Posts by donuthole

82

Family is gossiping about me, and then I get a letter

by nextdoorgirl in

so, here's your typical "i'm concerned about you" letter.

and my responses.

wanna take a look?.

donuthole

@nextdoorgirl

It was interesting to read your exchanges with your "friend". I'm sorry that you are in pain and lacking love. May Jesus continue to supply you with what you are not getting from family and others that ought to be giving you such. It is a shame that natural affection cools and particularly shameful when it happens according to religious discrimination.

I think you made excellent comments regarding the love that we are to show indiscrimately - I do worry though that your talk of love and forgiveness is perhaps undermined by your repeated threats of lawsuits. Retaliation might not be the best course of action, particulary in view of the example and teachings of Jesus. I know it hurts very much to be wronged and lied about. However, Jesus himself submitted to being numbered as a transgressor, accused of being a blasphemer, convincted as a criminal, and hung as an accursed one upon a tree. He did all of this without self-defense, either in word or action.

God's peace be upon you!

46

For those who were partakers

by mamalove in

jw
friends

what made you think you were supposed to drink the wine and eat the bread?

if you left the org, did you still feel like you were going to heaven?.

donuthole

You just know.

32

what brands of watch do u guys have?

by asilentone in

jw
friends

you started another spam topic?

.

donuthole

I have a guess? watch that is black steel. Not much of watch guy. Though now that is missing I miss it.

31

For Shelby, Tec and others who believe in Christ but not necessarily the bible...

by elderelite in

i read with great interest that some believe in christ but notnecessarily the authenticity of the bible... could you please elaborate on that?

i have to admit i am very interested in where people have ended up after leaving the wt.

i am on that road and enjoy seeing where people have followed it.

donuthole

Whereas on the other hand, the personal revelationists are not open in any way, shape, or form, to the idea that these visions and voices they've had are simply generated from their own mind

I speak about what I know from my own experience and honestly it is more than "voices in my head". I have heard, seen and experienced things from the same source that leave me no choice but to believe. There were times when I was a little hesitant to believe and listen to that voice, and the Lord in his abundant graciousness was kind enough to provide "proof" which I didn't really need, but maybe thought I needed, for my own lack of faith. Now I understand that isn't your experience and if I were in your shoes - I dunno - maybe I would be saying the same thing. But now that I know the truth how can I deny it? I can only speak what I know to be true and it is simply this Jesus is open for those who want to come to him and sit by him and listen to him just as he did 2,000 years. Open your heart.

68

Well, I Guess There IS One Good Thing About the WTBTS...

by AGuest in

jw
friends

if you're the kind of person who would rather convince yourself that someone isn't "deserving" of your help... which may include your money... even an amount as small as $3.00... the wtbts was the right group to be a part of.

because they have every excuse under the sun for not giving to the poor... not helping out someone in need... not even giving a hungry one a meal (because we know, don't we, that every one of them is an alcoholic and/or drug addict... and everyone knows... particularly the wtbts... that those folks... those sinners... don't deserve to eat at all...).

looks like some of have learned well from them.

donuthole

They JW's do not even help their own how can you expect that they will help outsiders? When I first started walking this path my wife and I found out that a sister at the hall didn't have money for her pain medicine for her cancer as she was switching insurance providers. This medicine was pretty pricey. Now this is a sister that was coming to all the meetings with tubes coming out of her nose and her hair falling out. So my wife and I thought we would ask around and see if we could come up with some money to give to her. The responses we got were so disheartening. We were told that her non-believing family could provide. We were asked if we had cleared this with the elders. I was so depressed about that I just gave up and I stand before Heaven and admit that sin because I should have just went ahead and bought it out of my own pocket. But that is the attitude of those people and I am thankful that God has called me out of that mess through Christ. I have known JW's that have taunted the homeless, when they asked for change they would reply, "I'm sorry I just gave my last 50" "50 cents" "No, 50 dollars." And laugh as the homeless would walk off dejected. I admit that I got caught up in that shameful conduct. The only time I ever gave anyone was a dollar so I could take my picture with them and then laugh about it. God forgive me - that is just wrong. Today the only people I absolutely refuse to give to is those judas churches that take, take, take and feed themselves instead of turning around and giving which the whole reason for even taking an "offering". You believe in the Bible, well read it, and see. The offering isn't so bethel can have a new chandelier. It isn't so the youth group can get a new flat-screen. Thieves. It is for the poor. It belongs to them. In society and in religions the poor always come last. The mortgage company gets paid, the utility company gets paid, the pastor gets paid, his secretary gets paid, the youth pastor gets paid, the music minister gets paid, the building fund gets paid, and whatever crumb is left we call benovalence and give to the poor. Sorry for the soap-box - but this really gets me angry ...

