Posts by Bona Dea

67

Saying Goodbye and The Celestine Prophecy

by safe4kids in

nope, not to to the board but to stuff i've needed to let go!

anyone who has dealt with depression and the internal effects of sustained negative emotions will understand this, i think.

its been a rough year, for many reasons, and i apologize to those whom ive not had the energy and emotional wherewithal to support.

Bona Dea

Hiya Dana,

Thanks for taking the time to respond to me. I just finished the book. WOW...what a cool ending, what with that happening with Wil and all. I didn't put too much faith in the words of the book, because it is fiction...but since I've started reading it, I have tried some of the insights and I do feel more in touch with things, you know? Like yesterday, I saw a friend in passing that I have been meaning to call for sometime. I felt all morning like I should call her, but I had a ton of housework to do...so, I put it out of my mind. The feeling nagged at me all day, and then last night she called. Weird, huh? I wasn't home, so I don't know why she called but I'll be returning her call in a little bit. It'll be interesting to see what she has to say. Have you guys been applying the insights? How seriously do you take this book? What does Redfield base these insights on?

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm just a little awestruck by the book. It sort of leaves you with a strong feeling of expectation. I'm just curious to see if I am the only one who feels this way? What is the 8th insight. I haven't numbered them, I just know them by name. Do you guys really think that mankind as a whole could ever achieve that level of spiritually? I just can't envision that. I think of those who are so complacent...and there are many. Even if they felt such a thing is achievable, life the way it is is simply too comfortable for some to ever let it go, you know?

I'd like to go on to the next book, but the library in this little town only has the Celestine Prophecy (and I'm surprised that they even had that one). I'll probably just order them from Amazon. They have some there that are used and are really inexpensive.

Keep us informed about your progression. My email is open, so feel free to email me anytime.

Take care!!

Sadie

77

Your most powerful spiritual saying is?????

by anti-absolutist in

jw
friends

we all go through times of stress and sad times.

what is a simple, yet profound saying that you have reminded yourself of to make these troubling times easier?

you don't have to believe in a literal god, just that there are higher thoughts within us that we all are able to draw from.. the one that has worked the best for me is: .

Bona Dea

What has always gotten me about the serenity prayer is having the wisdom to know the difference. I had always thought this was the toughest, until I got into a conversation with someone about it. She made an excellent point, she said it was more difficult for her to accept the things she couldn't change. I had never really thought about it until she said that. I thought of situations in my life where decisions I made were based on things that others were doing to me. Situations were I could not change the person nor change the situation and instead I just had to leave it. Not a choice I wanted to make but I had and still have to accept the fact that no matter how badly I desire things to be a certain way, there is only so much I can do to change it...and I can't force anyone to do things the way I think that they should.

Such as my current situation where my husband is soon-to-be a baptized Jehovah's Witness. I can't stop it. No matter how much I want my old life back, I want things to be normal and simple again...and that is just not going to happen. Despite the fact that I hate the way things are going and desperately want this to all just go away, I just have to accept it. And that sucks!!! I don't want to accept it. I don't want to accept that our lives are going to be forever altered and screwy because he won't listen to me. Accepting the things we cannot change...a very tough pill to swallow....

My favorite spiritual quotes are:

- He who thinks he knows, doesn't know. He who knows that he doesn't know, knows. For in this context, to know is not to know. And not to know is to know.

- You're just an empty cage girl if you kill the bird...

- Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.

- Reality is wrong. Dreams are for real.

Sadie

43

What should we reply when invited to memorial?

by bluesapphire in

jw
friends

when my mil invites my husband to the memorial he plans on saying, "well i've already been to the memorial before.

if you've been there once, there's no need to go again since the talk is the same mumbo-jumbo year after year and i'm not anointed anyway.".

what do you plan on saying or have you said?

Bona Dea

Just say "NO!"

joanna...

I loved that dialogue!! I think I busted a gut .

