To be honest, Honest...the "new personality" has to do with "rebirth"...being born again (so to speak) of the spirit. Few JWs are permitted the honor - as it is apparently reserved for a chosen few. Needless to say, a new personality is difficult to measure (much to the chagrin of the watchtower society)...but it is manifested in and observable by the "fruits of the spirit." Just words to most folks, I understand; but for those who have experienced it, it is quite real and life-altering. Much more than hanging out a new shingle, it has the effect of changing the person, inside-out - and a person so changed could care less whether or not he or she is recognized as "born again." Based upon personal observation, very few spontaneously display the fruitage of the spirit. While many are able to harness the "beast within" for a time for self-serving benefits, those in possession of the "new personality" have had their "beast" conquered by the holy spirit. You're unlikely to get an answer here "on track" with the Bible's description of the "new personality."
Peace,
Carlos
Carlos_Helms
JoinedPosts by Carlos_Helms
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23
How long did it take...
by Honesty infor you to get rid of that 'new personality' and get back to normal when you left the jw's?
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Carlos_Helms
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I need to vent
by insearchof intwo elders really annoyed me tonight.my husband was terminated from his job last week,so this week he's been doing odd jobs until his new job starts in two weeks.now the elders don't know that he is started a new job soon,so instead of asking him how everything is going the p.o asked my mom how she feels about her son in law losing his job and if everything is ok.why is it any of his business to know,and why ask my mom in the first place she doesn't know what goes on in our home.the another elder tells my husband that he needs to hurry up and find a job because the elders are watching him.what are they going to do df him for losing his job?what happened to the support that they are supposed to give us in our time of need?this whole org is a crock it's so freakin annoying.
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Carlos_Helms
Believe me, I'm no watchtower apologist...but typically, the elders' "watching you" means that they are considering a man for appointment. An unemployed loafer doesn't make for an exemplary servant. I 'm not there, but I don't see anything too unusual in the concern shown by the two "elders" regarding the family's financial and emotional well-being. It's in the job description. Just some observations from a guy who's been there, done that. Carlos
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I Do Not Understand Why JWs Leave & Become Catholics!
by minimus inout of all religions, catholicism, to me, is wrong and clearly could never be the truth.
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Carlos_Helms
"If you read BurnTheShips responses, I believe that he soundly shows more of the quotes to be in error, or in some way deficient. As Burn noted in email with me, it only takes a few minutes for someone to quote from a blog, and not check facts, creating some wild and scary claims ... but it takes many hours at times to trace down the sources to authenticate them only to discover and demonstrate their deficiency. I strongly recommend that when people make quotes that they do their homework and exhibit some academic honesty.
I realize in your case you were reposting what Flatlander put up on CC, so I am not suggesting that you were being dishonest. I responded to Flat on CC with just one example to illustrate my point ... but I may follow up with Burn's more exhaustive work."
Carlos -
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I Do Not Understand Why JWs Leave & Become Catholics!
by minimus inout of all religions, catholicism, to me, is wrong and clearly could never be the truth.
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Carlos_Helms
"I just heard on Boston radio that there will be an expose' on TV as to the Archdiocese knowing that many pedophile priests are living in neighborhoods with lots of kiddies and the Archbishop is not telling the public anything about where these priests are so as to protect the children.
When I hear how terrible JWs are for their policies regarding child abusers, which I agree are wrong, I can't help but wonder how anybody could support the Church with their continuing record of subterfuge with their sicko priests!"
Wow. That was kind of below-the belt. You paint with a very broad brush, Minimus. I thought the pedophile priest horse had been beaten to death. So, tell me: if it was revealed that a member or two of your family participated in some sort of sinful misbehavior, would I be justified in dissing your entire family? My friend, the church isn't found in it's hierarchy; nor is it found in the priests, bishops or deacons. The body of Christ is found in the people. Good Lord, man...this is really elemental stuff. I don't understand where you're coming from, Minimus; but wherever it is, I don't want to be.
