I think I read the Bible more (especially in bigger chunks - no more cherry-picking) at this point but with a MUCH different perspective. When I first read Terry's thread a few months ago explaining that there are NO ORIGINAL manuscripts of any of the Bible books and the implications of that I felt like the Bible had just died. Now, it's been resurrected for me in a different form. While no longer the infallible inspired word of God, it is still a worthy book that gives insight into humanity and its search for something greater than itself.
Mad Sweeney
JoinedPosts by Mad Sweeney
-
64
Did leaving the WT build greater appreciation for or kill your reading of the Bible?
by lepermessiah ini am really on the fence on this issue right now and would love some opinions.. i find that i dont sit down and read the bible for long periods since becoming inactive, but on the other hand, individual scriptures mean much more to me now.. i will sit down and look up some favorite passages from time to time and feel like its the first time i really "got it" - without the jw goggles on.
i love matthew chapter 23, since i think it describes to a tee the situation in jw congregations.
i think if jesus returned today, he would blast the elders and "leaders" of the borg in a similar fashion (along with most religious leaders) .matthew 24 is actually more interesting to me now, simply because my whole life was waiting for the 1914 generation to end sometime during the reagan era!
-
-
-
16
God's Love book - Prologue examined
by Mad Sweeney ineventually i would like to do a deconstruction on the entire book but for now, lets start with the prologue, which claims to be written by the governing body of jehovah's witnesses.
if anyone feels this is useful, please let me know.
] in your life and thus keep yourself in gods love .
-
-
Mad Sweeney
Next subheading:
“THIS ISWHATTHELOVEOFGODMEANS”
4 “The love of God”—what did the apostle John have in mind when he penned those words? [ Beginning a subheading with a question, or series of questions, primes the reader to believe that the answer is forthcoming, mitigating the writers’ responsibility to adequately support their answer. ] This expression refers, not to God’s love for us, but to our love for him.[ Dogmatic answer given without any support, scriptural or otherwise. ] Can you recall when love for Jehovah began to grow in your heart?
5 Reflect, for a moment, on when you first learned the truth about Jehovah and his purposes and you began to exercise faith.[ Encouraging the reader to look back at these events serves to remind the reader that the source of “the truth” was the publisher of this book and their agents. In addition, the writers make sure to include two Loaded Language phrases again: “the truth” and “exercise faith.” ] You came to understand that although you were born a sinner alienated from God, Jehovah through Christ opened the way for you to attain the perfection that Adam lost and to inherit everlasting life. (Matthew 20:28; Romans 5:12, 18) You began to appreciate the magnitude of the sacrifice Jehovah made in sending his most precious Son to die for you. Your heart was moved, and you began to feel a love for the God who has shown such great love for you. [Cognitive dissonance is used to great effect here. First your thoughts changed, then your feelings. Behavior comes next. “You” is used throughout this section, separating the non-Jehovah’s Witness sinner of the past from the now-holy “We” of the present. The writers will return to “we” later, when it suits their purposes. ] —1 John 4:9, 10.[ This scripture contradicts the unsupported assertion in the previous paragraph that John is speaking about our love for God, not God’s love for us. Verse 10 clearly and unambiguously states, “the love is in this respect, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son.” ]
6 That feeling, however, was but the beginning of genuine love for Jehovah.[ By labeling love for Jehovah as “genuine” the writers have taken the license to determine which forms of love for Jehovah are to be considered genuine and which are bogus. That proves to be a theme underlying the entire book. ] Love is not just a feeling; nor is it a matter of mere words. True love for God involves more than simply saying, “I love Jehovah.” Like faith, genuine love is defined and characterized by the actions it prompts. (James 2:26) [ This scripture is cited, not quoted, because it doesn’t exactly say what the writers imply it says. Again, the adjective “genuine” is used, reinforcing the implication that some love may not be such. Subtly, fear of not loving God the “genuine” way is established in the reader’s mind.] Specifically, love expresses itself in deeds pleasing to the one who is loved. [ Again, love is defined the writers’ way, without support. The writers already trust that their authority to make dogmatic statements is firmly established .] Hence, when love for Jehovah took root in your heart, you were moved to want to live in a way that pleases your heavenly Father. Are you a baptized Witness? If so, this deep affection and devotion caused you to make the most important decision of your life. You dedicated yourself to Jehovah to do his will, and you symbolized your dedication by getting baptized.[ The “love” expressed in 1 John 5:3, the verse under consideration, is not a “deep affection and devotion,” it is the agape form of love which the publishers of this book have defined as, “the love based on principle, which might be said to be synonymous with unselfishness, the love the apostle John referred to.” 10/15/93 WT. The writers are ignoring their own published doctrine, as well as Greek grammar and scholarship in order to establish and reinforce the mindset that the reader owes God certain actions. ] (Romans 14:7, 8) [These verses remind the reader that since baptism, he or she ‘belong(s) to Jehovah.’ The concept of the reader being a “belonging” will return later. ] Fulfilling this solemn promise to Jehovah involves what the apostle John next mentions.