BTW, what time will that pagan orgy be?...LOL

Sadie

67

Saying Goodbye and The Celestine Prophecy

by safe4kids in

nope, not to to the board but to stuff i've needed to let go!

anyone who has dealt with depression and the internal effects of sustained negative emotions will understand this, i think.

its been a rough year, for many reasons, and i apologize to those whom ive not had the energy and emotional wherewithal to support.

Bona Dea

Dana,

Thanks for posting the title to that book. I checked it out the day after I first read your post and now I'm to the part about “Engaging the Flow”. I can't put my finger on my "control drama" but I think I may be a "poor me"...LOL. I’m having a hard time following my pattern from childhood until now and what effect my parents have on all that. I wasn’t very close to either one on my parents growing up, although I maintain a wonderful relationship with my mother now…that didn’t occur until adulthood. During childhood, neither parent was ever really involved in my life…so there wasn’t much interaction to base anything on. The only thing I can see that I might do now, is attempt to gain attention from others through sympathy. My life still sucks just as much as it did when I was a kid…and it does appear to be a pattern with me, that I continually put myself into difficult, and sometimes impossible situations and relationships and then seek out comfort from others by sharing with them my story(ies).

The book aside, I have always wanted to understand why I do this to myself (put myself in terrible relationships and situations). As far as “control dramas” go…I really don’t think I try to control anyone. I can see now, that if this is truly part of a method or process or progress of/to spiritual enlightenment, I will have a hard time getting past this "insight"...LOL. At any rate, t he book is a very interesting read. I especially found myself relating on an individual basis to the events of history. When I was reading how people had put faith in the clergymen then lost it…and along with that faith went their answers to the questions of purpose (the longer now)...yada, yada, and to preoccupy their minds they focused on other things to fill the void...I was like "wow. that is sooo where I am right now".

As far as identifying with your surroundings (the mystical experience)...I have always been on a very spiritual level with nature and always felt a very strong connection with the universe (like in the book where he describes the universe as his body, as if it absorbed him completely).

I've been reading a lot more fiction lately, mostly Anne Rice (the non-fiction was frying my brain). I read an awesome book titled the Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd not too long ago. That was the BEST book I have read in a verrryyy long time. I highly recommend it. I recently read the Power of Myth (non-fiction), which was also a terrific book.

Good luck and take care….

Valis,

Thanks for posting that info about the Popol Vuh…sounds interesting. I’ll start on that as soon as I finish this book.

Sadie

20

Remember the Waldensenes? The society didn't tell all.

by gumby in

scroll down to the highlighted part.. any sharpie ex-dubs see any thing strange?.

1000 years of carnage & barbarity in the name of christ email the author kenneth humphreys.

10th century obscenities-.

Bona Dea

They along with others, believed in doctrines that is totally contrary to Watchtower doctrine.......yet they are included along with other groups such as the lollards in watchtower literature as....."bold lovers of truth".

I find it odd that they do this. Apparently, the witnesses are unable to see another obvious and disturbing similarity between the history Catholic Church and the modern-day WTS, or they certainly wouldn't be writting articles that could get the "spiritually weak" of the flock to start drawing parallels. The Catholic Church had their "heretics", whom they eliminated because these people posed a threat to their power. Now, granted the WTS hasn't literally "killed" anyone, but look at the countless lives that have been utterly destroyed in order to silence those who would oppose them....something to think about. Catholic Church/heretics=WTS/apostates....??

Sadie

25

New to the group - I have a couple questions to get started with!!

by bk62 in

i'm not, have never been, nor will i ever be a jw.

unfortunately, i've become caught up in the cult because of my wife.

she's not yet a witness, but many in her family are.

Bona Dea

Welcome Bk62!!!!

I'm in much the same boat as you....well, sort of. And what Francois has said...do not have children until you resolve this to your satisfaction because, believe me, if you don't you will have tough road ahead of you and so will any children you have. I sit every night and have to listen to my husband drone WT propaganda upon my kids. I have a 4 year old who walks around saying things like "Jehovah will destroy wickedness" and a 7 year old who is terrified that Jehovah is going to kill him if he is bad. Christmas, birthdays, ANY holiday is a holy hell around this house...and a literal holy war breaks out everytime these days roll around.

