when i was a child and teen jw in 50s and 60s jehovah was always referred to as our loving god now we are warned not to fall in the hands of a god to be feared.
when did jws change god from loving to a cruel god?
I quit the Catholic religion as soon as I was a teenager precisely because there was an emphasis on the five mortal sins. I forgot most of them except for "not attending mass". Since I didn't like this God, I said to Him "screw you" and have never looked back since.
When the hell are religious leaders going to realize that they are losing the battle because their God does not fit our enlightened times.
prologue... .
a brief precursor about myself.
i've been lurking around for almost 2 years.
Welcome.
You are young, smart, educated and free. Even without a strong passion for anything, you are way ahead of most. I have never been a JW, and yet I can identify with the "no fire in the belly" idea to some degree. I, however will share with you and this forum my ultimate goal in life, to die knowing that I contributed to make this world a better place for the next generations. I can't quite bring the passion out, but I do get a sense of satisfaction at the end every day knowing that I gave more than I took. I am 50 and in good health, but the old age, when the "give more than you take" reverses, is inexorably approaching. My immediate goal is to postpone that time for as long as I can. Life may be intrinsically meaningless, and that's the beauty of it, because you get to choose that meaning.
i operate a 31 restaurant franchise.
it is no small task.
the franchise is a well known american company and a rapidly growing one.
Interesting. Your analogy has merit, and yet religion and business are too different animals. You can't make predictions on a religion run like a business (Watchtower franchise) based on a pure business model, such as the franchise that you run. Your franchise doesn't have the huge amount of public relation problems that JW franchise have if the "consumers" knew the whole story about their religion.
This is the time when information is readily available. You better keep a very clean profile or hide it very well if it's damaged. The leadership of JW's has a very damaged "product", but the "consumers" don't know it... not YET!
jw memorial attendance last year - 2014 - was about 50,000 shy of 20 million.
some posters on this forum had confidently predicted before the 2014 memorial that attendance would hit more than 20 milion.
they were wrong.. now, in 2015, and the memorial falling on a weekend night (where attendance is historically much higher), attendance has not only failed to top 20 milion but has declined by more than 87,000 in attendance over 2014:.
I was born and I will die Moral-less.
F. Morales
after 1975, the vast majority remained as though nothing has happened.
but some left the organization.
however, there arose a third category who did not leave the organization, but brought a new view into their heart: jws are right in their core cause (gods kingdom as the solution to mankinds problems) but may or may not be right in their supplementary teachings, hence are not bothered about changes happening in this unimportant area..
We live in the greatest time in all of human history. Further progress will depend on human efforts not supernatural delusions.
I would add that human progress and superstition (religion) have an inverse correlation. The more of one, the less of the other.
last night we were invited to a get-together with quite a few heavies attendingelders and regular pioneers.
there was beer and later some music.
everyone got relaxed and let down their guard and starting talking all kinds of non-theocratic stuff that you only discuss after a few beers.
i'm sick and tired of everyone claiming to be "offended".
if you are not politically correct, you will need to apologize for some perceived slight.. when i was an elder, i purposely avoided as much as i could, anybody that got easily offended.
.
1) many who were on the destructive path have been transformed by their teachings (this includes me who was once vicious, and presumptuous and atheistic).
2) equal monthly pay to all members of the bethel community regardless of whether they are bc members or sweepers.
this is something that still remains as an unattainable dream for the world.
isw1961,
Many of the seemingly good points that you raise can be applied to most christian religions. The bad points, however, are quite notorious and particular to JW's and few other groups that most people don't even consider religions, but cults.
Ultimately, the religion of JW's is good for the senile, the depressed, the illiterate,and everyone who can only find happiness on fairy tales and lies. Unfortunately these people could not keep the religion financially viable. The rest of JW's are better off out of the religion, even though they may not know it yet.
1) many who were on the destructive path have been transformed by their teachings (this includes me who was once vicious, and presumptuous and atheistic).
2) equal monthly pay to all members of the bethel community regardless of whether they are bc members or sweepers.
this is something that still remains as an unattainable dream for the world.
isw1961
Welcome to the forum. However, don't stay too long if you want to hold on to your current beliefs, and more particularly, to the title of your opening piece. This is a place that opens minds. Definitely not a good place for people who rely on faith; more often than not they lose it.
