Hi everybody, I stumbled upon this site several weeks ago and have been reading avidly ever since. I am not nor have ever been a jw, and my exposure to them and the society is cursory at best - a neighbor whom I have observed never extends themselves into the community at large, a best friend from high school who converted a number of years ago (not sure if he was baptised) and who no longer lives in my part of the US - Wisconsin, and a little 4th grade student who asked my permission to pass out wt literature at school (I refused her). It was that little girl who got me searching the internet and here I am, hooked into one amazing story after another. I must say that I am completely taken aback at what this religion has done to so many well-intentioned people, people who have fallen for the scare tactics of a manmade organization which appears to do everything it can to maintain and extend its existence: the use of the bible to gain entry, laying a groundword for trust and acceptance through a free bible study course, promises of eternal life on earth (on conditional grounds it's discovered later), the subtle transference of faith from a belief in god to a belief in an organization which purports to speak for him (what an amazing claim that is!), the love-bombing to keep you hooked, and the threat of df and all that entails to those who step out of line. I have said for years that there is nothing like religion to separate people from one another and from god, but this religion seems to have mastered the art of separating its own people from one another - incomprehensible to me. As others have stated on this site, if it is really the "truth" then it should be able to open itself to scrutiny without reservation. The fact that it refuses to question itself is silent testimony to its own doubt. We seemingly live in a dualistic world where right is countered by wrong, evil countered by goodness, life countered by death, and belief countered by doubt. The degree to which one places faith and trust in something is countered by the suppression of doubt in that very thing in equal measure. This is the way of the world, everything balances out. As long as one remains in the dualistic perspective it will always be that way, and all religions/philosophies come from a dualistic perspective. But there are other perspectives and it is my belief that Jesus was pointing to that perspective when he said the kingdom of heaven was within. Others on this site have hinted at this perspective as well when they advise people not to rely on anything outside themselves and to look within instead. Any reliance on an outside authority keeps you trapped in a dualistic universe. As for me, if a jw brought up the prospect of living forever I would find it ludicrous simply because I do not fear death, because I know what I really am, and what I am IS life - everything I have believed my self to be arises within what I really am. This is not a belief, but "my" reality which lies beyond all ideas of what reality is. So, the opposite of birth is death, but life has no opposite, and each of you IS life. Discover the reality of it and live and total freedom. Namaste to all.
Rubber-necking
by poppers 3 Replies latest jw friends
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Euphemism
Welcome to the site, Poppers! I think that's excellently put.
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CountryGuy
Welcome to the board, Poppers!
There are a lot of great people here. That includes some that are not and never were JWs. Everyone is welcome!
CountryGuy
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Corvin
Thank you for your excellent post, insights and accurate observations. You are so welcome here.
"Rubbernecking" = Also a great Elvis Song!