Posts by JWdaughter

25

Do the Rank & File JW's REALLY read and understand the bible to be able to REALLY start a study with someone???

by ADJUSTMENTS in

i believe the average rank & file are illiterate when it come to the bible because they are so used to using the wbats cliff notes... even though i believe the bible is a fiction novel, at least be able to explain a novel you hold is such high regard: i mean jesus!!!

.

JWdaughter

I really didn't have a good grasp of what the Bible taught until I went to a So. baptist church. We actually, really got into the NT during the Wed. Bible study. (it was that or teach AWANAs). All we did was read the Bible and knowing where we were, we were all free to study ahead, read up on history, scholars, context, and stories surrounding what we were going to read and we actually discussed what church fathers said about it. Sometimes we would only read a few scriptures before getting sucked into a lot of interesting minutia. First time I really learned about scholarly terminologies, about context, about all the little versions of christianity floating around in the early church. then in the ladies Bible study, we spent a lot of time on cultural background of whatever bible book we were in.

It all led me out of Christianity as it is, but I actually started to discern things in there-allowed myself to consider what felt holy and what felt like self serving claptrap. It felt very disloyal and I nearly lost ALL faith because I didnt know what to do with a bible that I didn't believe was completely inspired and informed by the almighty god.

Most won't approve of my conclusions, but I love that I have the freedom to come to my own conclusions:) God bless America!!

303

The best reasonable, rational, intelligent discussion on religion I've ever seen

by TerryWalstrom in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl6e4emx-4k

JWdaughter

Just be nice to other and see how it all shakes out in the end:)

11

NWT reasons, excuses, and assertions for inserting the Tetragrammaton (JEHOVAH)

by TerryWalstrom in

http://tetragrammaton.org/wtarticle.html.

a summary statement of the writers' error.

we believe the writers of the august 1, 2008 watchtower magazine article, should the name jehovah appear in the new testament?

JWdaughter

For most JWs they zoned out when you said that they made a "fundamental error". The blood filling their eyes precluded them from reading anything more.

15

Went to a viewing at a Catholic Church...not what I expected

by PaintedToeNail in

jw
friends

a child in my daughter's class lost his mother very recently.

we went to the viewing last night at the local catholic church.

in the foyer area there was a bulletin board with pamphlets regarding child sex abuse, including by the church, in both english and spanish.

JWdaughter

At the local mosque was a poster for abused women and numbers for the local low cost medical clinic and food banks that are connected to the local mosques. Also classes for language(English, Arabic and Urdu), religious education, sports camps and roommate shares. It was pretty useful.

The only church I have been to that was heavy on the visual icons of saints/Jesus was the orthodox church. It was beautifully gaudy. Which is an ironic sounding word, a bit, isn't it -in this context? They too have a lot of community bulletins like all churches I have ever been to-other than the KH.

303

The best reasonable, rational, intelligent discussion on religion I've ever seen

by TerryWalstrom in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl6e4emx-4k

JWdaughter

Cofty, I know that you think you are quite knowledgeable about Islam-and you might well have a lot of knowledge. HOWEVER, all Muslims do NOT accept Hadith as authoritative. I am one of them. Most are picky and choosy about hadith the way Christians and Jews are about commandments and instructions in the Bible. More so, because they are NOT accepted by Muslims as being "inspired".

OTOH, some very dodgy hadiths are accepted by way too many Muslims. They say they are not athoritative, yet they, in fact, do ascribe them (way too much) authority.

I read a recent account of the reason that so many (muslim and non) folks think that Muslims destroyed the library of alexandria in Egypt. Saladin, a Muslim conquerer, when he was actually destroying a library was criticized by many for doing so. He gave the excuse that one of the righteous Caliphs had destroyed the library of Alexandria, so who were these people to question him? (Destroying knowledge is actually considered pretty heinous in Islam, hence the criticism). Well, he was the ruler and he said it, so it was accepted.

I have since thought on that as being an explanation as to how hadiths(and likely some scriptures in the Bible) gets spread and disseminated. People say things to justify their (questionable/dodgy/controlling/ritualistic/ different/ traditional/cultural, maybe even just plain wrong) actions, ascribe it to or associate it with the prophets/holy ones and suddenly they have a free pass. It gets repeated and, suddenly, everyone wanting to do thus and so has a reason/excuse to do so.

