I've thought about that feeling. I concluded that it is the feeling of being back where someone else is doing the thinking (WTBTS) and I'm only responsible to do what they say. I'm responsible for the obedience that's all . Mindless obedience with the approval and support of one's peers, very comfortable. Child like. It's a form of dependency. If you were to return, unless you would deny your conscience, the truth would keep pounding at your heart until you would choose to be authentic .You would ask a thoughtful question . You would be given a thoughtless answer. You would ask the question again and eyebrows would go up. You would become a problem...... you would become independent . You would approach ground zero where you would be willing to reveal what you think, take responsibility for it , and ................ACCEPT THE CONSEQUENCES. You would become a threat to AUTHORITY. Of course you wouldn't mind authority, you just would want a satisfying answer to your question. The problem is that the answer itself would undermine the authority so the Authority would eliminate the question, and you would go with the question. Can't be any other way in a high control group like Jehovah's Witnesses.
Siddhashunyata
JoinedPosts by Siddhashunyata
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Internally: I'm forever a JW
by Thegoodgirl ini just can't shake it.
my deep down personal self-image is that i'm a jw.
i was at my grandma's today in another city (she's catholic), and lo and behold, they knock at the door.
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Does 2 Samuel 12:15 show the god of the Bible to be a god of justice?
by scout575 inafter king david commits adulery with bathaheba and arranges for her husband uriah to be killed in battle, does god execute the death penalty on david as prescribed by the mosaic law for adulterers?
( deut 22:22 ) no.
rather than executing david, what punishment does god mete out?
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Siddhashunyata
Just wanted to add to the revealing scriptures posted by Narkissos :
"I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me." (Exodus 20:5)
"Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their parents; only for their own crimes may persons be put to death." (Deuteronomy 24:16.)
“David now said to Nathan: “I have sinned against Jehovah.” At this Nathan said to David: “Jehovah, in turn , does let your sin pass by. You will not die….. the son himself, just born to you, will positively die”….And Jehovah proceeded to deal a blow to the child….So David said to his servants: “Has the child died?” To this they said: “ He has died.”….And David began to comfort Bathsheba his wife.” (Parts of 2 Samuel Chapter 12 vs:13,14,15,19,24.
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Does 2 Samuel 12:15 show the god of the Bible to be a god of justice?
by scout575 inafter king david commits adulery with bathaheba and arranges for her husband uriah to be killed in battle, does god execute the death penalty on david as prescribed by the mosaic law for adulterers?
( deut 22:22 ) no.
rather than executing david, what punishment does god mete out?
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Siddhashunyata
Keep in mind that theses books were part of the King /Priest government of the time. Once the crime had become public, this was the only way for the King to avoid the death penalty and for the priesthood to maintain authority. The people were mostly illiterate and it is doubtful that they had individual scrolls at home. The education was directed at social order by the priesthood through the family heads, probably orally. The entering of David's information into the sacred scrolls would have a powerful influence on maintaining the respect of the people without making the priesthood a laughing stock. In the words of Judge Rutherford (loosly quoted) " ...the Bible is a book about government..."
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Is there any way I can just cream skim the Truth????
by HiddenQuestioner ini have been lurking for some time and only recently started to post if you have seen my posts, i have always represented myself as a loyal jw and one who is planning to stay in however, lately my faith and commitment as a jw has been tested and, without going into details, i am having problems of faith and life that i could really use some help on.
if so, you might ask, why dont i just leave?
well, i have a wife that is a very devout jw and she would be crushed and very upset if i quit she believes it all 100% and lives to worship the borg in fact, she would be very upset if she even knew i was visiting this site.
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Siddhashunyata
If you explain it all to your wife she will be in a position to choose between you or a personal "religious crisis". She would have to be a woman of strong character to choose you. Strong character would solve everything, otherwise, from my experience, the marriage prognosis is... terminal, sooner or later.
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JWs an adventist offshoot?
by greendawn inisn't it correct to describe the jws as an adventist offshoot and therefore part of the wider protestant world?
they obviously have no connection to the apostolicc church despite their claims.
for example they got the 1914 date and the just once a year ritual of the bread and wine from the adventists so where do they really belong?