-
40
A serious question for Christians and Non-Christians: How Can Love Hate?
by sabastious in1 john 4:2 - whoever does not love does not know god, because god is love.. .
what does the statement "god is love" mean?
well quite simply that god = love.
-
-
Mad Sweeney
Simple answer. It can't.
How does one reconcile the scripture in 1John and the Psalm?
Again, a simple answer: The OT god of the Jews isn't the NT God of the Christians. They're two different beings who are in fact, opposed.
-
150
Which poster would you like to have a beer (or Pepsi for the sober peeps) with? Why?
by serenitynow! ini've lurking for months, and have enjoyed the various personalities on the board.
i'm pretty sure that i've seen this topic done on an old thread, but i don't want to get my buddy asilentone all riled up by performing a resurrection.
minimus- cause he is funny.
-
-
Mad Sweeney
This is a tough question. You guys have become my congregation.
-
77
My Dad Died Today
by cantleave inhe has been ill for some time, but it was still unexpected.
he was never a jw and i didn't really have a close relationship with him, since he remarried after my parents divorced.
i reunited with him in the mid 90's after over 10 years of not seeing him.. .
-
-
Mad Sweeney
Sorry to hear this, cantleave. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
-
43
Ex -JWs ASL Congragations
by Scott77 inanyone who was part of asl congregations?
what was your experiences witnessing in asl/deaf territories?.
.
-
-
Mad Sweeney
If you've been to a modern ASL congregation you will see a significant lack of technologiphobia. They are decked out with huge projectors and/or monitors and the video board is like something from a small television station.
The reason they don't just open caption the talks is that English is not the language of the Deaf. Reading it is little better (for many Deaf) than trying to hear it with amplified headphones. Even if they could hear it, they wouldn't understand what they heard; and even if they could see the text, many Deaf people would have trouble following the English.
This is for several reasons that are discussed in volumes and volumes of literature. Google to find out more.
Also, it is important for Deaf people to be surrounded by others using their own language. In an English congregation everyone is speaking English. Ever feel lonely in a crowd? Try being a Deaf person in an English congregation.
-
-
-
Mad Sweeney
I wasn't familiar with him. Who was he here, his username?
Condolances to his friends and family.
-
7
Obedience to Jehovah Is.......
by lepermessiah ina good friend of mine gave his first public talk sunday.. after much prodding, i decided to attend the meeting.
the wt study on sunday (as blondie commented on so well) was more mindless drivel about total obedience to jehovah the elders and the governing body.. two comments struck me - on paragraph 4, the wt conductor asked a specific question on this statement:.
and there have always been some individuals who chose to subject themselves to god, even though they were.
-
-
Mad Sweeney
witnesses are so stressed trying to live up to WT standards, but they're convinced that Satan is putting all the pressure on them.
The borg can't risk letting them see or feel the alternative. I've only been fading for a short time and the relief we feel in my family is AMAZING. We actually have TIME FOR EACH OTHER. We've never been happier as a family than we have been since the start of the fade. The pressure isn't from "Satan's world" it is from THE BORG ITSELF.
-
51
2010 Convention Rumor
by Hikaru inum... a witness sent me this in an email.
it's going around as the rumored program, but there's no proof.. if it is real though...is very last one symbolic?
or is it literal?
-
-
Mad Sweeney
Sweet, I am telling you this for your own good.
You are going to get into trouble with either your local elders or your CO if you continue visiting this site and saying things that run contrary to the teachings of the Faithful and Discreet Slave. First you stated that Jehovah doesn't have a set date for Armageddon; this is in direct opposition to what we are taught at the Kingdom Hall. Now you state that it is ok for Witness kids to go to college, while at the same time COs are telling elders that they can't recommend brothers who let their kids do so.
I think being on this site is starting to influence you toward independent thinking. Be careful or you may just end up thinking for yourself instead of thinking in conformity with the organization.
-
51
2010 Convention Rumor
by Hikaru inum... a witness sent me this in an email.
it's going around as the rumored program, but there's no proof.. if it is real though...is very last one symbolic?
or is it literal?
-
-
Mad Sweeney
....there is no set amount of day nor hour that armageddon is suppose to come...just like there was no set day or hour for the flood to come...its going to come sooner or later...
You sound like a still-believing Witness until this part. This part is in opposition to officially stated doctrine as passed down to us by the Faithful and Discreet Slave. There IS a set day and hour for Armageddon just as THERE WAS a set day and hour for the flood. It is just that we don't know what that set day is (according to the FDS).
The problem I have with the entire concept is that there is just no evidence that Armageddon is imminent or even likely to happen...ever.