And all that aside, just wait til your kids want to join something like boy/girl scouts or participate in the swim team through the YMCA. That is when I go ballistic. You will begin to envy those around you who just have a simple and normal life...and desperately long for it with every fiber of your being...you will want, more than anything, for your kids to be able to live a life free of this utter stupidity. Where they can sneeze and receive a hearty "God bless you" from you, without dirty looks from your spouse...where they can come home and openly talk about this month's theme at school being "citizenship". These things that normal people take for granted will be stripped from you and your children. This is by no means an exaggeration. I am not baptized, never have, never will be. My husband isn't either (believe it or not) and this is my life.

I'm not telling you this to scare you or anything, but this is reality. I opened the door to these people years ago. He accepted what they taught as the truth, I did not. I and my kids have been paying for it, ever since. I will regret that day for the rest of my life. Most everyone on here has given excellent advice...please take it. I wish you the best of luck. Take care....

Sadie

53

Dizzy Christianity - Fraudulent and Evil Rotten - from beginning to end

by Xander in

was going to bump the other thread, but, this....just...... i mean:.

http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/murderers.htm.

some fun the early christians had:the pope's pears:.

Bona Dea

Even given the benefit of the doubt, who's to say your God is the God who created all this?

That is not the issue. The issue is the possibilty that biological life was created.

>>>>Really? Then you are saying you do not believe your God is THE God who created the heavens and the earth, am I right? You are just arguing creation (by anyone or anything) as opposed to evolution?

It is easier to believe that an invisible creator just "was", than to believe that the visible earth just "was". At least there is evidence that the earth exists, which is more than I can say for any "God".

The earth did not always exist. This is a scientific fact. According to the second law of thermodynamics, given the complexity of the universe, the belief that God simply was, although it is not the issue, is rational. You can't say that it is impossible that there is a God.

>>>>Sure I can. But I have no more "proof" for that assertion, than you have proof that there is one who is responsible for biological life. I know nothing about the second law of thermodynamics, so I won't even go there. And sweetheart, I am quite aware that the earth hasn't always existed (). My point is that if a God can just (poof) exist, then is it really so irrational to assume that the earth and all life on it couldn't have just (poof) formed? I'm not even going into arguing the dynamics of an infinite God, only the assumption that he just "was".

Biological life is not proof of God.

I know that. It is evidence.

>>>>That is my point. Biological life only tells us that we are here. That's it! It doesn't answer any of the big questions like how, what, when and where did we come from/get here? Biological life doesn't support your argument anymore than it supports the evolutionists argument. It supports both and neither. How would it make sense to say this is evidence to support the idea that we were created by an unseen being? Upon proposing that, you'd have to then give evidence to support the existence of this unseen being, of which there is none. I don't suppose I get it. Biological life, IMHO, is only evidence that we are here and that we came from something...maybe. But if it isn't too far-fetched to believe that an invisible God, whom no one has seen (how convenient) came from nothing, then how can it be labeled as illogical thinking to attribute this same reasoning to mankind and the universe? I hope I'm making sense here.

<quote>A bloody glove and a bloodstained driveway are evidence.</quote>

This is simply evidence that someone bled. That's it. It doesn't tell you who the attacker was...if there even was one (the bleeding could've been the result of some sort of accident; ie. lawnmower accident, pruning accident), why they did it, if the assailant was even a person (could've been a dog, a bear, a lion), or if someone even died as a result.

There are so many things lacking in this evidence alone...but find a body/victim, motive, fingerprints, DNA...and then you've got something solid. Biological life is not evidence of anything except that we are here. It does not lend support to where we came from, why we are here, or who...if anyone...created us.

I have always been creationalist, btw. At this point in my life, I am sort-of unsure about what exactly I believe regarding creation/evolution and all such as that. So, forgive me for my poor debating skills in relation to this particular issue. I just like arguing... Also, I don't know a whole lot about the theory of evolution, so I may be doing more harm here than good for the evolutionists. I apologize if this is the case.

