AhHah

Joined

• started 14 topics
• posted 277 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by AhHah

• 
  58

  Why Does God Allow Evil?

  by Frenchy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ahhah .

  i did not want to complicate paths thread.

  although this is directed to you, ahhah, naturally i welcome comments by all who participate here.. in reference to a portion of what i posted to seven:.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  AhHah

  Seven and Frenchy,

  I really enjoyed reading both of your posts. They were very thoughtful, honest, and refreshing in your belief in your own faith.

  I also appreciate that you understood my motives for the questions. I believe that I am somehow hoping that I will hear something that will allow me to have faith again, not just that God exists (I believe that), but also that he cares.

  I would like to apologize to both of you if I come across as critical in my posts. I am very analytical and very interested in getting very specific answers. I believe that I am also still angry sometimes when I think about how I became a victim of my trust and faith that was abused by an organization. Unfortunately, that anger also comes through in my posts sometimes. Thank you both for kindly understanding that I am not angry with anyone here and for not taking offense when I am not as gentle with my posts as you two are.

  “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. Matt 7:21 NWT. Jesus says here that ‘the one doing the will of my Father…will’. Requirements exist for salvation. The fool says in his heart,“There is no God.” - Ps 14:1; 53:1 NIV. This is a very small sampling of the Bible’s association of salvation with faith in God. It is inconceivable to me that one could read the Bible and come away with that concept. This is the first time I have ever heard someone say “Not even the Bible says that the non-believer does not return.”

  Frenchy, the first scripture that comes to mind is Christ's reassurance that there will be a resurrection to life and a resurrection to judgment. Using the Bible, I only understand that those who sin against the holy spirit have no hope, and that only God can make that judgment. I understand that to mean that non-believers will also share in the resurrection, and hence the reason for my statement. Wouldn't you agree? Does the difference in our understanding have to do with the possibility of a direct judgment and execution by God as opposed to dying of "natural causes". I do not currently believe that God will murder "unbelievers" in a judgment day.

  It can also be argued that hiding one’s head in the sand does not make the danger go away.

  I have a difficult time trying to understand why a loving all-powerful God would want us to believe out of fear that he will kill us (or deny afterlife, etc.). I believe that we project our own fear of death onto our fear of disbelieving/not serving God. If we did not die, I think that would dramatically change the nature of religions, if not eliminate them.

  Edited by - AhHah on 13 October 2000 14:0:8

  Edited by - AhHah on 13 October 2000 14:14:55
• 
  12

  I'm sure I already know the answer, but...

  by puppylove in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  why is it that most r&f witness can take anything the gb dishes out and swallow it whole?.

  my mil takes everything she reads in the wt and calls it "meat in due season".

  i guess this week's wt is about patience.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  AhHah

  Just to clarify -- I do not believe that God speaks through religious leaders. I don't believe that organized religion is necessary, even though spiritual sharing (such as this) is very valuable. I do wonder why God allows so much religious confusion and seeming misrepresentation.
• 
  89

  Do you believe ...

  by AhHah in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  simply respond to each question with a yes or no answer (or '?

  ' if unsure):.

  before answering, please see my comments on general/main - "how about a survey?"..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  AhHah

  Thanks for being so open and kind. Your post did not seem arrogant or uncaring to me. I appreciate the obvious caring behind your post.

  You are correct in observing the intense pain that many good-hearted persons have endured at the hands of family and close friends. That certainly has a powerful effect on one's impressions of God, the Bible and religion. Some here have managed to hold on to some or all of their faith. Some have not. I appreciate that all who currently post here are respectful of others' opinions, even if they disagree. That is saying much about the character of those who post, since few topics provoke more emotional response than God and religion -- especially considering what we have and are going through. I always try to remember how passionately I defended positions in the past, which I no longer believe now. Sometimes I don't succeed, and I am afraid that I state myself a little too strongly. Let me apologize in advance if I do.

  Thanks again for sharing your reasons for posting.
• 
  7

  Did you Doodle?

  by Tigger in

  1. social
  2. humour

  hey who here as a kid added little embelishments to the wtbt publications?

  a real favourite was drawing in arrows and spears on the guys on the inside cover of the song book.

  you know the ones clutching both hands to their chest as they sang their hearts out....well all of mine were actually clutching at an arrow that was sticking out of their chest.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  AhHah

  How about changing some of the words to the songs just loud enough for the person next to you to hear? ... such sacriledge!
• 
  89

  Do you believe ...

  by AhHah in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  simply respond to each question with a yes or no answer (or '?

  ' if unsure):.

  before answering, please see my comments on general/main - "how about a survey?"..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  AhHah

  Welcome Theophilus.

  Thanks for introducing yourself with your response to this survey.

  You seem to have a good knowledge of the Bible -- your points were well stated from a Biblical perspective. I have found that the active posters here are also well versed in Scripture.

  You may have noticed though, if you have been reading some recent posts, that some of us are no longer convinced that God is completely and accurately revealed in the Bible, or that the entire Bible is necessarily from God or the Creator.

  I couldn't help but be curious about your reasons for posting on a JW forum, since you said that you have not attended their meetings. You are more than welcome, it is just unusual, and I was wondering if you would like to share your reasons. Do you have any other favorite forums that you enjoy reading or posting?

