Just go back. By the time you die, it will be a religion of 5 million or less, and none of them will give any more thought to what they really believe than you do.
HELP ME...
by POOH 172 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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teejay
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Brummie
teejay : Thanks for the welcome. You sound like a very nice person (for an exJW ..lol).
Well done Teejay your first act has worked fine. Now about those voodoo dolls your selling to other exjws...can I get one?
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northern girl
Beautiful Garbage : If I knew what you mean about computer changes I'd tell you. Oh well, maybe I'm being sneaky and don"t even know it ... n g.
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teejay
Now about those voodoo dolls your selling...
Shhhhh!, Brummie! I hafta rope her in first!!
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badolputtytat
Northern Girl... Good morning.. I havent forgotten you. In fact I thought about this alot. Of course God is beyond the comprehension of man. Forever is something we really can't grasp. But if you will bare with me... I will ask you this now.... If we are not to "know" God? Then why religion at all?
If "we are made in the image of God" and his "best example was the christ"... then did not the christ teach that "religion" and all of it's trappings were not of God? Jesus did not teach shunning. Did he not GO TO those who were considered sinners? Show them compassion? "... he who is without sin, cast the first stone" ? Did he not go into the temples and overturn the tables filled with Gold coins? (with this question I am refering to the "counting of money".. you know, those time cards you fill out, the statistics you are given at the meetings)
Hears the prayers of those who follow his ways? Please tell me then how some of these practices the JW's are so famous for, are "his way".
Did you ever notice, that when explaining any particular doctrine, the witnesses rarely use scripture in order. I mean, the scripture hopping, reading one sentence from one page, flip three hundred pages and read another sentence? You know .... I can make the bible say anything if I do that.
True no one truly knows everything about god. But do you think he would limit this knowlege to a select group of people? A group of people that can follow a list of rules? Do you think some of these rules are REALLY important to God? Does god insist we wear clothes that SOCIETY deems appropriate? Ever try to go to the hall barefoot and bluejeans? Do you think God really cares? And what would be the response if you did? ... How about "come back when you are dressed more appropriately"
Again, I am not attacking you. I am not saying "explain yourself"... I just want you to think about it a little more deeply. Leave all the books and magazines and tracts at the door, come in, sit down.... and let us just talk about GOD.
And THAT is what this board can do.... give us a chance to examine what each other feels and believes, without the fear of being disfellowshipped or reproached.... If you will go back through these posts.. way back... You will see that people here have had knock down, drag out arguments in here... different opinions... but a couple hundred pages later, they may be having a really nice conversation... like now.. on this thread.... Nothing is absolute.... see where I am going with this? Would the elders allow you to ask prodding questions? give your opinion? Try it and see your response.
Sorry so long.
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northern girl
badolputtytat : I sent an answer to all your statements but when I sent it a big ERROR alert came up on my screen. Is there a time limit to posting that I'm unaware of? I'll try again ... northern girl.
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badolputtytat
There is a limit.. but it is very high.... I have had the same problem though. No rush. I know ... I am longwinded on the keyboard.. dont feel the need to answer all at once....
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northern girl
badolputtytat : Good day ... We can know God by the fact that we are here. Evolution can't explain the beautiful sunrises, the variety of plant and animal life (us included). Enjoying life each day is testiment to Him. He created us with a need to worship ... it's our choice ... good or evil.
Jesus preached to the sinners out of love and compassion. Who needed him more? What do gold coins in the temple have to do with time cards. If time cards were gold there would be a lot of rich (materially) witnesses around.
Jehovah hears the prayers of sincere honest hearted ones. His people would be known for there love among each other including neighbours by telling of the Kingdom.
Jehovah does not judge a person based on attire. It is respectful to dress appropriately when in a place of worship though.
I guess I've had real good elders so far as I've never felt I can't ask anything I want. That goes for the whole cong. too.
It's hard for me to leave my literature at the door as it is a part of me ... norther girl.
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badolputtytat
Ok... very well. First of all.. I believe in God, (but not in the sense that he is some sort of Judge) My original question on Knowing God... was to see if YOU could tell me what YOU believe deep down inside.. what you think of when you think of god. (not the teachings of the organization)
the time card thing: I was refering in general to counting... they count the money, they count the hours, they count their "accomplishments".... all the things that Jesus was getting at when he went into those temples and condemned them for.
As for the rest, you seem to recognize all the beauty that God that has given us.... How could such a diverse creator, with such a broad spectrum of Ideas.... be so limited? So judgemental? Why are his people so judgemental?
place of worship/attire: The christ almost always taught in the wilderness, in the streets.... the quote "do not forsake the gathering together"... has been turned into..."you must attend three meetings a week, and if you miss too many, we will come see why"
anyway, we could "fill up the net" trying to debate.... I just wanted to see if you could discuss GOD and only what YOU feel, without relying on what they have pounded into you. I see that like so many, you cannot. (this is not a dig at you) Most who are members of the org... cannot tell you what they feel about god. As far as the literature... I know it is part of you, but it isnt part of the "sunsets and life enjoyment" that you speak of. "telling about gods kingdom"..... But they go so much farther than that... they dont just tell you.... they tell you, then they use that as an excuse.... how does "hear the good news of the kingdom" translate to "you have been disfellowshipped for smoking"? Where is the relevance? By your own admission, this wasnt such 'good news'
Life enjoyment? Does it sound like the victims on this site enjoyed life under these conditions? Abused, manipulated, controlled.
But I definitely enjoyed hearing your side of it. I would love be more one on one with you. It is hard in this forum to really have a heart to heart. Just know that when you go back to them, and you are rejected, you will always be welcome here. On those days when your concience is telling you deep down, that their treatment of people is unfair, unjustified, unbiblical.... you think of GOD.... you think of that infinite creator that designed so many different things, different people, different wants and desires. Not the "god" in the books and magazines, that writes all the rules and regulations, and protocols, and procedures..... Just God...
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northern girl
You really ARE a badolputtytat, aren't you?. I think I've said it before ... being df'd for any reason is to keep the org clean. I do respect that ... I don't think that there was smoking in Jesus time, but we are to serve whole heartedly, body, soul and mind. My body was more interested in cigarettes than Jehovah for a long time.
I can't give you any other concept of God because this is all I know. And I'm happy with it. If you believe in God too, he will know and through prayer you will be heard and answered.
Jeus taught in the streets so people would be attired diferently than in the temple. The gathering together would be the house of worship and proper attire would be expected there. Proper attire is one way of respecting God and his arrangement.
We are all victims on this earth ... granted, some more than others. With prayer and faith we can stop being victims. These are not platitudes ... but Gods instructions. The bible is there for all to freely study and accept.
Time will tell ... I hope not to return here all broken up because of rejection by the org. but stranger things have happened and I've learned never to say never ... take care ... northern girl.