by sabastious 65 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I had many of the same experiences as EmergedAsMe.
The example of the Nazis was something that used to play on my mind a lot. It didn’t help that my Dad lived thru the Second World War so he used to go on about how the Jews were persecuted and we might have to go through the same thing, etc etc.
I was deeply disturbed at age 9 when I saw in the MBofBS (My Book of Bull Sh!t) the picture of the mom holding her little baby while sitting on a rock while flood waters swirled around them.
I didn't see how a loving god would kill a little baby.
I also didn't see how state sanctioned executions at birthday parties made all birthday parties bad. I wondered if they figured out that the baker tried to poison the king.
I also worried about persecution: my skin being pulled off with pincers and being burned alive at the stake.
I was very little when I first had to contemplate that and kept on trying to prepare myself for it.
Isn't that emotional abuse of a child? Stay loyal to JH or you will be burned alive at the stake.
I was deeply disturbed at age 9 when I saw in the MBofBS (My Book of Bull Sh!t) the picture of the mom holding her little baby while sitting on a rock while flood waters swirled around them.
It's odd that the WTS would go out of the way to show specifically the babies dying.
Good thread.
I'm glad someone was able to put in words some of what I felt. Even though 'the awakening' may have come much later, there were things that, thinking back on it, happened much much earlier that were signs telling me that things didn't make sense. But we were programmed to dispel doubts and to 'rely on Jehovah' which retarded our critical thinking abilities.
It's odd that the WTS would go out of the way to show specifically the babies dying.
Fear. No one would be spared...not even babies. So as a young child, or a weak mind, it impressed on you that you were not above being on that rock alone when Armageddon came; The Flood of Noah = Armageddon today.
Fear. No one would be spared...not even babies. So as a young child, or a weak mind, it impressed on you that you were not above being on that rock alone when Armageddon came; The Flood of Noah = Armageddon today.
It genuinely makes me feel sad for them. That they feel they have to harbor THAT kind of fear into their youth in order to "keep them in the fold."
-Sab
The idea that Jesus had the 1914 generation in mind when He said "this generation will by no means pass away until all things occur."
I never bought that.
The parable of the sheep and goats related to the preaching work and doing "good" to Christ's spiritual brothers. And, who are those spiritual brothers? You guessed it!
Never bought that, either.
Syl
Here's to the MANY infants and toddlers in my family
May you get the f*ck out as soon as possible.
-Sab
Back in grade school I hated the kind of teacher that would punish the group for the actions of one person. I guess he or she figured that peer pressure would keep that kid from misbehaving in the future. I never saw it work.
So I was always bothered by all the stories in the Hebrew Scriptures where God dictated the death of thousands of innocent people because one or two people broke his law. Surely a loving, merciful God is above that sort of thing.
While at Bethel, I would regulary observe extremely unloving behavior/speech by leadership. Later, when speaking with friends and family back home, I was careful to censor my remarks, leaving any of this 'negativity' out of the conversation. I was afraid that I would 'stumble' someone.
I remember being around 5 or 6 and asking mom if in Paradise we could fall off a cliff and survive. She said"perfect people don't fall off cliffs". This made no sense to me at all...
For many years I had an issue with predator type animals not eating other animals in the New System...
The college issue always bugged me...