Peace!
Carlos -
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"Why does America always bomb other countries?", my son asked tonight.
by digderidoo infirst of all i do not want to turn this into an american bashing thread, that is not my intention at all.. i would like to hear americans opinions as to what my thirteen year old son asked me tonight.. on the way back from swimming tonight my two sons (13 and 11) and myself started talking about wars.
my 11 year old was the first to bring it up talking about wwi & ww2.
we had an interesting conversation about it, then the subject got onto nuclear bombs.
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Carlos_Helms
Well, of course, no "country" attacked the United States. Al Queda did. I, for one, understand the military logic in occupying Iraq, the central-most country in the middle-east Muslim world, while not defending its borders. As supposed "freedom fighter" insurgents stream across the border unimpeded to reinforce their "brotherhood," they're met by Marines and the 10th Mountain Division. In my (very limited) thinking, Baghdad and Basra beats Boston or Baton Rouge any day. I believe the strategy is called "Roach Motel."
This is a "war" that's gone on for 3500 years. The names and faces change; but it's 'same war, different day.' Ain't religion great?
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I Want to Write a Letter
by Hope4Others inthe past weeks i have felt this overwhelming need to write my sister, her family has gone through an ordeal of pedophile issues over there daughter.
the culprit.
was an elders son and it was covered up well by the whole body.
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Carlos_Helms
I'd do what you feel the need to do, H4O. If it ameliorates the effects or prevents it from happening again, it's a good thing.
Another overriding issue is, how do we get this to stop? This "abuser" didn't just decide one day to start abusing children. If the stats prove true, he was likely himself abused. Child abuse is a real bugaboo for the watchtower, inc., as it is for the Catholic Church and many other institutions where trust is implied. Keeping things tied up in courtrooms, negotiating settlements, and dancing around the issue has the effect of avoiding or "putting off" more thorough and (no doubt) revealing investigations. The "truth behind the truth" of child abuse has implications so far-reaching that they are very difficult to contemplate.
I don't say these things in order to excuse them. My traditional stance has been to shoot convicted abusers on site; but that only addresses the issue in one short-term way: deterrence. Jesus stated that it is our desire that gets us into long-term, spiritual trouble (lusting after=adultery, hatred=murder, etc) not just the act itself. I agree that removing victims from the equation is superior; but it still doesn't solve the spiritual problem of saving souls. This is an area that OUGHT to be religion's "job," but they are loathe to deal with it. For one, it would most likely open many multi-generational cans of worms...for another, it would expose religion's REAL reasons for its tolerance of pedophilia. If I had to speculate based upon observation, I'd say that there is an awfully good chance that "men of the cloth" (so to speak) may have a much higher than average incidence of having been sexually-abused in childhood...and subsequently choose religious leadership as a coping mechanism to help repress their own abnormal desires. As you may or may not know, Bethel is not immune from perversion and has - from amongst its many recorded aberrant sexual experiences - what I like to call the "Greenlees Effect."
It is a well-known fact that many (if not most) Catholic priests who abuse adolescent boys were themselves abused at about the same age as their victim(s). At the time of their own "trauma," they became emotionally-stunted, retarded...stuck in adolescent emotional and sexual maturity. Could the same be said for watchtower, inc. abusers...or abusers of any kind? I understand the hesitancy to get involved at a depth that would likely break the corporation to pieces; but digging beneath the surface - even to the core - has always been THE prerequisite to healing. As long as religion doesn't want to concern itself with in-depth real-life issues (preferring instead to remain superficial), it will remain a 'whitewashed tomb full of dead men's bones' - literally, hell-on-earth.
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God weighs in
by nvrgnbk inif you can't perceive my existence you're not really looking.. there are special people that can.
don't be bothered by the fact that these people can't agree on anything about me.. the point is that they believe and that's good enough for me.. how shall i reward them?
i'll be there when they're suffering.. watching.. admiring their faith.. though they disagree about how their faith will ultimately work out, it makes life easier for them somehow.. the poor fools that don't know me are left to suffer all by themselves.. you're all going to die.. wouldn't it be eaiser to face your fate knowing i was watching it all, permitting it all, and occasionally scourging a little too for good measure?
