why does religion often do more harm than good?.
if we love our neighbor as ourself---we must first love ourselves.. if we do to others what we would want done to us---our sense of self welfare, once again, is the criterion.. the wicked man knows how to give his own son good gifts, we are told, and god is our parent eager to do the same.. yet, religious institutions (representing god) are weighed down with judgemental practices, intrusive meddling, preoccupation with superficiality and lip service to the "greater good".. human repair is not the objective so much as human control.. .
this raises what i regard as a very important question: shouldn't the one who is weak, frail, mortal and vulnerable be the object of improvement by the living god?.
The origins of worship fascinates me...bronze age persons finding a need to supplicate or give thanks to an invisible power. WHYYYYYY????!!!
Been thinking about this stuff so much since I left. When I left I eventually found no need for religion in my life, after years of only religion in my life. Strange to me. Then I look at my mom, I know she needed religion, maybe like a addict needs whatever.
my mother lives a plane trip away from me, so does not get to spend very much time with zac.
however, she is in sydney for 3 weeks and has been babysitting.
i knew that she would be talking about jehovah, but was very annoyed yesterday when zac said my mother was speaking all day about jehovah, such as how he made the stars.. in the past, i was not overly concerned if zac learnt about jehovah's witnesses, as i thought it would help with critical thinking skills to understand different points of view.
Ok, I have to say one thing here...I agree that I have not heard of any long term effects of finding out Santa Claus and the tooth fairy were not real.
But there are looooong term effects from being taught growing up that Jah destroys wicked persons and will do it soon, etc. "Jah hates BD's, Xmas, etc. You don't want to make Jah angry do you?" Those words are easily said by JW's in an attempt to "save" a child, especially old school JW's. They say that stuff without thinking; rolls off their tongues effortlessly. Boundaries must be set with the manipulative JW.
I've seen adolescent kids still afraid of armageddon years after their parents have left and moved on.
The best defense is encouraging critical thinking in children, IMHO. That will carry them through all this crap.
about 1 year ago (before i faded), i purchased an old king james bible from ebay and started using it in the meetings and when a brother came over to study with me.. a common reaction of fellow jws was to stare at the bible, then say "what type of bible is that?
", then they'd sometimes ask to look at it, and flip to john 1:1. when they saw what it said, they'd treat it like it was apostate material, even though a few decades earler it was the same bible jws used.. i strongly encourage any lurkers/faders to use another bible at the meetings and see what type of reactions you get.. .
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designs' wife got me into the New Jerusalem Bible a couple years before I left. I took it to all the meetings and pretty much used it exclusively through the two years before I left the org. I learned a lot more than I ever did at the hall by reading the footnotes in that Bible. I got at least two others to do the same, one is still in the other is out.
If I was to like a Bible, that would be the one.
new york city is on my list of places that i want to live in.
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@ James: I don't remember, sorry. I would typically get something like a specialty, no cheeseburger, lol. I have pics of us, looking very 80's, lol. What I remember was it was fancy, elegant.
I loved Windows of the World :( also. Very good memories eating sushi and dancing to a jazz combo, with the "Read God's Word the Bible Daily" sign glowing below. Lol. We went to the Rainbow Room as well.
The last time we went was in 2005 and stayed by Rockafeller center and ate all around there including middle eastern from a cart about 2am. I think the food is good anywhere there. I do remember my first maine lobster in oyster bay, don't think I've had better lobster since.
There are such high end eateries there now I'd love to try but I'd have to win the lottery first.
new york city is on my list of places that i want to live in.
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@James: I did. First with a Bethelite for brunch. A few years later for supper. Old school in a whimsical sort of way.
my mother lives a plane trip away from me, so does not get to spend very much time with zac.
however, she is in sydney for 3 weeks and has been babysitting.
i knew that she would be talking about jehovah, but was very annoyed yesterday when zac said my mother was speaking all day about jehovah, such as how he made the stars.. in the past, i was not overly concerned if zac learnt about jehovah's witnesses, as i thought it would help with critical thinking skills to understand different points of view.
I hate to see kids getting mixed messages. Some figure it out and do what they want, others feel guilty in dissappointing say the grandmother if they love holidays and birthday...leaving them conflicted and confused. Hate that.
I think Billy has a great suggestion if you are not ready to lay down the law yet with your mother. If you are ready, sometimes that turns out ok. Sweet pea said this week her MIL is now in contact with them and the kids after several years of shunning. She said the draw of the grandchildren overcame the rigedness she had for all those years. I think she would think twice before she crossed Sam and Paul again.
This Jehovah thing is a tough one. It seems so innocent to some, ("look at the pretty flower Jehovah made..."), but it's really not. **sigh**
I hate this crap. Thinking of you.
good or bad?
how did/has the wtbts affected your social skills, social development, and/or how you interact with other people?
i have many questions about different social skills that i will ask either after other people post to this thread or to keep this thread active.
What I really notice mostly is since I was never allowed to join anything outside of JW growing up, I still have a hard time with that even today. I have no problem hooking up with the exJW community...but outside of that, I struggle.
sorry i'm talkative today.
only day off this week.
so some work friends from va and wv and some local wv's are going.
I'd love to. My BD is the next day and it's on my bucket list as well. I just did indoor skydiving last month.
Except I have this feeling we don't live near each other by the look of the picture in your avatar.
it's not an occupation for everyone.
there are days i wish i chose a different road.
i do have to give the education some of the credit for waking me up.
I should say so!
The first real experience I had with nurses is the last 5 years of my mom's life when she ended up in a hospital in isolation, then eventually, various nursing and assisted living homes. They were all wonderful, thoughtful, patient, and kind. I can't even think about the last ones that kept checking on me as I sat by my mom's side on her last day without bawling. It takes a certain type of person to deal with all that you deal with. You guys are angels.
Regular pioneer to living angel.
subject: short illustration regarding the "cowbird"hello, we recently dedicated our remodeled kingdom hall here in los angeles , and our guest speaker was bro.
javier hernandez from brooklyn bethel.
bro.
Same s**t, different day.
Poor saps that never question this crap. Ugh.
