Posts by gold

7

God & Satan

by nowuask in

why did god cast satan back to the earth?

(re12:12) should he have not destroyed him at this point, saving humans?

he will at one point.

gold_morning

Now,

I don't even know if I am wasting my time posting this, but here it goes.

I think what ever went on in heaven is huge... much bigger between these forces than we can possible imagine. I believe it is a real war....a spiritual war of great magnitude and we are caught up in the cross fire. Somehow....satan got ahold of the world and all that was in it. That is why it says that the world and all in it belong to the evil one. He gained control....took over and owned, not just the world but us too as we are in it.

He also set out to destroy what God had made and did an awesome job of it. We were made in God's image and God is spirit. When he made the earth, the things he made a spirit could not enjoy so he housed life (spirit) in awesome bodies that were made to last. We have God's spirit or life in us. So it is not our eyes that see... but our souls see thru our eyes.... it is not our ears that hear, but our soul hears thru our ears. Satan destroyed those bodies. If we don't get sick and die, the eventuality is that it will get old and die. But God said.....alright... you destroyed what I created and you can make the body die, but the spirit belongs to me.

God loved us long before we loved him. He bought back what satan got control of. The price was steep. I look at it this way. Say you were selling a beautiful table and I wanted it and asked what is the price, and you quoted me something ridiculous. But I wanted that table so badly, I chose to buy it no matter what. That is what happend. Jesus asked satan what is the price for their souls. Satan quoted him a very high price.... his life. Jesus wanted us so badly he chose to pay that price. That is what it means when it says we are saved by grace and it is a gift from God. It is like being on an aution block and we are allowed to be purchaced by Jesus. That is why there is no amount of works we can do that is greater than what Jesus already did. It never was a matter of what we can do to make it... but rather what God did for us. Jesus could have avoided paying such a price and grabed the out if he worshiped this god satan that took over. Satan offered him the kingdoms of the world and those in it,But he opted not to do that and pay that price.

Things that happen here are not tests from God. These things that happen here are from being part of what is owned by satan. That is why James 1:13-17 says that God does not tempt anyone but it is the evil one that tempts us. That every good and perfect gift is from God. The bad that happens to us becomes a test and it is our choice to see thru that. Do we continue to trust in HIM or do we blame him instead.

Thinking that hardships, hurt, suffering and pain comes from God is just what satan wants us to think. He is the great deceiver.

I remember being angry at God years ago. I believed in HIM, but was not sure I liked him. It wasn't until I got to know him that I began to understand the whole picture better. None of us on this side will ever understand a realm we don't live in.....but I know that once we are before HIM the clouded glass we see thru now will be clear.

Didn't want to sound preachy.....and I bet I will get some flack...but the post did ask what we think,so for all it is worth it is how I look at it.

Hope it just may be another way of seeing the picture.

agape love, Gold

21

My 1,000th post!!!!! Youppieee!!!!

by acsot in

jw
friends

as i mentioned last night at our mini-apostafest supper, my posting rate is like my car mileage - i've had the car 4 years and don't even have 30,000 kilometres on it yet.. now i have 1,000 posts and it took ages to get here!

i don't know how some of you do it, i mean, 10,000 posts is like trying to reach the end of the universe without warp speed!.

another of life's goals reached

gold_morning

CONGRDULATIONS

I can only imagine what it would be like to be a Jedi Master!

I only hope I can get there someday!!

Gold

23

Growing up a Gay JW

by ScoobySnax in

jw
friends

that for me was just about the hardest thing to deal with growing up.

my mum was a witness, my dad never was.

many times my mum would struggle to get my sister and me on a bus to get to the kh when we were little kids, despite suffering from nerves herself, without dads help.

gold_morning

Scooby,...PLEASE READ THIS...PLEASE

Right now I don't even know if I will be very sorry for posting this. Something was so touched inside of me I just had to say this. Tears are pouring down my face as I am typing at this keyboard.

Like some said here....they don't try to understand what you are feeling, but they love and accept you. I am probably the closest of anyone here who is "straight" that could possible understand the hurt, quilt, terror and anguish of what it is to spend a lifetime trying to makepretend you are what you are not.

