by joelbear 19 Replies latest jw friends
In Jean-Paul Sartre's play, "The Flies," a character says:
"Fear? If I have gained anything by damning myself, it is that I no longer have anything to fear."
... and then there is Samuel Johnson's offering on happiness:
"There is nothing which has yet been contrived by man by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn."
just random thoughts on this fine Sunday morning,
Pete
Somebody once said
"We have nothing to fear, except fear itself".. very true because fear is the immobilizing emotion that robs us of joy in life and prevents us reaching out for greater things
If we practised "J W life" because of fear of Armageddon, the elders,peer pressure or whatever then it was never valid for us.
I am sure that many continue because they are afraid to think the unthinkable and face up to the realisation that they may have been wrong. It takes courage to admit a thing like that - much easier to go along in the same old routine.
happy ones are those who never challenge anything, are happy to have all their decisions made for them and and just jog along with it ..like the Beatles "Nowhere Man"
Dearest JoelBear... peace to you!
May I respond? Thank you! You ask:
What is the opposite of fear?The answer is quite simple, dear one. All one need do is ask what is the one thing Jehovah's Witnesses DON'T have?
"There is NO fear... in LOVE... but
PERFECT LOVE... throws fear OUTSIDE,
because fear... EXERCISES A RESTRAINT.
Indeed, he that is under FEAR...
has NOT been made PERFECT... in LOVE."
1 John 4:18
For those who would argue that Jehovah's Witness DO have love, I would respond that the verse said "PERFECT" love. And what is "perfect" love? My Lord is recorded to have told us:
"You HEARD it was said that you must love
your NEIGHBOR... and HATE... your ENEMY.
However, I say to YOU: continue loving...
YOUR ENEMIES... and to PRAY FOR THOSE
PERSECUTING YOU, that you may PROVE your-
selves to be sons of your Father who is in
the heavens, since he makes his sun rise
upon wicked people AND good and makes it
rain upon righteous people AND unrighteous.
"For... if you love those loving YOU...
WHAT REWARD DO YOU HAVE? Are not also the
tax collectors DOING THE SAME THING? And...
if you greet YOUR BROTHERS ONLY...
what EXTRAORDINARY thing are YOU doing?
Are not the people of the nations doing
THE SAME THING?
"YOU... MUST... ACCORDINGLY... BE PERFECT,
as your heavenly Father is PERFECT."
Matthew 5:43-48
How, then is God "perfect", so that we must imitate Him and have "perfect" love? In this way:
"Not that WE loved HIM... but that HE... loved US... first."
"As for us, WE love... because He FIRST... loved us."
So, "perfect" love, the love that loves FIRST... cast all fear OUTSIDE. And no, Jehovahs Witnesses do NOT have "perfect" love, for they do NOT love their enemies, but rather HATE them... still. Against the very command of my Lord.
I hope this helps.
Your servant and a slave of Christ,
SJ
Thank you my sister for that encouraging post and reminder!
To possess "perfect love" what an awesome fruitage to reach out for. If only I could display it more often. I will pray for it.
Thanks Again
JUST A MOM (Kim)
Hey, Kimmie-Girl... peace to you and GOOD to see you posting!
Well, don't think you're alone: there are many of us who TRY to show "perfect" love... and "stumble" many times. Personally, I am very good at it (the "stumbling" part)... particularly around certain times of the month, if you get my "drift" - LOL!
But I think that TRYING to show perfect love FAR outweights blatantly NOT showing it... know what I mean? And teaching that such a thing is "good", when in fact it is "bad"? Like "some folks we know" - LOL!
I am flesh and blood like you, and so "stumble... MANY times". Of course. I PROMISE you. In fact, you know me, so you know it's true. But, like you, I just keep on asking for 'fruit' and picking myself up... and apologizing (my Lord KNOWS I am good at that! LOL!)... and going on. As do you.
I love you, Kim... you know this... and wish you and yours the greatest of peace... to time indefinite.