  Again, welcome!
• 
  58

  Why Does God Allow Evil?

  by Frenchy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ahhah .

  i did not want to complicate paths thread.

  although this is directed to you, ahhah, naturally i welcome comments by all who participate here.. in reference to a portion of what i posted to seven:.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  AhHah

  Seven,

  If God expects us to believe and even die for beliefs that are incomprehensible, then why then did God give us a rational mind capable of the discussions that we are having?

  Can one truly comprehend the incomprehensible?

  If faith is God's gift and increases spirituality, then how should one feel about oneself if one does not have faith, or if one's faith wavers?

  Since so many have devout faith in totally contradictory concepts of God, are all of them receiving a gift of faith from God? If so, does it matter then in what one has faith? If not, then what is the value of the faith if it causes different people to believe that they comprehend totally different concepts of God? If they are equally valuable, then what incomprehensible truths are real?

  Does it really just come down to the fact that we prefer to believe in God because it feels better than not believing? If so, then would you agree that there is no basis for presumimg that others will be judged by God according to our personal faith and concept of God?
• 
  58

  Why Does God Allow Evil?

  by Frenchy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ahhah .

  i did not want to complicate paths thread.

  although this is directed to you, ahhah, naturally i welcome comments by all who participate here.. in reference to a portion of what i posted to seven:.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  AhHah

  Waiting,

  I thought that your illustration of whether or not to murder those of your pets who don't seem to acknowledge or love you was excellent and really makes the point. (I'll bet you always got a 'G' on that speech counsel point.)

  When you put it like that it seems ridiculous, doesn't it?

  **************************************************
  If a loving God wants everyone to believe in him, and if it is so important that everyone's afterlife depends on it, then why doesn't God personally reveal himself to every person on the planet? Is he just too busy? Is our afterlife not important enough?

  Or, does everyone get an afterlife no matter what, and then God reveals himself, as we are then better able to understand the revelations?

  Edited by - AhHah on 13 October 2000 2:11:26
• 
  58

  Why Does God Allow Evil?

  by Frenchy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ahhah .

  i did not want to complicate paths thread.

  although this is directed to you, ahhah, naturally i welcome comments by all who participate here.. in reference to a portion of what i posted to seven:.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  AhHah

  But if there is a God and he wants his creation to seek him out then the believer returns and the non-believer does not. That is the difference. I think that this is a very big difference.

  Not even the Bible says that the non-believer does not return. I am unable to reconcile why an all-powerful, loving God would deny any afterlife he has planned for humans, simply because the person was not able to become convinced of his existence. I find some atheists to be much more "God-like" in their actions than many "Christians" that I have known. As I have stated before, I personally believe (at this time) that it is more likely that any afterlife is assured. I also believe that how one lives one's life is more important than any profession of belief. I believe that the threat of no after life is a very human, unloving device to enslave others with fear.
• 
  6

  What Makes us so Special

  by Angharad in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  today at my son's nursery school parents were invited to a harvest festival.. all the children brought in a contribution (tin of soup, fruit,veg), a local minister came in and talked to the kids about how seeds grow into food (but not tins of soup), and how we should be grateful for our food and then they sang a few songs they had learnt, basically they had fun.

  there was nothing particularly religious about it apart from the minister being there.. there were children of all different religions there including my son as i could not see the harm in allowing him to stay and join in.. however there were some other witnesses there to collect their children so they would not be a part of it which is their choice and i respect it but i was given alot of disapproving looks and some people completly ignored me.. was it really so wrong to allow my 3 year old (who really has no concept of religion) to join in and have fun and not be made to feel different and left out?.

  also the food which was contributed was later going to be distributed to the elderly and infirm in the community - what is more useful to them, a box of food or a watchtower.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  AhHah

  Just another example of JW separateness from "the world" causing them to invalidate the spirit of Christianity and of love.

  The required separateness is, of course, just another proof that they are indeed a cult, with all of the negative consequences that go with it.

  Christ required his followers to be separate from the world's spirit, not from people, whom he himself sought out to demonstrate the power of love.

  The example you described shows the human inclination to "strain out the gnat and gulp down the camel". By their cultist separation, they deny the obvious spirit of love and charity of the event.

  IMO, your actions were Christian, and the JWs' were not.
• 
  6

  What Makes us so Special

  by Angharad in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  today at my son's nursery school parents were invited to a harvest festival.. all the children brought in a contribution (tin of soup, fruit,veg), a local minister came in and talked to the kids about how seeds grow into food (but not tins of soup), and how we should be grateful for our food and then they sang a few songs they had learnt, basically they had fun.

  there was nothing particularly religious about it apart from the minister being there.. there were children of all different religions there including my son as i could not see the harm in allowing him to stay and join in.. however there were some other witnesses there to collect their children so they would not be a part of it which is their choice and i respect it but i was given alot of disapproving looks and some people completly ignored me.. was it really so wrong to allow my 3 year old (who really has no concept of religion) to join in and have fun and not be made to feel different and left out?.

  also the food which was contributed was later going to be distributed to the elderly and infirm in the community - what is more useful to them, a box of food or a watchtower.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  AhHah

  Sorry, we are experiencing technical difficulties ... please stay tuned ...

  Edited by - AhHah on 12 October 2000 13:26:32