I was concerned with pleasing others ... never gave God a thought.
The Berean
JoinedPosts by The Berean
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57
Why were you baptized?
by bluecanary ininspired by another thread.. i was baptized at 12 years old.
i had a cousin, two years older than me, who was prettier, more outgoing and more popular in the hall than i was.
i couldn't beat her at any of that stuff, but i figured i could be a better jw than she was.
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57
Why were you baptized?
by bluecanary ininspired by another thread.. i was baptized at 12 years old.
i had a cousin, two years older than me, who was prettier, more outgoing and more popular in the hall than i was.
i couldn't beat her at any of that stuff, but i figured i could be a better jw than she was.
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The Berean
Because I was more concerned about pleasing others than I was about my own emotional and mental health.
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WT Society Makes JW's Feel Bad about Themselves - No Self Worth
by flipper ini have noticed this a lot in attitudes of witness relatives i've talked with over the last few years , as well as other former witness friends i have talked to.
many witnesses feel bad about themselves due to having it drilled into them that we are all " sinners " who allegedly inherited " sin and imperfection " from adam and eve .
that essentially humans are " born dead " or in a " dying " condition due to alleged " inherited sin " .
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The Berean
leavingwt: Video makes total sense. Thanx
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WT Society Makes JW's Feel Bad about Themselves - No Self Worth
by flipper ini have noticed this a lot in attitudes of witness relatives i've talked with over the last few years , as well as other former witness friends i have talked to.
many witnesses feel bad about themselves due to having it drilled into them that we are all " sinners " who allegedly inherited " sin and imperfection " from adam and eve .
that essentially humans are " born dead " or in a " dying " condition due to alleged " inherited sin " .
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The Berean
The problem I have experienced is that until one COMPLETELY severs all ties with those who have the mental mindset of Adamic sin, we are unable to funtion properly in the outside world due to the constant suggestion by those in our environment, no matter how subtle, that we are not in God's favor. Not everyone can break away cleanly from their support group and therefore low self-esteem can become life-long. To use their words: "You can not serve two masters. You will grow to hate one or the other." Putting on an act of tolerance toward those one deplores can only lead to a feeling of weakness and fraud which, in turn, continues the cycle of self-deprecation.
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So ... Does the Devil Exist?
by The Berean inwith mankind's continuing quest for a source or higher power these seemingly taboo questions may be raised: .
could a higher source of evil also exist.
can there be good without bad?is there such an influence in society either real or imagined?is wickedness contained within some individuals and not others?would such a sinister force take pleasure in woe experienced by humansor, is the devil a fabricated excuse used to avoid responsibilty for bad choices and character defects?comments ....
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The Berean
With mankind's continuing quest for a source or higher power these seemingly taboo questions may be raised:
- Could a higher source of evil also exist. Can there be good without bad?
- Is there such an influence in society either real or imagined?
- Is wickedness contained within some individuals and not others?
- Would such a sinister force take pleasure in woe experienced by humans
- Or, is the Devil a fabricated excuse used to avoid responsibilty for bad choices and character defects?
Comments ...
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Is jealousy a "good thing"?
by The Berean inwhat would humans strive to achieve if it were not what others already had?.
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The Berean
What would humans strive to achieve if it were not what others already had?
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What does it mean to sin against the spirit?
by keyser soze inthis was always one of the most confusing and troubling doctrines when i was a jw.
i heard the phrase many times, but it was never adequately explained what it meant.
i often wondered if i had committed such a sin, and if i could really not be forgiven.. how does one know if they have sinned against the holy spirit?
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The Berean
To have the desire and a plan to be equal to God ...
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If "Government Turns on Religion"......
by cameo-d indo you think it would be a good thing or a bad thing?.
it's so obvious there are so many charlatans and liars getting away with fraud.. it's so obvious that religions are causing most all of the dissention between peoples.. but, because of wt teachings that this act of "government turning on religion" will harbor the worst evil of all....do you still feel a bit uneasy about it?.
do you think religions have taught this paranoia to try to save their own a$$?.
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The Berean
Here's my equation:
- Religion assures people that they will live again if they stay in line and die for the "cause."
- Governments continually need constituency who are willing to give their lives in patriotic sacrifice.
- Therefore, Martyrdom is the common prerequisite for both to flourish and survive.
- Also, both reinforce the threat that an invisible "Big Brother" is watching followers at all times.
"God and Country" will continue to be the "yoke and bridle" for world powers. One needs the other.
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No Virginia, there is no Santa Claus and everything will NOT be alright ...
by The Berean init seems to me that mankind's need throughout history for a higher power has been predicated on escape from the deadend journey we call life.
why else would such unproveable "pie in the sky" delusions of eternal bliss captivate the masses since the beginning of time.
fear is conquered by a spiritual belief that everthing will be alright, regardless of how it appears.
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The Berean
kitten whiskers:
I'll try to clarify my expression. To me, there are many things I am thankful for that have not been created or caused by an individual, group, or Diety. I am thankful I have a roof over my head but I am not crediting the builder, the bank, the shingle company or soldiers who may have died to protect the land, even though they may all have had a part. Many things converged by "time and unforseen occurence" which resulted in having what I do or don't have. The point is I draw little significance from individual conditions, events, or tragedies. It is my belief that weak people must have cause and effect, cause and effect, cause and effect ... the strong don't revisit how they got to where they are, they simply maximize their situation. Incidentally, "weak" is not a negative term. After all women are referred to as " weaker vessels." (Bible opinion, not mine)
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Can we blame our ancestors for our own shortcomings?
by undercover inin a recent thread about an nfl player being allowed to return to play after being convicted and serving time for a felony, it was suggested that maybe his ancestory played a part in his attitudes and actions.. those of you were playing along at home know the deal.... is it fair to lay blame on one's ancestors in how one acts in today's society?.
i think not.... my ancestor's came here from scotland, when their lands were taken from them back home.
they came here with nothing and had to start over in a land with next to nothing, eeking out an existance in the mountains of tn and nc, always struggling.
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The Berean
Learn from the Garden. We plant seeds in spring with a pretty good idea of when they will sprout, how they will look, and what type of fruit they will yeild. It's all preprogramed within it's own nucleus. So to humans start with a seed, more complex to be sure, yet with it's own DNA that seperates it from all others in the species. Tendencies both good and bad are manefest at some point. (homosexuality, for example, also dominant left or right handed dexterity) Therefore, all one can do is manage tour predispositions. So I guess if I am unhappy with who I am, I could start to kick tombstones ...