Lovers of pleasures rather then lovers of God?

by ldrnomo 10 Replies latest jw friends

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  ldrnomo

  This scripture popped into my head this morning for some reason and I have to ask the question. If God created all things then he certainly created those things that are pleasurable so why is it one or the other? If you love pleasure, can't you also love God? And isn't pleasure part of God? For example when you are having sex, isn't that a way of displaying love and God is love so you are not only loving your partner but loving God. And even if one chooses to pleasure themselves, I would think they would be showing love to themselves.

  The general mind set of the many different religious teachings is that one deny pleasures as a means of sacrificing to God. IE: Priests, Nuns, Munks (of all persuasions), Jehovah's Witness who choose to "pioneer" rather then get married have a family buy a house and enjoy the pleasures of life, Jews who stand at some wall and bob their heads up and down for hours and Muslims who wear black sheets over their bodies so no one can see the beauty "God" created or wrap towels around their head in the heat and humidity of summer (that's got to be uncomfortable) ETC.

  You can probably all think of other things people do to deny themselves pleasure.

  I realize that there is a line of balance to be followed here but do you think that many religious people walk on the side of less pleasure to "please God"?

  LD
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  sd-7

  Of course. And the irony for a Christian religion to suggest that is that Jesus was soooooo not like that. He came "eating and drinking", and was judged as a glutton by the people around him. He obviously knew how to enjoy life while pleasing God at the same time. The unbalanced attitude in the JW religion always struck me as peculiar. Ah. That line keeps coming back to me, the circuit overseer's famous words that convinced me I was in a cult: "You don't deserve a vacation! That's Satan's thinking!"

  One can love pleasure and love God. God made us for the purpose of watching us enjoy life, not just march in lock-step to his directions and nothing else beyond that. Of course, it makes sense that one has to be balanced with pleasure just like one has to be balanced with food. You can't eat nothing but junk food and expect to be healthy. You have to eat a balanced diet. Same with pleasure--don't overdo it, or you'll never get anything meaningful done. Sometimes you have to focus, for the sake of work, worship, family, whatever. I think that's how it should be. But that's just opinion.

  --Christopher
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  AGuest

  May you have peace!

  Do you think that many religious people walk on the side of less pleasure to "please God"?

  Yes. And are, for the most part, very unhappy and VERY unfulfilled. But that's because most of them don't understand what is meant by "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." "Pleasure" is what we, humans, experience most often by means of the senses of our flesh: sight, touch, sound, taste, smell. God, however, is a spirit and cannot be "realized" with the senses of the flesh... but must be seen, heard, touched, smelled, and "tasted" by the spirit! Since so many go out after pleasing their FLESH... meaning, go after "sensual" pleasure... they actually only further the "curtain" that is BETWEEN them and God... the flesh.

  IF, however, they would allow themselves to TRANSCEND the flesh (which is NOT something they are taught; to the contrary, they are blasphemously taught that such teachings are from "demons")... so as to be IN SPIRIT (which we can only do to a very small extent via holy spirit as the full reality will not come until the flesh is put OFF and the spirit body... "white robes"... "white OUTER garments"... are put ON), they would get and understand what Paul meant when he said, "God is a SPIRIT... and those who worship Him MUST worship Him... IN SPIRIT... through (no, the word was not "and in') the Truth (John 14:6).

  Unfortunately, earthling man continually tries to "realize" God through the senses of their flesh. More... and more. Thus, their ability to realize God at ALL... has consistely decreased over the existance of earthling man. And so, rather than moving closer to God... because we are SO caught up in experiencing everything by means of the flesh we only become farther removed from God. And that's why "we" can't hear... or see... or touch... Him.

  It's not God's fault. It's earthling man's.

  I bid you peace!

  A slave of Christ,

  SA
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  PSacramento

  Is there any greater pleasure than love?
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  VM44

  "Lovers of pleasure"

  This is what the mother of a presiding elder said about the people waiting in line to see the first Star Wars movie. She was told that the line went completely around the outside of the movie theater!
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  frankiespeakin

  Lovers of pleasures rather then lovers of God.

  Makes sense to me!
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  Lady Lee

  The way the witnesses use that scripture I keep wondering just where those pleasures are.

  I got an education. I'm happy I got it. I love learning. But I wasn't out on the party circuit in college. I studied and took care of 2 teens and worked. Worked my butt off.

  Then I graduated and worked. Granted it was work I loved but it was work.

  I don't smoke, I rarely drink. I don't use drugs. I'm not living the high life, no sex orgies. In fact if I was hoinest there really isn't anything they could DF me for (or keep me DFed for) if I became insane and wanted to go back.

  Wel except for not believing in any of it my lifestyle would fit right in - almost. After all I can't give this place up
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  WTWizard

  Any God that creates one set of things that people need and want, and then forces them to disregard these things and work for a different set of things that they get no pleasure out of but He gets all the benefit from, does not deserve my worship. If God really did love people, either He would have set people up to get real pleasure out of Godly things, or He would have adjusted His will so people would be willed to do things that they were made to enjoy the most. But, when they are created to enjoy one set of things but ordered to give up that set and just do another set of totally misery- and stagnation-making things, that is downright low.
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  Chalam

  This scripture popped into my head this morning for some reason and I have to ask the question.

  What's your status? Are you faded or DF/DAed?

  I think the passage has come to mind to remind you of what life within the walls of the WT really is.

  2 Timothy 3:2-5 (Contemporary English Version)

  2 People will love only themselves and money. They will be proud, stuck-up, rude, and disobedient to their parents. They will also be ungrateful, godless, 3 heartless, and hateful. Their words will be cruel, and they will have no self-control or pity. These people will hate everything that is good. 4 They will be sneaky, reckless, and puffed up with pride. Instead of loving God, they will love pleasure. 5 Even though they will make a show of being religious, their religion won't be real. Don't have anything to do with such people.

  Blessings,

  Stephen
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  AGuest

  You do realize, though, don't you, dear Stephen (and the greatest of love and peace to you!)...

  That it is such people who don't get it... or want to hear it... though?

  Again, peace to you!

  A slave of Christ,

  SA