Posts by Introspection

28

I'm so very depressed...

by Nickey in

lately, i've been really depressed at missing out on my life.

from being pulled out of school in the 3rd grade to keep me away from the "worldly" kids.

i was basically isolated.

Do you realize that you are just on the other side of the judgement now, but judgement is still involved? Granted, there is a LOT more to do on the other side of the JW fence, but that basic mind set is the same, you're just on the other side of it.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for pursuing your calling and such, and I also recognize what might have been accomplished in the time that I was in. (I'm 30 now btw) But the funny thing is, if you just write it off as a waste, it will be a waste. On the other hand, if you get into even the details of those years and get something from it, then it wasn't a waste. Again, it is from a certain perspective of judgement, that being what a typically good life should be, that it would be considered a waste. But one thing I've found is that experience contributed to being what I'd call a true human being. I may not have accomplished a whole lot or have a nice career, but I know how to be and treat people now in a way that you really connect. Big Tex mentioned turning a negative into a positive - but I say that's not even a change from a bad past into a good future, it's just how you process what you already have. There's no telling where we'd be if we were never JWs, MAYBE we'd be doing what we wanted to do, but maybe we wouldn't have the same drive as we do now that we appreciate what we've been missing. Whatever has happend in your life, it got you here. And if you now know what you want to do with your life, that's more than what a lot of people can say.

15

Do Doctors Play God?

by Cassiline in

jw
friends

i just read an article about a baby born at prematurely at 26 weeks and the doctor who tried to save him.

the question was asked, should this baby be saved?

the child was born at 26 weeks, (14 weeks early) with one kidney missing, a partial esophagus, no anus, tracheal hole, malformed, exposed spinal cord, multiple abnormalities of the heart.

Introspection

As I sit here contemplating a reply to this thread, I happen to pull a quote card that goes along my line of thought: "There is only life. There is nobody who lives a life." To me this is like the question of what you do with family member that's in a cult. It's a little late at that point, you're already up shit creek basically. What we need to do is respect the process of life, rather than have this human centered idea of staying alive or not. (obviously, when you put it in those terms people all want to hang on) This may sound kind of cold and impersonal, but in fact that is what would best prepare us for a healthy life. Last time I checked the way health care is approached is still that of when something screws up, try to get someone (else) to fix it. The human body functions in a certain way, it only makes sense to have some understanding of what that is. Even some people who are health conscious stay with a basically narrow outlook of just the human organism, when in fact it is an open system that continuously interacts with the environment.

I'm not making a judgement one way or the other, but one way of putting this in a nutshell is simply pay attention. Atleast this way if shit is gonna happen, you'll have a better chance of seeing it coming.

33

JWs vs. Baha'i

by LDH in

jw
friends

founded in the mid-nineteenth century, the bahai faith has spread to some 232 nations and territories and is now accepted by more than five million people.. the word bahai means follower of bahaullah.

his name in arabic means the glory of god.

his followers believe that bahaullah's writings are an expression of the holy spirit and are the word of god.

Introspection

I know someone who's a Baha'i, and although I've tried to talk to people online and went to a Baha'i youth group fireside I think it was, nobody has been able to tell me the basic premise of the religion. So I don't know enough about it to say anything, but I think there is one thing worth pointing out..

The subject title of this thread, "JWs vs. Baha'i" is basically religion vs. religion. They're both religions. I'm sure atleast for some, there is no need to elaborate on the significance of this statement. However, it does appear that people tend to make the assumption that religion makes people better or worse, but I think a more accurate way of describing it is whether it clarifies or confuses one's humanity. The funny thing is, if you're talking about learning to be a certain way, it basically implies that there's something missing right now. On the other hand, if it's not a matter of trying to alter (basically re-condition in some way, yet conditioning is conditioning) behavior and such, it would point to what's already here, a matter of re-cognition. It really works on two very different levels, you might almost say one is external and one is internal. Of course, it's a matter of how you think of religion too. If you look at religion as pointing the way, I think you'll avoid fanaticism and generally be okay. If you believe in it religiously, you've probably already missed the point.

23

Is the bible inspired?

by JH in

jw
friends

what part of the bible do you think is pure invention, and what part do you think is true.

Introspection

Siddha, that is very interesting. I would make one observation though, and that is from the perspective of awareness peace and anxiety are only states of mind, and states are by nature temporary and time-bound.

45

For those who don't believe in God

by freedom96 in

jw
friends

when we were witnesses, we certainly believed in god.

some of us were born into it, and others have perhaps come from other religions, while still others may never had any religious faith at all.

some here on the board now claim that there is no god at all.

