by crochunter 10 Replies latest jw friends
some people that come here regularly, do so to rationalize the fact that they have left the organization?
That's kind of how I feel. We talk about false prophecies, etc that the WTBTS has done in the past, but if you believe the bible is real, isn't someone right? Whether it's the Mormons, JW or whoever.
The question I think about is "is the bible for real" if it is, aren't most of us doomed? I almost wish it wasn't real.
Just some thoughts.
Croc,
Some come here for the reason you mentioned.
This is not the case for me or many others though.
It's always nice to associate with people with simular backgrounds.We make new friends here and it softens the terrible void that happend when we lost all friends and family at once because of this religion.
WT has hurt and lied to us and they continue to do so.We don't like seeing this happen to our families and friends either.
Some of us want to expose their hypocricy.
There are lots of reasons for us being here.
Also I believe the bible is a real book but I don't believe it is inspired by God.
This comes as a result of actually reading the whole thing and doing lots of research.
The Age of reason by Thomas Paine is one book I found especially interesting when it comes to the Bible.
Here is the website where you can read it,
* http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/thomas_paine/age_of_reason/
Ranchette
croc I feel the main reason I come here now, after being inactive for 3 years, isn't to justify my leaving or to expose the Watchtower. It's just that many of the people here just "get it". They know and understand what I've gone through and vice versa.
I find no interest in discussing doctrine. That has all been worked out in my mind a long time ago.
Crochunter,
Read the "Jesus Mysteries". An eye opener for me.
TR
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
—Edmund Burke
:The question I think about is "is the bible for real" if it is, aren't most of us doomed?
It's hard to answer you seriously, as I have come to believe that thinking "the bible is for real" is as silly as believing in Santa Clause.
Do even a little research, and you will find that no one can give you even the slightest evidence to believe the Bible is from a supernatural source. None. Nada. Zip. Zilch. It boggles the mind to think that we all believed it so, and believed it so intensly; no one more so than me.
Having said that, I hope that even if you cling to a belief in the Bible, you will study it enough to find a way to believe that God isn't out to kill everyone who doesn't follow 12 angry men from Brooklyn. Or the leadership of any religion for that matter.
Think about it, Croc, what could one man possibly have, that would get him closer to God than another man? A fertile imagination is the only answer I can come up with.
Crochunter,
Don't beat yourself too badly. Follow 6of9's advice and just check out the Bible. As I was leaving the Witnesses, I also realized that I had to take a serious look at the Bible. I wanted to clearly feel that I was making the right decisions.
I investigated it very carefully - especially the Genesis accounts. The Bible, like the theology of Jehovah's Witnesses, simply crumbled and collapsed. I understood why the Witnesses had made fun of and condemned what they termed "higher criticism" for years - they are scared to death of it. The Bible simply does not live up to its claims anymore than the Witnesses live up to theirs.
Is the Bible for real? That was your question, and the answer is that it's not "for real" in the way you're worried about.
S4
Paradoxically, although I no longer believe in the Bible, I come here for a
Biblical reason. The Bible says, "Do not forsake the gathering of yourselves
together."
JW's do this to encourage one another in their faith. I come here to encourage
myself in my disbelief.
As a currently active Witness, I find meetings to be depressing and iritating.
Coming here is like a breath of fresh air, a place where people can actually
say what they think.
I find this place encouraging and refreshing. No other reason.
And as for the Bible. Well, forget everything that you have been told about it,
and read it from the beginning. You won't get past the first 10 chapters. It's
trash.
RunningMan,
You sound like I felt a few years ago. I was trying to still attend meetings for my wife's sake (she's still a JW) but I also found them so depressing and irritating that eventually I just had to stop going.
Like you, I found these websites refreshing. And when I actually started reading the Bible to see what it REALLY said, I got about 18 chapters done. When I got to the part where Jehovah appears to Abraham and they have this big discussion over lunch, I knew I was out of there. When, as a Witness, you read a direct statement like that, and then you immediately have to say, "Well, it really means that an angel of Jehovah appeared to old Abe," then you see that the Bible is a nice book of myths.
S4
CROTCHhunter?
Oh well. Must be an Aussie I guess.
Englishman.
Bring on the dancing girls!
The bible is just a book. You need to research matters yourself. I hope you take the time to do so. IMO there is no absolute truth!
ISP