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Siddhashunyata
I believe both Russel and Rutherford were Congregationalists.. I have been able to understand most of what's gone on by researching the Millerites , Adventism, and Congregationalism. Congregationalism relates to Calvinism (Puritans). Amazingly, as late as the 1940's the book "Children" ( Rutherford) used a dialog between two young Puritans to establish that it is not a good idea to have children before the "New System". The hard ass spirit is definitely Calvin.
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Please, Help Me Understand,How Does Somethng come from Nothing.
by Blueblades inwhether it is god or the beginning of evolution, how did it come from nothing?
we are here, that is a fact, where did we come from?
belief systems are another thing, where is the proof of anything?.
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Siddhashunyata
Something out of nothing .......................Try "differentiation" ( a relative world) out of "no differentiation"(an absolute world ). The absolute is One, it is potent as the source of differentiation . Therefore "Nothing" is really Everything as potential.
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Thinking about doing a long fast
by Elsewhere infor health reasons, i like to do a fast for about three days from time to time.
i've been reading about seven and ten-day fasts and i'd like to hear more about them.. has anyone here done seven or ten day fasts?
if so, what was your experience?
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Siddhashunyata
I fast regularly on just water (distilled). Usually 1 1/2 days per week with a 3 or 4 day fast every 4 to 6 weeks. Always drink water, plenty of it. If possible, break the fast with a salad that includes grated carrots. This will sweep the intestinal lining. Try Paul Bragg's book "The Miracle of Fasting". It is balanced and reasonable. How you begin and end a fast can extend the cleansing benefits, you will get artful at using fruits , vegetables and juices at the beginning and end . This will extend the benefits and the whole process can use up nearly half of your weekly diet ie 1 and 1/2days on water, 1 and 1/2 days on juices, fruits and vegetables. That will improve you health. Fasting can , at times create a cleansing crises and many people become afraid and give it up. Hang on . It will pass. Do not attempt a fast longer than 4 days until you get more knowledge and until you have prepared your body with several months of short fasts. I have fasted for 10 days on just water but that was after over a year of short preparatory fasts. I have also fasted 17 days on fresh spinich and carrot juice and water. Very beneficial but again I was physically and mentaly ready. Regards.
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PROOF OF REBIRTH?
by Dansk inrebirth, as opposed to reincarnation, is a fascinating topic and the following two stories have been taken from the tibetan book of living and dying by sogyal rinpoche (available from amazon books).
the second story, that of a child, came to the attention of the dalai lama and he sent a special representative to interview her and verify the story.
there have been many other rebirth stories published and the subject holds a special fascination for me.
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Siddhashunyata
Joseph Wood Krutch "The Measure of Man" paper back edition 1962 Charter Books...Chapter 6 "The Stubborn Fact of Consciousness". He takes on the Behaviorists and the Materialists and provides satsfying reasoning that Consciousness cannot be an "epiphenomenon" ( the result of organized matter). This is not a large book (250 pages) but it is potent for directing thought ( pointing) in the right direction.
Best to You
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Beards are evil, but do you know why?
by free2beme inas a witness, i knew several men who attempted to grow beards.
when they did, and attended meetings, it did not take long to be talked to by elders and told, "as spiritual men, they should not display an outward form of rebellion.
" why was this a form of rebellion?
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Siddhashunyata
Grew a beard in 1988. Result, bookstudy removed from my home, relegated to minor talks in ministry school ( in the back of the hall 2nd school). Almost lost my wife ( did lose her later). Now I don't have a beard, I have a........ ponytail.
Speaking of ponytails. If you have faded and are still in good standing there is no better way to say IT. The proverb says a word can break a bone. A poneytail seems to break all the bones in a dubs face.
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Possible Severe JW Chronology issue - need help please - research thread
by donkey inhow do i make that claim?
i will explain the reasoning but i need some help and quotes from the insight book if some of you can help me since i currently have limited access to jw literature.. the jw's believe that a global flood occurred and all mankind except for noah, his 3 sons and their wives survived.
that leaves only 1 family of the same language and nationality to "start over".. the jw's believe that some time after the global flood nimrod and others (there must have been many) sought to build a large tower - the tower of babel.
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Siddhashunyata
Leolaia, just a quick thank you for detailing a mighty effort to fit the facts to the WT chronology. Their system of thought is workable only if one asks the "right" questions. Unfortunatly , thinkers generaly ask the wrong questions.