Witnesses are taught that they must love their neighbor and Jehovah God. When persons fade away or leave abruptly or get disfellowshipped, you often hear this statement:"Well, they OBVIOUSLY never really loved Jehovah anyway"........Looking back, can you say that at one time you REALLY did love Jehovah?
Did You Ever REALLY Love Jehovah?
by minimus 31 Replies latest jw friends
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little witch
I never loved him...He scared me stupid. I don't like scary people, or scary gods. As I grew older, I found it easier to disreguard him...
Its like, love me by doing xyz (according to tower theology) or I will kill you! Not comforting at all! As time went on, I realized the bible god is not properly portrayed by the watchtower. It is just how they use fear to get what they want.
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Frannie Banannie
Yes, and I still do, tho we've had our "ups 'n downs"....I didn't particularly care for the name the WTS gave Him, but I didn't let their translation of Him interfere in my relationship with Him.
Frannie B
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Odrade
Interesting question Mini (finally--LOL!) I've thought a LOT about that, and I really can't come up with an answer. I went through times when it seemed to me like Jehovah was more "real," then I'd get in a conversation with someone and it would turn all theoretical. You can't really love a theory can you? Plus I always had a problem with prayer. Here's this supposed "sovereign lord of all the universe," and I was supposed to just chat him up anytime I felt like it? I would start to pray--even as a little kid-- and then think, "he doesn't need to bother with this, he's got a few billion other people to take care of. I'll just take care of this little matter myself." Ha!
My mom would say that it wasn't bothering him, Jehovah was like a grandfather, but he didn't feel much like MY grandfather. He felt more like one of those scary elders who, you know you couldn't even tell a knock-knock joke around because they'd give you the evil eye for not being "serious." Anyways, he never really did anything for me, don't remember ever getting a prayer answered (that is, when I did pray.) I don't know the answer to that. How do you LOVE (human emotion) something that is so nebulous and unexplainable. All of this accounts for a few of my thought processes from when I was a JW.
Now of course, I know a little more about why I maybe never had that "personal relationship" with Jehovah. To me a personal relationship (love) is something you have with someone you have commonalities with, who respects you, laughs with you, listens to you, and talks to you. Excuse me, but reading about how Jehovah killed this person, and punished that person, and lectured another, doesn't exactly inspire me to LOVE him. ew. I mean, how many times was I made to read the story of how Jehovah kills Ananias and Sapphira because they donated a huge sum of money to the Apostles (who were really rakin' it in) then when confronted--which I expect went something like: "Where's the rest of it you selfish greedy bastards?"--said "what rest of it, it's all there..." so our loving heavenly father killed them both??? What a wanker. Hmmm, makes me want to run right up and give him a big ol' grampa hug.
Oh yeah, and don't even get me started on the vindictive maurading portrayal of our loving God in the Old Testament. There are only a few hundred thousand deaths there, he made a great role model for Ghengis Khan. Yet another person I don't think it would be pleasant to meet if they ever figure out time travel...
Hmm what about the fact that in his "earthly organization" if someone gets a judicial committee, and the elders decide rather than DF the person, that they will simply "reprove" them, even if they offer no kind of help for their issue, anyone who knows of the situation raves on about how merciful and loving the elders and the organization is... never mind that the "reproved" person has almost as big a label on them. Most of the KH drones do NOT know how to treat a "reproved" person. The ones who do continue to associate with you tend to make sure you know they are doing you a HUGE favor. Oh yeah, then there's the little matter of how the elders forget completely to reinstate your privileges. Then two years go by and you ask them what the HELL is going on, and they act like they've been praying about your problem all this time. You know, if Jehovah loved ME, he would have kicked those brothers in the ASS and told them to get to work. (hmm, I think I'm projecting. LOL)
Point being, I usually only love people who love me too. I like nice people, I like interesting people who aren't mean. I don't really like Bible God. I think he's a big jerk.
Answer your question Min? Haha.
Odrade
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Sassy
There were times I felt close to Jehovah and I have always loved him. I still love him even if I find it difficult to pray right now.
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minimus
Ordrade, how do you REALLY feel? Whew!! I have to say that was an excellent post! Finally....lol.
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Odrade
Haha. I think I have "issues..."
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little witch
Yes, an excellent post, Odrade!
For as much as we all love to tease Mini for asking questions, He sure makes us think and contribute.
I guess there is genious in simplicity?
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GermanXJW
I think I have never had a real relationship or even love for God. At some time I felt special being part of the JW organization. I followed the rules. Not out of love but because there were rules to be followed.
Must be a typical German thing. :-) -
maxwell
That's an interesting question. At one time, I thought that I loved God, but I haven't really thought about that much since I left the JW. The main reason I left was that I cannot find conclusive proof that there is a God. So that does bring up some questions that are still unanswered in mind especially after reading some of the stuff that other poster's wrote.
First the point about the condition of loving God. As the Bible and JW's teach it, "you better love God or else." As someone stated, sounds more like fear than love. But there were times when I really felt a great since of appreciation for what I thought that God had done, like create the earth, the beautiful things on the earth and the immense potential to enjoy what is here. I also genuinely felt appreciation for what I thought I would enjoy in the future.
Then I think can you really love an entity that might not even exist, something that only exists in your mind or others minds? I know for sure now that I don't love "HIM" now since I'm not sure that "HE" exists. But when a child has an imaginary friend, does he or she really love it? Do children really love Santa Claus? People sometimes develop very strong feelings about characters in stories portrayed in television, books or theater. One person can create an imaginary entity or person and share the idea of that person with others and people will have a feeling about it, so I'm not sure about this question.