Introspection

I simply came to realize that beliefs are only beliefs and nothing more. We all hold certain beliefs to go through life everyday, but they are conditional, and to put so much emphasis on them is to attribute importance to your own mind - nothing wrong with that, it's just not all there is.

Edited by - Introspection on 9 January 2003 22:3:56

11

Are you still looking for a meaning to life?

by sleepy in

jw
friends

.

i havent bothered thinking much about the deeper issues of life recently but why not start again i thought to my self, and i ask the questions what are we and how did we get here?and i ask these in the biggest sense ie, not how did we get here on earth but how and why did the whole show sart in the first place.. its easy to say the universe just happened , we just evolved and our conscious existance is just a freak of nature.but these answers sweep over the main issues which are far deeper.. i learnt to reject ghosts, gods, angels and supernatural phenomena , but my own existance is more perversely strange to a logical mind than any of these, and yet i do exist.. what the hell is it all about i wonder?

Introspection

The question of meaning has a sense of separation, that is to say meaning exists in the mind, if it exists at all. If you look at some inanimate object and come up with some meaning for it, it doesn't necessarily tell you about the object, but it does tell you about your own mind.

When it comes to ourselves it's really rather simple. Instead of thinking of why I'm here as being separate from my existence, we can easily recognize that it's clearly a thought in our own head. Rather than assuming that there's a nice little formula somewhere that can sum it all up, (which there are, but then that will mean different things to different people) from the perspective of what is happening and going on, it's simply one part of the big picture. There's this guy posting on JWD.com, part of it is the meaning that he is trying to get across, and then there's the words, the reader, the bodies involved and so on. I think if we're going to see things for what they are, we need to take it all into consideration - including but not limited to our thoughts about what it all means.

28

JW's -- Is Jesus your Mediator?

by UnDisfellowshipped in

the watchtower society teaches that jesus christ is the mediator only for the "anointed" jw's and that the "anointed" jw's are the "mediators" for all of the "other sheep".. the bible says jesus is the one mediator for all men:.

1st timothy 2:5: for there is one god, and one mediator between god and men, the man christ jesus

Introspection

No, Jesus is their moderator - supposedly.

69

Do you still like your user name?

by JH in

jw
friends

at first when we joined, we all choose a user name that would identify us.

we also had the choice of puting a picture next to our user name.

often, some change the picture for a better one.

Introspection

Well, it's just like my real name and face, I can't change it without going through some trouble - and if I did people wouldn't recognize me. I might if that wasn't an issue, but it's just a name.

36

Nearly died/motivational quotes needed

by Mimilly in

jw
friends

on january 1st, after a week of no sleep, working through xmas and its stress and months of marital super-stress i walked into my room and gave up.

i told god that if he wanted to step in, to do so now, as otherwise im going.

i sat down and swallowed a brand new prescription of valium 10mg as well as clonadine, also a new prescription.

Introspection

I wanted to end the pain not die. Yet the letter on my wall indicates I wanted death. Death to pain? I dont know.

It sounds like you do know, and the pain did die - but you are still here.

From what little I've read there have already been some nice quotes shared on this thread, but I would like to point out that the most profound truths are not found in words that are more articulate than what you might hear from the average folk, it's powerful when it's alive and from the heart. I would say you may very well find them from acquaintances and friends, or most importantly yourself. The poets and philosophers may sum it up nicely in a few words, make it sound nice, but those close to you are probably the ones that will touch your heart. So don't discount your inner knowing , the part I quoted above is probably a perfect example.

"Your constant flight from pain and search for pleasure is a sign of love you bear for yourself; all I plead with you is this: make love of your self perfect." -Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

32

I Lost 80 Pounds in 8 Months

by JLOB in

i lost 80 pounds in 8 months on a low fat diet.

i beilive the only true way to gain a heathy body is the old fashion method of eating less and moving more.

if everyone would eat a well balanced diet and exercise regularly then there would not be such a huge market for diet ripe off programs.

Introspection

In a way this is like religion. It doesn't matter what you believe is healthy for you, if it's just a belief it won't go very far. When you realize, when it clicks and you actually know you feel worse eating junky food or not exercising then you will naturally want to do the healthy things, rather than beating your self up through will power. I mean isn't will power trying to make yourself do what one part of you doesn't want to do? It's one part of yourself fighting against another isn't it? Most of us will have some food that's not so good for us once in a while, I say just really enjoy it while you're having it. No need to put yourself through a guilt trip like you have to repent for eating a cheeseburger or something.

Edited by - Introspection on 5 January 2003 3:8:33