Jehovah's gonna get ya. Or is He?

Lady Lee

OK. Most of us here at one time believed in the teachings of the WTS. Thankfully most of us are beyond that.

I have noticed that at times I will find some other way, any other way, to avoid using the name Jehovah.

And I know I'm not alone. I see what you post! In fact anyone who reads your thread sees what you post.

OK I'm wondering - again.

How much of the substitutions we use are ways to minimize the old teachings?

How much is an attempt to tell ourselves we have broken free of the implanted fears?

How many still carry a twinge of fear that "Jehovah will get us" if we mock Him?

Even if you don't think there is a God will He "get us" for using the name Jehovah when we don't believe anymore?

When you go to type that name into a post what goes on in your head?

Well?.....

seattleniceguy

I would say that my fear that an invisible creature called Jehovah will "get me" is about the same as my fear that there is a bogeyman in my closet, just waiting for me to fall asleep.

What goes through my head when deciding whether to use the name Jehovah in a post? I tend to consider most carefully how the sentence might resonate to people for whom that name is still emotionally powerful. For example, the sentence "I don't fear Jehovah," would probably misrepresent my views to a reader who believes in the Watchtower god, because that statement invokes years of conditioning. To such readers, the meaning appears to be, "I believe that Jehovah exists, and I thumb my nose at him," which is in fact a total misstatement of my actual position.

For that reason, if I use the name at all, it tends to be heavily qualified so that people will not misunderstand my beliefs.

SNG

Preston

Even if you don't think there is a God will He "get us" for using the name Jehovah when we don't believe anymore?
When you go to type that name into a post what goes on in your head?

When I wrote my letter to the elders of my congregation, coming out to them as a gay guy, the first thing they verbalized was not that they disaproved of who I was, but that I didn't use God's "name" once in the letter, and this clearly indicated a "spiritual deficiency on my part". Well....I can't really fault them for acknoweldging this fact since every one of their books, magazines, songs, and videos uses Jehovah as if it were going out of style, so obviously they must get a little miffed when they see God's name not being used. Hell, they probably can't even read Emerson and Thoreau if they didn't think that those writers were using God's name profusely. The main reason why I didn't include God's name was because frankly, I didn't think it was necessary. Why did I need to include it in a letter discusing what its like to be gay... God had nothing to do with it. They would of probably demonstrated the same degree of hostility if the ol' Jehovah didn't at least make a cameo in my lemon bar recipe. As for whenever I post, I don't feel anything wrong when I use it because its what I'm familiar with (I still pray to "Jehovah") even thugh I don't necessarily believe in the angry hell God of the Bible. And the same goes for whenever I pray to him. After all those years of having to "humble" myself and think of myself as too lowly to receive the gift have made be bitter about the proper way to use God's name. I'm not buying into the whole guilt trip thing. I would hate to think that God would want to hear some really depressing shit....

Lady Lee

yea that is an interesting statement

For example, the sentence "I don't fear Jehovah," would probably misrepresent my views to a reader who believes in the Watchtower god, because that statement invokes years of conditioning. To such readers, the meaning appears to be, "I believe that Jehovah exists, and I thumb my nose at him," which is in fact a total misstatement of my actual position.

avishai

They would of probably demonstrated the same degree of hostility if the ol' Jehovah didn't at least make a cameo in my lemon bar recipe.

C'mon, let's have it then. I love lemon bars. you got a good recipe?

avishai

(&$#($()@ double post!!!!

Lady Lee

Good point Preston I hate it when someone keeps repeating my name when they are taling to me. Why do they think God would hate it any less.

OMG I remember trying to stifle giggles when someone was saying the prayer and used the name 14 times in a 3 minute prayer. Talk about overkill. If you have the attention of the listener then why do they have to keep repeating it incessantly.

I don't have a problem with whether people use it or not BTW. But I am curious about those who may use mispellings "Jehoba" was one of the last ones I saw but there are many others.

blondie

I use "Jehovah" when typing my WT reviews. In my own comments I use God. I no longer worry about God "getting" me. I am confident that whatever I do, it is my best of the moment, and I try to consider others. I realize that I live in a community of fellow humans and that life will be more productive, creative, and comfortable if I treat others with dignity, as I would like to be treated. Pretty much what God asks of us.

Spirituality seems to me to be harmonizing our life with the life around us.

Blondie

Steve Egner

Lady Lee,

Have you ever reached deep into your closet, looking for one thing or another, only to pull out an article of clothing you haven't worn for years? If your tastes have changed over time, you might regard the item with mild amusement. You might find it shocking that you ever considered wearing it in public... Regardless, it no longer fits. Back to the closet or Goodwill...

That's kind of how I feel about the name Jehovah. I stopped thinking of God by that name a few years before I left the org, preferring "Father."

I must admit I do enjoy messing with various names for the cult, though. Jehovah Witlesses, J-Ho's, J-Dubs, they're all great fun. I harbor no superstitions over my use (or misuse) of the name.

Steve

Midget-Sasquatch

When I hear or type Jehovah its very much like the reaction I have to someone I know but never felt I could bond with. I don't react much at all, but there is a definite urge to just avoid that one. The personality of the WT's Jehovah is one that turns me off, and I've always been to cool to that portrayal of a god.

Good thing this thread wasn't about the WTBTS because it would have given me a spastic colon!!

Jehovah's gonna get ya. Or is He?

Share this