Posts by daystar

Well now I'm really confused....goes to show how long it's been since I've been associated, however here's my question. If it was "the truth" in 1969 and 1959 and 1949 and 1939, etc. (I think you can see the pattern here) and if Jehovah tells us in the BIBLE not to eat blood, i.e. blood transfusions, then how can they possible change the rules now? Does that mean we also should have been able to go to college, have premarital sexual relations, marry out of the truth, be homosexual if that's how we were born and oh yeh celebrate Christmas, Easter and Birthdays?

See, this is where the house of cards falls. This is such a major issue that without some supernatural (ick!) stretching, New Light can't exactly be used to explain this without making suspect each and every other teaching the JWs promote.

8

Reverse Paranoia

by Farkel in

jehovah's witnesses have a kind of reverse paranoia: they believe everyone else is out there and that satan is out there and satan's minions are out there with only one goal in mind: to make dubs be happy.

it scares the heck out of them and they're afraid someone might actually succeed!

farkel.

daystar

Perhaps I don't understand what you're saying. You think that JWs believe that Satan, Satan's minions and everyone else are "out there" to make JWs be happy? Please explain.

20

Why Has The Kingdom Not Delivered?

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

our father, who art in heaven, .

on earth as it is in heaven.

give us this day our daily bread.

daystar

Although likely a bit mish-mashed and unclear, this was what I was getting at above.

20

Why Has The Kingdom Not Delivered?

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

our father, who art in heaven, .

on earth as it is in heaven.

give us this day our daily bread.

daystar

Luke 17:21 - "nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."

Esoteric studies tell us that "On earth as it is in heaven" is a reference to the Hermetic axiom "As above, so below" and further refers to the relationship between the microcosm (man's material presence in one sense) to the macrocosm (the entirity of the universe, however you wish to define or describe it).

In other words, in my estimation, the concept of the Kingdom of God as a physical manifestation is a misunderstanding at best and misdirection at worst.

41

What's Your View of Lying?

by minimus in

jw
friends

do you generally lie?

do you think it's wrong to do?

i know of some people that regularly speak untruth and think there's just nothing wrong with it.

daystar

Great response Nathan Satan! It was fun to see that author on the Daily Show with John Stewart.

I place no moral obligation on myself or others not to lie. However, one would find a great deal of power in learning to speak, regardless of consequences, only truth.

In fact, I find little value in considerations of what is false and what is true. It has been said, regardless of ones place in life, their knowledge, etc., that 90% of all one believes to be true is, in fact, not. Humanity's perception of reality is in constant flux. Today we understand the earth to be spherical. Not too long ago, the prevailing conception was that it was flat. And this notion was held by many of the foremost thinkers of the time.

I speak what I believe to be true, regardless. When a person comes to rely on what you say to be truth, they trust. When a person trusts, they come to rely further. This suits my purposes nicely.

20

WELCOME to DAYSTAR

by Crumpet in

what a thoughtful first comment made on the other thread.

i think you'll make a fine contributor to this board.. welcome daystar - look forward to hearing your story!.

crumpet

daystar

Could someone please explain very simply to this blonde, How the Hell you quote something!!!!! I've tried some pretty stupid things--nothing happens!!!

When you reply to a post, you should get a text edit box on the page with some buttons along the top. The far right one should look like a speech bubble with quotations inside of it. If your cursor is inside the text box, when you click on the "quote" button, a yellow box should appear in the text box. Paste the text you are quoting into that yellow box.

I hope that is clearer than mud.

20

WELCOME to DAYSTAR

by Crumpet in

what a thoughtful first comment made on the other thread.

i think you'll make a fine contributor to this board.. welcome daystar - look forward to hearing your story!.

crumpet

daystar

Thanks to all for the warm welcome!

20

WELCOME to DAYSTAR

by Crumpet in

what a thoughtful first comment made on the other thread.

i think you'll make a fine contributor to this board.. welcome daystar - look forward to hearing your story!.

crumpet

daystar

Thank you crumpet. I've been lurking here off and on for a few months and thought I'd finally participate.

I've updated my biography with the core of the story if you're interested. I'm not so much in need of any healing any more, so don't see the point in posting my story to the forums. I'm much more interested in helping others.

Good to meet you!

32

Can someone help me to understand?

by hiccup in

i am very new to this whole "religion" and although i have pulled up some information on jehovah's witnesses, i can't seem to get my arms around it.

the reason i have come here is because my father has been doing bible studies and readings for about 2 years now and over the last 6 months to a year he has been someone very different from who i used to know.

it all started with a near fatal car accident and then with my sister getting involved with drugs and running away with her boyfriend.

daystar

hiccup,

There is not much more I can add that hasn't already been said.

I was raised as a JW and left (physically anyway) as soon as I turned 18. I was in the top 1/4 of my high school class academically. But because the Society discouraged higher education, my parents did not encourage me to look at colleges and because I was still psychologically and emotionally held in check by the religion, I did not pursue it on my own either.

Because they believe that "the end of this system of things" will come "like a thief in the night", any investment in this life is considered mostly a waste. One is really expected to spend only enough time and attention on secular work to get by, spending the rest (ideally the majority) of one's time in the service.

Here is, I think, the core contradiction:

Matt. 19:24 "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (NIV)

Luke 17:20-21 "Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." (NIV)

I think the first might be an exaggeration. After all, wasn't Job given many riches? And wasn't King Solomon, besides supposedly the wisest man on earth (and a magician as well), also filthy stinking rich due to God's blessings. (Having asked God for wisdom rather than material wealth, God gave him both.)

I suppose they had both already passed the camel litmus test.

If your father has become seriously involved with the JWs, there is not really much you can do at the time. Anything you say that challenges the religion will brand you as pawn, however innocently, of Satan. It often takes many, many years for the veil to fall from before a JWs eyes. And often, even then, so entrenched will they be that they will stick with it rather than lose connection with so many loved ones.

I went through many, many years of emotional and psychological turmoil after I left. There are still today, nearly fifteen years later, remnants of the teachings lingering around in the most unexpected places.

I'm sorry to have to say this. And it's tough medicine. But if he's already this entrenched, be prepared to lose touch with him. Not that you shouldn't try though.

Have a heartfelt talk with him. Explain that you're not trying to turn him from the religion. But explain that if "the end" is to come, no one knows when it will. And it does more harm than good to cause life in this world to be so difficult. Greed is one thing, but there is nothing wrong with providing yourself and your family a comfortable life. There must be a balance.

Sincerely good luck hiccup.