Posts by eyeslice

92

A religion with nothing to Celebrate

by eyeslice in

jw
friends

how sad that the witnesses have nothing to celebrate.

the more i think about it since i stopped going to the meetings, the more i feel that spirituality and religion are about opportunities to give thanks and to celebrate life with family and friends.

christenings or name giving ceremonies celebrate the gift of a new life to a family.

eyeslice

That the JWs are basically dead in their souls is shown by how most JWs sing today at their meetings -- no soul, no life, just a deadpan mouthing of the written words accompanied by uninspiring music. I went to an evangelical church some months ago, and the enthusiasm with which they sang their songs to Jesus was such a contrast with the soullessness of the JWs.

AlanF - couldn't agree more. I sometimes have a little dig at my wife (still attends) about the singing compared to the obvious joy and enthusiasm of gospel music. When in and an elder myself, I often thought that I would take my guitar along one Sunday and open with a bit of live music (rather than the pre-record paino boring stuff).

I think the main reason why holidays and "special days" are renounced is because it creates a delusion of time, much in the same way that casinos do not have clocks on the walls.

Preston - very interesting - I'd never thought about it that way but an excellent thought.

18

Disfellowshipping and Shunning- is it scriptual?

by MonkeyPrincess in

tonight my sister told me our dad had mentioned that when you do not associate yourself with a disfellowshipped person, relative or not, you are honoring god and following the bible's guidlines.

i asked my sister if she knew where in the bible it states that.

she said she did not know, but knows that its in there, and knows that it relates something to that affect.

eyeslice

The only support they have is in 1Cor.5.
"The Message", which is also on the site that I've linked to, puts it in an interesting way.
It's not uncommon for the WTS to have a major doctrine based on a single verse, or a patchwork of unrelated texts.

LittleToe is right. I have had this debate as an elder and since I stepped down and left. The incident of 1 Cor 5 was not a 'judicial commitee' affair .... the note associating instruction was given by one man Paul. His words can be interpreted as "if this person wants to go that way then we have nothing to do with them". This is not how disfellowshipping by judicail committee works. Also, Paul was quick to tell the congregation 'not to discourage this individual' as soon as he wanted to come back to the flock. Again, no judicial committee.

Additionally, the account in Matthew is sometimes cited as example of disfellowshipping - 'let him be as one of the Nations' .... etc. But again this was not a judicial committe approach. Yes the incident was to be taken to the older men but the situation had to do with personal differences. The rift that could result was between the two individuals - nowhere did Jesus say the Older men were to treat the offendng party as one of the Nations.

Eyeslice

14

Careers in the Organisation?

by eyeslice in

jw
friends

careers in the organization?

how often have you heard young ones encouraged to make the truth their career?

but what careers?

eyeslice

On a personal note, I gave up the only thing that I wanted to do in life ever since I was about 4 years old (I got accepted into med school but turned it down in favour of a career in the truth). In many respects I was successful in the truth, respected elder, etc.

But when a relatively minor incident with my kids arose (i.e. non-disfellowshipping), I was hounded off the BOEs. I protested at the time and said if I were a lawyer, a teacher or a doctor, would the relatively minor indescretions of my kids affect my professional standing? But, obviously what goes for the world, does not count in the 'truth'.

Eyeslice

92

A religion with nothing to Celebrate

by eyeslice in

jw
friends

how sad that the witnesses have nothing to celebrate.

the more i think about it since i stopped going to the meetings, the more i feel that spirituality and religion are about opportunities to give thanks and to celebrate life with family and friends.

christenings or name giving ceremonies celebrate the gift of a new life to a family.

eyeslice

Christmas , not for everybody is it just a p.... up and cynical collection of the gifts... I now understand how it keeps distant relatives in touch, how it draws together the ties of differing generations , and that for many it really is a celebration of the birth of Christ
Christenings, not a meaningless ritual but a thanksgiving to god for a new life. and the undertaking by godparents to look out for the child if anything should befall the parents
All celebrations are a part of the social fabric of a community , but of course the dubs reject that community .

Bluesbrother - you've exactly summed the point of this thread. Mankind since time in memorial has used rituals and celebrations as milestones in life. Missing out on these has been one of my deeepest regrets about being 'in the truth'. Which is why I let my kids join in school activites including sports and proms, etc. I feel i missed out on a lot personally.