Sadie

63

Virgin Birth Claim Disproves Biblical Inspiration

by AlanF in

many bible believers claim that the old testament contains over 300 so-called messianic prophecies.

however, a careful look at such claims shows that at least 80% of these have absolutely no connection with jesus, or with events beyond what the ancient writer was concerned with.. take, for example, the famous example of the supposed virgin birth of jesus.

this is based on the text of matthew 1:18-23 (nasb):18 now the birth of jesus christ was as follows: when his mother mary had been betrothed to joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the holy spirit.

Bona Dea

Great post!!!

I had to just breeze over it (in a hurry), but I got the gist of it. A lot of what you've posted is exactly why the Jews reject the idea of Jesus Christ as the messiah and the virgin birth. The Jews discount this concept because the Christian idea of a virgin birth is derived from the verse in Isaiah 7:14 describing an "alma" as giving birth. The word "alma" has always meant a "young woman", but Christian theologians came centuries later and translated it as "virgin."

Also, another reason Jews reject Jesus as the messiah is because of his lineage (descendant of David)...yet Joseph was NOT Jesus' biological father..God was (and the issue is even debatable among Christians as to whether or not Mary was even Jesus' biogical mother or if she was simply a "carrier"). Many claim that Mary was also a descendant of David, but I have yet to see the geneology (and I also find it odd that the authors of the NT would go through such great lengths to show the geneology of Joseph if it were supposed to be coming down through Mary anyhow). There are many other reasons, as I'm sure you know, why Jesus Christ is rejected by some as being the messiah in relation to unfulfillment of messianic prophecy but I don't have time to go into any detail right now...

Sadie

53

Dizzy Christianity - Fraudulent and Evil Rotten - from beginning to end

by Xander in

was going to bump the other thread, but, this....just...... i mean:.

http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/murderers.htm.

some fun the early christians had:the pope's pears:.

Bona Dea

Starscream - Biological life is not proof of God. Biological life is simply proof that we came from something but it is not proof that that something is God. Even given the benefit of the doubt, who's to say your God is the God who created all this? What about the Sumerian gods...Nammu, Anu, Ki, Enlil, Ninlil, Sin, Enki? What about the countless claims of other religions that allege that their god is the creator of the universe and the earth? Couldn't these gods/creatures be responsible for creation, plants, life? Can you prove otherwise? Just because I haven't seen them doesn't mean they don't exist or that one of them couldn't be responsible for "biological life" .

And I don't know how some can so easily dismiss the earth and all that is in it came from nothing, or was a "miracle", or simply just evolved or even better, it just "was"...yet where in the world did God come from? It is easier to believe that an invisible creator just "was", than to believe that the visible earth just "was". At least there is evidence that the earth exists, which is more than I can say for any "God".

Sadie

21

Do you think JW men treat women worst than 'other' men in power?

by BLISSISIGNORANCE in

jw
friends

i ask this question because we often hear about jw men (bros., elders, servants, co's etc.

) treating sisters as lower and weaker beings than themselves.. but i wonder if it's not just a male-dominant world problem.

i didn't grow up as a jw so every male i met for 30 years was not a jw.

Bona Dea

Well, RandomTask, Scarlet...I am truly sorry that you've ever had to be in a situation like that. I hate that anyone has to or has had to deal with being in this type of relationship. But to come down on others and go so far as to call them whiny cry babies, is IMHO, inappropriate. Situations do vary. The problem of being in a controlling or a mentally/emotionally abusive relationship is that most people can't see what the big deal is. Unlike a physically abusive relationship, there are no bruises, no calls to the police department, no visual proof of what is taking place. And I am by no means downplaying the dilemma of being in a physically abusive relationship.

I know that eventually I will leave my situation. I know that it is not a good relationship and one in which I do not like being involved. But I also know that much as I desperately long to just get out of it, that I cannot leave right now because certain circumstances that won't allow me. Sorry for snapping your head off...but I don't like being judged when I know my predicament and the difficulties that surround it, and you do not.

Sadie