Posts by FayeDunaway

94

Disowning the God of the OT is not an Option

by cofty in

it's to their credit that many modern christians prefer the jesus of the gospels to the god of the old testament.. ot god is an embarrassment.

i am not going to list his multitude of moral crimes here but my personal favourite is his brilliant idea that a girl who is raped must marry her rapist.

it's not his biggest crime but it demonstrates a disregard for human feelings that is beyond the comprehension of every moral person.

FayeDunaway

I will own up to this and admit that I have always had issues with YHWH, used to read David's scripture of (paraphrasing here) how he wished to delight in slamming the heads of his enemies' children against the rocky crag, etc. etc. with absolute disgust...how can we teach this is a God of love, who endorses or often causes these things? How can we praise him for his love but not acknowledge his hatred or neglect too? At a church retreat we were asked to write a poem about God, and mine was filled with questioning his justice, it was right after the Tsunami in Japan. I read it aloud and people loved it, that I was so honest, and many said they also have the same questions.

Cofty I DO have issues with him. I do not however think it's bad to question him and demand justice, Abraham did this, and Job if I recall correctly. I even have a few small issues with Jesus. I am not a fundamentalist or complete Bible literalist so that helps.

It's kind of like marriage. I have issues with my husband too. And I have my own issues that make staying married a challenge. It's worth it to work through them to stay married.

43

How a Gay Jewish Boy from New England Came to Be and Leave the JWs (and what he did next)

by CalebInFloroda in

born in cambridge, ma to a liberal couple that escaped the conservative south, my parents raised me better than to become a jehovahs witness.

funny thing was they got mixed up in it first.. while that is a story for another time, i myself had to go along as the third of five children in my family.

dads job transferred him to texas and my mom worked fulltime herself, but eventually we found ourselves drinking the kool-aid of ambiguity intolerance and full-fledge belief that the bible was literal fact and that salvation was found only by those who were smart enough to enter the confines of the watchtower.. its weird how many people claim they fear children raised by two gay parents will grow up to be gay.

FayeDunaway

Well Caleb I think I am finally (mostly) appeased and will stop asking nosy questions for now :). I do just want to say your unique insights will be very valuable here and you are amazing.

17

How to be happy flopping whoppers part time while pioneering!

by life is to short in

i was just thinking the other day why is there not service meeting part like my title says.

i mean that would really be helpful to those who totally believe the no collage thing.

since they do not want anyone to have any education why don't they at the very least try to help them to be happy living a life of poverty with service meetings parts, since everyone would be in poverty if they really listened to the fds.. like a part on how not to be upset when anther brother buys a new car parks it two blocks from the hall so as not to get door dings in it and rides all day in your car and does not give you a dime for gas.

FayeDunaway

Xanthippe, I was never a 100% true believer, but you are one of my favorite posters here, you're a very thoughtful person. I don't know why you feel unpopular here! I'm a fan :).

and I've got to say I left because I believe in living by my convictions too. It just took me a long time to decide to go forward with my life and stop worrying about being a good girl. I love my parents so leaving was hard to do, I really didn't want to hurt them. But one must live their own life ultimately.

43

How a Gay Jewish Boy from New England Came to Be and Leave the JWs (and what he did next)

by CalebInFloroda in

born in cambridge, ma to a liberal couple that escaped the conservative south, my parents raised me better than to become a jehovahs witness.

funny thing was they got mixed up in it first.. while that is a story for another time, i myself had to go along as the third of five children in my family.

dads job transferred him to texas and my mom worked fulltime herself, but eventually we found ourselves drinking the kool-aid of ambiguity intolerance and full-fledge belief that the bible was literal fact and that salvation was found only by those who were smart enough to enter the confines of the watchtower.. its weird how many people claim they fear children raised by two gay parents will grow up to be gay.

FayeDunaway

Caleb, that is an interesting perspective on belief in God (why the g_d?).

thank you for that long explanation! I think I am more interested though in your personal stance...you said it doesn't matter so much if you believe or not, as a Jew, but then you say you have a brother who is an atheist...I think I am getting that you do accept Jesus etc., and even the trinity based on what you said earlier about john 1:1 (thank you for that). I agree that the witness experience is very dry and unappealing. I can not think of any other religion so boring in its 'worship', but I have not been to an Adventist church or Christian scientist.

Your sexual orientation is an extremely important part of your story, and I can not imagine what it is like to grow up gay as a jw. I have a friend from my old hall who was disfellowshipped tho, after trying to contend with the idea of living alone forever and deciding he just couldn't do it. He's very happy now but none of his family talks to him anymore, and they were all VERY close, it's heartbreaking.

47

Regional Convention 2015 - Program

by Designer Stubble in

friday morning9:20 music9:30 song no.

5 and prayer9:40 chairmans address: imitate jesuswhy and how?10:20 symposium: lessons from jesus word pictures observe the birds and the lilies have salt in yourselves build your house on the rock11:10 song no.