68

Well, I Guess There IS One Good Thing About the WTBTS...

by AGuest in

jw
friends

if you're the kind of person who would rather convince yourself that someone isn't "deserving" of your help... which may include your money... even an amount as small as $3.00... the wtbts was the right group to be a part of.

because they have every excuse under the sun for not giving to the poor... not helping out someone in need... not even giving a hungry one a meal (because we know, don't we, that every one of them is an alcoholic and/or drug addict... and everyone knows... particularly the wtbts... that those folks... those sinners... don't deserve to eat at all...).

looks like some of have learned well from them.

donuthole

For those who can accept it - Jesus gave the most valuable thing in the world to people that continually ignore, misuse, or outright abuse that gift. If I give to someone who asks and they use my gift to go buy a crack rock - so what?! My responsiblity is to give as I have been given. It isn't my responsibility of how people use/misuse that gift. I don't want to be standing before that throne and claiming, "Lord I didn't feed you because I thought you might buy a 40 ounce with the two dollars."

31

For Shelby, Tec and others who believe in Christ but not necessarily the bible...

by elderelite in

i read with great interest that some believe in christ but notnecessarily the authenticity of the bible... could you please elaborate on that?

i have to admit i am very interested in where people have ended up after leaving the wt.

i am on that road and enjoy seeing where people have followed it.

donuthole

This goes beyond what the OP is asking but according to the prophets when then spirit came we would have a law placed in our hearts and not need one that was written down. It amazes me that people today have turned the Bible into the Law 2.0. They see it as an authority and as an instruction manual. Before I ever came to recognize the Bible for what it is I used to be so frustrated that it never answered what I saw as basic questions for church practice. Now I know that it was never meant to be such. However like the Pharisees of old, you have an oral law (talmud) that gets added on top of the written law (Bible) to fill in these blanks and we are right back in the same soul-crushing mess.

The biggest issue form most former JW's or Fundamentalists is, is the bible innerrant

I have yet to find where the bible claims to even be innerrant. As was mentioned if it is innerrant what Bible are we talking about? The one the Catholics use? The one that the Eastern Orthodox uses? The King James? The New World? Heck, even Martin Luther who brought the idea of "sola scriptura" was determined to remove some of the books that are in the Bible today.

At best they will point to all scripture is inspired of God. OK. So what exactly are we talking about? Cause when that was written the Bible as we have today wasn't even around. Also does "inspired" equal innerrant?

31

For Shelby, Tec and others who believe in Christ but not necessarily the bible...

by elderelite in

i read with great interest that some believe in christ but notnecessarily the authenticity of the bible... could you please elaborate on that?

i have to admit i am very interested in where people have ended up after leaving the wt.

i am on that road and enjoy seeing where people have followed it.

donuthole

Elderite --

I'm sure shelby will respond but I can put out how it that I understand it --

The gospels were written either by eyewitnesses to Jesus or by those that came afterword and learned from them. Take the gospel of Luke, he makes no claims to being inspired of God. He is writing to another individual and said that he did his best to write down what he had learned from eyewitnesses in what he believed to be an "orderly account". So it is what it is. There is much truth there but also mistakes here and there.

I like this illustration as imperfect as it may be -- say you have an interest in a famous person. Sure you can read some books about them and maybe learn a great deal. However what you know of them is merely limited to the accuracy of what you read. We also can't discount the fact that the biographers may have added their own feelings that coloured it somewhat. But at the end of the day you could be fairly comfortable you know a lot about that person. However you cannot TRULY know them simply by reading. To TRULY know them you must meet them, spend time with them, be around them.

In the Bible in a couple of places we are invited to KNOW Christ. This is often in the manner of a marriage relationship because no one quite knows you like a spouse - true? The only way to really know Christ, who is, what he is about, is to enter a relationship with him. To be in union with him through the gift of his spirit.

64

To the Household of God, Israel, and those who go with...

by AGuest in

jw
friends

... may you all have peace!.

there's been such a lot of "ruckus" on the board lately (well, not a lot in comparison to the entire board, but a lot for some of us - lololol!

) that i wanted to give you all something that might help you feel a little "lighter"... and remind you of who you are.

donuthole

I think I would rather make the mistake of giving a homeless man money for drugs/booze than to deprive a hungry man of some food. To each his own - as the saying goes.

31

For Shelby, Tec and others who believe in Christ but not necessarily the bible...

by elderelite in

i read with great interest that some believe in christ but notnecessarily the authenticity of the bible... could you please elaborate on that?

i have to admit i am very interested in where people have ended up after leaving the wt.

i am on that road and enjoy seeing where people have followed it.

donuthole

Jesus is absolutely compelling. At first I just knew of him from the Bible but it wasn't until I personally started to get know him that things changed for me. Really this whole journey started for me when I wanted to learn how to love. Then it was standing up for the truth. It was in these ways that I started to come to know Jesus before he started dealing with me directly.

You say you want to believe in Christ. Maybe you just know him from the Bible. Here is the thing -- that wonderful man you read about -- he's not dead. He lives and you can know him just as you know any other person. You can talk to him and he can speak back. If you have read the Bible you have been introduced -- now seek him out and see for yourself. Take the next step. Really all those ones that went to Jesus in the Bible were not disappointed -- I doubt you will be.

The Bible is what it is -- it serves its purpose -- but it was never meant to be an endpoint. Maybe merely just a sign, directing you to the one you need to go to. If you go to men, you will be burned, you will be let down. That's just how it is -- but Jesus, nah, he is faithful and true.