humbled

Joined

• started 30 topics
• posted 1,948 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by humbled

• 
  34

  "Do not be called teachers"--Doesn't Jesus OUTLAW all organized religion?

  by humbled in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  jw's and other churches all set up housekeeping in different theological areas.

  some one person can't believe any more what their church is saying, gets a different "take" on god, and......starts trying to convince others to follow them and everything they teach.. nothing new about that.

  but why are so many of us blind to this scenario: we allow that some people get to contemplate other thoughts and others are not allowed.only some lead and everyone else must follow or be thrown out.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  humbled

  Outlaw, Slimboyfat--

  I needed a little leavening. HELLO!
• 
  34

  "Do not be called teachers"--Doesn't Jesus OUTLAW all organized religion?

  by humbled in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  jw's and other churches all set up housekeeping in different theological areas.

  some one person can't believe any more what their church is saying, gets a different "take" on god, and......starts trying to convince others to follow them and everything they teach.. nothing new about that.

  but why are so many of us blind to this scenario: we allow that some people get to contemplate other thoughts and others are not allowed.only some lead and everyone else must follow or be thrown out.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  humbled

  Still thinking,

  I'll answer as though you meant a serious question about why pick Jesus.

  As a baby I woke up in the religious soup of Catholicism-a more or less Christian outfit (though we had a lot of Virgin Mary stuff thrown in with) so it was easy to fall in the direction of Jesus just because of religious prejudice.

  I never looked beyond Christian Churches even when I felt braver, after reading the bible and having a life-changing experience. I associated that extraordinary thing with Church. I was still interpreting/translating all events into a form that fit into my early religious training. Lots of folks do that you know. Over time I see things differently--Whether the spirit that I met 35 years ago was Jehovah, Vishnu or Zeus, I was convinced that Something was out there. Jesus still was my go-to for figuring it out.

  I am almost 61 years old now. The Jesus I have followed has gone in and out of Big "C"Church. I tried to stuff him into various theologies where He didn't fit-- because I tried different Churches. Jesus is bigger than that.

  I am trying to understand why I am alive, how best to live in a world that has been difficult to live in. Jesus said things--some not in the accepted canon--that pulled me. I trust him. It has taken a long time for me to go this far. I am not afraid of other beliefs. The teaching Jesus gave is never far off from the true things other men and women of God have heard, good things that pulled them. I am not burdened by Jesus.

  I am not afraid of being wrong. I just don't want to be afraid of what may be true.

  Maeve
• 
  12

  So the straw that broke the camel(my wifes' back)

  by sosoconfused in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  so after our incident today i let some time pass so as not to kill the mood and bring up all the annoying watchtower stuff.

  however i said, "babe seriously, i know you were upset about the other issue but you seem to just never want to even think about borg stuff again!

  i am glad - don't get me wrong - but so i can reall understand please tell me what was it that made youjust wash your hands clean so fast?".

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  humbled

  Can't beat her logic.
• 
  34

  "Do not be called teachers"--Doesn't Jesus OUTLAW all organized religion?

  by humbled in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  jw's and other churches all set up housekeeping in different theological areas.

  some one person can't believe any more what their church is saying, gets a different "take" on god, and......starts trying to convince others to follow them and everything they teach.. nothing new about that.

  but why are so many of us blind to this scenario: we allow that some people get to contemplate other thoughts and others are not allowed.only some lead and everyone else must follow or be thrown out.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  humbled

  I find no historical evidence that disagrees with my view. Was Jesus' own teaching not regarded by men who discussed doctrine concerning circumcision? They discussed it and offered their judgement but this gives us no certainty that Church was designed by Christ to install a Hierarchy and institutionalize a belief system.

  We know that Church fathers dismissed and supressed other stories and writings of Jesus. We know that the Church took on a big "C" and made up the Apostles' Creed. But this necessitated ignoring Matt. 23:8 and 10--as well as all the other places told them not to seek prominence.

  I value Jesus' teaching over the letters of men--Put a (supposed)letter of Paul in front of me and a (supposed) saying of Jesus and I will prefer Jesus every time.