120 and announcements11:20 follow jesus patternkeep on asking, seeking, and knocking!11:45 keynote address: concealed in him are all the treasures of wisdom12:15 song no.

FayeDunaway

Great comments Caleb!!

I can't get my hands on a RNWT so could you please quote john 17:3 here for me? I'm intrigued!!

43

How a Gay Jewish Boy from New England Came to Be and Leave the JWs (and what he did next)

by CalebInFloroda in

born in cambridge, ma to a liberal couple that escaped the conservative south, my parents raised me better than to become a jehovahs witness.

funny thing was they got mixed up in it first.. while that is a story for another time, i myself had to go along as the third of five children in my family.

dads job transferred him to texas and my mom worked fulltime herself, but eventually we found ourselves drinking the kool-aid of ambiguity intolerance and full-fledge belief that the bible was literal fact and that salvation was found only by those who were smart enough to enter the confines of the watchtower.. its weird how many people claim they fear children raised by two gay parents will grow up to be gay.

FayeDunaway

Caleb that's amazing all FIVE of you siblings are out! How did that happen?? With your parents being faithful to the end??

You say you are not atheist anymore, and I'm curious what may have changed that. Are you feeling agnostic these days, or are you believing in God...and do you believe in Jesus or no. That's interesting your ancestors were some of the first Christians. Your bloodline has such an amazing journey.

Also! I know you have a best friend, but do you have a partner or are you still single etc etc

33

Thank God For Disfellowshipping!

by Nicola.threeangelsmessage in

i had the misfortune of being born into the jw faith.

however, i thank god every day that i was disfellowshipped otherwise i would never have found the truth.

good riddance to the watchtower bible track societys false publications, especially that book they claim contains the holy scriptures it is deceitful and full of darkness, and gets darker with every revision!

FayeDunaway

Sorry I tried to write more about hełł earlier but my computer froze. (My Hell post froze over!! :) ) anyway, I haven't researched hell much and they hardly ever talk about it in church except for the rare mention that it means a 'separation from God'. But Reexamining Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus, it seems to be a stretch that it's all allegory, as the witnesses say. However the person in hell was an unmerciful rich guy who didn't give a rat's ass about the starving man outside his gates....NOT someone who had a hard time believing in God.

So I don't know, but I do believe that God is merciful and won't torture, or even kill, people for not believing in him....that was not the way jesus was.

47

Regional Convention 2015 - Program

by Designer Stubble in

friday morning9:20 music9:30 song no.

5 and prayer9:40 chairmans address: imitate jesuswhy and how?10:20 symposium: lessons from jesus word pictures observe the birds and the lilies have salt in yourselves build your house on the rock11:10 song no.

120 and announcements11:20 follow jesus patternkeep on asking, seeking, and knocking!11:45 keynote address: concealed in him are all the treasures of wisdom12:15 song no.

FayeDunaway

Yep captain. The best you could do was just check off the symposium segments on your program until it was over. Yay! 20 minutes passed! Another check mark to make!

You know what I miss tho?? Those Apple and cheese Danishes. I haven't been able to find anything like them!!! Some years I would love the apple, some years the cheese. Also the barbecue beef sandwiches weren't bad.

43

How a Gay Jewish Boy from New England Came to Be and Leave the JWs (and what he did next)

by CalebInFloroda in

born in cambridge, ma to a liberal couple that escaped the conservative south, my parents raised me better than to become a jehovahs witness.

funny thing was they got mixed up in it first.. while that is a story for another time, i myself had to go along as the third of five children in my family.

dads job transferred him to texas and my mom worked fulltime herself, but eventually we found ourselves drinking the kool-aid of ambiguity intolerance and full-fledge belief that the bible was literal fact and that salvation was found only by those who were smart enough to enter the confines of the watchtower.. its weird how many people claim they fear children raised by two gay parents will grow up to be gay.

FayeDunaway

Caleb I've enjoyed your posts so far and really enjoyed your story. I'm not sure I'm clear where you stand spiritually right now, are you a practicing Jew? And what exactly IS philology? If you don't mind saving me the trip to Wikipedia.

I am so happy you successfully recovered from your lonely youth. I hope some of your siblings also left eventually so you can have some sort of family.

33

Thank God For Disfellowshipping!

by Nicola.threeangelsmessage in

i had the misfortune of being born into the jw faith.

however, i thank god every day that i was disfellowshipped otherwise i would never have found the truth.

good riddance to the watchtower bible track societys false publications, especially that book they claim contains the holy scriptures it is deceitful and full of darkness, and gets darker with every revision!

FayeDunaway

As I said in another thread, there are extremists in every religion. Most Muslims do not believe in killing unbelievers. I believe extremism makes any faith, whether Christian or otherwise, injustifiable. Allah just means God, and he is the same God referred to in the bible. Muslims went after a different prophet just as jw's have. It is not up to me to say their faith isn't valid, it is up to God, and God is merciful. I need his mercy as much as anyone.

sir82, no.