what emboldens jehovahs witnesses to think that their teachings and their religion is th e only means of enjoying a satisfying life and is the only representation of god?
I think its about confidence. It's hard to admit you might be wrong but are doing what you're donig because you have reasoned it's the best way for you to live. So if the party line says, 'this is the one true way - you don't have to question it, you don't have to have any doubts' that's a lot easier to live with. The decisions are made for you, the rules are in place, no thinking required and none is encouraged.
Silverleaf
in my life i have noticed that there are some people who's lives seem to be filled with nothing but misery.
constantly loosing low skill low pay jobs, one after another
frequent run-ins with the law
This is an interesting topic. I've wondered about this myself. I have friends, relatives, neighbors who fall into this category. Every day for them brings another problem, they pay off one bill and three more drop into their laps, they get the car fixed and the fridge goes on the fritz, the go to the doc for a minor illness and end up having an allergic reaction to the medication he gives them, the pharmacy loses their insurance information, the car breaks down on the way home and they left their cell phone at the doctor's office... etc, etc. These aren't people with addictions or problems with the law, just regular everyday people who can't seem to ever catch a break, and I've often wondered is it just bad luck? I've never considered myself a "lucky" person, but compared to them, I live on Easy Street. Why?
I've often wondered if maybe it's a bit of a self-fulfilling situation. If you expect everything to go wrong and live your life with the attitude, "What's going to go wrong next?" something always will. Or could it be they subconsciously sabotage themselves because if everything went well and they got their lives under control, they'd have nothing to sustain them because they actually live on the stress?
Very good questions. Actually I think Lady Lee's post sums up the answers pretty well.
Silverleaf
my life has finally started to get better.
i really miss my man now and i really want to move back with him.
problem is, nothing would be right until i finished school.
Mercedes,
You wrote: Just for your information, we have been through a lot, so things have changed. I am happier now with myself and he has gone through a lot also. We both have changed a lot of our ways and have opened a new door. Anyone who doesn't think that people can change is wrong. Things did go bad between us once, but now things are better...better than ever. I have turned my life around and so has he. Thank you for pointing that out though
After reading teenyuck's posting of some of your previous posts, I have to ask you, has your BF gone through anger management counseling and drug rehab? If not, then please do not assume he has made a lifelong change. Things may be better now than they were before, but unless you have both gotten professional help with these problems, the cycle will begin again at some point.
Please, please, please, do not bring a child into this relationship unless you have had professional intervention. If you think the abortions you had were mistakes, you can't imagine how bad you will feel if you have a child and that child is abused by your BF. That is something you will truly never be able to forgive yourself for.
Silverleaf
okay don't pelt me with stones for asking and nobody laugh.
for those of us who still believe in the bible - i recently read the novel, "the da vinci code".
great work of fiction but i was wondering if anyone ever heard of the plot's basis.
Hey VS,
You wrote: Interesting, thanks for sharing your viewpoints. Silverleaf, you're a pagan? How do you personally define that? And what list did you get the book from?
I started out studying Wicca almost two years ago and realized it made a lot more sense to me than anything I had ever been taught before. After a lot of research I consider myself a Pagan Universalist. I celebrate the Wiccan sabbats and the pagan aspects of the Christian holidays they correspond to. I have a pagan view of life - it's to be enjoyed and celebrated. Our souls are eternal and life and death are part of a neverending cycle.
I got the book from a mail order book club and I really had no idea what it was about when I ordered it. I thought it was just a regular mystery novel that looked interesting. It blew me away. I reviewed it for a Pagan list I'm on and it's sparked a bit of a discussion. We have a Druid, a Christian witch, a Buddhist, a Muslim, a couple of eclectic Pagans and a Jedi.
You also wrote: Just from the novel alone, I had no idea how 'pagan' everything was, and I thought the WTS was just paranoid (which they are) about stupid little things being pagan, if only they knew! I looked up a picture of Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" and I was shocked, I never noticed the woman sitting beside Jesus or the menacing gesture Peter was making towards her. I'm going to do research on the books of the bible that were voted upon at the Council of Nicea, I know the WTS has mentioned the council before but they've never said a peep about the Bible being voted on by man, hmmm I wonder why?
