was thinking about this the other day and wanted to get your (yes: your) opinion.
i find myself slipping farther and farther down the agnostic scale in my thinking--it's possible that i'll end up an atheist.
my suspicion is that because i was raised being taught that all other religions are false, that i came to the conclusion that if the witnesses don't have "the truth" then nobody does.
I was raised a JW and until I left the Watchtower in 1984 didn't know any other religion. However, my departure from the JWs didn't turn me against God or religion. Though my spiritual journey took me to a number of religions, I became an Episcopalian in 1991 and still attend Church services.
But I know others who were raised in the JW religion have had a different experience.
hmmm.... i wonder how this could have happened?
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyenoughnews&storyid=2006-10-12t132441z_01_han81349_rtrukoc_0_us-vietnam-pregnancy.xml&src=rss.
death-row prisoner gets pregnant in solitary.
I think you have your doctines mixed up. Immaculate Conception is the doctrine according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived in her mother's womb without the stain of original sin. No to be confused with Virgin Birth, the theological doctrine that the conception of and birth of Christ did not impair the virginity of Mary.
i remember going to each memorial even when i was inactive.
i felt that i had to go to atleast that meeting.. then one year, i was sick on that day, and didn't go to the memorial.
it was a funny feeling to miss the most important day of the year, as a jw would call it.. but i got used to it, when i missed my 2nd and 3rd memorial..
That was a long time ago. I don't remember how I felt, but I don't think I missed anything.
i'd like to put a crisis of conscience book in their library.
Hi VM,
Yes, there was a Watchtower article in the late 70s or early 80s about what books should be in the KH library. However, it also had a list of prohibited items. Among those not approved by the Watchtower Vatican were books on "higher critisism." That meant that the Passover Plot had to go. If I remember correctly, there was even a copy of Hans Kung's On Being Christian in the library. Of course it too was discarded. So much for the Watchtower's allowing JWs freedom of thought.
i'd like to put a crisis of conscience book in their library.
Back in 1971, when I was the Theocratic Ministry School overseer, I added some non-Watchtower books to the KH library in order to broaden the minds of my students. The Passover Plot by Hugh J. Schonfield was among the additions. At the time I found Schonfield's works to be thought provoking and my own personal library contained a copy of every book he ever wrote. Surprisingly the Passover Plot stayed in our KH library until 1981 when the new School overseer, following a directive from the Vatican, removed all non-Watchtower publications from the library shelves.
it's been a little over a year for me.. about 15 months..
The last time I attended the KH as a JW was in 1984. However, in 1988 my aunt's memorial service was held at a KH and I attended the service. Since then I've visited several KHs as a non-JW, which is much more fun. But the last time I was in a KH was for Memorial 2004. Told the JWs that I was an Episcopalian doing research on the JW religion for a comparative religion class. The JWs were very friendly and did their usual love-bombing, probably counting it on their time slips. Not surprisingly I was the only one partaking of the bread and wine. Don't know if they counted me as one of the Remnant though.
Though it has been a few years since I read Crisis of Conscience, if I remember correctly, Leo Greenlees was a liberal on issues like blood, alternate service, etc. Could he have been removed from the GB for political reasons, while at the same time the Watchtower disinformation service spread rumors of sexual impropriety to keep him from speaking out as Ray Franz did? It would also be a warning to other liberals on the GB to toe the line or be exiled in disgrace.
Remember all the rumors circulating in the early 1980s that Ray Franz, while still a GB member, gave the Memorial Talk in a congregation and invited all to partake? There are lots of rumors, but are there any hard facts that would stand up in a court of law?
i have a mix of friends from democrat to republican.
i am a registered independent myself.
i have heard it said, and watched in the news the obvious moves by the democrats, to put this woman in place to run for the office of president.
If recent history is a gauge, the first woman president of the US will be the candidate of the more conservative party. Note the UK and Germany. Therefore, Condi Rice may be in a better position to win the presidency than one may think.
just went to the la county fair yesterday.
just before the gate, there were two large and prominent display stands.
one said "ask about our free bible study" and other stuff and the other had colorful tracts pasted all over.
Whenever I see the JWs with their display tables at Walmart or in the local shopping mall, I look at their literature and then ask them if I could have a copy of the Book of Mormon. They always look a little surprised. Guess they feel embarrassed at being mistaken for Mormons.
today i was at burlington baby depot registering for my baby shower, stolling up and down the aisles and scanning.
low and behold, down the aisle comes a dub.
as soon as she set eyes on me, she backed out of the aisles as fast as she could, as if i was throwing poop at her.
Though I was never DFd, most JWs treat me as if I were. So I've experienced them running away when they see me. However, I've found that if they are stuck in a line at the check out counter and a lot of people are around they will talk with me if I start the conversation. Guess they feel it would give a "bad witness" if they upheld their shunning policy in public and were rude to me.