You see scooby......my marriage just ended because my husband hid the fact he was gay. Because he could not be truthful, loving and honest as you are.....I paid a price of the most intense hurt you can imagine. It rivaled the hurt of being shunned I experienced years ago from the org. I was rejected by my husband and could not understand what I had done to be neglected so badly.

I was the typical JW female who married young and after I divorced I spent the rest of my life single until 4 years ago. Five years ago I became Christain and met a christian man. He wanted to marry me and I thought I had been truly blessed. But he had deceived me into believing he was something he was not. He thought thru me he could be what he wished he was. I spent 4 of the saddest years of my life. It shook my faith....tore my heart apart and left me not able to feel safe to trust. Yet... despite all that pain....I hurt as much, if not more for what he was going thru. I saw him beg me for forgiveness.. I saw it shake his faith. I saw him feel ashamed and regret deeply what he had done to me.

He tells me that I was the best wife a man could have wanted and that I was his best friend and it was his fault. He says he didn't mean to hurt and deceive me and is so very sorry. I do believe him... I really do. I am divorced now and he moved back to Florida. Scooby, I pray that he sees......IT IS NOT WHO HE IS.... but what was wrong is that he deceived me to make himself feel better and lived closeted. I am proud you had the strength to not do that to another person and work on carving a life out for yourself. There are choices you need to feel good about, and it is between you and God...ONLY!! No one should judge you. We should all have tremendous love and understanding for oneanother. God help us!!!!..... I think we will all need that kind of love and understanding when we are before God.

I can't tell you the love I feel for you right now.....you are a person who has a good heart and a love for God. Pray Scooby to understand that God loves us and wants us very much. Don't close the door for yourself with you and God. Please. He came to save the world.... not condem it. He came for ALL MEN to come to HIM.

I supose I will recover.... just like I fought to recover from being a JW. But the gist of what I am saying is this. I saw his pain....from hiding. He was not some evil monster. We all hurt from many things. I just wanted you to know that I understand and feel every word you wrote as I saw my now ex-husband live it and I lived it thru him.

Gosh... I am going to be sorry for admiting this ... so I better blow my nose stop crying and hit the submit button now before I chicken out.

agape love Gold_morning

18

Calling my JW sister.....Help and Advice, Please!

by lisaBObeesa in

jw
friends

it has been a long time since i spoke to my sister?a year or so maybe?

i made a promise to myself to give her a call in the next week or so.

i also promised my counselor, so i really have to do it!

gold_morning

Oh Lisa,

I know how you feel.... so many of us do. Don't give up on your sister. How does your mother feel about your sister shunning her?

They really don't want to do what they are doing. Infact... deep down inside they know it is not right and they are hurting too. It is just that the organization means more to them than family. That is what is branded in their heads. They are earning brownie points before God. After all....are they not to give up mother, sister and brother for God.

They are told it is their good consciences not allowing them to talk to family members, they dont see it is really fear. To show you it really is not thier conscience think of this. If tomorrow the organization said to not shun anymore, but infact smother the disfellwoshiped with love......THEY WOULD ALL DO IT IMMEDIATELY. If it was really a matter of conscience based on principle they could not change thier practice so readily. It is really fear disguised as conscience. Lisa,... pity them. Try not to be angry. It is hard.....but ya know..... weren't we like them at one time?

My mother and I have barely spoken in 20 years. It hurts....and is always there in the back of my mind. I called her not too long ago and we talked some. I was surprised she gave me the opportunity. I told her that just incase anything ever happend to us I wanted her to know that I loved her......and I also wanted her to know ,that I knew she loved me too. I thanked her for raising me to believe in God and I told her that her and I were not so very different. That we both loved God and though we may believe a few things differently, bottom line we believed in HIM. She didn't say much......and though she didn't say it, I feel it touched her in a way very little else has.

