i have just finished making phone calls informing the family of the death of my stepfather.
i was an adult when he married my mother, but i loved him very much.
he was a wonderful man.. although he was a faithful jw, for his entire life (he was born to it) he was a really good man, and a true christian, i believe.
Hi Mulan,
(((((Mulan)))))
Very sorry for your loss--my deepest sympathies.
While it is small comfort, it always seemed like such a good thing to be able to say: "And gradually Job died, old and satisfied with days." (Job 42:17).
It sounds like your step-father had such a good life and enjoyed his family so much.
All the best,
Pat
so what do you all think , is the organistaion of jehovahs witnesses flawed due to corruption or just mistaken belief systems?.
i was thinking it could be a bit of both .. perhaps some people know what they are doing and others cant see the errors of there ways .. i though that maybee the governing body , do's , co's and elders are usally just following what they belive to be true.. but who is the society that is behind it all , who is it really run by .. each year when the members of the society hold their annual who attends and why.
is this metting all about finances or are other things discussed?.
I think Shakespeare's line may apply to the whole ball of wax: Oh what a web we weave when we first practice to deceive.
All religion starts with the same premise: a man or men who claim to be personally led by God (which doesn't harm). But THEN they start telling everyone who will listen, what they should/shouldn't do. That's where the power, etc. enter.
So, it could be a little of each (mistake or corruption) in every religion. Or start out as one and lead to the other.
But, another maxim may apply: Power corrupts. Religious 'leaders'(tho the WT denies they are leaders because of the statement by Jesus) have real power over the r&f--in ANY religion.
Pat
Hi Toddy,
Nice to meet you. I too have read Ray Franz's book. I repeatedly thought: "The WTS made a huge mistake kicking this guy out, because he KNOWS everything!"
The follow-up book "In Search of Christian Freedom" is just as good too.
Pat
premise: many who have read the bible over the centuries have accepted it as authoritatively from god, and have glossed over some glaring inconsistencies, contradictions, and shear nonsense.
some cultish groups have attempted to mimick the myths and twisted beliefs they have derived from the bible.
jehovah's witnesses are no exception to this.. this raises the questions: if the bible (as we know it) is from god, having his stamp of authorship and approval, then can we ever at some point raise serious questions about it?
Hi Amazing,
I liked your post. Another related fact I learned from Joseph Campbell (The Power of Mythology) was that prior to the Hebrews, religions of the Mesopotamia area worshipped goddesses. They were farmers who were settled and peaceable. It was reflected too in their worship. The peoples who were herders and nomadic were more warlike and they did NOT have goddesses; they had war gods. He stated that Yahweh was one of the totalarian war gods (hence all of Israel's wars), without even being 'married' to a goddess as the Greeks had.
Pat
wts recipe for conscientiously making and eating blood pudding: use dehydrated blood.
its just that simple.
according to wts policy, jws can use fractions of red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma.
Thanks Marvin, for the very simple example of WTBS reasoning! Easy to remember too when 'reasoning against the WT' with still-in-the-org family.
Pat
someone started an interesting thread about what music wed like played at our funeral.
the logical next step is to ask of what the funeral itself would consist.
since becoming an ex-jw i have been wondering what my wife (also now an ex-jw) would do if i preceded her in death.
Hi Sam,
That's a very good topic. Recently in a class at work on the Stephen Covey book "7 habits of Effective People" there was an exercise to write up what people should say at your funeral. The purpose was to help formulate your goals in life.
I haven't thought about it too much, but definitely not the "Watch Tower Infomercial," as some have called funeral 'talks.'
I would want it simple--and KIND! Something with an optimistic up-beat kind of gathering. Maybe a little evolution-type comfort? Ha-ha.
Pat
what are the most stupid jw rule?.
what do you consider to be the most stupid rules or tradition of the jw lives?
im thinking about any kind of rule or regulative that only has one answer to the questions why:.
One that always annoyed me and seemed exceptionally prudish was that young couples could not sit together at the meetings unless they were engaged. My son was engaged but the engagement ring hadn't been purchased yet, so the elders forbade them to sit together!
Pat
c'mon, 'fess up.
shouldn't you be workin'?
Oh I wish I could join in from work!! But our site visits are monitored and only news and health are approved.
It would make the day go by so much faster!
Pat
in addition to a previous post about enemies of jehovah.. yes it's amazing how everything outside of the watchtower kingdoom is an enemy of jehovah but they are quite hapy to take whatever they can from these enemies of jehovah.. do these people ever think?.
for example it is very much frowned upon to go to college and get an education.. when scientists make a discovery and can proof, which shows mankind to have excisted longer than their stated 6000 years, they try to discredit these scientists by ridiculous statements such as, " carbon dating doesn't work after the flood" how can they make such a statement when assumingly they don't have any schoolars among their ranks?.
where did all the watchtower lawyers get their education?
Hi Older Tom,
That is so true and typical of JW thinking. They just love to criticize everything not jw, but they are quick to take advantage of it. Even to the point of dishonesty. Everything 'is so bad. . . ' according to the WTS.
Pat
joel, i want you to know i can think of no other poster who shows as much humanity, as much compassion and insight as you, particularly when it comes to the human condition.. thank you for sharing yourself and your journey so openly; i'm grateful for that.
you obviously have picked up many helpful tools in your recovery toolkit, and when you not only share them with us but show how to use them, how they can benefit us, we are the richer.. i need not say more, than that you are loved very much.. maximus.
who once in a while learns from joel a leeeetle more than he needed to, but what else is new?
Hi Joelbear,
I agree with most of the posters on this thread: you're a great guy. It takes a great deal of courage to live your life as you are. I'm glad you've found happiness.
Warmly,
Pat
