Conscience matters™

by serenitynow! 10 Replies latest jw friends

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  serenitynow!

  OTWO's b-day thread got me thinking about this strange JW loophole.

  Did anyone use the rationale of something being a "conscience matter" to do something that may not have been explicitly condemned in the scriptures or in the lit, or not confess something?

  I realize I did that for the acceptance of b-day discounts, holiday work bonuses, etc. Also for R rated movies, and going to bars.

  I did during the last presidential election when I voted for the first time while still a believing JW. I thought to myself, "I choose to interpret the scriptures differently" regarding being no part of the world and not taking part in politics, which of course is blasphemy (in JWland).

  Many times I considered anything short of actual fornication to be a conscience matter, and I could just confess in prayer; then it's all good 'til the next time. Imagine my surprise when I saw people getting d/f'd for "loose conduct" which is not quite fornication, as far as I know.

  Am I the only one that considered "conscience matters" as a means to do things you wanted to do if they were kind of in a grey area?
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  ShirleyW

  Too numerous to count how many witnesses did that for the acceptance of birthday discounts and especially bonuses from their jobs and R rated movies.
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  trueblue

  I have thought about going ahead and have sex without marriage. Who knows maybe she would like it and stick around.

  I thinks the scriptures say not to practice fornication.

  I thinks I would be trying to find someone who likes me.

  Haven't seen anyone at the KH that interests me.
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  ShirleyW

  Trueblue - Let your conscience be your guide as you seek companionship from the local watering hole in your area, also let your conscience be your guide as you and your new companion sit thru that naughty R-rated flick, perhaps win the "nekkid parts" appear on the screen you can offer a "brief prayer to Jah" for his forgiveness. . .
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  WTWizard

  What they always did with me is to use the strictest version of whatever they were trying to teach me. They would say that I could die if I did a "conscience matter" item and someone else was "stumbled" by my doing it. And they kept nagging to get me all the way against everything--especially in areas like music, playing video games, and eating foods that had holiday wrappings.
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  trueblue

  May as well, always getting accused of someting that isn't true any ways.

  Just the other day I was walking down the street and seen this little girl crying because her cat was hit by a car and I told the little girl that it wasn't that bad because only the cats tail was broken so I tied a stick on the cats tail to hold it in place and a police officer charged me for retailing pussy on the street.
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  cantleave

  It has to be a bible WTS trained conscience before you can make such decisions.
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  Ding

  If they are determined to DF you, your conscience won't mean anything to them.
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  serenitynow!

  @trueblue- that was funny!
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  miseryloveselders

  LOL Trueblue. I walked right into that one too.

  Yesterday was a coworker's birthday. She's an older woman, you might say the grandmother like figure in the department. Every company has some. Another worker approached me and asked, "Misery, I know you don't do birthdays, but did you wish such-n-so a happy birthday?" Ya know, time stopped for a split second in a matrix like way. I thanked the coworker for reminding me, and made my way back to the old birthday girl. The whole time I'm walking back there my brain and heart were in a fierce debate as to whether or not what I'm about to do is appropriate. I'm debating how I can word this without actually saying happy birthday. Should I say, "Congratulations on making it to your 62nd year!", or "how does it feel to be another year older? Glad ya made it and your still with us!" "You cheated death another year! Congratulations!" Eventually common sense prevailed over Fred Franz and Rutherford's lunacy. I got back to the birthday gals' cubicle, and wished her a happy birthday. There's no principle or law in the Bible forbidding me from doing what I did. I don't even view it as a conscience matter now that the matter is over. I view it as a non-issue that should have never been an issue for me or anybody else in this cancer of a rotton religion established with the ideas of sick dispicable old men in Bethel.