Posts by Introspection

1

Music: The Silent path

by Introspection in

i heard this cd a while back, the artist's name is robert haig coxon.. i guess it would fall under the new age genre but it's just really nice relaxing stuff.. apparently amazon is the only place that sells it online, (that i can find anyway) along with a local store that's on the web at www.backroadsmusic.com .. here is the link with sound clips on the page, try the last song the light .... http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/b00002juzo/ref=cm_mp_wl/102-4059551-8839326?coliid=i1zmt59z0mogi4.

"it is not so much that you use your mind wrongly--you usually don't use it at all.

this is the disease.

Introspection

I heard this CD a while back, the artist's name is Robert Haig Coxon.. I guess it would fall under the New Age genre but it's just really nice relaxing stuff.. Apparently Amazon is the only place that sells it online, (that I can find anyway) along with a local store that's on the web at www.backroadsmusic.com .. Here is the link with sound clips on the page, try the last song The Light ...

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00002JUZO/ref=cm_mp_wl/102-4059551-8839326?coliid=I1ZMT59Z0MOGI4

"It is not so much that you use your mind wrongly--you usually don't use it at all. It uses you. This is the disease."--Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

33

Quotes of Wisdom

by LadyBug in

i love quotes of wisdom, so i thought i'd post some for others who like them too.

.

bew

Introspection

A flute, with no holes, is not a flute. A donut, without a hole, is a danish. -Chevy Chase in Caddy Shack

Ok seriously, I'll post some when it comes to me.

"It is not so much that you use your mind wrongly--you usually don't use it at all. It uses you. This is the disease."--Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

10

Right to "Sow the Seeds of Doubt"?

by JanH in

jw
friends

from time to time exjws may face the question of whether they should do anything to cause doubts in the minds of their jw family or friends.

many argue that these people are happier where they are, inside the organization, and that becoming an "apostate" would cause too many problems to them.

in other words, perhaps "ignorance is bliss.".

Introspection

Hi Jan, thanks for that article. I think the author summed it up very well at the end where he said the most important thing is to be compassionate and respectful. If you're trying to help them, then it isn't about your own feelings of anger and whatnot. I think it's certainly reasonable to point out things that don't make sense, often people will generate the doubt itself by putting two and two together. If they are good at compartmentalizing things though, you may need to spell it out for them. My feeling on this though is that a little goes a long way. Especially if they're not used to looking at the subject logically, you don't want to make it too complicated for them with many different points. Of course, it's probably unreasonable to expect immediate results, but in the end the choice is up to them. A thinking person may atleast keep it in the back of their minds, some people may go on like they never heard you.

"It is not so much that you use your mind wrongly--you usually don't use it at all. It uses you. This is the disease."--Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

8

"You want a piece of me??"

by Introspection in

jw
friends

ok, the subject actually have nothing to do with what i'm writing about, just thought it would be a good attention getter - imagine using that in the door to door work.. anyways, the question on my mind tonight is - is it a good thing to forget about your jw past?

sometimes people leave to forget, i feel like i was starting to forget (and still am forgetting) as i discovered these forums.

what's wrong with me?

Introspection

Just to clarify, the subject title was only intended to make fun of Venice's subject, and ONLY hers...

"It is not so much that you use your mind wrongly--you usually don't use it at all. It uses you. This is the disease."--Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

8

"You want a piece of me??"

by Introspection in

jw
friends

ok, the subject actually have nothing to do with what i'm writing about, just thought it would be a good attention getter - imagine using that in the door to door work.. anyways, the question on my mind tonight is - is it a good thing to forget about your jw past?

sometimes people leave to forget, i feel like i was starting to forget (and still am forgetting) as i discovered these forums.

what's wrong with me?

Introspection

Ok, the subject actually have nothing to do with what I'm writing about, just thought it would be a good attention getter - imagine using that in the door to door work.. Anyways, the question on my mind tonight is - is it a good thing to forget about your JW past? Sometimes people leave to forget, I feel like I was starting to forget (and still am forgetting) as I discovered these forums. What's wrong with me? I think it might be good to remember something to be able to relate to others who have been through the experience.. Maybe I'm not reading enough of the sad stories? Seriously, I welcome any thoughts on this..

"It is not so much that you use your mind wrongly--you usually don't use it at all. It uses you. This is the disease."--Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

28

QUESTIONS ON "EVIL"

by Tina in

jw
friends

my discussion group recently debated this topic.. i am interested in everyone's thoughts on these questions:.

why is there evil?.

what motivates those who perpetrate it?.

