Steve2, your post made me think about the mosaic law, and Exodus 21:29, where if a bull had a habit of goring, and the owner didnt take steps to secure the animal and it killed someone, then both the bull and the owner were put to death. So the law had stipulations regarding what we might call negligence, or even good samaritan laws if you want to stretch it. The point being, back then you could be put to death for not taking action regarding a problem that was capable of harming other people. According to JW theology, for the past 4,000 years or so, the human race has been in the middle of a debate. On one side, there's someone who's referred to as a roaring lion seeking to devour someone. 1 Pet 5:8.. On the other hand, there's a loving Creator who cares for me, but he doesn't have a problem allowing this roaring lion roam free devouring people. The same lion He created. And to top it off, neither one of them will let me know they're out there watching me. So I have a spiritual predator after me, and a invisible, negligent zookeeper. To top it off, if I make the mistake of not believing the zookeeper is still around and performing His duties, he's gonna destroy me forever, or burn me forever, or whatever you believe is the ultimate judgement. It just doesnt make sense somedays. So for 4000 years plus of suffering on this planet was all for a debate regarding a disagreement between spirit creatures. It just seems a bit much over an argument.
miseryloveselders
JoinedPosts by miseryloveselders
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65
Why has God allowed this to go on for so long
by watersprout inwhy has god allowed this system to go on for soo long?
he's god he doesn't need to prove anything to anyone!
why have the billions that have lived on this earth had to suffer for what two people did in eden?.
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65
Why has God allowed this to go on for so long
by watersprout inwhy has god allowed this system to go on for soo long?
he's god he doesn't need to prove anything to anyone!
why have the billions that have lived on this earth had to suffer for what two people did in eden?.
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miseryloveselders
The thing that always bugged me is why does God chooses to stay so far off the radar. Anytime I've had a problem with someone, I take it directly to them for bad or worse. I can't sleep knowing I've got an issue with someone over something that needs resolved. So I apply that same principle to God, and thinking if you have an issue with your sovereignty, or an issue with people not doing what you want them to do.........why not just come out and say it? Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." God hasn't made his presense felt in a strong way for a good 4000 years. 2000 years if you're a Trinitarian. Where is the evidence?
You don't speed in areas where troopers are known for using the radar gun and giving tickets. You respect their presense, and to do the speed limit is not a difficult thing to swallow. Religion on the other hand puts a stigma on anything and everything that seems natural and pleasurable. You get to the point where if it seems like fun, looks like fun, seems natural to do, then it probably is a sin. Who's telling you its a sin? Not God. Nope, another man or group of men who claim to be speaking on God's behalf. I don't want recieve God's instructions from men who claim to speako on His behalf. I want to hear it from Him. So until he speaks, people will continue to do whatever they choose to do. As they've been doing for thousands of years. If God exists, he just lets it go on. Exodus 20:19 talks about how the Israelites were terrified of God's voice and requested that Moses do all the talking for now on. So they feared God's voice and presense. I fear I may be living my life in fear of someone that doesn't exist.
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The goodbye I got from a Witness "friend"
by Eiben Scrood inso i decided to look up an old witness friend on facebook.
he accepted my friend request but a few hours later he sent me this message:.
it seems to me that things with you have simply gone further astray.
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miseryloveselders
This is why I choose not to get too close to other Witnesses as friends. I learned from my teenage years, you lose friends overnight based off of bad associations, disfellowshippings, marking, etc.. I figured why bother getting too attached to people who I may not be allowed to converse with tommorrow based off of an announcement at the beginning of the Service Meeting. As I've gotten older I've been looking at it from the angle of being leary of expressing my true feelings because of people like this "friend" of yours Eiben Scrood. Even with my family, I cannot express myself too openly. If I can't do it with family, why even bother with the so called Friends. Older I get, the more I say screw the human race. Don't need friends.
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If You Were Ever An Elder...
by Henry inwhat about the responsibility of being an elder did you dislike the most?
i served from september 2003 - june 2006. there were two things that bugged me the most the first was i got sick of the bickering amongst the body.
we had 7 elders and in nearly every situation, big or small, there was some division that got personal.