Eyeslice

37

Good excuses for missing meetings and going out in service.

by frankiespeakin in

.

i know a lot of lurkers are probably looking for good excuses and would like a list they could refur to..

eyeslice

Too hot or too cold - must work for every situation I have come across.

I known a few who have had pets who were able to turn in a few good excuses. Have to get back to feed Tiddles, Rex will rip the house to pieces if he does get his walkies.

23

Good bye armageddon I knew ye well.

by XQsThaiPoes in

after several talks i believe it is official.

armaggedon is dead.

we can no longer tell "interested ones about armegeddon, but can only tell them about the new paradise government.

eyeslice

Surely, the current ambiguity must stem from the problems with 1914 doctrine.

It has been over 90 years since that 'momentous' date. The majority of Witnesses at one time believed in the generation doctrine. Even the 'new light' on the generation doctrine is nearly 10 years old now and I would say few Witnesses understood it at the time.

No wonder they are confused by Armageddon.

17

Which GB member Dying would make the biggest difference

by stillajwexelder in

which gb member dying would make the biggest difference?

eyeslice

There is no answer to this question as none of us here knows what goes on.

But the Society cannot be turned round. If one or all the current GB where to go, do you really think that a new generation would immediately re-examine the blood doctrine, the 1914 position, the great crowd living on earth issue? Of course not, there would be no JW religion left in that case.

IMHO, very little is going to change in a very long time. The Witness religion will continue to decline in strength, particularly in the West, but I cannot see anything that will change its core doctrines.

Eyeslice

92

A religion with nothing to Celebrate

by eyeslice in

jw
friends

how sad that the witnesses have nothing to celebrate.

the more i think about it since i stopped going to the meetings, the more i feel that spirituality and religion are about opportunities to give thanks and to celebrate life with family and friends.

christenings or name giving ceremonies celebrate the gift of a new life to a family.

eyeslice

How sad that the Witnesses have nothing to celebrate. The more I think about it since I stopped going to the meetings, the more I feel that spirituality and religion are about opportunities to give thanks and to celebrate life with family and friends.

Christenings or name giving ceremonies celebrate the gift of a new life to a family. Thanksgiving and harvest festivals celebrate the gift of food and provisions for another year. I want to celebrate my dad's 80th birthday in a few years time; not because as the Society would say it glorifies an individual, but to celebrate his life and what he has done and what he means to our family. I would like to re-affairm my marriage vows on important anniversaries every few decades.

Sadly, the only religious celebration of the Witnesses - the memorial - is a somber affair. The hopeful message of 'Christ has risen' is never heralded but rather all we got was the doom and gloom of what awaits those who do not submit to Jehovah's (aka the Society's) will.

Eyeslice

14

Careers in the Organisation?

by eyeslice in

jw
friends

careers in the organization?

how often have you heard young ones encouraged to make the truth their career?

but what careers?

eyeslice

Careers in the Organization?

How often have you heard young ones encouraged to make the truth their career? But what careers?

Of all the bright young male pioneers, a handful will make it to become COs. Less still will make it into any high position at the Bethels. And, if you are a bright ambitious young girl, there are virtually no options other than marrying an ambitious young brother.

In all the years I was associated with the organization, I only know if one younger sister who went through Gilead as a single sister, and that was because they needed someone to be a new partner for an existing missionary sister. The existing missionary sister obviously had been through Gilead in the earlier days when pairs of sisters would be invited to Gilead. Nowadays, only married couples go to Gilead, so absolutely no hope for 'faithful' single sisters to carve out a career in the organization.

22

Exodus 23:14-17 You CAN celebrate Thanksgiving. !!

by hubert in

it's right here, in the nwt bible.... .

exodus 23:14...."three times in the year, you are to celebrate a festival to me".. exodus 23:16...."also, the festival of harvest of the first ripe fruits of your labors, of what you sow in the field.

and the festival of ingathering at the outgoing of the year", when you gather in your labors from the field".. so, on the third thursday of november, we celebrate the "feast of the ingathering" by dedicating this day to giving thanks to god for the food and all the blessings we have enjoyed throughout the year.. it's right there in their bible, so why won't they celebrate it?

eyeslice

The more I think about it - the more I see that spirituality and religion should be about celebration - something that the Witnesses know nothing about.

eyeslice