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something that always bothered me as a jw was the lack of praise and worship with music at meetings , yeah there were the tapes of dull and uninspiring piano music along with the same songs that noone ever felt enthusiastic about - i actually remeber feeling embarrassed whenever i had invited a bible study or interested person along to a talk and the singing was just pathetic.. singing durring the meetings was never considered a serious act of worship, but an opportunity to visit the bathroom etc.
i also found it sad that those who did have a musical talent could not use that talent in worship - no alternative forms of musical instruments were permitted inside the kh other than the wts piano tapes - no freedom of expression to worship and praise god was ever allowed , it seems that the gb want to rob jw's of the experience of joy in worshipping god.. now that i have experienced worship and praise in a spirit filled church , i can testify just how liberating freedom of expression in worship can be...i recently came across "the psalm drummers" and highly recommend getting the cd.. http://www.psalmdrummers.org/.
S.E...
I love listening to Tim Hughes - he's a brilliant musician , very talented Christian artist. also the Stoneleigh CD's are great.
My first time in a fellowship, with a strong emphasis on praise and worship was CCK in Brighton - where the New Frontiers movement got its start - The fellowship has a very talented membership - blessed with lots of creative people and musicians.
hello everybody i just discovered this site a few days ago and am now formaly introducing my self.
i am 23 years old, i was born and raised in the truth, then about 2 1/2 ears ago i got discfellowshiped.
i didn't know anything else besides the truth.
Hi JUG...
Welcome...
We've all been there in some way or another , initially being disfellowshipped can feel like a fate worse than death.. when it happened to me, deep down I felt a sense of freedom , I still recall thinking I shouldn't be feeling this - I'm supposed to feel like my world has been ripped out from under me - instead it has been a journey of exciting discovery and it was the best thing that could ever had happened - I shudder to think that if it hadn't have happened, I'd still be in the clutches of an organisation that thrives on mind control and manipulation.
All the best to ya...
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something that always bothered me as a jw was the lack of praise and worship with music at meetings , yeah there were the tapes of dull and uninspiring piano music along with the same songs that noone ever felt enthusiastic about - i actually remeber feeling embarrassed whenever i had invited a bible study or interested person along to a talk and the singing was just pathetic.. singing durring the meetings was never considered a serious act of worship, but an opportunity to visit the bathroom etc.
i also found it sad that those who did have a musical talent could not use that talent in worship - no alternative forms of musical instruments were permitted inside the kh other than the wts piano tapes - no freedom of expression to worship and praise god was ever allowed , it seems that the gb want to rob jw's of the experience of joy in worshipping god.. now that i have experienced worship and praise in a spirit filled church , i can testify just how liberating freedom of expression in worship can be...i recently came across "the psalm drummers" and highly recommend getting the cd.. http://www.psalmdrummers.org/.
The WTS is one of the sad results of Christianity,which has its roots in middle eastern culture having been hijacked by middle class caucasian American males, with a hidden agenda who have tried to use Christianity as a vehicle through which to impose their own cultural values onto the rest of humanity with tragic consequences... no disrespect is meant to fellow, American brothers and sisters who deeply respect other cultures and embrace aspects of those cultures that can enrich and enhance our worship experience.
.....but i'm going to a church that thinks they all are.
they preach a good game but in the end, i still believe in the paradise on earth theology.
i'm split right down the middle, as i cannot get away from the belief that only a few were ever good enough to get to heaven.
LT...I agree with you...
Heaven must be as much a spiritual state of mind and heart that can be experienced right now and ultimately also a physical reality that encompasses all we are as living beings spirit, soul and body.
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something that always bothered me as a jw was the lack of praise and worship with music at meetings , yeah there were the tapes of dull and uninspiring piano music along with the same songs that noone ever felt enthusiastic about - i actually remeber feeling embarrassed whenever i had invited a bible study or interested person along to a talk and the singing was just pathetic.. singing durring the meetings was never considered a serious act of worship, but an opportunity to visit the bathroom etc.
i also found it sad that those who did have a musical talent could not use that talent in worship - no alternative forms of musical instruments were permitted inside the kh other than the wts piano tapes - no freedom of expression to worship and praise god was ever allowed , it seems that the gb want to rob jw's of the experience of joy in worshipping god.. now that i have experienced worship and praise in a spirit filled church , i can testify just how liberating freedom of expression in worship can be...i recently came across "the psalm drummers" and highly recommend getting the cd.. http://www.psalmdrummers.org/.
Having lived in Africa for most of my childhood and well into my teens , I have always been fascinated by drums , they play an essential role in the lives of people - from remote villages to towns and cities they are central to all sorts of occassions from a means of communication to celebrating every event from a victory in battle to announcing the birth of a child , in mourning the death of a loved one to celebrating at weddings and also in worship...
