after much though and prayer i have decided to request a reinstatement.
you are probably think is she nuts.
let me explain my reasoning.
Good honest letter. After a few touchups and edits, it will be ready for sending - and impact. Just so long as they read it. I hope they do.
PS: like someone else said: Are you trying to be reinstated, get answers (re: the UN), be controversial, or show the Gov. Body how unmerciful they are?
i know it's not the lightest of topics but the current news coverage of the pope's final hours made me wonder if i'd face things as calmly as he is reported to be doing.
i don't have his faith, or any faith anymore, but i can see how for a true believer that would be a source of strength.. the thing is, a lot of us thought we'd never die.
do you really comprehend what a truly massive mind-fuck that is?
You missed my point - or I didn't state it clear enough:
I didn't mean to speculate about the "validity" of her opinion ITSELF. Rather, her OWN believing in it. and her lack of desire to think it through.
doogie: what is "under-thought through" to you could be a deeply held conviction to another
That's just it. To me, it didn't seem as if like a "deeply-held conviction" to her. If she said:
"I believe God let's us check in on our family like some happy blissful arrangement",
... I wouldn't have said anything. The reason I commented on her post is because it came across more like:
"Well, without developing this thought much farther than what I'm about write here, I'd like to think that the following happens even though deep-down I don't believe it: God let's us check in on our family like some happy blissful arrangement"...
it came off that way to me, but I'm sure she'll clarify the matter when she sees this.
doogie: so what's the difference to you if others think about what might be "nice" to experience after death?
That's where I got confused. I didn't know if she was answering: "What happens to you after death?" or "What would like to think happens after death?" My point really focused around whether she believed what she was saying - which of the two questions above was she answering.
Not once did I (intend to??) suggest that she shouldn't believe what she wanted to.
i know it's not the lightest of topics but the current news coverage of the pope's final hours made me wonder if i'd face things as calmly as he is reported to be doing.
i don't have his faith, or any faith anymore, but i can see how for a true believer that would be a source of strength.. the thing is, a lot of us thought we'd never die.
do you really comprehend what a truly massive mind-fuck that is?
FMZ: Death is overrated. The only way to face death is to face life. You aren't scared of dying, you are scared of never having lived.
Hi, FMZ.
I don't think death is overrated. For one, it's the most "final" and conclusive state of being there is (for now). Secondly, it applies to everyone - it unites us if you will (I may not have a dog called Mike, like you (for example!) but we are both going to die), and can come at any time. Sex is more overrated than death, I'm sure you'll agree: you can die a virgin - but you can't live without dying in the end.
Next, a Q. What do you mean by "the only way to face death is to face life"? That's a bit too "soundbitey" for me, and actually doesn't express as much as it seems to on the surface. Do you mean "face life" as in: follow a Christian path? do whatever you feel like? come to terms with life's sadness? I don't actually know what you mean by this.
Next, your next comment is also a bit too soundbitey. I hope you're not gonna come back at me angrily - this is just my opinion, which may be wrong, ok? I feel that when humans stray too far away from God - be it the RC God, the JW God, the Muslim God, etc and the reasonings, logic and sayings therein, we begin to become overly "trusting" of human's "summing up" of what life is, and we don't actually know that much about it. We try to replace Godly wisdom with soundbitey oneliners that don't apply to as many people as we would have ourselves believe.
"You aren't scared of dying, you are scared of never having lived" - Close!
I'm not scared of never having lived. I'm saddened that I don't seem to have the chance to live how I want, or how I expected.
However, your comment is too blanket. What about the people that ARE living how they want and ARE happy? They HAVE "lived", yet, some of them may be scared about what happens after death because they know nothing about it. Or maybe, they aren't living "right" - even according to their own moral standards, and are unsure if there will be any "recompense" or accounting for how they lived. These people may call in a priest or go and confess or something when they know their time is short because ...they are scared of dying. Not so much, the process, but what lays after.
