Did a 'major-event' cause you to join/leave JW?s?

by cyberguy 25 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Oracroth
    Oracroth

    I can see why the bible calls so much attention to love. If you applied the model of worship to how you look at a family with loving parents, you almost feel indebted to them for alot of what they would give you. So in turn you feel the need to make up for it by doing them favors. Unfortunately that isn't how many view the worship of god. They take traditions and theories and cause them to be facts and figures. For example, aliens, the bible does not give any information of E.T. life other than spirit creatures. Does that mean that there aren't other beings in our physical universe? Perhaps Edam and Ave were created on Seltara III in another solar system and they are perfect people. Would the existance of another planet of being be contrary to the bible? Yet if I say aliens to a religeous zealot, I will get pummeled with alot of disbelief. That's when programming takes over. When there is no supporting logic or information yet you continue on as if there is. Biblically we are supposed to have accurate knowledge, derive our own conclusion and associate with others not to derive the same thoughts, but to derive the same outcome. Therefore any organization that perpetuates concepts of blindly walking, just because I said so, or that's just the way it is ideas, they are against the concept of accurate knowledge.

    Anyway, I feel that no religeon on the planet has any possibility of getting the concepts of an existing deity correctly. Even biblically many of god's chosen people made plenty of mistakes in their worship. Should we criticize and break down an individual or realign their path? Is it hate that heals a people or is it love and patience? Me personally I don't care enough about other people to hurt or heal ^_^ (I love when I contradict myself).

    On another subject, anyone notice how offended people get when you call them a hypocrit? It's like the most offense word in the dictionary for many. I don't mind if anyone calls me one, I probably am one. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be me (or something).

  • Oracroth
    Oracroth

    As a reply to the two previous posts before my previous one.

    I don't feel his remarks were condescending. Personally I feel myself ready for any information. Since my brain catalogs all information and time needed before I could understand will pass in time.

    About the violence in religeon it comes from defending something you beleive strongly in. Undermining someone's primary thought processes usually involves a great deal of anger and hostility. So it probably is the fact the many JW's cling harder to their faith than many other religeons that they more readily become defensive in the face of opposition. Where-as someone like myself who's open to the concept that the entire model of my thinking is completely devoid, I can have my beliefs deteriorated and be completely fine with it. It's the strong mind that is able to readjust it's thinking in the face of logical paradox.

    I also never take individuals to represent an entire group. It would seem the american JW is alot more problematic than outside countries, or even other ethnic group congregations, such as the spanish. The feeling of family permeates alot more in those people and also you actually feel like they are concerned about your well being. It says in the bible not everyone calling upon the lord's name would be delivered from wrath in the time of the end. That could include alot of people in the same organization as one another. Those who make it might end up people who hardly know anything about the bible, you can't draw conclusions on that one.

    Besides, my mom is a JW and is probably the most reasonable person I've ever dealt with. If I had to pick anyone to represent a model JW it'd be her. I on the otherhand represent the model... ummm... yeah. I represent something, but it's origins cannot be disclosed nor can it's name.

    Anyway, it's completely obvious that mankind cannot serve god correctly, so we all have to be willing to be set straight and be undermined.

  • greatteacher
    greatteacher

    I didn't mean it in a condescending way. I am sorry if it is interpreted as such. Oracroth touched upon some Nietzscheian philosophy, but didn't quote or mention Nietzsche, so I so stupidly assumed he hadn't read him. Yes, I am "into" Nietzsche. Maybe I already read Ken Wilber, no, I didn't, but thanks for the suggestion. I will definitely read Sex, Ecology, Spirituality. Also, I view both your posts and Oracroth's posts as very intelligent and interesting and I enjoy communicating with you both.

  • Sassy
    Sassy

    I would say it was a major event. Gettting a divorce and he was blackmailing me with the elders. So I took the power away from him.. never went back.

  • Oracroth
    Oracroth

    Hah, someone called me intelligent! I sure fooled them

  • greatteacher
    greatteacher

    I said your posts are intelligent.

  • Oracroth
    Oracroth

    Are you implying that the post has a greater mental prowess than the poster?

  • greatteacher
    greatteacher

    No, I was just kidding, a bad joke, nothing more. :-)

  • dannyboy
    dannyboy

    Well, seriously...yes, a major life event triggered my leaving.

    My take on this is that for me at least, the only way I could have "woke up and smelled the coffee" to borrow a phrase was to have things happen in my life (outside of my direct control) that allowed me to see deeper into that life than I'd ever looked....ever.

    I think others here are expressing/have had the same experience.

    Getting one's brain un-clogged from years and years of subtle "conditioning" that is in reality "brain-washing" is not easily accomplished or even started (again, my experience). I was a true, true, dyed-in-the-wool, bought-the-whole-program-hook-line-and-sinker, faithful, dedicated, devoted, zealous Witness since my early youth.

    Today I'm very glad that I sort of got "knocked about", and woke up to REALITY.

    I admire the many who post here, who saw REALITY sort of "on their own", or who just went along with things (knowing and seeing various problems) so you could continue to speak with relatives, etc., I just feel strongly that *I* would never have "seen the light" were it not for the afore-mentioned (but not specifically detailed to you) "major life event....

    ---Dan

  • czarofmischief
    czarofmischief
    my parents would pick up these two enormous old sisters and I was squashed between the two in the back seat.

    Ohhh yeah, baby, ohhhh yeah....

    CZAR

    PS: The plain fact is that not everybody is ready to read Nietzsche when they first escape the borg. It'd drive some people insane and they'd kill themselves.

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