Posts by Sheepish

40

A New Trend for JW Baby Boomers?

by NYCkid in

i'm sure this topic has come up before but i'm new here :-) since many of us are offspring of the baby boomer generation or of a generation earlier, i've noticed a trend.

my parents and their siblings who largely grew up as witnesses are now entering or have entered retirement age.

although my parents were generally hard working and responsible people, they have little retirement savings.

Sheepish

That is an inspiring story Joelbear. You must be really proud of your dad.

13

Interreligious Relationships

by Kristofer in

experience is the best teacher.

i would like to know your opinions on my situation.. i have been in love with a girl for a year now who is an active witness.

recently she came out with the info because i had been a secret so long.

I have seen it over and over again, with the JWs and also in regular Christianity...if one of the partners is an unbeliever, they begin to resent the time and the fact that they really live in two different worlds. It affects EVERYTHING.

First off, the believer is being disobedient to what they purport to believe. Shaky foundation. Scripture forbids marrying an unbeliever. In "Christendom" there is more freedom between denominations, but as you may know the JW's absolutely are against any other Christian belief. The JW who marrys outside really pays an awful price. There's lots of info on this site-you really need to hang around & read up.

Don't let romance overshadow understanding what you would be getting into!

27

Can a divorcee remarry scripturally?

by rootofallevil in

i have been visiting this board for the last six months and it has opened my eyes!.

i feel like i was tricked into this religion - since 1975.

i would like to say thanks to all who post on this forum.

Sheepish

Welcome rootofallevil! Glad you decided to come out and play!

My understanding is as Littletoe's. ( If the wife is an unbeliever and leaves he is no longer bound. Also if a believer remarries he is free.) More importantly for your friend, if he believes in the authority of scripture, he really ought to do the work and read up on it for himself. Secially for something this serious. Different denominations have different clubhouse rules, but if he's concerned with God he should go straight to the Word and not take anyone elses interpretation or conscience.It should be the first step to getting free from oppresive religion.

13

As the illusion fades, how do you deal with...

by tall penguin in

jw
friends

the reality that life is suffering and sometimes it's just not fair.

i know, i sound like a 5 year old here.

and perhaps emotionally i am to some degree, having bought into the jw "new system" at the age of 5. .

Sheepish

I can't swallow that the world is a completely random place. Too much evidence to the contrary for me. As a Christian I do have certain promises. I worship a just God. I know that "all things work to good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose" and I find that looking back, it's true for me.

I don't think it "natural" at all for people to be good and moral. As you know from experience, it takes effort and choice. Most people's "love" flys right out the window when it's inconvenient or confronted. So I choose to sow as much love & kindness as I can, even in the face of injustice and unkindness, leaving God to "sort them out". It takes a lot of pressure off. You are only responsible for how you behave. I believe you are only ultimately answerable to God.

6

How does one choose to die if they think the JWs are right?

by Sheepish in

this may seem like a strange question, but i'd like to understand.

my brother-in-law decided he can't be a witness anymore.

no half way-he has left entirely.

Sheepish

This may seem like a strange question, but I'd like to understand. My brother-in-law decided he can't be a witness anymore. No half way-he has left entirely. When we tried to discuss it with him, he really dodged around it, and seemed really agitated when I said I had read Franz's book & suggested it would help my sister (half in-half-out). He "knows" he will die at armaggedon.

If you believe in an afterlife, how do you purposely decide what you think you have to do to get there, is too much, and you'd rather be annihilated or (as some people believe) burn for eternity, to live some half-a**ed life here now?

I understand some of you think this is a stupid concept to begin with, but let's side-step that arguement for the sake of what you understand about this.

I mean, wouldn't it weigh on you every day, worrying that you'd be hit by a car, or something and the game would be over, and it would be time to "pay up"?

42

I'm new here and have lots of questions

by jaada in

hello, i am new to this board, i am not a jehovahs witness however i studied with them for years, i went out into service a couple of times, but i havent done anything in 4 years.

i am so confused.

i always have been scared of the last days thing, but i could never accept the fact that while i was in the meetings, my husband and parents were all at home and the witnesses would tell me that unless they changed and started coming to the meetings that they would be killed!

Sheepish

Welcome Jaada,

Hope you do some research. The JW's have twisted some very plain teachings, whether on purpose or just being misled, they result in fear. Shazard said it well.

40

A New Trend for JW Baby Boomers?

by NYCkid in

i'm sure this topic has come up before but i'm new here :-) since many of us are offspring of the baby boomer generation or of a generation earlier, i've noticed a trend.

my parents and their siblings who largely grew up as witnesses are now entering or have entered retirement age.

although my parents were generally hard working and responsible people, they have little retirement savings.

Sheepish

Welcome NYCkid,

This is a very interesting topic. The Bible says those that don't take care of their own are worse than an infidel. Someone, and it would have to be someone who was in good standing before they attempted this, ought to to take Headquarters to court and sue for retirement money. I am totally serious. Is there a lawyer in the house??