Drumming circles on beaches in South Africa are popular with young folks who gather on beaches and party the night away. As witnesses we were discouraged to attend and the idea was always that the drums were used in demonic ritual and worship - which is true in some instances - So it was refreshing for me to read the following about drums:
"The Bible drum is the 'tof' (Hebrew), which modern translators mostly render as 'tambourine'. The 'tof' is a frame drum. It has no jingles and is named after its sound - a deep thud. The modern tambourine does not truly represent the drum which appears in Scripture 16 times. God's word gives authority for the drummer to strike the drum: in celebration (1 Chron. 13:8); in praise (Ps. 150:4); in worship (Ps. 68:25); for prophecy (1 Sam. 10:5, 6); for healing (Ps. 81:2-7); and in declaration of the Lord's sovereignty (Isaiah 30:32)."
.....but i'm going to a church that thinks they all are.
they preach a good game but in the end, i still believe in the paradise on earth theology.
i'm split right down the middle, as i cannot get away from the belief that only a few were ever good enough to get to heaven.
Strangely enough I was also thinking today , how if the GB decided tomorrow that they had seen the light regarding the great crowd being in heaven - as the greek word "naos" in Revelation 7:11 implies - and everone is suddenly promoted to heaven - few would question it ...in Watchtower Land the way to the father is through the "FDS" and not through the son...I wonder if at some point they will change the NWT to read "No one comes to the father except through us ( the WTS)"
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something that always bothered me as a jw was the lack of praise and worship with music at meetings , yeah there were the tapes of dull and uninspiring piano music along with the same songs that noone ever felt enthusiastic about - i actually remeber feeling embarrassed whenever i had invited a bible study or interested person along to a talk and the singing was just pathetic.. singing durring the meetings was never considered a serious act of worship, but an opportunity to visit the bathroom etc.
i also found it sad that those who did have a musical talent could not use that talent in worship - no alternative forms of musical instruments were permitted inside the kh other than the wts piano tapes - no freedom of expression to worship and praise god was ever allowed , it seems that the gb want to rob jw's of the experience of joy in worshipping god.. now that i have experienced worship and praise in a spirit filled church , i can testify just how liberating freedom of expression in worship can be...i recently came across "the psalm drummers" and highly recommend getting the cd.. http://www.psalmdrummers.org/.
Something that always bothered me as a JW was the lack of praise and worship with music at meetings , yeah there were the tapes of dull and uninspiring piano music along with the same songs that noone ever felt enthusiastic about - I actually remeber feeling embarrassed whenever I had invited a bible study or interested person along to a talk and the singing was just pathetic.
Singing durring the meetings was never considered a serious act of worship, but an opportunity to visit the bathroom etc. I also found it sad that those who did have a musical talent could not use that talent in worship - no alternative forms of musical instruments were permitted inside the KH other than the WTS piano tapes - no freedom of expression to worship and praise God was ever allowed , it seems that the GB want to rob JW's of the experience of joy in worshipping God.
Now that I have experienced worship and praise in a Spirit filled church , I can testify just how liberating freedom of expression in worship can be...I recently came across "The Psalm Drummers" and highly recommend getting the CD.
.....but i'm going to a church that thinks they all are.
they preach a good game but in the end, i still believe in the paradise on earth theology.
i'm split right down the middle, as i cannot get away from the belief that only a few were ever good enough to get to heaven.
.....but i'm going to a church that thinks they all are.
they preach a good game but in the end, i still believe in the paradise on earth theology.
i'm split right down the middle, as i cannot get away from the belief that only a few were ever good enough to get to heaven.
Some points of view suggest that at the end of time the barriers that prohibit movement between the physical world and the spritual will be removed and that ressurrected glorified bodies will allow us to materialize and dematerialize ,to live as it were in both the new heavens and the new earth , in this sense also "God brings together all things in Christ, both the things on the earth and the things in the heavens" New Jerusalem comes down from heaven and God himself resides with us.
You might also find the discussion on this thread of interest http://www.xjw.com/paradise.html
we had one brother who became a witness after he contracted hiv, he was very subdued and very willing to learn and very into the "truth", i guess that can really have an effect on you.
he was very nice, i did feel sorry for him.
it is a very sad way to die, and a terrible way to life out your last days.
Shockingly I remeber an article in an Awake or Wachtower that dealt with HIV/AIDS written sometime in the 90's - not sure exact dates ...
The article gave instructions that any infected with the virus and whom where contemplating baptism stand at the back of the que and wait till after everyone else was baptised - so as not to stumble or cause anyone uneccessary concern.
The article went on to indictate if I remeber correctly , that these people also sit towards the back of the KH so as not to offend anyone.
If anyone else remebers the articles and can scan the pages , that would be cool.