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Carlos_Helms
Well, who knows? Everyone has a reason for being here, don't they? If it's not about "God," what's it about? We are who we are and, if it's not about becoming a better "who we are," then it's just another exercise in arrogance: defining who we are by what we are not. If someone can accomplish being a better, happier "who I am" without God (however he is defined), I'd like to see it. God, to me, is about self-responsibility. He has removed the burden of the past and fear of the future so that I, right here and right now, can become the "me" I was created to be - which is part of a greater whole. It's not about becoming more lovable; it's about realizing the love that's always been there. It's not rocket science. I'm surprised that great minds like Ehrman haven't picked up on it. Peace! Carlos
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Tom Cabeen to be interviewed on TV
by Nathan Natas inposted by jimwhitney on sat - may 3 - 5:25pm: .
in reply to: tom cabean to be interviewed on cable tv posted by jimwhitney on sat - may 3 - 5:25pm:.
posted by flatlander on sat - may 3 - 6:08pm: .
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Carlos_Helms
If you can get your head around this: Nothing (and I repeat, NOTHING) is as it seems. Did I say "nothing"? Think about it. Much love, Carlos
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JW's from "The World" have a easier time going "Back Out Into The World"?
by BBOARD inwe all know how hard it is, usually, for those rasied in the truth to readjust "outside in the world" once they leave ... so not to undermine them (esp.
for those who came in later in life - regardless of how many times from the podium you were instructed not to "leave the love you had at first" many of you are here because you found out the "truth about the truth" whether it was the people or doctrine or combination ... and were willing to open your mind, realize the "truth about the truth" and leave.
not to undermine all those years and mind numbing propaganda you endured in the jw's, but i have always felt: .
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Carlos_Helms
So...it doesn't really matter. One road is bound to be more treacherous, but you can't know which until you've experienced both. Only then can you really count the cost and compare the benefits. One thing that has not received a lot of air time here is the power of God to accomplish HIS will and, like it or not, you are part of his will. Life has gone better for me since I re-adjusted my thinking so that I no longer accommodate God. He now, thankfully, tolerates me. The only thing required of me was that I simplify myself (spiritually and emotionally) - and stay that way - to realize a multitude of blessings hidden under a mountain of conditioning, courtesy of the world. The watchtower was just my personal "catalyst for change" and (needless to say) the change continues. Basically, I am learning love. Interestingly, I left the watchtower 18 years ago and would do it again today, but for completely different reasons. Back then, it was better for ME. Today, it has nothing to do with me. Back then, the only benefit to leaving was a freedom that I could neither understand nor appreciate - like giving an ape a hundred dollar bill. Today, I appreciate and experience freedom more...and avoid complicating this short life with every fiber of my being. Best to you on your journey. Carlos
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The one thing that disturbs me the most about JWs. Why can't they see it?
by MinisterAmos inever since day one of our jw experience, we have all been prayed to by the bro on-stage at least twice per meeting.
have any of you ever really listened to what they are asking from god?
at the start of my association the prayers were pretty generic, but now *every* one asks that god only provide for other witnesses.
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Carlos_Helms
Ha ha. Ya come here for one simple little thing and, 5000 posts later, here you still are. Not to be critical, but what are ANY of us doing? I've been around on these boards for 7 years now and - in all honesty - I'm not much better off than I was in 2001. Sometimes I think we trade one set of miseries for another and call the difference "good." It seems to me that we got into JWs because the worse someone else looks, the better we seem to look...and, when it comes to religion (or discussions about religion), things really don't change. Same poop, different day...different forum...different media...different building. If it's about change (heaven forbid)...what most of us are doing isn't working all that well.