Rich I can cook and am old enough (just) to be your mummy too!
Confession - I think you just made a great point - about not emulating the society in demonising things you don't agree with. I have a terrible habit of doing this and I must stop!
newbie and need help.
by jamesd2004 35 Replies latest jw friends
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RichieRich
But the real question is this... Can you cook lasagna? Whoever does it best gets me!
ooo... Cookies!!
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jamesd2004
cheers everyone for ur great help..and thanks 'confesstion' for ur letter i read it through and thought about it long and hard. and thanks for everyone elses help..im gratefull
james.
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Crumpet
James you are welcome - we'd love to know the outcome of what you choose to do though.
Rich - not unless you like your lasagne pasta al dente? Now shepherds pie I can do ...
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RichieRich
Rich - not unless you like your lasagne pasta al dente? Now shepherds pie I can do ...
On one thread, we are flirting.
On this thread, you are vying for a spot to be my mom.
Either way, we're getting a relationship out of this.
jgnat- I'll take those cookies off your hands. (Although you'll have to send aLOT because I have a slight weight problem...)
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greendawn
I think James you got the picture being at that tender age the worst thing you can do is get involved in a high pressure high control organisation where even older people would find it very hard to cope.
It's not time for you to get into such a demanding environment, and emotional maze, but wisely enjoy your life instead of having to carry those heavy burdens.There is precious little support from anyone once you are in. -
Confession
James, I'm glad you read the post--and that you found some of our comments here helpful. I leave you with this... If you continue to study and associate with Jehovah's Witnesses, please pay very careful attention to your heart and mind. As I wrote before, please understand that being a JW requires recognition of the Watchtower Society as the sole channel of communication from God to humankind--and as such requires unqualified submission to whatever they say as regards the decisions you make in your life.
Yes, at times you'll hear things that seem to suggest they are not unnecessarily restrictive. They may draw parallels with some ridiculous ancient law that forbade Jews from swatting a fly on the Sabbath because that would be considered "hunting." True, that WAS ridiculous. Perhaps even more petty than most of the things the Watchtower does today. But that doesn't mean the policies they enforce on their adherents are justified--or by any means Christian. Such reasoning is a type of Red Herring; an exaggeration people point to to demonstrate that their own actions aren't all that bad by comparison. James, if you're a Christian, your standard for what is right and wrong should be (just as the Watchtower Society often says itself) the Bible. Not an organization of men. But, again, if you pay close attention, you'll find that individuals in this organization have given over their Christian consciences to the dictates of the Governing Body of the Watchtower Society. Consider an example pointed to in the book, Crisis of Conscience. I'll paraphrase.
The Watchtower Society has often changed its views on what types of blood-related medical procedures should be considered acceptable by Jehovah's Witnesses. Many doctors have noted that when JWs decline such procedures, they can't explain why. They refuse them because the Society has told them they should. When a doctor informs a JW patient that the procedure they have been steadfastly refusing is now acceptable to the Watchtower Society, the patient responds happily and instantly, then allowing the procedure. Did they know exactly why they were refusing the procedure? Not really. Did they care why the Watchtower Society had now approved the procedure? Not really. The fact is (whether they realize it or not) they have allowed this organization of men to replace their own conscience--something that is definitely condemned in the Bible.
Now, James, if you decide to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses, it will no doubt be because you have been persuaded to believe that the Society is in fact representing the Faithful and Discreet Slave that Jesus described. Okay. You certainly don't need any of us to tell you that deciding this is your right. But do yourself a favor and make really sure you are in touch with all of the reasons why you've decided they are this "Slave." Understand that no human agency could ever have such a lofty title, and since this is the case, again, you'd better be positive you know why you should hand your personal conscience over to them.
Also remember that, when people discover serious--and often heinous--things about the Watchtower Society, you are not likely to hear them in your everyday life. Certainly not at meetings or in private conversations with JWs you know. Why? Because when a person sees the dirty underbelly and is willing to tell the story--the organization descends upon him or her like a pack of starving hyenas on an elderly antelope. They are shunned and you never get to hear their stories. But you will hear them within this and many other internet forums--and even in the national news media from time to time. Don't let them scare you from considering ALL the information. You've a right to it, James!
Becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses is not like becoming a Methodist or Presbyterian. You see, there is a point of no return, and that is (basically) baptism. Once you are baptized, you can't get out easily. Trust me on this one thing, I'm nearly forty years old--and have accomplished a number of things in my life thus far. Getting out of this organization unscathed is going to be the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life. It is requiring that I move my life across country. And even that doesn't guarantee anything for me.
My best to you in whatever you decide to do.
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jamesd2004
thank you ever so much or the time and effort u put into writing that for me...thankyou..im thinking long and hard about it now...so do u still believe there is a god?do u thing armeggdon is still coming and stuff? were u an elder in ur hall?
cheers again james.:)
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GetBusyLiving
Hey Confession, what a great post to James.
GBL
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Confession
Yes, James, I believe there is a God. That's one thing we have to get over: the thinking the Watchtower Society promotes that belief in God is fruitless apart from belief in their human, organizational hierarchy. The other thing we need to get over? That being a Christian means having all the answers. When we come to the realization that the Society is not what it purports to be, a common reaction is...
"Well who DOES have the truth?"
Jehovah's Witnesses will often quote the apostle who, when asked by Jesus if he would continue following him, said...
"Lord, who are we to go away to? You have the sayings of everlasting life."
James, remember that this scripture has application for us today. Who was the apostle cleaving to? An organization? Or to Jesus himself? Let me share with you the one scripture that hit me like a machete to the skull when I first gave myself permission to give this organization an objective investigation this past August. Yes, I was previously an elder. I was someone who gave talks at all the area Kingdom Halls. I served on Judicial Committees that decided whether or not to disfellowship or reprove other JWs. I felt I pretty much always had the answers. But when someone asked me about this scripture, I had no reply. Look it up. It's in Mark 9:38-40. I'll quote it in part here...
"John said to him: "Teacher, we saw a certain man expelling demons by the use of your name and we tried to prevent him, because he was not accompanying us." But Jesus said, "Do not try to prevent him.....for he that is not against us is for us.""
So John thought that anyone "not accompanying us" must not be approved to minister to others on behalf of Jesus. But obviously this is not what Jesus himself taught. "He that is not against us is for us." If you don't already understand, you will soon find out that this is quite precisely the opposite of what is taught at the Kingdom Hall. I'm going to copy a couple of appropriate paragraphs from some other notes I made as I was going through this whole process myself several months ago.
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At 38 years of age and having lived as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses my entire life, I came to believe that the only way to be found acceptable by God is to be a dedicated, baptized member of this organization. While this is a teaching of the organization, it is also true that the Watchtower Society definitely stresses the need to "make the Truth your own." When non JWs would ask me, "So do you believe that only Jehovah’s Witnesses will get into God’s Kingdom?" I would answer in a typically diplomatic fashion.
"Only God knows who he will and will not allow into His kingdom; that decision certainly isn’t up to us. We do recognize though that He does not accept just any form of worship. We also know that the Bible teaches the road to life is ‘narrow and cramped and few would be finding it,’ while the road to destruction would be ‘broad and spacious and many would be finding it.’ So it’s reasonable to believe that most people are not on that road to life, and it’s probably unreasonable to think that a religion is the right one simply because so many people are members." So, while we craft an answer that we hope will result in less controversy, the truth is—yes, Jehovah’s Witnesses do in fact believe that (among those living today) only those in this organization will enter God’s Kingdom.
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So you see the difference between Jesus words at Mark chapter 9, and what is taught at the Kingdom Hall? If it isn't obvious to you now, it soon will be: you will understand that this organization truly believes you must be a baptized, dedicated member of the Jehovah's Witnesses, attending all meetings regularly and having a fuller and fuller share in the field ministry in order to be found acceptable by God and worthy of entry into his Kingdom. From the Watchtower Society's perspective you definitely need to "be with us."