I don't think my last post to FP was harsh at all, and I certainly wasn't interogating her. If you will notice, I complimented her.
I'm a newbie too
by Flowerpetal 54 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
Flowerpetal
FP: "What is your definition of a Christian?"
Ter>>A follower of Jesus Christ.
Now, I realize that is a bit too much of an "escape by simplification", but I think it's hard to define it more than that. The primary reason it is difficult to follow Christ's teachings while a Witness is that unless you're of the annointed, you don't believe that a lot of what he says applies to you, so I think you miss a lot of important aspects of his teaching.
FP>>Ahhhh......but we do apply all of Jesus teaching. It's the apostle Paul's teachings that we are told applies to the anointed and to the great crowd by extension. And so there in lies my questioning and that's why I say Jesus teachings are more broad, and give one more latitude. Perhaps Peter, James's and John's epistles as well might apply to the anointed, but John's epistles are very pointed about where a Christian's love of God and people should be.
As for the rest of your post, I agree except by saying that I don't think women aren't elders, etc. because of Paul's alluding to them being spiritually weak. I think it's more due to physical limitations and emotional. Maybe what I said about men being nervous about women's cycles in their presidency is what worried Paul, like you suggested. That is very interesting. But men think different from women too. They are able to have heated arguments and afterward, go down to the corner bar and have some beers. Could women be like that? Maybe just a slim few. Most would hold grudges and how would that be if they had to sit in on judicial cases in the congregation? Just something to think about.
Anyway, this thing I have with Paul has been on my mind in the last few months, and a friend of mine have been discussing him as well.
-
Flowerpetal
fp,
There is no equality in teaching at any kh, where are the sisters giving the sunday discourses? Or how about talks at the assemblies?
Or sisters giving the bible readings? What you describe is a little 'lip service' nothing more... you can't be in a position of teaching responsibility, and anything a woman "teaches' can be amended,vetoed, disregarded by the men,,,as merely suggestions,,,,,nope,you're hoodwinked into thinking that a woman has any full share. The dumbest 15 yr old brother can 'take the lead' and have responsibility,over a sister with a PhD..and if you think that's just fine and fair,I feel sorry for you. What Prisca said is true,and I heard it before myself. What planet is your cong on?-----
Flower>>My cong is on the Planet of Florida, and believe me that can be as far in outerspace that the rest of the U.S. and United Kingdom put together! LOL
OK I will acknowledge that women are told by men that their talks aren't really teaching (except in my cong . But really it is teaching--if only in the sublime. And it's done by their comments and their talks. We can argue this till the cows come home.
Next, I don't see anything wrong with women giving reading assignments. After all, if we are ordained ministers by right of baptism, women should be good readers too if they are going to preach in field service.
And it's not fair for a silly, young teeny to take the lead over some older, and wiser sisters. But as I stated before, I am against kids getting baptized until their are out of puberty.
But hey, ladies, whose hand is it that rocks the cradle anyway? Women, right? So we have power; lots of power. when we give birth to sons, we can show them the right way; the right attitude toward women and how to treat them.
Next, it takes a strong, humble man to be taken aside by a sister who feels like she has to correct something about him, and for him to listen--yet I have seen it done. So yeah, maybe we aren't ostentatiously out there teaching, but it gets done.
-
Flowerpetal
larc>>
FP,
I think you are a good person and you would honor and praise God and try to bring others to him whether you were required to or not. Nonetheless, it is a requirement of your religion; it is not an option. I am glad that you go to a congregation of good hearted people, however, there are many horror stories of congretations that simply don't work that way. I am also glad that you want to help others in a charitable way. However, this is not common among the Witnesses. I think you know that everything I say is true, and it probably saddens you.
---------Yes larc it saddens me about the horror stories. I don't know about the charitable thing because I don't ask anyone what they do. It's a private affair between them and their conscience, IMHO.
-
Flowerpetal
Tergiversator
(of the I Might Have Been Like FlowerPetal If I'd Found This Board Earlier class)
-------Thanks so much, Tergiversator. I have come a long way these past 4 years of posting on various boards; learned a lot, read a lot, even Crisis of Conscience. And I am now reading a book criticing <gasp!> the Bible!
I like your sense of humor!