Just a thought. I don't have all the answers...each case is to unique. Just know I understand your feelings.

agape love, gold_morning

Never give up hope about them changing.

agape love, Gold

53

They found out we celebrated Christmas

by Mulan in

jw
friends

i was told today that an elder in a nearby congregation has just told another elder in his congregation that he saw we celebrated christmas last year.

seems he was doing a job on our street (he's a window washer, like all good jw elders) and saw our decorations.. several things bother me about that.. 1. no one could have seen any of our decorations by driving by.

we had no lights outside.

gold_morning

Mulan,

I am so sorry that it has upset you so. Isn't it terrible what fear we have of men. That is all they are....sinful men. Please be true to yourself. There is nothing like a free mind.

love gold

29

BIBLICAL PROOF OF THE TRINITY?

by what_is_truth_7 in

biblical proof of the trinity

colossians 2:17

beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to christ.

gold_morning

God is Alpha and Omega Rev. 1:8
Jesus is Alpha and Omega Rev. 22:12-16

God returns to Mt. of Olives Zech 14:4-5
Jesus returns to Mt. of Olives Acts 1:9-12

The gospel of God 2 Cor. 11:7
The gospel of Christ 2 Cor. 10:14

Jehovah is Lord Dt. 6:4, 2 Sam. 7:28, Ps.
18:31, Ps. 118:27, 1 Kings 18:39
Jesus is Lord Phil. 2:11, 1 Cor. 12:3, John 13:13, Jude 4, 1 Cor.
16:23

****God is Savior Isa. 43:3, 10-11, Hos. 13:4****
****Jesus is Savior Luke 2:11, Acts 4:10-12, Titus 1:3-4, 2:13***

God is Creator Gen. 1:1, Ps. 102:25
Jesus is Creator Col. 1:16, Heb. 1:2,10, John 1:3,10

God is worshipped Ex. 20:3-5, Rev. 22:9
Jesus is worshipped Heb. 1:6, John 20:28, Matt. 28:9

God pours out Spirit Joel 2:27-28
Jesus pours out Spirit Acts 2:33

God is Judge Ps. 50:5-6, Rom. 2:5
Jesus is Judge John 5:22, Rev. 2:23, 22:12

What_is_truth and snapdragon,

I hope this scriptures below help you. They were eye opening for me. Trinity is difficult to understand on our terms to say the least, but often we never give it any thought that we cannot understand it because we are not in the spirit realm. Though scientist and doctors don't understand exactly what life is or what makes something living does not mean there is no such thing as life. To read so many scriptures that show the divinity of Christ does not mean we have to understand it.

I look at it this way. Think of a pitcher filled with water. The water being God. Then take a glass and pour water in it. They are two seperate containers... but it is the same water. That analogy was helpful for me. the scriptures are below. agape love, Gold

God is Shepherd Psalm 23:1
Jesus is Shepherd John 10:14

God knows all Ps. 139:1-4
Jesus knows all John 21:17

God forgives sins Jer. 31:34, Luke 5:21
Jesus forgives sins Matt. 9:2, Mark 2:5-10

God sanctifies us 1 Thess. 5:22
Jesus sanctifies us Eph. 5:25-26

Every knee bows to God Isa. 45:21-23
Every knee bows to Jesus Phil. 2:10-11

12

y questions regarding JW's from a non JW

by North Girl in

jw
friends

sorry.. this may be long i have been reading in forums and on other web sites and have some questions that some may think are silly or that the answers are obvious.

i have step sons being raised witness and am just curious.. thank in advance to any answers .

1) what is meant by saying not dressed like a jw.. is there a specific code?.

gold_morning

Welcome North Girl,

Dress Codes: Well, not specifically. There is many unspoken rules. Years ago we stood out more. But meetings at kingdom halls call for a dressy look. Suits.. and woman wear dresses. Heaven forbid woman wear pants. Outside of the kingdom hall you can wear what you want, but it "should" be with good christian taste. Many do not do that

Positions: Yes.. it is men that climb the so=called ladder. Woman have a subjective role. Although, woman receive a certain amount of prestige if her husband is important in the congregation

Young Marriages: Yes, many marry young. There is not much else to do. College is refrained upon as well as seeking high paying full time employment. Full time service is what is encouraged. I had married very young. I was engaged at 17 and married just two weeks of my 18th birthday. Eligible men are hard to come by. If I hadn't married him, one of the other girls would have snatched him up. I believe very few marry for love. Dating outside of the organization is looked down on, to say the least. Such marriages and relationships would be difficult as being a Jehovah's Witnesses is a way of life.