14

Why would God need worship?

by Vormek2.8 in

jw
friends

why would an all knowing master of space and time feel the irrepressible need to be adored by mere insects (relatively speaking), and indeed punish them in the most absolute of terms if they fail in this task?

indeed it makes god seem very human, although rather immaturely so.

we expect such behavior from schoolyard bullies, megalomaniac dictators and small children who demand adoration from their beaten dogs.

Sheepish

I wanted to add this:

He created the universe and all that is in it to "show forth His glory" it says.It was work He was satisfied with, cause after He did it He stated, "It is good." (Remember we are reading an translation, he might have said something more like, "Out-of -site! I'm really pleased with that" in our language) He then put us here to enjoy it, appreciating the craft and beauty of it. He loves us and wanted to share it all with us.

Like an earthly father,or an artist/creator, he naturally wants the love, the respect, the appreciation for what he has done. I don't think that's egomanical. It's pretty simple and basic. He doesn't require us to grovel or walk on our knees or spend X number of hours "Out-in-service" that's all the contrivances of man's religion. He asks that we live according to what He knows is best for us, is that unreasonable? We don't think so with our kids. If we tell our kids that if they persue a course it will kill them, we try to keep them from harm, but when they are of age, they get to make the decision ultimately. That doesn't make us bad, horrible parents if they choose death does it? We're not the monsters cause they choose to disobey.

That's what is playing out here. Will humans choose to obey God? Most want to stamp their little foot and live contrary to designed intentions and then curse God for not letting them "get away with it." (making them reap the consequences of what they are doing). They want to be their own God. It won't work-the position is taken!

13

Is this a valid point about Bible prophecies?

by apple78 in

ok, forgive me if this sounds silly but it came to me today.

people keep talking about the earth and its disasters and the fulfilling of prophecies and end times.

but is there a counter argument to these prophecies?

Sheepish

...course I am commenting from the view of someone who believes the Bible...(like I have to tell you! The reason I preface my comments is that I don't want to argue the fact that I have faith, just giving you another point of view)

If you get into fulfilled prophecy in the Bible, you will notice a lot of it was written so that when things came to pass, the reader would recognize it. There are some very compelling and specific prophecys which give the basis for people who now look to the Bible. However, if a prophecy is made, or interpreted by someone or an organization and it does not come to pass as it was prophesied, the scripture VERY plainly tells us to, at the very least, disregard them. They are false. That is a fact about the witnesses that is so glaring that those of us who have left can't believe those who stay won't see it.

That being said, the prophecys about end times were written firstly for the end of Jerusalem, and also for the return of Jesus. They are still valid. As humans become more advanced technologically, them seem to be deteriorating morally and spiritually. Most people want to believe we are advancing in every way. The more money and free time humans have, the more degraded and selfish they become.(We can discuss this on another thread)

Really the bottom line for a believer is, it doesn't matter if it happens in our lifetime or not, it doesn't change a thing. If your relationship with God is right, you have peace inside, and freedom from fear of death,which is one of things Jesus came to accomplish. He never told us to not marry (we are warned against those who teach that actually) or sell everything and go on our housetops to wait for him. He expects us to be busy about what he left us here for.

Of course none of this means anything to someone who thinks it's all bogus, so that would be your first step to decide whether you believe or not. If not, what do you care?

14

Why would God need worship?

by Vormek2.8 in

jw
friends

why would an all knowing master of space and time feel the irrepressible need to be adored by mere insects (relatively speaking), and indeed punish them in the most absolute of terms if they fail in this task?

indeed it makes god seem very human, although rather immaturely so.

we expect such behavior from schoolyard bullies, megalomaniac dictators and small children who demand adoration from their beaten dogs.

Sheepish

Good question. There's lots to answer. First, you gotta stop thinking of God in human terms. The very definition of The Almighty God, The Eternal, Omniscient Creator reveals at the very minimum He knows more than we do, that understanding His complete intelligence is above us-the created. The Bible's explanation is He created us (not the other way around) , and He put in us His attributes. He created us to be in fellowship with Him & with a strong spiritual sense. A need to worship something.It's true all over the world for all of history!

We tend to be transformed by/into what we worship. Our highest acheivement would be to be like Him- in Love, mercy & grace (undeserved kindness). I think the problem comes when people make a judgement based on some Bible stories, or a sermon, or a religion about who He is without finding out for themselves.The context, the understanding.It's a mystical thing in that only those who are truly seeking will understand it. It's like how freaked out some of Jesus followers got when he said "This means my body-eat, this my blood-drink"(paraphrase mine) They rushed to a conclusion and left before they understood!

Jesus is God incarnate, so for those who do not have the attention span or ability to make it through the old testament, with its playing out of the drama that is human existence (it does take a lot of effort) I recommend the red letters in the New Testament. You will find out who he really is, and why people want to worship him. Fear may bring you to consider Him, but those who really have a relationship with Him do it out of love. Perfect love casts out fear.

I'll stop there for now and wait for the dogpile.