways.
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worldtraveller
I believe that it's up to the spirit world to prove their existence, not ours.