Posts by Merry Magdalene

jesus is called the prince of peace.. john lennon and yoko ono put out posters that read "war is over - if you want it".. peace doesn't depend on scientific progress.

it certainly doesn't take prosperity and riches to have peace.

Merry Magdalene

Thanks, Changeling. But there are many Muslims and Muslimahs far lovelier and more intelligent than I am.

I think a lot of the apparent contradiction has to do with the Islam that I (and many others) have discovered through our own in-depth investigation and consideration of Qur'an and Sunnah as opposed to what Muslims are most often and most strongly portrayed as believing and doing, that becoming the basis of how people see Islam and interpret the Qur'an.

I did not become a Muslimah because of Muslims and I will not stop being a Muslimah because of Muslims. I became a Muslim because of what I believe is the essence and truth of Islam. Islam is as Islam is, not necessarily as Muslims do. Or to put it another way, Islam can only be defined by what Muslims do to the extent that what those Muslims do is actually defined by Islam and not their own varied cultural or personal prejudices.

Hope that helps clarify.

~Merry

72

WAR IS OVER-IF YOU WANT IT

by proplog2 in

jw
friends

christmas is the time to talk about peace.

jesus is called the prince of peace.. john lennon and yoko ono put out posters that read "war is over - if you want it".. peace doesn't depend on scientific progress.

it certainly doesn't take prosperity and riches to have peace.

Merry Magdalene

They have peace? Because they don't engage in physical battle?

Well that is one kind of peace, but I think it is the only kind of peace they have as a group--the absence of violent physical hostility. And they are not even strictly opposed to that, accepting its justification in Old Testament times, and eagerly awaiting its being carried out in the near future, without their participation but for their benefit.

They are also kept engaged in ongoing spiritual warfare and taught to feel spiritual hostility toward anyone they consider the enemy (which is everyone but themselves, and they even view each other and their own selves with great suspicion and enmity much of the time). Is that peace?

For them as much as anyone else, war is not over.

But who is condemning JWs anyway? As far as I can tell, we're mostly just concerned for them because of their blind obedience to a publishing company that does more harm than good. You can call that peace if you want to, but I can't. I think, like so much else the Watchtower promotes, what they offer is a superficial make-believe sort of peace.

I am glad you care about peace, but not everyone does. There are some whose interests are very much served by the continuation of war. I cannot make them want peace and justice, but I can do my best to expose their fearmongering and lying justifications for wars of greed, in the hopes that fewer people will support them and fight those wars for them.

Therefore, while I seek peace, desire peace, do my best to practice peace, I am not opposed to defensive war. I am opposed to aggressive war and to any methods of war that take the lives of civilians and cause excess damage to the land.

Peace.

~Merry

10

Watch Tower, Bible Students and Freemasonry

by Pete Sempras in

click original article for working links - http://v.i.v.free.fr/wt/wtfm.html.

michel leblanc .

in this article, you will probably make astonishing discoveries.

Merry Magdalene

I think the true history of JWs is important and something they shouldn't be allowed to gloss over the way they do. I was also intrigued by the claim of a link from a dissident Bible Students' site to an official Watchtower site (International Bible Students Association) which bears a cross and crown.

So I tried the link. Although the link does say "International Bible Students Association" the page it took me to does not, so does the poster or author of the article have some other proof that the site is owned by the IBSA/Watchtower? It only says "Bible Students.Org" so I don't see any connection.

But thank you for sharing.

FF, I don't think the article was written by the poster and I do think it is a translation from French.

~Merry

19

Respecting Opinions (Remember English is a second Language)

by cluless in

jw
friends

iam insenced?.

i have followed debates on this site.

and i have concluded that the power of the written word is argumentative.

Merry Magdalene

If I understand your post correctly, I agree--

I chat with many friends for whom English is a second language and we often misunderstand each other. But as long as we continue respecting each other and giving each other the benefit of the doubt and asking each other for clarification, it all turns out good.

I try to do that in regard to religious beliefs also as religions and believers all also seem to have their own "languages."

And even as individuals we are this way. I think it is best not to jump to conclusions, not think the worst, not to assume we know what someone means too quickly or exactly, and not expect anyone to know exactly what we mean without clarification (that mind-reading thing that spouses sometimes expect of each other).

~Merry

32

Do you ever feel that you'd like to go to church...

by Trevanian in

jw
friends

...but don't know where to start looking for a good church to attend?.

or maybe feel too guilty with leftover jw emotions to even think about going to church at all?.

Merry Magdalene

About 1 year before I converted to Islam I decided to give church a try. I was very curious but had a lot of trepidation as well.

One Sunday I just walked into the church closest to my house, a Presbyterian church which happens to have a female pastor. Everyone there was very nice and welcoming but they didn't overdo it, thankfully. It was a very pleasant year of Sundays with a few special events here and there.

When I left they let me know I was welcome back any time.

~Merry

30

What did Santa bring you?

by NewYork44M in

jw
friends

i just woke up on christmas morning to see what santa brought me.

i would have been happy with a lump of coal.

but alas, not this year.

Merry Magdalene

A next door neighbor brought us a plate of goodies and two Christmas gifts for my daughter (wrapped in Chanukah paper).

She said she wanted to do it because she knows Z doesn't have her own grandmother anymore (my mother died last year) and she is far from her own grandkids this season.

She doesn't know that Z's grandmother never celebrated the holidays. Doesn't know anything about JWs or Muslims. But she does know a lot about love and compassion and neighborliness.

She definitely brought a smile to our faces and warmth to our hearts.

~Merry

3

Long Shot, but does anyone have any old pics of...

by El Kabong in

jw
friends

...any district assembly pictures, particularly of those held at roosevelt stadium in jersey city, nj, yankee stadium, or the polo grounds.

the reason i would like to see these pics is because i play a baseball game called baseball mogul, and the game can be modified to use real stadium pictures in the play by play mode.

if you can pm me, or post them to this thread if you wish, it would greatly be appreciated.

Merry Magdalene

oh, one more...

alt

~Merry

3

Long Shot, but does anyone have any old pics of...

by El Kabong in

jw
friends

...any district assembly pictures, particularly of those held at roosevelt stadium in jersey city, nj, yankee stadium, or the polo grounds.

the reason i would like to see these pics is because i play a baseball game called baseball mogul, and the game can be modified to use real stadium pictures in the play by play mode.

if you can pm me, or post them to this thread if you wish, it would greatly be appreciated.

Merry Magdalene

probably not useable, but...

alt

~Merry

22

The WT Clock: Proof that Jehovah is amazing and awe inspiring

by FadingAway in

jw
friends

from an email i got:.

here is a story told at the annual meeting.

you know how the society has been cutting costs, part time help, cutting back on cd;s selling property etc... well, you know the famous watchtower read gods word daily " sign is on one side of the place,,,, well ,,, on the other side is a sign but also a clock which is lit at night!

Merry Magdalene

Is this the clock? (7:30 Watchtower)

http://www.gigapan.org/viewConversation.php?id=2033&window_height=422&window_width=783

~Merry