Welcome High Castle! It does feel good to be here, too, especially while the meeting's getting started.
Do You Enjoy Being "Part of the World"???
by minimus 38 Replies latest jw friends
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joelbear
One of the biggest shocks to my system was finding out that being a part of the world is not that different than being a witness. There are nice people and mean people and people at every stage in between. Witnesses are simply involved in constant mental gymnastics that prove to themselves that they are somehow different than the other 6.5 Billion humans on the planet. The great majority of these people are raising families, obeying the laws of their lands and basically just trying to get by. There are also a huge amount of people who give greatly of themselves for others benefit. Mitch was telling me a story yesterday about a guy he met who is a missionary in the Presbyterian Church. He spends summers going to underdeveloped countries building schools. What a remarkable person it must take to do something like that. When you compare it with the way witnesses "give" of themselves (ie. selling books and magazines that say the same thing over and over again but have to keep being reprinted every two weeks) it really stands out in contract. Who truly is the most Christian?
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setfreefinally
What do you suppose Jesus meant when he said his followers would be no part of the world?
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Cicatrix
Yes, I very much enjoy being worldly-wise. I feel as if I am looking at the world through the eyes of a child, and since I started studying with the JWs and was baptised in my teens, I probably am.
Setfreefinally,
I've thought about your question myself. In the Gospels, Jesus goes to neighborhood wedding celebrations, eats with sinners, and staunchly defends his understanding of his faith, among other activities. If you consider the text to be no part of the world, and the fact that his followers are commanded to follow his steps closely, the WT admonition to be no part of the world seems to go beyond what is written. Yes, they reason that JWs can't partake in the things that Jesus did because we aren't perfect like him. But, why then do the scriptures say to follow Jesus' steps closely and mention all of these activities that he partook of?
When Jesus' disciples asked him about some things that they couldn't understand, Jesus just told them that it wasn't time for them to come to an understanding. He didn't go through a long explanation of information that they didn't need. So why would the Gospels include Jesus' interaction with non-Christians if his followers were forbidden from partaking in the same activites.
In Webster's dictionary, the number one definition for worldly is "of or limited to this world; temporal or secular." Perhaps Jesus was warning his followers not to get so wrapped up in day-to-day activities that they neglect their spirituality.
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minimus
Yes, I think Christ was saying to not lose our perspective, our balance. As was noted, Jesus did many "worldly" things, if we were to accept the Society's definition. The Watchtower wants the followers to be seperated from anyone not a Witness.
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ESTEE
WooHoo!!!!
Ballroom dancing!!!
Ohhh!!.... Did I mention my new avatar is a ballroom dance scene...???
Ohhh!!!.... And did I mention my brand new tattoo....???
You better believe... I love being part of the WorldTM...!!!!!!
ESTEE
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RAYZORBLADE
Comments that are redundant, but "HELL YEAH" am I ever glad to be part of HUMANITY!
That's all I can say.
Oh..did you see Estee's tattoo?
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Inquiry
For me, the difference is that as dubs...we pretended love and friendship, pretended righteousness, pretended to be happy, pretended our lives away....
As a person of the world (which we all are truly, whether we pretend otherwise or not) I don't have to pretend anything. I can be involved if I choose, I can really love, really be right (lol) and really be happy. There is no comparison between the two... There's nothing like the real thing! (in all of it's aspects)
Dubs can pretend all they like, but when it comes to showing what they really are, how they really feel... all you have to do is disagree with them... or just not be the average dub.....then you'll see the only thing dubs don't pretend is their hate....the only real expression they are allowed is hate.....and that IMO is perverse! I prefer the worldly alternative.... choice!
Just my two
Inq (wishing she could dance like Estee - nice tat by the way! )
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minimus
Yes! Pretending is what it's all about. At least "worldly" persons don't have to pretend to be pious, self righteous honest-hearted ones.