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miseryloveselders
Serenity, thats so not true!! LOL. Even the worst Elder bodies I've heard about, them being in it for the punany wasn't part of the rumor mill. I know of a couple gay Elders who got caught, but I haven't heard any stories of womanizers. Most Elders are older cats with families anyway. The only exceptions I can think of would be ones with potential of being womanizers are those who are coming out of MTS school. Now they, have their pick of the litter.
Sticking with this thread topic, had I remained a Ministerial Servant, I probably wouldn't have ever been posting on this site. Ever since getting appointed, I've been asking myself where I went wrong. It's the most eye opening event sitting in on your first Elder's meeting. You think you're going to change the world. Next thing you know, you've wasted a half hour to forty five minutes arguing over maintenance decisions. Then there's internal politics. This Elder doesnt like that Elder. This Elder is close friends with that Elder's family. This other Elder is married to the first Elder's daughter. The daughter was disfellowshipped 10 years ago, and the 2nd Elder mentioned feels that the other Elders on the Judicial Committee went too hard on her. And he's been resentful of it ever since. This other Elder is upset because the Ministerial Servant he's been grooming isn't qualified in the other Elder's eyes. Its kind of irritating trying to navigate within people's old animosities and petty beefs. Some of these beefs have been existant for 20 years. Grumpy Old Men who've been serving together as Elders for far too long.
Another thing I hate, is that people look up to you to some degree, or expect you to be some glittering example. They want their kids to be like Bro.Misery. Handful of years ago, I got talked into doing an interview on a district convention. I was still a MS at the time. I hated doing that. I don't ever want to talk about myself as if I'm somebody, ever. Especially not in front of several thousand people in a arena. Since being appointed, that spotlight is on me all the time. People coming to me with problems that I don't always have the answer to. Married people seeking my two cents. I've never been married, and haven't been in a serious relationship since high school!! What do I know about marital problems?!?!? Parents who are having trouble with their teenage children, come to me for help, since I'm younger than most serving. What makes me sad is often I want to tell them, "I'm sorry, but your kids will leave the truth. Don't feel bad, because 2/3 of JW children leave at some point or another." But no, I maintain the company protocol.
The worst part as of now though, is knowing the truth about The Troof. I'm a hypocrite. Some days I worry I might slip up and verbalize my reservations on this organization to the wrong person and I'll end up in a committee meeting. My folks know my beefs, but not completly. If I really laid it out there, my mom would turn me in a heartbeat. If I got df'd for apostacy, it would literally kill my father. Speaking of which, growing up all he did was complain about being an Elder. He still complains about it. I asked him about the upcoming Elder school which we just got a letter on. He said to me, "its the same ol crap. It's the same crap they told us years ago right after you were born! The new book they're sending us, will be the same as the last book! You watch!" I told him, "how'd you sucker me into this Elder mess? I feel like you hoodwinked me getting me into this."
One thing I'm happy about though, is the younger generation of males coming up smells the BS, and aren't reaching out. I tip my hat to them for that.
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News Article- Utah Latinos give Jehovah's Witnesses A Boost
by miseryloveselders inhttp://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/lifestyle/49821718-80/witnesses-god-bible-utah.html.csp?page=1.
"that particular outreach began in earnest after the 2002 winter olympics and now has taken off.
today, witnesses have 34 spanish-speaking congregations in utah (compared with 38 english-speaking ones).".
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miseryloveselders
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/lifestyle/49821718-80/witnesses-god-bible-utah.html.csp?page=1
"That particular outreach began in earnest after the 2002 Winter Olympics and now has taken off. Today, Witnesses have 34 Spanish-speaking congregations in Utah (compared with 38 English-speaking ones)."
That makes sense, its been stated on here often enough that if there really is any real growth its coming from recent immigrant populations or in non-westernized foreign lands.
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What books, songs, artists, movies, etc were banned in your JW home?
by serenitynow! inmy mother was very strict about entertainment.
in school i was doing a project about teen suicide and had checked out some books on suicide and abortion.
i had alot of explaining to do for that.
