by LyinEyes 56 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Beck_Melbourne said:
I don't pray anymore!
Faith = nil
Pretty much sums it up for me, too. The few times in which I have prayed in the past couple years involved me closing the Book Study with prayer. It's kind of difficult since it isn't second nature, anymore . Obviously, given the setting, I use the name "Jehovah", but I don't see why I wouldn't still use it if I still believed in prayer, etc. (even if not a JW).
I trust that God recognizes when we're talking to Him, no matter what name we use, no matter how confused we may feel at the time. Speak with your heart.
Afterall, He is God, you know.
"If you could SEE the light at the end of the tunnel, we wouldn't call it 'faith'."
Edited by - Dia on 21 October 2002 20:26:39
Our Father who art in heaven, Harold be thy name...
Jehovah and Yahweh are both bogus man made traditions.
Hey Pom ,how are yah?(Sheraq from beliefnet.)
I was outside looking at the stars and wondering if I was talking to myself or if He is really out there somewhere
L.E.
Never having been a JW, I only have addressed God as"Father" in my prayers... I know your post is to those Ex-JWs, but your line above seemed to touch something within me. I've been sitting here for about 5 min. trying to figure out how to convey what I'm feeling and thinking, and it's really difficult. I think even the most 'spiritual' person ever to walk this earth has had your experience...but, at the end of the day, please know that we are indeed Children of God and have a tremendous need to communicate with Him, and He knows that.
I think it's important to read and listen to people who have had positive experiences with prayer... not so much with "this was answered" and" I got that", etc., but what they felt like when they communicated with a very loving Heavenly Father and what it takes to get that feeling more times than not. Months and months ago I shared something personal only to find out that sometimes this isn't the greatest place to open up with something like that (I learned my lesson).
Know this L.E., He is real, He knows you personally, and He knows you're trying to exercise your 'faith' muscles with regards to prayer. Following are a couple of poems from the English poet William Wordsworth that I really like. The first one reminds me of your struggle:
And I have felt
A presence that disturbs me with the joy
Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime
Of something for more deeply interfused,
Whose dwelling is the light of setting sins,
And the round ocean and the living air,
And the blue sky and the mind of Man
A motion and a spirit, that impels
All thinking things, all objects of all thoughts
And rolls through all things.
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting
The soul that rises with us, our life's star
Hath had elsewhere its setting
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forget fulness,
And not in utter nakedness
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God who is our home.
Tink, that sounds so much like me, so worring about trying to dial the number so to speak, I forget who I am calling and why........lol.... but I keep trying.
Thanks for all the comments, it is interesting to hear what others think about this. It is funny , sometimes I believe in God, other times I am almost sure there is no God. I guess I am accepting that I am totally confused,,,,,,,,,lol. but it is an interesting journey.
Mulan, I talk to my mom sometimes, I don't consider it prayer at all. I just miss her and did this even when I as a witness, usually at some very low times in my life, crying to her mostly. I didnt feel she could hear me at all back then, I just needed to talk to her. Like a little kid, whose mother is not really listening, but the kid just keeps on talking away.
It was kind of weird to think of the possibility that after all this time, she could be in heaven and have heard me after all. Then I think how sad it must have made her feel not to be able to comfort me if she heard me cry. Isnt that weird for those if they are in heaven , to see the suffering of loved ones? And they are not able to even give us a vision or anything? I have had dreams of her communicating with me, not sure if they are just dreams or maybe something more. What ever the dreams are, I am comforted by her , weither she is alive in heaven or dead in the ground, she gave me a little bit of herself to always hold on to. Honestly as a mother , she didnt give me alot, she just couldnt and I understand that now. But whatever and whenever she gave me motherly love back then, I held on to it.
Back a couple of years ago, when I was struggling to hang onto some concept of God, I would find myself praying, using "Jehovah", and then I would always think, and in my prayer express to..... well... ya know, whatever/whoever, that "oh, "Jehovah" isn't really your name, is it? It's a crappy two-bit made up catholic monk story book name, and it probably insults you to use it?". LOL, only took a few times of that, and I got over using Jehovah for god's name.
Still, after all that, it really seemed odd trying to pray w/o a name. Some would say, I suppose, "well, use 'father'", but really, the god described in the bible is not anyone a sane person would want for a father, so that doesn't really work either.
Now sometimes, when I'm headed for sleep, or just wake up, and feel the need to connect a bit and get some comfort, I smile to myself and think "goorsh, I just love everybody".
Now don't get me wrong people, i'm not saying prayer is bad .. it's just that most folk don't realise what they're really praying to. Isn't all prayer "self prayer"? Aren't you really praying to your own subconsious, making a connection with your own soul? It's been a while since i've read Jung but i think he had the answer to prayer and its powerful placebo and nurturing effects.
unclebruce
I agree Unclebruce about alot of what you said. But you have to wonder if there are some kind of cosmic energy going on between humans. Sounds silly , but I wonder how much we are all really connected. Why is it when we think about a friend and miss them very much, we get a call from them out of the blue? I am just wondering what kind of forces are out there .
As Six , said, just loving everybody gives you such a rush. To wake up and know that you know people in Dallas, Minn. Wis, Florida, Austraila, England, etc......... who may just be thinking of you at the same exact time. It is just amazing that we would have such strong feelings for others and not unlikely to have somekind of bond with certain ones , that go beyound who you would choose for a friend. Like it is certain people who you just seem to have known all your life and only just met.
Going back to what Unclebruce said, I do think prayer is like a pep talk to yourself. It is a comfort for yourself. Maybe God answers prayers, but I can't say for sure. I hope He is at least listening.
I can say in my life , from what I have seen, I don't think God answers most prayers. For instance, I remember how so many JW would say , " well, I prayed to Jehovah and I got this extra window cleaning job, just to have enough money to make the convention". I know that is not God's main concern out there, worry if someone has the money to get to a convention. When you see, people really suffering in the world, going hungry etc. that prayer for getting to the convention pales in comparrison. And we all know from seeing it on tv. in real live that God does not prevent those things. When my youngest child was born, he almost didnt make it, the elders prayed, relative, we did, even strangers had him on prayer list. In my heart I knew God wouldnt spare my child and let the lady down the hall's child die, I am sure she was praying just as hard. SO I don't think God answers those kind of things, I think he is letting things play out for some reason. But we can use prayer as a tool to make ourselves stronger and have some kind of hope
No I say , Jesus ! My Lord & MY GOD, Mediator between me & my Heavenly Father. I ask the HOLY SPIRIT to Guide me, lead me, direct my footsteps this day, Then I thank him for all I have- then pass of my requests, ( He gets alot of them) Of course not a day goes by that I dont mess up- So I have to say I am sorry - but you know the old flesh( the old man) the flesh is weak the spirit is willing. & in Romans 8:1 I am assured I am not condemned( ducking to avoid the stoning from the unbelievers on board ,love ya anyway guys hope you love me too.) O.K. if you dont love me you had better START praying that I go HOME cos I aint MOUTHY for nothing lol