  What about Matt. 23:8,10?
• 
  3

  Is God Really Omniscient?

  by cantleave in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6-zi25ggve&feature=em-uploademail.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  humbled

  If I were omniscient, then I would know.
• 
  8

  Letters to HQ

  by Kool Jo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i've heard of cases where individuals got df'd for writing to the wtbs...but are their cases where individuals have written and actually got a reply to their questions without any repercussions?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  humbled

  I wasn't df'd for writing them. They didn't disagree with the research I had done. But I was forbidden to discuss anything that diverged from their litrature even if it was incorrect.

  Kinda like the case with JWchildren molested by a JW: headquarters won't deny it happened, but without 2 witnesses they will tell the victim to shut up. If they persist in complaining then THEY-the victims- are df'd.

  Make sense now?
• 
  34

  "Do not be called teachers"--Doesn't Jesus OUTLAW all organized religion?

  by humbled in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  jw's and other churches all set up housekeeping in different theological areas.

  some one person can't believe any more what their church is saying, gets a different "take" on god, and......starts trying to convince others to follow them and everything they teach.. nothing new about that.

  but why are so many of us blind to this scenario: we allow that some people get to contemplate other thoughts and others are not allowed.only some lead and everyone else must follow or be thrown out.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  humbled

  Lost--this is where we tell our story of personal faith--and we do find support and also ridicule and also valid critism. All good. All good. If Jesus says where 2 or more are gathered together in his name.... might he be in the midst of THEM? It would be himself to know if we are gathered together for him or for an organization.

  Fernando--I realize this kind of post from a person who tries to listen to the teaching of Jesus and mistrusts the destructive-corroding imposition of orthodox-authoritative-domineering-capricious Church veer close to the edge of the abys--(whatever may be there---the real Truth?) But go there we must if following the lamb takes one there.

  Still thinking, Satanus and Mr Freeze--I agree that the Judeo-Christian god I was taught is not superior to Zeus or Vishnu. I don't see the OT Jehovah clearly at all as the god of love that Jesus spoke of.

  I have said elsewhere that I have had experiences of supernatural nature that make me wonder at what we call God. My experiences force me to examine my prejudices and my sanity, my own fallibility. I am so limited by my circumstances in life that I suppose a kind powerful being must therefore be very generous toward me because I refuse to yield to those of greater scholarship and mental abilities if I sense they are strong-arming me to conform to their views and against my conscience. I take comfort knowing that I am precisely in the same condition as the poor to whom Jesus first preached the good news.

  I admit that I am trying to fathom the teachings of Jesus in order to learn who God is through following him. All good things I hear from other faith traditions do not detract from the good things I've learned from him. I don't care whether or not there is a Trinity. What practical reason is there for it? If it had mattered Jesus would have made it clear. But love was the main thing.
• 
  36

  Dat da da da: Justitia Themis Law School Graduate

  by crmsicl in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  congratulations to justitia themis on all her hard work at putting herself through law school.

  after being raised in the watchtower organization and having survived all of what that entails she has picked up the pieces, analyzed her strengths and has made choices to better herself and the community.. .

  i am so proud of her.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  humbled

  Good for You!

  Glad someone let us in on your accomplishments!

  I'm sure you will ace the exam.

  Maeve
• 
  7

  The address to send questions for the U.S. Branch

  by sosoconfused in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  if one has a question that they need to present to the branch for clarification e.g.

  - info regarding a teaching that one does not understand, where should the letter be addressed to and to whose attention should it be presented?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  humbled

  Letters that may hold your JW life in its contents are basically farmed out to a branch of the Corp. and, if they answer you, has no signature on it when you get a response.

  You are answered by a Corporation not by the FDS.

  It is an experience that will put a fire under you, though. (Burn at the stake?)

  Go for it, it helped me a lot.

  Maeve
• 
  37

  I think my wife is going to open the can of worms...

  by sosoconfused in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so over the last 5 - 7 months as some may know i have resigned as an elder and just came to a cold stop going to the meetings.

  brothers call i wont answer the phone.

  if they come by i just wont answer the door.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  humbled

  Still waters run deep!

  Wow! What a firecracker. Makes me happy for you both! Happy Sunday!

  Maeve