Your servant, sister and fellow slave of Christ... forever,
Shel
I agree love is the most potent defense against fear and I agree that Jesus is a symbol of God's love that we should be willing to show to each other.
If 1 in a 1000 people did as good a job practicing love as they did quoting scriptures about it and saying the sames things over and over again like magic incantations, the world would be a much better place.
Joel
Hi Joel,
I wage battles against fear myself, so I can relate somewhat to your post.
You asked what is the opposite of fear, and I think that all of your answers fit that description. I think trust is also an antidote to fear. Optimism, acceptance of what is beyond our control, and trust that we will be okay. When I say trust, I'm not talking about a blind faith in something mystical or mysterious. I think (this is a work in progress for me) that it involves first trusting ourselves, trusting that we're going to screw up from time to time but that we'll still pick ourselves up and continue on. I think teejay mentioned attitude; our perception of life and its happenings play a major role in happiness.
Trusting myself and then, by extension, trusting others is a very difficult thing for me. But I believe that trust is a choice we make, a risk if you will, the we consciously decide to take. Sometimes, we're going to trust unwisely and get hurt but without the risk, there isn't any gain. I'd rather go thru life trusting and being hurt occasionally than closing myself off and never taking those risks, even tho at times it scares me to death.
After I left the JWs, I decided that I would never again let fear be the basis for my decisions and actions. I had plenty of that as a witness! I'm not perfect at it but at least I'm aware of my feelings and whenever I'm feeling fearful, I try to examine what it is that I'm afraid of. Face your fears, dear Joel, and don't let them stop you from living life to the full. Often, what we are afraid of turns out to be much less debilitating than the actual fear itself.
I've rambled enough here! Sorry bout that
Take care,
Dana
If 1 in a 1000 people did as good a job practicing love as they did quoting scriptures about it and saying the sames things over and over again like magic incantations, the world would be a much better place.
That is your opinion, JoelBear (peace to you!)... and you are most certainly entitled to it. It would seem to ME, though, that rather than always questioning the motives of others (unless we have sufficient reason... and evidence... to do so), we would do better to concern ourselves with practicing love... ourselves.
What the next man does... or does not do... is out of our control. So, I would change what you have said here to:
"I am only 1 in several billion people, but... I will do MY best... to practice love."
And if 1 in a 1000 people did the same, good. If they don't... what, truly, is it to me? I have done... what I ought to have done... and NOT in comparison with any other man. While it is true that their LACK of love... or withholding of it for whatever reason... may hurt me and cause ME pain... can I consider myself any better or different if I do the same? "Perfect" love, then, MUST... love... FIRST. And... without "restraint"... or fear. Regardless of the "return", if any.
SMILE! I am learning that myself.
Again, I bid you peace,
A slave of Christ,
SJ
P.S. Sometimes quoting things, even "scripture" or other "writings" is beneficial; humans are an 'empirical' species and thus in many instances NEED to rely on what they can see, touch, taste, smell, hear... or read. While that is unfortunate (we SHOULD be able to walk more by 'spirit' and less by 'flesh'), it is also true. Were that not the case, I do not think there would be SO many books in print. Peace!
Gopher, I had to laugh when you brought up "What About Bob"
Remember that part when Bill Murray says "wow...Death therapy...your a genius." that line always struck a cord with me, because really, that is how many view God/religion; no matter how abusive/dangerous religion is, people still somehow think they are looking out for their well being and getting a good deal.
Anyway just my 2 cents. om
OM
Sounds like we could spend an hour discussing all the implications of Richard Dreyfuss vs. Bill Murray in "What About Bob?" at our apostofest on Saturday!!!
I liked the part where Dreyfuss has him tied up with explosives, and "Bob" takes it all in stride. "Hmmm... this must mean I'm all tied up in my worries, and if I don't release those worries, I"m gonna explode!! Yeah that's it! I'm free! I'm free! Doctor you're a genius!!"
J.R.Why shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.
Mark Twain (1835-1910)
