JW's talk about love of Jehovah, but at the end of the days it's all about "fear" coz he can swot you like a bug, and apprently at Armagedon intended to do that unless you have put in 10 hours that month, been baptised as a JW, havn't thought about Sister smith with desire, havn't logged into the WWW and checked out jwfacts.com, or 100 other things, you prabably will be saved.
Fear of God
by Satanus 43 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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talesin
In modern society, ignorance is no longer an excuse for the millions of educated people who cling to fear-based religious beliefs.
I think many folks find it easier to follow a set of pre-packaged rules, rather than do the self-examination that is required to set their own moral compass.
Subscribing to a mainstream religion based on fear of Dog is still a social norm, even in our so-called sophisticated, secular culture.
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sonnyboy
If there is an all-powerful god, he certainly should be feared.
If it does exist, it should only be feared by those who fear death. That's the whole premise of the Bible. If you don't fear death, then why kiss God's unreasonable ass?
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Netty
feared by those who fear death. That's the whole premise of the Bible. If you don't fear death, then why kiss God's unreasonable ass?
Very good point Sonny. Come to think of it, yea, that's what I feared the whole time I was a dub, if I didn't do all the dub crap, Dog (I like that Talesin) would kill me. That's all it was based upon.
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Hellrider
Ha ha, exactly. That`s exactly what I always thought too. After I left the congregation at 15, although I hadn`t been baptized, I always saw it as if I was "doomed", that I would have no chance in A, as I had "known the Truth and rejected it". But then, that thought was also with me, that, well, at least now it`s all done, and whatever happens, happens. They can`t supress me anymore. And I also realised after a while, that if God was the Jehovah of JWs, the punishing and arrogant God that DEMANDED that everyone worshipped him,hey, then I`d be a hell of a lot more of a "god" than he/it was. I am not that petty that I demand that people worship me, am I? And the only people I have met that were like that, were complete, megalomaniac psychopaths (some of the elders, btw...=o)). My mother and some of her Sister-friends were just shocked at me when I rejected their occasional attempts at getting me back into the "flock" by claiming that I wasn`t scared. But to be honest, I was (but I`m not anymore).
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Satanus
Hellrider
Welcome to the dark side.
S
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Netty
Welcome Hellrider. Sounds like you have a story to share. When you're ready, we're here for you.
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jeanniebeanz
Welcome, Hellrider. Killer name, btw.. :)T:
I think many folks find it easier to follow a set of pre-packaged rules, rather than do the self-examination that is required to set their own moral compass.
How very true this is. How many witnesses upon leaving the Lie broke forth from all reasonable moral standards because as witnesses noone had never been taught to set our own standards? If the only reason to live a moral life was fear of god and we'd already succeeded in pissing him off permanently, why bother with morals at all? Let's just have a good time! hahahaha...
Doh!
It's amazing to learn that there are a myriad reasons to set up your own moral code and boundaries. For me, it was like a light-bulb came on in my head. Learning that self-respect, dignity and genuine caring for humankind were a solid basis from which to operate my life was a major turning point in how I viewed life and my future. Fear on the other hand, is a piss-poor basis for doing anything.
Jean
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Hellrider
Thank you both. Nah, I allready wrote it down over at www.lambsroar.com, I have the same username there. The thread is www.lambsroar.com/db/index.php?showtopic=2169 (I had to write it in here, weird, the paste-function didn`t work). Funny, I`ve been online for 3 years now, but it never occured to me that there might be forums for ex-JWs. Well, good to be here.
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LittleToe
APaduan hughlights an important part of the process, in that fear is only an Old Testament beginning (Job.28:28; Psa.111:10; Prov.1:7; 9:10; 15:33).
As mankind has evolved, so has his religion, to the point that we find the following in the New Testament (ESV):
2Tim.1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
and:
1Jo.4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
"Love" is the bottom line, as seen in the teachings of Jesus, the two greatest commandments, etc., etc. Has man learnt this particular lesson well enough to progress further? Sadly, I think not, and unfortunately much of his religion epitomises this fact...