Did Jesus Teach Parents Should be Honored?

by JosephAlward 17 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  ashitaka

  Jan never ceases to amaze me with his knowledge.
• 

  JosephAlward

  Hillary wrote, "It just seems to me, perhaps mistakenly, that you are engaged in a soul-saving, or at least saving humanity from ‘mindless beliefs’, with just about the same vigor that evangelical Christians do"

  Hillary,

  Thank you for your perceptive and very well-written post. I understand better now what you were saying, and I agree with the statement above.

  Regards,

  Joe

  Joseph F. Alward
  "Skeptical Views of Christianity and the Bible"
  http://members.aol.com/jalw/joseph_alward.html
• 

  SixofNine

  I was a JW for over 30 years Joseph and my experience is that most JW’s are not terribly interested in the Bible

  I was a JW for over 30 years as well, Hillary, and I guess I'd have to disagree. What JW's (my old self included) seem to be "not terribly interested in" is any critisicm of the bible that would cast doubt on its coming from God. If you're just saying that most JW's aren't good bible students, then yeah, I'd agree with that.

  Sure it goes thru a Brooklyn filter (and a really old, skanky one at that), but JW's get their morality, their "raison de'tre" from the Bible. Or did you think god whispered in our ears?
• 

  Judith

  For 28 years I believed that the bible was the word of God and that he dictated what he wanted in it just as a boss would dictate a letter to a secretary. I believed that God had to have an organization and that, if there was a true religion, it had to be Jehovah Witnesses. I held onto these beliefs even being inactive and eventually disassociating. Just thought that I was going down in the end because I couldn't keep up with the rules of being a witness. So I lived my life thinking God was going to destroy me. But it wouldn't be so bad since I would die and just not be resurrected.

  Now after all that I have found out about the organization and bible errors, I don't think I believe anything that I did for 28 years. I feel angry and numb. Believing was so important. Finding a purpose to life was so important. Knowing that there was a God was so important. Now I am heading towards believing that we are just here and we live and then we die. No hereafter, no resurrection, no turning into a cow, or being reborn. "What's it all about Alfie?"
• 

  hillary_step

  Hi Six Old Fellow,

  If you're just saying that most JW's aren't good bible students, then yeah, I'd agree with that.

  Yes, that is exactly what I meant. I probably worded the statement in my generally obtuse manner.

  HS
• 

  hillary_step

  Judith,

  Greetings and welcome to the funny-farm. It is an overwhelming sensation to learn that our faith in the WTS, ( because frankly, that is really what our faith was invested in ) was misplaced. You will find many here grappling with similar feelings, and they will be glad to talk things through with you. One point though

  "What's it all about Alfie?"

  If you mean Alfie, that overweight flower salesman along the street who has bad teeth, a nose like a corncob, and looks a little like Michael Caine, forget it; he does not know anything, I have already asked him.

  HS
• 

  Judith

  Hillary_step

  Funny that Alfie didn't know a thing. Thanks for checking with him.

  It was just something that came to my mind after my post - what's it all about (life that is) Is it possible that I created a God in my mind because I needed someone to worship, someone to listen, someone to believe in. Now when I awake during the night, I have no one to talk to because I don't know if anyone is out there. And praying. "Hey God, whoever or whatever you are, ah help me out here will you? I don't have a clue. And by the way, the Watchtower Society are the ones that did this to me and so many other. Can you speak to them about this."
• 

  SixofNine

  Judith

  Is it possible that I created a God in my mind because I needed someone to worship, someone to listen, someone to believe in.

  I believe the answer to that is yes. And No. Yes, that God seems a very human creation. But no, you, we, didn't create the God we worshiped, asked to listen, believed in. That God was created for us by our parents, society, our wacky religion. Nice of you to be willing to take responsibility though, I've had the same thoughts myself. The nice thing is, we can wake up and talk to ourselves in the middle of the night, should we feel the need.

  I think the word "create" gives those of us who bought into it all a bit to much credit.