Then just go around hospices and ask the "residents" if they aren't scared of dying, and you'll probably go home and immediately edit your post: those people are probably petrified of the actual dying process. They may choke in their sleep, suffocate, die in agony or whatever.
So these human-wisdom soundbites make you look smart on the forum and such but I don't think they sum up the situation for everyone. They aren't based on the feelings of everyone, so how could these comments be even close to a universal truth?
i know it's not the lightest of topics but the current news coverage of the pope's final hours made me wonder if i'd face things as calmly as he is reported to be doing.
i don't have his faith, or any faith anymore, but i can see how for a true believer that would be a source of strength.. the thing is, a lot of us thought we'd never die.
do you really comprehend what a truly massive mind-fuck that is?
Moanzy: That is precisely why I think the "soul sleep" or being remembered in God's memory is wrong. I don't know what the answer is or what the Truth of death is really is. What I lean towards is the Near-death experiences and that perhaps we do go to heaven right away. Maybe God does allow us to see our families or sort of "check in " on them. I don't think that after we die and years down the road when our children are all grown up and we've missed out on their growing up period, then God resurrects us is at all fair.
Interesting thoughts. I have no clue myself. I probably have the least idea here.
However, your ideas seem to favour "what would be nice" rather than what I feel YOU feel is most likely. Am I completely wrong? If so, I apologize. It's just that, the impression from your post, it sounds naively optimistic (maybe that's just coz I'm a "recovering" pessimist).
The line about "[God might let us] sort of "check in" on them", to me sounds so under-thought through and fuelled by what would be "nice". It almost sounds like someone saying: "maybe there is no devil...maybe there are no sins...maybe ..etc" - like, you just thought it through enough to bring you comfort, but not thoroughly enough to see if it could be a possibility. Could you expand on this please? Maybe it was expressed too briefly for me to understand.
Q: Do you still believe in the Bible? Do you think it's been changed or that we are understanding it wrong? It talks about death, but you seem to have disregarded that, so maybe you think the Bible is incorrect in part???
Thanks for reading.
i know its stupid of me to post a new topic when i haven't finished reading my first thread, but i wanted to know stuff about any current jws that may be here.
you don't need to reply if you want to tell me off or say something o/t.
you can use my first thread for that, since that thread is more general.
OK thanks to everyone that replied - I read all the posts.
OK, I guess some people on this site feel they have been mistreated by the org, and come here a little heated with their backs up, and I guess I brought this recent attack on myself; I didn't realise I would get into so much trouble with you guys for the two threads at once.
Hopefully in the future, you can show me the compassion you feel you didn't get out of the org.
Sorry for offending everyone. Boy, did I put my foot in it. Please don't feel the need to be angry or hostile with me. I'm new here, and am only just learning about the site and people's personalities on here. I didn't think people would react quite this way.
Am I forgiven?
i know its stupid of me to post a new topic when i haven't finished reading my first thread, but i wanted to know stuff about any current jws that may be here.
you don't need to reply if you want to tell me off or say something o/t.
you can use my first thread for that, since that thread is more general.
Hi,
I know its stupid of me to post a new topic when I haven't finished reading my first thread, but I wanted to know stuff about any current JWs that may be here. You don't need to reply if you want to tell me off or say something O/T. You can use my first thread for that, since that thread is more general. Here are 5 questions...well 5 series of questions. Sorry.
By how much of a %age has your faith weakened? How much of a blow was it? What was it due to?
Have you tried to bring your doubts to anyone? With what result?
What things do you now doubt? What things do you still believe in? (Trinity, New world, blood's sacredness etc)
What keeps you going to meetings? If you preach, how do you, not feeling 100% in your belief? Is it hard?
What are your plans within the org? Will you do something definitive like: ask a bunch of questions at the risk of reproof, DF etc?