Which is why hadith has the authority of any advice. Good or bad, I accept it or reject it on that basis.

303

The best reasonable, rational, intelligent discussion on religion I've ever seen

by TerryWalstrom in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl6e4emx-4k

JWdaughter

Terry, thanks. I am a fan of Reza-and I still love Cofty :)

I think some of the commenters have kind of missed the point of the posted link, but hey, they think all believers are delusional, so there is a foundational lack of respect-and I get it. I can't get angry about it, because I know the world I live in, and I know how much animus there is to religion.

I sent this to my mom(from the Youtube link) just for her to understand my ideas on it. I wish I expressed myself as well as Mr. Aslan.

(putting on my armor)

100

Exposing one's identity. When?

by kairos in

jw
friends

i've been toying with the idea of just coming out and posting my name and location as an attempt to be available to locals that secretly browse the forum that have known me for up to 25 years.

( "reaching out", so to speak ).

i'm not da'd or df'd, so this most certainly could end in a dramatic confrontation.

JWdaughter

In this time of identity theft, I try to keep my real name off the internet forums. I once put my email on a forum and had reason to regret it later, so, think hard about what you have said, what you will say and how much you have to lose. Even if no JWs connected to you do anything about it, there are some crazies online (JW and otherwise) who make it their life's work to destroy others-just because they can. I have seen one specific incident online that was actually devastating to a family and career. I have seen others who have had their lives exposed online in very ugly ways just because someone didn't like their opinion. JWs and ex JWs have done these things. So called Christians have. People can be ugly and you don't know who ANY of us are.

I like your cojones to consider it, but it may be a bit of a Pyrric victory, if you know what I mean.

10

The JW's were right!!! The government is starting its turn against RELIGION!!!

by ADJUSTMENTS in

this is what obama recently had to say about religion and how it is causing problems in the world... the prophecy is coming true!!!

we apostates are doomed!!!.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=afndil42e20.

JWdaughter

"We see faith driving us to do right. . . "

This isn't against religion, it is against terrorism. It isn't against religion, it is against those who CLAIM religious authority to commit atrocities.

He recognized that religon can perpetuate profound GOOD, but it has, throughout history, been corrupted by men-which is when the inquisition/crusades were mentioned.

"there is a sinful tendency in us that can pervert and distort our faith"

"God compells us to try" (to counteract intolerance)

I thought it well balanced and fair (from the little clip available.) I wish he had a better solution than "god compells us to try."

I like Yoda." Do or do not. There is no try"

23

QFR How should Christians view fortune cookies?

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

this is crazy..... .

questions from readers.

how should christians view fortune cookies?.

JWdaughter

Eh, that this even comes up shows what a killjoy religion the WTBTS/JWs can be. They didn't need to write it-we all know exactly what the article would say, right? (see above)

56

Field Service Reports Count More than Showing Love - Ray Franz CF Book

by flipper in

jw
friends

i've always suspected this was the wt society's view when i was in the jehovah's witness organization - but never knew the head of the writing committee karl adams had written a letter to nathan knorr ( then wt president ) recommending a change regarding reporting field service time as it wrongly emphasized jw members being seen as mainly being approved due to field service statistics - instead of emphasizing christian qualities of love, kindness, peace, etc.. karl adams had been personally handpicked by nathan knorr to be the head of the writing department.

in 1971 he wrote a letter to knorr which he wanted shared with the entire governing body as well .

i'll share the main parts of that letter.. on pg.

JWdaughter

Thanks for sharing that. It's a sad thing that they have become, isn't it?

My husband and I are in a business that operates on a network marketing/direct sales platform. We operate mostly with businesses and as an employee benefit(direct), so the network thing is pretty minor. The other day my husband got a kick down from his "upline" because he wasn't making him look good as he hadn't brought in any new associates lately. Well, we are promoting the service rather than promoting the business because we believe in the service. People who love the service and are inclined to business approach us, but we are not in the business of selling a business primarily.

JWs are more about promoting the religion (business) than the product (faith). That is why they are constantly compared to a (sleazy) network marketing business. Even the best business needs to remember that they are not worth anything unless you have something to offer people that has VALUE.