Did we have the right?

by kenpodragon 19 Replies latest jw friends

  • kenpodragon
    kenpodragon

    The other day I was with a friend going to get some ice cream. I was in the mood for the basics, so when I was asked what ice cream flavor I liked, I answered "Vanilla." To be honest I have always liked Vanilla, so I figured that sounded good.

    My friend came back with, "Vanilla, that is not even a flavor ... at least do chocolate, strawberry or something fancy like Maple Nut or anything. Vanilla is just nothing, there is nothing added or anything." Well I set there thinking, "did you ask what flavor I like, just to convert me to your choice?" If so, "did you have the right?"

    So as I pondered my flavor it reminded me of something, the questions we asked at the door in field service. You know the ones, "what happens when we die?", "who is god?", "what makes a family happy?" and so on and so forth. The thing is, did we ask these questions to get a answer and listen, or did we ask to tell them they were wrong?

    Well we know the answer, we felt they were wrong and we wanted to teach them a thing or two. We wanted to show them how our religion had the right flavor and theirs was just a simple religion with no real ingredients. Well did we have that right?

    Interesting question, and I hope that I get some feedback. I just don't think we did, we did not have the right to go out and tare people apart in there faith, just because we thought our life was the sweeter flavor. It was selfish and destructive, and I have to wonder how many people were hurt by this method.

    So as I set there eating my vanilla ice cream and listening to my friend tell me how he had tried every flavor on the menu at least twice. I thought, "well at least I know what I want and I know that no matter where I go, they always have vanilla."

    Only problem is, I need to ride 3 extra miles on the bike to work this off. :lol

    My thought

    Dragon

  • LDH
    LDH

    GREAT post Dragon.

    No, we never had the right.

    NEVER.

    We were not engaged in preaching about Jesus, which he commanded his disciples to do. We were engaged in book and magazine sales couched in a fake name (Jehovah).

    Rutherford said it best when he said "ADVERTISE ADVERTISE ADVERTISE"

    Maybe we do have freedom to practice any religion, but I no longer believes that involves going around and telling others how wrong they are.

    It disgusts me.

    Lisa

  • OUTLAW
    OUTLAW

    It seems your friend is a control freak.He wants to control the flavors you enjoy..I am laughing as I type this..Dubs are not unlike your friend who wants to control the ice-creme consumption of the world..LOL...OUTLAW

  • Scully
    Scully

    What a terrific analogy, Dragon! Mind if I "borrow" it once in a while??

    Something just made me laugh about your post....

    I just started thinking .... if religions were like ice cream.... what flavours would they be??

    Presbyterian: vanilla (pretty bland, but quite acceptable for many people)

    Roman Catholic: chocolate (lots of people like it and also very popular)

    United: strawberry (also very popular, and has some fruit mixed in)

    JW: heavenly hash (reserved for only the 144,000; includes some nuts)
    and pistachio (strange and full of nuts)

    any more??

    Love, Scully
    PS - I'm just being silly, no flaming please!!

  • Mum
    Mum

    Thanks for taking Farkel's derisive question about what's your favorite flavor, pizza topping or whatever and turning it into a "non-fluff" post! Wish I had your skill.

    BTW, I love vanilla. I'm just a simple gal with simple tastes. The world needs a few of us so the fancier people will stand out more.

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere

    You got to FIGHT, for your RIGHT to PAAAAAAAAAAARTY!!!!!!!!

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere

    Mum,

    Single eh?

    [Ahem]

    Hey babe, can I have your number? I lost mine.

  • Undecided
    Undecided

    Hi Ken,

    That's a very good question. I guess the answer depends on your convictions of religion. If you really believed that they would die unless they accepted your view of God, then you wouldn't be carring if you didn't try to convince them you had the truth. On the other hand if you were wrong then you would be hurting them.

    My life as a JW was kind of strange by todays standards of the borg. My best friend from childhood to past my teenage years was not a JW. We were together everyday except Sundays when I went to the KH and he went to the Moravian church. We never let religion stand between our love and friendship for each other. We are still good friends and have respect for each others views on things. One of his children became a minister. He asked me a few years ago if I still went to the KH and when I said no he encouraged me to go back, thinking I needed a relationship with God.

    I also had one of the people I studied with who became a Jw to approach me in the grocery store and said she and her husband wanted to thank me for helping them become a JW. He is now an elder and their two children are JWs. They seem happy to be where they are in life. I didn't realy know how to answer that comment so I kind of changed the subject.

    So I guess some like the JW life and some don't. I really can't complain about my life as a JW, I really enjoyed my childhood and the love I enjoyed from my family(I'm crying as I think of my dad and mother and the great life I had with them,he died when I was 18 and my mother died before I had my children, I don't know why it hit me like that.) This was back in the 40s, and early 50s. I think the borg has changed since then as I never knew of a single disfellowshiping in those days.

    I've been in a strange mood lately and things of the past that I recall make me feel sad as most of the ones I grew up with are dead now. I've got to get over this mood before it overshadows my optimistic nature.

    Ken P.

  • ApagaLaLuz
    ApagaLaLuz

    Hey, Kenpo...... with all due respect..... chill out once in a while. Being over-analytical can be a waste of time sometimes. It wasn't that big of a deal..... you say tomato I say tomauto

    <muah>

    <chevy>

  • Crazy151drinker
    Crazy151drinker

    Yes Chev, I have the right to pinch your ass anywhere, anytime, I figure with all the sexual history we have together, you owe me that much :)

    *drool*

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