Thanks
i was just curious as to the aim of this website?
i thought it was a discussion board for those interested in/ for jehovah's witnesses, but it seems like you're all former jehovah's witnesses?
so is this site just to bash jehovah's witnesses?
hi Special K, mouthy, kat2u, Kenneson, DebraDoll (red = accidental, I clicked on the "A", sorry)
hi realist, I don't know what to say. Maybe I should pity you too, but I don't - you've made whatever choices you've seen fit. As long as you're happy, why would I pity you? I wouldn't belittle anyones beliefs in that manner (calling them kindergarten ones) but maybe you've seen something that justifies it. Who knows? Thanks anyway.
Hi Corvin, I'll read up sometime. Was it the org that nearly killed your kids, the bible, their interpretation of the bible or how your kids tried to live by any of the above? Actually, don't answer - I'll read up soon. Thanks.
Hi Quotes, I would love to go through all your work one day, and examine it with a JW to see what they say. PS: That bit about "most people hate JW's" please dont judge them on that - that was from ME, I wasn't representing anyone when I said it. I just said it out of this big emotional imbalance I felt at the time, realising that not everyone found the truth in JW's. Sorry. That was all MY fault. It was my persecution complex.
Hi Flash, thanks.
CeriseRoce - what can I say, thanks for the reply. I appreciate that hour too. Well, I don't have a study. I've had just like...2. Mum used to study though. I just go to Sunday meetings. I want to gather tons and tons of views, then offload them at the feet of the man Ive had 1 or 2 studies with, and see what he says. I'm not looking for TRUTH online, but EVIDENCE or QUESTIONABLE MATERIAL that I can bring back for questioning. Thanks for your reply. I feel bad for not spending an hour on mine. But Im in a rush and replying to everyone else. THanks.
Devon Mcbride, hi. I used to read a JW book on world religions, noting their similarites. They didn't say anything about hate there. But maybe you've read something I haven't. Fair enough. About the "ailing" Cath/Prot - sorry, I judged it on hearsay and one baptist church that I went to. Sorry. Thanks.
Double edge, woah. Okay, have you got a link to the cross vs tree thing. I wanna know once and for all. Also...why do both bibles use "tree" a few times, and "stake" or "cross" in others?
Hi pope. What do you mean by OO Programmer? C++? I study it. How did you know?
Cybersister: If thats true then thats wrong. hate is wrong. But it may be true that God will destroy some people. I guess they should leave the judging to God.
Nathan natas, I'm not a troll...or maybe I am? As long as you keep providing me with info that I can then bring back to any JWs for answers, I don't mind what you call me.
I've been replying and reading for an hour now. I will come to the rest of your posts later. My hands are so tired (i've been on other forums too). My spelling (punctuation etc?) is normally better than this, lol. Thanks for everyones efforts. Sorry if my first post was judgemental - blame me though, cos I was a bit emotionally charged when I wrote it. Sorry.
i was just curious as to the aim of this website?
i thought it was a discussion board for those interested in/ for jehovah's witnesses, but it seems like you're all former jehovah's witnesses?
so is this site just to bash jehovah's witnesses?
Hi aelena. What do you mean by "PUBLIC [REPROOF]"? Do you still believe in Jehovah/God? In the trinity? In Armageddon (whenever it may be)?
i was just curious as to the aim of this website?
i thought it was a discussion board for those interested in/ for jehovah's witnesses, but it seems like you're all former jehovah's witnesses?
so is this site just to bash jehovah's witnesses?
They havent told me to stay away from the net, stephanie. Thanks for the welcome. :)
i was just curious as to the aim of this website?
i thought it was a discussion board for those interested in/ for jehovah's witnesses, but it seems like you're all former jehovah's witnesses?
so is this site just to bash jehovah's witnesses?
SixOfNine: Why don't you just do the research for yourself?
Hi.
Can I ask why you need to be so hostile and rude - or maybe it just came across as such? I'm not here to try and get you to believe in God or anything. In fact, I'm here for purely selfish reasons - for ME - to find out if I'm in the right place. I then will bring any doubts to people I have a study with, when I arrange one, and they can try and explain some of the damning (sp) things I've been hearing this week about the org.
