I'm not going to speak against the org, but I'm going to get them to use their noodles and really THINK about everything. Critical thinking is a necessary skill that gets squelched in JW kids.
This is my planned strategy, too.
Mr. Falcon
JoinedPosts by Mr. Falcon
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25
A baptism question for Morbidzbaby (and the rest of ya'll).....
by Mr. Falcon ini read morbidzbaby's comment on the post http://www2.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/206838/1/a-question-to-the-ex-jws were she said that she got baptized "hoping that it would sort everything out".
this got me thinking about the whole jw ritual of baptism and dedication.
i look back and recall that i never privately "dedicated" myself to anything or anyone before taking the "dip".. the wt teaching is that a person should privately dedicate (via prayer) themselves to jehovah before publically going through the ritual.
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A baptism question for Morbidzbaby (and the rest of ya'll).....
by Mr. Falcon ini read morbidzbaby's comment on the post http://www2.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/206838/1/a-question-to-the-ex-jws were she said that she got baptized "hoping that it would sort everything out".
this got me thinking about the whole jw ritual of baptism and dedication.
i look back and recall that i never privately "dedicated" myself to anything or anyone before taking the "dip".. the wt teaching is that a person should privately dedicate (via prayer) themselves to jehovah before publically going through the ritual.
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Mr. Falcon
thank you for sharing that, Morbidzbaby.
I can relate to the misleading impression that JW baptism leads to acceptence, friendship and support. I also agree whole-heartedly with your disdain of adolescent baptism. This custom is an absolute crime. I attended a Circuit Assembly recently and among the group of baptism canidates there was a 9 year old girl. Now do you mean to tell me that this 9 year old child can comprehend what it means to be dedicated whole-soully to anything, or for that matter what it means to be legally, contractally bound to the WTBS????? Or the fact that if she makes any mistakes, her family may be forced to shun her? Just say that in 3 years she tries a cigerette (I'M NOT ADVOCATING CHILD SMOKING, JUST USING IT AS AN EXAMPLE) does she realize that she could be subject to a JUDICIAL COMMITTEE? What kind of sick psychos would put a 12 year old girl on trial???
What happens in a few years when she suddenly develops an interest in boys? It has been demonstrated by psychologists that we develop different goals, desires, and needs throughout each phase of our life. What a 15 year old girl thinks about is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY different than what she thought about or understood at 8. And she thinks even differently at 23.
I remember when I was like 8 or 9, I would boldly declare that I would NEVER sin against Jehovah!!!!!!! Perish the thought!! What the hell did I know at 9 years old??? Well, when I was older and the first brunette unbuttoned her shirt in front of me, well everything I thought about or believed years ago went flying out the window. I wasn't thinking about my dedication or knocking on doors, "overturning deeply entrenched things".
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Mr. Falcon
My Mom always kept to the belief that Christ was the example and he was an adult before he got baptized. She felt we had to be of a mature, adult mind-set before making such a serious commitment.
Thank you for this! Now I have an actual line of logic when explaining why I won't let my kids get baptized at 8 years old! Awesome!
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Mr. Falcon
Morbidzbaby, sorry. here....
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25
A baptism question for Morbidzbaby (and the rest of ya'll).....
by Mr. Falcon ini read morbidzbaby's comment on the post http://www2.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/206838/1/a-question-to-the-ex-jws were she said that she got baptized "hoping that it would sort everything out".
this got me thinking about the whole jw ritual of baptism and dedication.
i look back and recall that i never privately "dedicated" myself to anything or anyone before taking the "dip".. the wt teaching is that a person should privately dedicate (via prayer) themselves to jehovah before publically going through the ritual.
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Mr. Falcon
I read Morbidzbaby's comment on the post http://www2.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/206838/1/A-question-to-the-ex-JWs were she said that she got baptized "hoping that it would sort everything out". This got me thinking about the whole JW ritual of baptism and dedication. I look back and recall that I never privately "dedicated" myself to anything or anyone before taking the "dip".
