Claims by Jehovah's Witnesses

by joelbear 11 Replies latest jw friends

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  joelbear

  Jehovahs Witnesses claim to be happier than non-Jehovah's Witnesses.

  Jehovah's Witnesses claim to be happier because they live in a spiritual paradise where everyone is more loving and more moral.

  One of the reasons I left is very simply because I found these two claims to be false.

  I disproved them by one simple action; getting to know non-Jehovah's Witnesses. The more I did this, the more I found that happiness and kindness were traits that were not associated with any particular religious, social, business, ethnic or political group. Happiness and kindness instead were associated with very individual qualities: self confidence, good naturedness, humility, generosity of spirit and patience, among others.

  I continue to try to apply these traits to my life and study those around me who display these traits. I think this is the way to happiness and indeed I also believe it is the way to god.

  take care

  Joel
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  Seeker4

  Exactly so, Joel. Found out the same things myself. Wonderful folks and silly jerks abound everywhere. The Watchtower "spiritual paradise" is just a sorry figment of someone's imagination. The reality of Watchtower World is a far cry from any kind of paradise.

  Thanks for the thoughts.
  S4
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  Yadirf

  Joelbear

  You really didn't have to delete the comments that you had already made in the other thread---> http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=16485&site=3 One thing that I recall that you had said in what you deleted is "if there is a god". Of course that goes real well with your statement below:

  indeed I also believe it is the way to god.

  Daniel 11:35 ... a KEY prophecy that must be fulfilled before the "time of the end" gets underway.
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  ashitaka

  I agree, Joel. There are a few JW's who qualify....it's the person which determines the personality....

  ashi
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  moman

  JW's do live in a PARADISE.....A "FOOLS PARADISE"!!!!!!!!!!!
  -fastone-
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  joelbear

  Yes, my feelings about god are ambiguous at best.

  I usually differentiate in my writings between

  God (capital G) -- The Biblical God or God as a person as defined by various religions. Of course, various religions define God the person differently. But nonetheless I usually refer to this personal defined God as God. This is the God that I do not believe religion has defined logically enough for me to believe in. Yet, I do not close the door on being convinced of this God's existence.

  god (little g) -- My own definition of god, being composed of all life, human and non-human, whose uniting energy is love. I believe that finding unity with this god is what brings happiness and what defines our life. You might, if you have time, want to read my Lifeism page on my web site which goes into more detail on my views on god. As I continue to read, learn and experience, my views on god evolve, but the core of my Lifeism views haven't changed much since their inception several years ago. I am not so presumptuous as to promote them as truth, I present them only as theory or as a possibility.

  Joel
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  Billygoat

  Joel,

  Great comments! It is so true isn't it? I frequent a JW board on Yahoo and am always shocked and amazed at the back-biting, snippy, rude remarks I see there. Brotherly love? Yeah - and I'm Mother Theresa! You'd think that since I've been out for 11 years that I wouldn't be surprised about how many kind and loving "worldly" people I meet, but sometimes I still am. Like when I came to this board I met JanH and Kent, I though to myself, "Wow! They're so cool and they're atheists! AND Norwegian!" ((()))

  Just kidding guys! But seriously, I was surprised that the apostates on this board didn't have horns and tails and ask me to wear a crown of pentagrams.

  Andi
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  NameWithheld

  Yep, I responded to this thought in another message you wrote awhile back. One eye-opening 'thing' for me was finally being involved in a 'worldly' group of sorts, and slowly realizing that that group of people behaved EXACTLY the same as JWs. No difference. Some good people, some bad, lot's of gossip, politics, etc. Once your eyes open to the fact that the JW world is no different than the 'real' world you can begin to realize many other things. Step one to removing the rose colored glasses.

  I really think this is one reason that the GB stresses the 'need' to stay away from ANY non-JW group of people, including stuff like charity, so as to keep all the JWs confined to themselves, never having the opportunity to see that people are just people, no matter what they label themselves. This is especially true for JWs raised as JWs.
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  slipnslidemaster

  Joel, well said.

  I always had a very hard time with this and reconciling the cliches in my congregation. I was just simply AMAZED when "worldly" people were nice to me. And I mean go out of their way nice.

  It blew my mind. I had been lied too. These people were not Satanists, selfish, self absorbed chicken killers. They were humans with love and caring and selfless acts. I'm really starting to hate being lied too.

  Slipnslidemaster:"The average person thinks he isn't."
  - Father Larry Lorenzoni
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  ashitaka

  I see that athiests tend to be kinder, or at least more 'real' because they love for the day, (and live for the day) instead of living for the future which may never come.

  Eternity? Let's be humans right now; I am this close to becoming an athiest, so close to stop believing. Just love people, and let God see how we really are without the promise of a reward.

  ashi