Captain Schmideo, What you described is what we've always considered real Christian behaviour. The ability to give without expecting an immediate return. In fact, probably not getting any return personally, just the hope of having a better community to live in. This sort of attitude is depressingly rare and getting rarer by the day.
In fact, the attitude that "if you're giving, you must be getting somehow" is so prevalent that it's impossible to do a kind deed with the hopes of receiving "good will" in return. Everyone assumes you're getting something out of it, so they don't even see the need to feel gratitude.
Thank you everyone for your comments. There are some very good points made, on both sides of the issue.
Cellist
Cellist
JoinedPosts by Cellist
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13
Spirit of Christmas - Christian versus non-Christian
by Cellist ina few days ago our neighbourhood had a group of christmas carolers go door to door.
they went to every door singing carols and leaving a plate of goodies.
they announced, between carols, that they were from the local baptist church.
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Cellist
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Spirit of Christmas - Christian versus non-Christian
by Cellist ina few days ago our neighbourhood had a group of christmas carolers go door to door.
they went to every door singing carols and leaving a plate of goodies.
they announced, between carols, that they were from the local baptist church.
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Cellist
jaguarbass - You're right, everyone does things for a reason. In our case, the reason is very simple. The minister is a warm, bubbly sort of person who loves music. And we seem to have an inability to say no to that type of person. We're trying hard to get control of this inability, it's a weakness that has been exploited to our detriment in the past.
We live in a remote area, musicians are few and far between. Especially string players. We don't need to search for "business". We're very well known in our area.
It was the juxtaposition of the two situations that got me thinking. THEY are supposed to be the Christians, shouldn't THEY have been the ones who were doing it for the warm, fuzzy feeling? It is, after all, supposed to be their celebration. The season of unselfish giving, etc. etc. What they were doing was a membership drive, pure and simple. And, the motto of their Church is: experience the difference.
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Why does my cat drool saliva when he purrs?
by Fisherman ini have a cat that cannot stop purring when he is with me, when i carry him or put him on my lap he drools saliva all over me.
he cannot stay still on my lap.
he moves all the time and demands to be petted all of the time again and again.. this is the only cat that i have ever owned.
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Cellist
I've been told that it's common amongst cats that were weaned too young. Their brains still connect being comforted with nursing. I suppose that brain connection of "being comforted by mother" could explain why it crops up in sick cats also. I've seen humans revert back to thumb sucking and teddy bears when they were sick or stressed too.
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Spirit of Christmas - Christian versus non-Christian
by Cellist ina few days ago our neighbourhood had a group of christmas carolers go door to door.
they went to every door singing carols and leaving a plate of goodies.
they announced, between carols, that they were from the local baptist church.
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Cellist
A few days ago our neighbourhood had a group of Christmas carolers go door to door. They went to every door singing carols and leaving a plate of goodies. They announced, between carols, that they were from the local Baptist church. In fact, with the goodies was a tract encouraging everyone to come attend their church.
I came across that tract today and it got me thinking. The Christians came "giving" at Christmas time, but with ulterior motives. They weren't just giving for the joy of giving. Now, we enjoyed the carols and the goodies, but it felt very much like a sales pitch.
On the other side, my husband and I (and a couple more fellow non-Christians) have been asked if we would play for one of our local churches' Christmas Eve midnight mass. We have nothing to gain, monetarily or otherwise, but we've agreed to do it to add to their Christmas celebrations.
I'm not saying this to praise ourselves or criticize them. It just struck me today that every time Christians "give" it has a hook attached. When JWs give they usually let the recipient know they're JWs so that it's a "good witness for Jehovah". All of the times that I can think of where someone gave to me without hoping for something back, it has been a person who was not affiliated with any religion.
What do you think? What has been your experience?
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JW's Celebrating De Facto Thanksgiving
by TMS inperhaps one of the most innocuous of the "pagan" holidays witnesses are taught to avoid is the american holiday .
of thanksgiving.
without going into the thanksgiving story, if there is one, be assured that jw children steadfastly.
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Cellist
Not only do the JWs here, and in my sister-in-law's area, celebrate Thanksgiving in de facto. They also have a Christmas dinner (Dec.25) and a big party on Dec.31 lasting until after midnight Jan.1.
We never did as JWs. Fortunately, we lived far away from our worldly family, so we didn't have to make fools of ourselves.
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Neat thing happened last nite...
by CaptainSchmideo inmy wife and i celebrated our anniversary last nite.
we were gonna go out to dinner, just the two of us, and leave our sons home with a pizza.
they are both in band at school, and my oldest just joined the school's jazz band last week (he plays clarinet and tenor saxophone.
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Cellist
What a great experience. I hope he gets to play his clarinet with them.
Happy Anniversary.
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Cellist
Welcome to the board, gusgus.
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Step-Daughter Farks up Halloween.....
by MinisterAmos ini finally get the wife to promise and dress up in costume to take our 3y/o out trick or treating with us!
i won right?
my wife spends hours getting ready, we blow off the dub school for the night, it's dark and our daughter is in her princess dress,..... .
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Cellist
That's too bad. A real let down.
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What's up with the Governing Body?
by godsgurl inmy dad was raised a jw and though he isn't a jw (because he hasn't passed all of their tests) he insists on "converting" me.
we constantly debate over my beliefs and his beliefs.
the jw have so many strange beliefs in blows my mind.
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Cellist
Welcome to the board.
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The Gift
by Cellist ina young man wanted to purchase a gift for his new sweetheart's birthday, and as they had not been dating very long, after careful consideration he decided a pair of gloves would strike just the right note: romantic, but not too personal.
accompanied by his sweetheart's younger sister, he went to nordstrom's and bought a pair of white gloves.
the sister purchased a pair of panties for herself.
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Cellist
A young man wanted to purchase a gift for his new sweetheart's birthday, and as they had not been dating very long, after careful consideration he decided a pair of gloves would strike just the right note: romantic, but not too personal.
Accompanied by his sweetheart's younger sister, he went to Nordstrom's and bought a pair of white gloves. The sister purchased a pair of panties for herself.
During the wrapping the clerk mixed up the items and the sister got the gloves and the sweetheart got the panties. Without checking the contents, the young man sealed the package and sent it to his sweetheart along with this note:
I chose these because I noticed that you are not in the habit of wearing any when we go out in the evening. If it had not been for your sister I would have chosen the long ones with the buttons, but she wears the short ones that are easier to remove.
These are a delicate shade, but the lady I bought them from showed me the pair she had been wearing for the past three weeks and they were hardly soiled. I had her try yours on for me and she looked really smart.
I wish I was there to put them on for you the first time, as no doubt other hands will come in contact with them before I have a chance to see you again.
When you take them off, remember to blow in them before putting them away as they will naturally be a little damp from wearing.
Just think how many times I will kiss them during the coming year. I hope you will wear them for me on Friday night.
All my love,
P.S. The latest style is to wear them folded down with a little fur showing.