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miseryloveselders
My mom used to go through my music and throw my rap cassettes in the trash. There used to be a college radio station in the city I live. On Friday nights, they played hip hop. Mind you, this is the late 80's, early 90's, and this was during my preteen and teenage years. At this time, gangsta rap as some call it, was just starting to become popular. This college radio station would only play the west coast gangsta stuff after midnight. Then the program would go off at 1am, and alternative rock played afterwards. I used to act like I was going to bed early. The reality is, I had the light off in my room, and headphones attached to my radio, so my folks couldnt hear me getting my first taste of NWA, Ice Cube, Scarface, Ice-T, Above The Law,DJ Quik, Compton's Most Wanted, amongst other artists. Back then I wasn't of working age, and I couldn't realistically ask my folks for 10 bucks to buy the kind of music being played after midnight. So I would take my folks Jazz casettes, or old soul and Motown casettes. I'd stick tape or paper over the little slots in the top of the casettes. By doing that, you could tape over those cassettes as if it were a blank cassette. Mom would think I was listening to Sam Cook or The Spinners in my walkman. Meanwhile I was listening to NWA or Ice-T. When I got older and started working, and buying my own music, my mom would periodically "clean house." Everytime I'd get a sizeable collection, she'd toss the stuff. She'd toss the non-gangsta music too. Back then let the WTS tell it, ALL RAP WAS FILTHY, which was BS. Gangsta just happened to be popular at the time and gave the rest of the culture a bad rap, no pun intended. A couple times I would dig threw the garbage when nobody was around and reclaim my music.
Surprisingly, in the house I grew up in, fantasy movies weren't frowned upon. My dad was a huge into Sabu, The Flying Carpet, The Jungle Story, etc.. He also liked things like Conan, Red Sonja, Clash of the Titans, etc.. Its funny to because he's stated to me, "these kids are watching demonized entertainment like that Harry Potter!" Meanwhile one night I went to visit the folks, and he was watching one of the Lord of the Rings! Gotta love it.
I never had too much trouble with video games in the house. My folks couldnt stand the noise and music from Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat, Doom, etc.. Immediatley after hearing Ryu on SF II yell, "Ha Du Ken" several times, my dad would yell out, "turn that mess down!!!" An Elder came over my folks pad when I was a teenager, and saw me playing Doom. He asked me whether true Christians should play such games. I agreed at the time, probably not. I threw the game away, only to dig threw the trash a couple days later and get it back. I loved Doom back then!! I guess the dog really does return to its vomit, and the sow to her mire.
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If you had to lose one of your five senses ...
by sacolton inwhich of the five senses could you do without for a lifetime?.
1. sight.
2. hearing.
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miseryloveselders
Changeling, you sure about that? I have an uncle who's lost his sense of smell, and he still loves food. He needs his wife to smell raw meats and milk at times because he can't tell when its spoiled or rotted.
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Field service reporting
by gutted inso one of the elders called asking for my time.
i lied, somewhat.
yes i did talk to people about the "truth" but not in favourable terms.. has anyone simply stated, "i have not been in service this month"?
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miseryloveselders
Darth Plaugeis, I'm slow LOL, it took me a second to see the irony in your post.
Elderlite I'll definately check those out. I'm at work right now, but was planning on going to the book store tonight anyway, so I'll probably pick something up. I'll let you know what I got when I do it.
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Field service reporting
by gutted inso one of the elders called asking for my time.
i lied, somewhat.
yes i did talk to people about the "truth" but not in favourable terms.. has anyone simply stated, "i have not been in service this month"?
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miseryloveselders
I'll have to check those out. The only Star Wars novels I ever bought was the Bounty Hunter Wars, and Shadow Hunter. Mostly I'm into the graphic novels. I've been meaning to get more into the regular novels. Timing is flawed right now.
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If you had to lose one of your five senses ...
by sacolton inwhich of the five senses could you do without for a lifetime?.
1. sight.
2. hearing.
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miseryloveselders
Scent would be the only one I could see living without. I've always said I'd rather be dead than blind, and I mean that. Same with being paralyzed. I love music too much to be without hearing. As loud as my ear buds are on any given day I'll probably be deaf in the near future. Hopefully the new system comes before than. To lose feeling, I don't know. Diabetic people end up getting amputations from lack of feeling. I wouldn't want to lose that. I wouldnt mind losing feeling as in emotion though. To be a cold, rotton bastard has its pluses. I love food too much, to lose taste. Being a JW is such a sucky experience that food is ultimately one of the only pleasures they can't criticize every 5 minutes.