Posts by humbled

21

Is Blind Obedience to group of men supported by Scripture?

by nugget in

i have been pondering over the demands made by the governing body for absolute loyalty and unquestioning obedience to their interpretation of scripture.

is this a reasonable request and is it in line with scripture?

alternatively is there in fact a scriptural defence for taking personal responsibility for beliefs and having a questioning attitude when being told what is to be believed.. there are ample scriptural warnings about trusting in men psalm 146 v 3 warns us not to put our trust in nobles or earthly men and galatians 1 v 8 goes even further stating that even if an angel were to preach to us something contrary to the teachings of christ it should be ignored.

humbled

If the scriptures tell us anything they tell us not to give blind obedience to men.

When Jesus talked about being a child of Abraham to the Jews he exhorted them to do the works of Abraham. The work of Abraham was to listen/obey God's voice only.

In my final interviews with the elders Abraham's faith at Genesis 22 was my saving. Why? Because Abraham was a human being who, even without a clear understanding of God's request, responded with all his heart and mind.

I told them that, like Abraham, I had to answer to God first before I answered to them. That conscience before God required me to act upon my understanding---not somebody else's. That without compelling, persuasive teaching to convince me of another viewpoint, then I would have to act on my own (even if flawed) understanding--because cowards are not approved by God. I was open to God changing my thinking (after all, Abraham didn't drive the knife into Isaac's throat when God stopped him and showed Abraham the ram in the bushes after all.) But for me to do and say what Bethel dictated given no more reason than that they had said it was not the way the first door-knocking JWs had presented a Bible study to me in the first place.

If I were to be a child of Abraham, I too had to give God direct consideration. Abraham didn't have a religious organization to interpret God. He didn't even have a King James Bible or a New World Translation. He didn't submit his contact with the Being to a mediation committee. Talk about ignorant! But Abraham listened--as best he could--to God. I realized I had given my ears to Bethel.

But now I wanted them back.

By the time the months of interviews were done and Bethel had reviewed and condemned my conscience ,I was realizing that I couldn't live any more blindly obeying the writings from Brooklyn.

Every poster here has said what is the real Truth--no group of men, no matter how educated and intelligent and full of years can rule over your faith and conscience. Even stumbling and falling, we have to answer on our own.

Maeve

11

Archaeology + The Oldest Breed of Horse - Interesting

by *lost* in

came across this and found it very interesting.. earliest remains of oldest horse breed found.

by archaeologists in iran.

gohar tappeh, n.iran.

humbled

I saw a HUGE shire at a sale last year at Columbia, Missouri. Silky black, gentle and upstanding. Breathtaking.

My husband has been using Haflingers on our farm now that he is pressing 80 years. They are tough little work horses of the Austrians have bred up over the years (it's easier to deal with a horse that is 14 hands to harness or to mount). They, too, got a "blood transfusion" of Arabian assets in the late 1800's. They are a class act. Look the breed up. He works, rides and drives them. Energetic, beautiful, friendly and willing.

I have never been very jealous of my husband with women--but his horses have given me a twinge or two :)

Good thing I like them as well.

Maeve

3

Don't ya just love the hate........

by wha happened? in

now that the boy scouts are allowing "homo's" to infiltrate it's ranks, the oh so pius and wonderful baptists are pulling all support for the scouts.

glad to see them taking such a bold and valient move to protect their own by curtailing and destroying a support system that's badly needed for our youth.. aren't they such holy people?.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/31/southern-baptists-to-urge-churches-and-members-to-cut-boy-scout-ties/?hpt=hp_t2.

humbled

The Southern Baptists didn't leave the

The Southern Baptist didn't leave the U.S. military en masse--not even their SB chaplains--after "don't-ask-don't-tell" was mandated.

They are obliged to deal with gay men and women at some level in their ministry. They are incoherent.

Google: southern baptist military chaplain same-sex ceremony.

66

Another Newbie

by Skinnedsheep in

jw
friends

i recently came to the realization that the organization is corrupt and is false.

my story is similar to many i think.

i was raised in the religion, pioneered and served as an elder for a number of years.

humbled

Good for you --really moving toward the Light.

Yes, read "Crisis of Conscience" by Ray Franz.