Introspection

Francoise, I have to go a step farther than Unclebruce and explain that it isn't that I don't like the idea, I don't believe the idea of evil as we know it in the English langauge exists in the Tao Te Ching or the Chinese language, which happens to be my first language. I actually looked in my preferred copy (Wu) and didn't find such a passage, unless you're talking about the part in chapter 58 where it talks about good fortune relying on bad and one hiding in the other, which is of course a pattern in much of the TTC. If this is the case, then strictly speaking that passage does not talk about evil either. The closest thing that seems to come to the term evil in the Chinese language is a word that literally means crookedness, and basically implies wickedness, but that's still not the same. The only thing the Tao Te Ching talks about is 'that which is against Tao', and that is never spoken of as one side of a complementary whole, because it is the whole. It simply says that which is against Tao soon ceases to be.

"It is not so much that you use your mind wrongly--you usually don't use it at all. It uses you. This is the disease."--Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

28

QUESTIONS ON "EVIL"

by Tina in

jw
friends

my discussion group recently debated this topic.. i am interested in everyone's thoughts on these questions:.

why is there evil?.

what motivates those who perpetrate it?.

Introspection

Hi Francoise,

As stated in the Tao Te Ching: Beauty is recognized as beauty only in contrast to ugliness. Evil is recognised as evil only in contrast to the good.

Can you give me the chapter where this quote is taken from? I'm also curious as to which translation it came out of. I think it may be revealing to compare, I have a little program that has over a dozen translations.

Well I guess I'll add my thoughts to what we've got so far. I don't know if it's meaningful to talk about evil other than willful, conscious evil, as it could very well be a frustrated person acting out of conditioned response. Also, not being selfish can come from different places too. The image that comes to my much polluted mind is Cartman from South Park selling candy to other kids at weight loss camp, saying "There there, Mr. Chocolate Bar doesn't judge you" as he gives it to the kid emotionally distraught over yet another failed attempt to lose weight despite promising his parents that he will make it work this time. Children may be kind and unselfish, but that could come out of identifying with others in a way that lacks maturation, thinking what they think is necessarily what others would think. I can't remember, but I think maybe the whole matter of what the golden rule really means was clarified by Kant or someone, but obviously as adults we know that there's a balance between doing what we think is best for another and respecting their autonomy. After all, it does say do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and you wouldn't want them to impose their own thinking on you. I suppose it's like the whole matter of leaving the WTS, the best we can really do is try to help others see it for themselves.

I guess how that relates is whether the selfishness comes from either a perceived or real lack vs. greed. Maybe someone else can pick up on this point...

"It is not so much that you use your mind wrongly--you usually don't use it at all. It uses you. This is the disease."--Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

13

Just a little piece of me!

by VeniceIT in

jw
friends

i just got to thinking (scary i know), who am i???

we are the people we are because of what weve been through and the experiences weve had, but what if everything i we lived was fake??

i mean i really feel like i was living in the truman show.

Introspection

Hi Ven, I imagine this is a question that goes through the mind of many here as they leave. I think realistically we change all the time, it's just that moving from being a JW to not being one is a big change because the beliefs are very rigid, so much so that one's thinking process is shut down because all you have to do is follow a set of rules instead of figuring things out for yourself.

I think being overly identified with some name, belief or practice is not healthy. Even JWs recognize this to an extent, I remember one CO saying JW kids should never tell others they don't celebrate holidays because they are Jehovah's Witnesses. After all, that's not really a reason. For all the JWs say against pride, tradition and idolatry, it's evident to me they have their share. This can be with all kinds of things, it just so happens with a lot of stuff it's pretty much harmless. But to me it just shows that you have to make sure things make sense for yourself, and not be a part of it just because you belong in some way.

"It is not so much that you use your mind wrongly--you usually don't use it at all. It uses you. This is the disease."--Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

28

QUESTIONS ON "EVIL"

by Tina in

jw
friends

my discussion group recently debated this topic.. i am interested in everyone's thoughts on these questions:.

why is there evil?.

what motivates those who perpetrate it?.

Introspection

Hi Tina, I'm not familiar with your discussion group (I don't think?) and I was wondering if you might summarize the points they've covered so far.

"It is not so much that you use your mind wrongly--you usually don't use it at all. It uses you. This is the disease."--Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

61

Is this Completely Apostate

by redline in

jw
friends

i just happened on this place a few days ago, and thought i would stop in to see what it was all about.

it claims to be a jehovah's witness forum, which it is not.. dont want to come here and point fingers, as i am sure there are some good people in here, just seems the bad have followed the good.

i guess in reality thats always the case, but hey, what else would these people do if they couldn't wage their little war on the truth.

Introspection

By the way Redline, in case you're wondering I was not raised a witness, though I was exposed to the teachings in my early teens. (I'm now 29) I had family members that studied briefly, one published but left and was never baptized. I ended up getting baptized with none of my family taking a real interest in the faith, and I was a serious witness, really believed everything. You see, it isn't that simple. There are people here with all kinds of different stories, all kinds of backgrounds.

"It is not so much that you use your mind wrongly--you usually don't use it at all. It uses you. This is the disease."--Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now