The WT teaching is that a person should privately dedicate (via prayer) themselves to Jehovah BEFORE publically going through the ritual. I was wondering.....
How many here actually "dedicated" themselves in this manner, and how many here just went through the motions of this ritual? Also, how do you feel about this practice?
completely unrelated, gratuitous photograph.
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A question to the ex-JW's...
by losthobbit ini'm curious about what made you realize that your ex-religion was not "true"?.
i've had discussions with many religious people, and they're always trying to protect their beliefs, rather than allowing anything i say challenge what they believe.
was there ever something someone said to you, or something you read that maybe made you doubt your beliefs for the first time, or had a similar effect?.
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Mr. Falcon
Truth is something you feel inside, that is personal to each one of us, and that grows day by day as you live life. It is not something you learn from a question-and-answer discussion of badly written books with pictures of lions and beachballs. ~ Millions
AMEN! *thunderous District Convention applause*
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So I finished reading the Origin of Species last night.....
by Mr. Falcon in...oh my.. i am not trying to start a creation vs. evolution debate, but something else really did stand out in my mind upon reading this "infamous" book.
and that is that the theory of evolution is a very complex and at times, logically interesting theory.
it makes valid points as well as asking fair and legitimate questions of the theory of creation.
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Mr. Falcon
Massey - The fact that their first reaction to your statement was to immediately question you as to whether you believe in God is the typical Pavlovian response that betrays a fundemental lack of education. If it's not cited in their blue book from 20+ years ago, then you, sir are a liar and a cur.
If it's ain't done printed in Brooklyn, then it's a dang-blasted lie from the Devil!
Lunatic Faith - Sweetheart, if you're father was a doormat, then my father was a driveway.
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Mr. Falcon
Babiyan - ahhh, the ol' "when you become a JW life will be FANTASTIC" sales pitch. Good to see you managed to keep your head together in the end.
Heaven - Sorry about your old man. I guess he ran as long as he can but they finally caught him. Those JWs are resiliant, I'll give them that. I did get "dunked" but for me it was just another meaningless JW ritual. I never privately dedicated my life to God or solemnly swore to be His "Witness".
Unfortunately, at the time, I was too young to realize all the serious implications that go along with that ritual. If I had known that I would have ran like I stole something.
"Mr. Falcon, aren't you gonna stay for the baptism talk?"
"Ummm, I think I left something in my car....."
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Are you a spiritual? - What is the definition?
by TastingFreedom inas a jw, the definition of spirituality is very limited and narrow minded.
but i have realized that i'm a spiritual person even as an agnostic.
watchtower's use of the word is completely wrong, and only used to benefit their own agenda.
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Mr. Falcon
Heaven is 100% correct.
JWs believe "spirtuality" is measured in how active you are in performing mundane JW tasks like knocking on doors, cleaning KH toilets, RBC projects, and other pointless, Sysphean exercises. I always found it odd how they admonish in their literature to "meditate" but I'd venture a bet that 98.997% of JWs are incapable of any kind of deep, meaningful thought. If they did, they'd have a hard time staying in the "Truth".
But they are quick to criticize any "worldly" person who lives a life that focuses on doing good and being a thoughtful person, simply because that person isn't attending KH lectures.
In my opinion, being spiritual and being religious are two different things. It's like if someone is smart AND funny. A person can be funny but not smart, or a person can be intelligent but not funny. They are two different qualities. But if they are together they have a chance to enhance each other.
I need a drink.
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A suggestion for the next edition of Shepherd The Flock...
by Mr. Falcon inhow wonderful would it be to put this handy little guide in the elder's manual..... this is for all of you guys who have had to sit through an elder's, co, convention, rbc, whatever meeting and there's 500 "brothers" asking the stupidest questions ever.. .
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Mr. Falcon
haha I know. Now, to be fair, ANY kind of meeting (work, church, etc.) will have idiots raising their hands. But this chart reminded me of elder's meetings and other "thinks we're important" meetings that basically was a bunch of elders & MS's asking the same stupid question that was just asked and answered 30 seconds ago, just to hear themselves talk and think they "contributed."
