today was the first day of three for this year's "follow the christ" district convention.. for the first time in as many years as i can go back, the theme of this program was jesus christ.. most of the program was ok. the talks considered jesus, his life and his works.
there was nothing about the talks that i considered insulting or controlling.. could this be it?
could the society really be going jesus-centric?.
Grrrrr.
I had a talk with a JW regarding the DC's, and they said their "expectations were low but he was hopeful, anything with more Jesus is good." I hate to rain on people's parade, but get a load of the recent WT studies (thank you Blondi!)...there is nothing at all that shows the WT is doing any more direction toward Christ. Nothing.
Thank you Truthseeker for the update. (I wonder if you are here at the S Cal conventions?)
Dagney (of the "glad I'm not there" class)
1. christian puritan perfectionism is seen to fail to create heaven on earth in the mid 1800's.. 2.the great awakening in america is followed by advent speculations that the end would be immiment.. 3.william miller inspires a movement of adventists who break with their own local churches in anticipation of jesus' arrival.. 4.the work of the adventists seems to be warning as many people as possible before 1843. the splits in local churches causes lasting enmity.
a contrarian sense of "we'll show them we're right" is hardened into the character of the apostates.. 5.the great disappointment leaves perhaps 100,000 2nd adventists stranded theologically between a no-show on jesus' part and a "we told you so!
" on the part of mainstream christianity.. 6.various theories and imaginative explanations pop up to support yet more anticipation of jesus coming in 1844.. 7.another "no-show"!.
Terry,
Great post...I think I'll keep the list with me at all times.
Did you see the program on the Mormons on PBS? The beginning of THAT church is as crazy as anything EVER...yet people signed on. The program mentioned that as outlandish as Smith's story seemed, at that time, early 19th century, there were all sorts of prophets roaming the countryside with fantastic claims and ideas. So Smith didn't seem too wierd. (????)
I think learning about that period in history, religiously speaking, will broaden one's viewpoint of Russell and the IBS...they were not that special. They picked the evangelizing work as their main focus, SDA and Mormons chose others...each resulted with significant growth.
I very much identify with the following:
People who don't fit in are the customers for schemes that make something exciting happen "soon".
The majority of church goers are happy and grateful people. A small minority have problems, but; seek to solve them within the social milieu of the congregation. It is the fringe element who is the stray.
A misfit needs a special identity that gives them the power to break away.
The contrarian message reaches the heart and soul of the misfit.
I have asked myself for years if I ever would have listened to the message given at my door by a JW...and I really don't think so. When I honestly look objectively at my parents, then and now, I see something was very wrong in their lives. Now I see the "JW religion" is like an addiction for my mother...and it could have easily been something else. Either way, she was/is trying to fill some hole in her soul. It is the "specialness" of it all that keeps them addicted.
*sigh*
general apathy about religion.. i don't know precisely when it happened.
but at some point i began to stop needing anything 'organized' in my life religiously.
not too long ago - as attested to by multiple threads i started here - i was still wishing to replace the ritual of religion at the kingdom hall with some other church.
Thank you for sharing Jeff, that echos my situation as well.
I looked to join "something" after leaving the org...but didn't feel comfortable with anything. Now I don't want anything to do with religion. If I do anything organized...it will be in some type of volunteer work.
Thanks again for excellent description.
D
jehovah is such a righteous, merciful, loving god -- slow to anger, overflowing with loving kindness and blessing.
yet it somehow bothers many of you that he will shortly execute his judgment on mankind and wipe out 99.9% of the world's population, as if that somehow is supposed to conflict with his loving qualities.
personally, i have no idea why many of you feel this way.
Hey! What did the cat ever do??
what is the net effect of every year that our loving god jehovah, who is patient and desires "none to be destroyed", holds back the winds of destruction?
it ultimately results in roughly 80 million more humans to be added to the pile of post-armageddon bird food.
i've read this concept several times before on jwd but decided to do a little googling to get the 80 million number.
That has been a big issue with me all along. If God "loves" mankind so much he doesn't want anyone to die, why didn't he bring the end in, 500AD, 1000AD, 1500, 1844,1874, 1879, 1914, (the ever poplular) 1975 etc etc etc????
What is the Godly purpose in the births and deaths through all the centuries? It doesn't prove the "man cannot rule themselves" fool answer we used to give. No one wants to answer me when I ask them.
Good to see the numbers you referenced...more power to my argument. Thanks.
bad things do happen for a reason.
here is the reason.. for bad things not to happen only good things would always be happening.. then, "good" would lose relative distinction with less "good".
the less good would start to look bad in comparison.. suddenly, what use to seem only good would be bad by contrast.. is this crazy talk?.
I expect the best everyday, and stopped hoping.
I agree...there are a lot more people around my area that drive better cars, have better toys...I wonder what I'm doing wrong. Maybe I have better shoes.
the watchtower scoffs at "apostates" because they want their "so-called freedom".
not practicing this religion does give you a lot of freedom and normalcy.
what freedoms do you cherish now?
More time of course, can't even think about giving that back to the borg.
The most important is making my own choices...not having to look it up in the "Index." (LOL)
folks, there have been several different news stories concerning these settlements, some were the long version and some were shorter.. .
i would suggest that whenever you email these settlement stories to the your local press, or any press for that matter, make sure you include the ones with rick mclean in them.. .
he is america's most wanted pedophile, this is big news!!!.
My sister saw the San Diego news broadcast last night. We had a discussion wondering what will JW's think when they see this, as in MacLean and the silentlamb protest.
She said the news info was good, and did mention that the WTBS would not comment. Apparently MacLean is well known in the area because of his trade.
Bleech.
thinking on the recent news of wt settlements of numerous settlements in child abuse cases.... i would imagine that the decsion to settle was reached by the legal dept.
of the wts.
the question in my mind is, did they have to fight for "approval" from the gb to reach that decision to pay out (most likely) millions of dollars?
ISN'T JEHOVAH steering the ship?
LOL...in the chariot with those wheels and eyes???? The legal department. It's a corporation.
it has always been a dream of mine to transfer to, and graduate from the university of southern california.
last year i applied, and about two weeks ago i was accepted.
that was cool, but i had no way of paying for it, and the financial aid i applied for would not cover enough of the tuition, and other fees.
Even though I'm a Bruin fan...congratulations on your accomplishment!!! Wow...that is fantastic.
I wish you all the best in your endearvors.
D
