the 2015 annual meeting, specifically, part 1, right about minute 27, has anthony morris emphasizing that "you're better off reading one chapter (of the bible) and really absorbing it" than just reading the whole thing "as a challenge".
while i agree with the the whole idea of meditating on anything you read, it was doing this very thing that brought up so many unanswered questions.
i also came to the constant realization that the jws did not have a clue about what the bible really said.
They've said, "Read the Bible daily" for years and years and years. A few years ago, when I
started waking up, I was like: "Challenge accepted." And I read it. Not
just to read, but to do exactly what Mr. Morris said, really absorb it. This was a huge launch into me no longer believing JWs had the truth.
That said, the organization has members way too busy to read the Bible and really absorb it. Thus, the majority will not do so.
Personally, I've never heard of any JW doing that. If they do, it's not openly admitted. I suspect that some who converted from another religion might, but those born in the religion most likely do not.
Let's take a poll here, since the audience of this forum is made up of both current and ex-JWs. Who here, while a JW, talked to Jesus?
I never did because I was taught it was wrong to do so. And yes, I considered talking to Jesus the same as praying to him.
I've been a JW for over forty years. I can assure you that JWs do not pray to Jesus. As for talking to Jesus, to be honest, as far as I can tell, that has never been written about. I would dare to say that the vast majority do not. They would view praying and talking as the same thing. The most recent information on praying to Jesus found in the October 1, 2010 Watchtower. It says:
"Does the Bible instruct us to pray to Jesus, to Mary, to saints, or to angels? No—only to Jehovah. Consider two reasons why. First, prayer is a form of worship, and the Bible says that worship should go exclusively to Jehovah. (Exodus 20:5) Second, the Bible reveals that he bears the title “Hearer of prayer.” (Psalm 65:2) Although Jehovah delegates generously, this is a responsibility he has never passed on to anyone. He is the God who promises to hear our prayers personally."
The same Watchtower says this a little later:
"Here is yet another essential aspect of how to pray. Jesus said: “No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) So Jesus is the means of our approach to the Father, Jehovah. Thus, Jesus told his followers to pray in his name. (John 14:13; 15:16) That does not mean that we should pray to Jesus. Rather, we pray in the name of Jesus, remembering that Jesus is the reason that we are able to approach our perfect and holy Father." (italics in the original article)
jehovah`s witnesses place great emphasis on the importance of god`s name as jehovah .so much so that they are often accused by christendom`s religions as substituting jehovah for christ.. the old testament ( hebrew scriptures identify god as the tetragrammaton four hebrew consanants yhwh and not jhvh.
as mistakenly believed by a 13th century spanish monk .. modern scholars including the j.w.`s agree that the more accurate pronunciation of gods name would be more nearer to yahweh than the name jehovah .. so why do j.w.`s insist on the name ?
jehovah ?
In northern California, there's a religious radio station that you can listen to down around Chico. Last year, when driving through the area, there was a program on and the guy talked about the name "Jehovah". He stated that it is the commonly used name in English. Other names are Yahweh or Jahveh (J in Hebrew is pronounce with a Y sound and V in Hebrew is pronounced with a W sound, thus some say Jahveh is the correct name, but I digress...). This guy didn't say anything at all about JWs... he was just being matter of fact about the name and its use in modern-day English.
I couldn't help but chuckle at this preacher from Christendom using the name Jehovah. I shook my head at this because of how long I was indoctrinated by WTBTS saying that Christendom hates that name and refuses to use it. Big ol' lie.
when i became an elder i saw the dark side.
a side i previously believed couldn't possibly exist in the one true religion of the happiest people on earth.. then they rolled out 'overlapping generations(tm)' and that was the last straw.. all my life i had doubts but surpressed them thinking i was at fault and not the cult leaders.. it seems more likely that now the governing body are parading around like popes, wearing their expensive jewellery, that this will nauseate even dyed in the wool jws.. i wonder if the wake up can be condensed into main categories?.
1. experiencing the cruel handling of matters by the wbt$ reps.. 2. crazy doctrine (eg.
as the date of return of the lord jesus christ and the beginning of his invisible presence or parousia.
what, then, about the parousia (presence) of christ?
so a.d. 1914 marks the time of christs invisible return in spirit.
my wife is shunning me.
she is always in cult mode, we don't talk anymore, we don't sleep in the same bed.
i have been sleeping on the couch.
thank you all for your sincere encouragement during these last few weeks.
finally, she is at peace.
i was with her , holding her hand when she died.
Very sorry for your loss.
i have some updates and new information on the downsizing in bethel.
25% of all bethelites around the world will be sent home.
in the us over 1,000 will be sent home.
i remember a thread not long ago with all the scriptures.
also one that we have to be witnesses to jesus.
.
My second favorite: John 5:21-23:
For just as the Father raises the dead up and makes them alive, so the Son also makes alive whomever he wants to. For the Father judges no one at all, but he has entrusted all the judging to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