Maeve

25

Beware Independent Thought

by poess in

is that for real?

i swear i read it in a magazine article directed towards teenagers.

it was a while back, maybe a year or two.

humbled

What is "independent thought" in the minds of the ones who write the literature?

I discovered that you are not permitted to come to another conclusion even when using their own reasoning. "Reasoning from the Scriptures" is a misnomer if you are the one doing the reasoning.

At one time I asked our CO if I should bother reading the bible if the conclusions of the magazines and books were the final word on matters pertaining to God. He looked distressed for a minute and then told me "No, you should still read the bible."

A few years later I was embroiled in a situation that showed me how shut-down the Organization was for thinking and responding to one's own conscience --even in "small" things they do not allow us to be faithful.

Since I didn't assault any favorite topics or challenge key doctrines I hoped I could "reason from the scriptures", even using the WTS reference works, so that my conscience could survive a serious anomoly in the literature.

The local brothers were overwhelmed by the matter and the CO was unhappy with me-(especially me being a woman--He gave a special talk at the end of his visit that focused on the "place" of women in the organization. Giving special attention the pitfalls of dissatisfaction.) It was decided I should write the Society on the matter.

Because WT teaching did run counter to the words of the bible and even their own reasoning in their reference works, Brooklyn Bethel could not refute my conclusion except in this way: they had not written it. Ultimately I was to uphold their version over using the words of the bible--to hell with my conscience. If I had a problem with this judgement then I was to get certain magazine articles and read them such as "Do you tend to be stumbled?".

That was the turning point. Seeing the local brothers cower and genuflect at the throne of the FDS instead of the God they claimed to love was also very telling.

The men who govern are despots and crooks as regards the tender matter of finding our true way. They as much as any religious leaders they have criticized exemplify the evil of organized religion. They insist that following them IS following God.

They do not allow any of "the sheep" to follow the voice of conscience. The voice of truth. To seek with honesty.

There are not words for the wrong they do to people.

Maeve Courteau in Fayetteville, Arkansas

89

Mouthy Grace is not well. Please send love.

by return of parakeet in

jw
friends

in another thread, mouthy said she was "not well" and mentioned "kicking the bucket.

i believe she needs some encouragement and well wishes.. mouthy, you don't need to respond to this thread if you don't feel up to it.

just consider it an exceptionally long get-well card..

humbled

Oh, Granny! You rascal--make me LAUGH!

Thrones and crowns for you. Good health as you go along.

God's grace to you. My heart is with you.

Love, Maeve

112

So tired of life

by LouBelle in

jw
friends

i am so tired of waking up without hope.

so tired of fighting one more day...i just want it to end as painless as possible.

i truly don't have the willpower or strength anymore..

humbled

Dear Loubelle,

You said it. It is trying, trying, trying without things coming around AND a sense that our own poor decisions have put us there that eats away at hope.

Do you hear how many of us have done that? We wish we were all close to you, physically right now.

For a flash I wished you were a drinker so you could go to AA meetings :) where you are surrounded by others who have your struggles in life too.

You hang on, we can feel how wonderful you are even if we are not in the same room. I have been in your shoes too. Joy can come back.

20

Got an interview

by LouBelle in

jw
friends

as some of you know, i had no job last year, then finally got something in an industry that i know nothing about.

the environment and people haven't been the best, but i had to stick it out and hope that things would improve.

i have kept my eye and ears open for opportunities more in my field of expertise - which is print advertising.. i sent through my cv for a job i saw advertised in the newspaper for an advertising sales rep - applied and now i have an interview to go too tomorrow.. i've learnt not to get my hopes up - i am glad for the interview and i hope it goes well..

humbled

LouBelle, You made my morning cup of tea sweeter!

Glad you are out there DOING! It will happen. My middle daughter also had to decide whether to throw in the towel in a situation like yours or else come out fighting. She is doing fine. Living on her own and, still a bit of struggle for steady employment, making it.

You'll get your foot in the door somewhere--She "interned" at a magazine for the networking and the experience and it looked good on her resume--and eventually work came through.

Jobs are hard to come by for this younger generation, me thinks. I know life is always a struggle, is hard. But you have friends. Know your worth, LouBelle, no matter what. We feel it. Just own it, yourself. And keep us posted.

Love you, Maeve

12