School Activities. Basically, they are a no, no. It would entail worldly association, take time away from the meetings and is considered worldly interests. Many activities they teach hold pagan customs. For example. Very few join Choirs or bands. Choirs sing religious songs from what they feel are pagan religions and bands play patriotic music which is against JW doctrin.

Many woman work.... more so now than years ago. I found some work part-time, but only should be if needed. Again.... if a woman had time to work part or full time she should be taking that time and pioneering. Hence it is looked down opon.

Anyone can attend conventions. That is how they hope you will hear the speeches and become interested in the organization.

This is very brief and basic.......and I have been out along time. I don't think it has changed too much. Hope this helps.

agape love, Gold morning

39

HELP! How do you answer the Elders without incriminating yourself?

by stichione in

i?m due soon for a shepherding call from my congregation elders for a variety of reasons: being irregular in service, s poradically attending meetings, and o h yes, writing in a letter to the society asking for clarifications on the blood ban.

i?m sure that one question that they will be asking me is: d

o you believe that jehovah is using the organization as his only approved channel of communication?

gold_morning

Stich,

I think there comes a time, at everyones own individual pace, where we make choices. Where our conscience does the job it was ment to do. I know many here have reasons to do the fade.. or avoid disfellowhiping to save family members from hurt. I also know many aviod breaking away because of a deep fear ingrained in us that says..."What if it is the truth"

Once that fear is gone....of it being the "truth" the freedom of leaving comes naturally.

I remember them wanting me to write a letter of dissasociation and I told them that I believed in God and I would not denouce him. If they had to disfellowhip me, then the burden was on them, but I in no way would write a letter. They called and called on my house. It was summer time and the doors were usually open. They would knock and I would not answer. Then they would go to the back of the house and pound on the back door. As if that was not enough.... they would call my name thru the windows.

At the time, I was in my early 30's and yet like a scared child I hid, sitting on the floor in my bedroom hiding and waiting for them to give up and leave. This went on for a while. I never even answerd my phone in fear of it being them. Finally they did make their decision and disfellowshiped me one Thursday evening. I knew it had happend as I was in a Friendly's resturant. In walked some relatives and lifelong friends. They walked right past me with eyes focused straigt ahead. I knew that was the night Jehovah had left me forever. AT THEIR INTERPRETATION!!

Now I know that God never left me as they "blindly" deceived me to believe. Rather, because of them, I left HIM.

I don't mean to get to personal about things that hurt you inside..... but it would be good for you to find out why you don't want to leave, and what you do and do not believe. What keeps you there. Is it their doctrin.... fear of the unknown......the guilt that comes from shunning.... or knowing you will never be able to find a replacement for that "true religioin".

Know that I hear you!!! I recall all of the very real feelings you have right now. Every situatioin is so very different. One thing I do know, is that you must be true to yourself.

You have all my love and thoughts thru this struggle.

agape love, Gold_morning.

if you need to talk you can reach me at [email protected]

25

Are You JW/ Inactive/Fading/Gone.........?

by ScoobySnax in

jw
friends

"sitting on the fence" "leading a double life" or just a fader.

its strange i envy both jws and exjws, after all each have a clear direction of where their lives are headed.

they have a definate view of how they feel, what they think, where they're going, what they are.

gold_morning

I spent 16 years like that. I did not go to meetings, but I knew I would never take blood. on and on and on.

I finally did something about it. I decided to really read the bible without the watchtower glases on. Whoa and behold the truth was there and more shocking .... I didn't need the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society to tell me how to understand it.

Now I am a Christian and all I have to worry about it loving and accepting Jesus as the only one who forgives my sins (not elders) and gives me life. No more living on the fence... no more guilt and best of all... no more trying to earn my salvation.

I wish it for everyone.

agape love, Gold

29

Questions regarding the Cross/Torture stake

by truthseeker1 in

this was brought up by my journey and they requested information regarding it.

this is a quote from the page below regarding how the wt takes other's words out of context to fit their own agenda.

quote..........misquote:.

gold_morning

You are all extremely knowledgable and I enjoyed the reading.

Just a little tidbit.....

John 20:24

"Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the NAILS were, and put my hand into his side, I wil not believe it."

Notice the plural in the word "NAILS".

agape love, gold

gold_morning

Posts by gold_morning