It gives one a lot of food for thought, doesn''t it?
Silverleaf
okay don't pelt me with stones for asking and nobody laugh.
for those of us who still believe in the bible - i recently read the novel, "the da vinci code".
great work of fiction but i was wondering if anyone ever heard of the plot's basis.
Hey VS,
I just finished 'The DaVinci Code' and I thought it was great! I even looked up pictures of the Last Supper to check out some of Dan Brown's descriptions and lo and behold it does indeed look like a woman sitting next to Jesus. The points Brown puts forth in the book are very compelling and so well researched it really makes you think. My personal belief is that the Church recrafted events to give itself more power.
As a Pagan the idea of the sacred feminine makes a lot of sense to me and the teachings of the Church go against natural law, but that's just me. I recommend the book to anyone and in fact I reviewed it on a Pagan list I'm on.
Silverleaf
my life has finally started to get better.
i really miss my man now and i really want to move back with him.
problem is, nothing would be right until i finished school.
Mercedes,
Once again I agree with StinkyPantz - if your life is finally getting better, why would you want to add the upheaval of having a baby into that, especially if you would still have a least a year of school to finish, supposing you got pregnant right now?
If you had a baby before you finished school, who would care for the baby while you were in classes? If you're living with your parents they may love having a grandchild, but is it really fair to expect them to help you out with that? A child is your responsibility and the responsibility of the child's father. Is your boyfriend ready for a baby? Is he willing to help out financially and be there to support you while you finish school? Can you handle the pressure of trying to finish a degree while you're sleep deprived from caring for a newborn?
Silverleaf
i feel like absolute s*(& after a long conversation with my sister this afternoon.
she's in the org.
and told me that if i won't have a relationship with my parents then she won't have one with me.
Dear kitties,
I agree with StinkyPantz about writing your family a letter. Despite their treatment of you, you still love them and that says a lot about how strong you are. If you want them to know that, then tell them. Also tell them all the reasons you've told us about why you can't be around them. Write one to your sister also. If it were me I would make it very clear that the relationship you have or don't have with them is THEIR choice and it is based on THEIR actions, not yours. If they want to communicate with you they know where to find you and you will no longer tolerate abuse of yourself or your husband. I think I would also turn some guilt back on them and say if they care about you enough to want you to have a relationship with God, they are going to have to examine their lives and the way they have treated you. Tell them your relationship with God is more important and you can't explore that with the stress they're causing in your life.
After that, I would suggest finding someone like a counselor or therapist to talk to. You will feel a lot better if you get all of this out to someone who can help you deal with it.
Good luck and hang in there,
Silverleaf
this question may not make too much sense.
if a man creates a computer, using the best parts and software design with the intent of analyzing data accurately and reliably, would he also design it with the ability or freedom to 'crash' or spread viruses to other computers if it chose to?
if a man trains a dog with the intent of being a family pet, would he also give it the knowledge to kill humans or other animals?
funkeyderek wrote:
For those who disagree, a question? Would it have been possible for God to create humans who had free will, but still obeyed him?
If God is omnipotent, of course He could have. He could also have created imperfect people with free will and kept all temptation away from them so they would never have the chance to do anything wrong. He also could have forewarned them about Satan, or He could have destroyed Satan, or refrained from creating Satan in the first place, or put the Tree of Knowledge somewhere other than RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of the Garden of Eden. The fact that He didn't do any of these things supports the theory that the Bible is nothing but fiction. A true accounting of a real Creator of mankind wouldn't be so nonsensical.
I think the whole free will argument is incredibly contradictory when used by people who believe Satan is controlling most of the Earth's population. If Satan can sway so many people away from the 'true' path, how free is their will anyway? If you can be demonized without even knowing it, how can you also have free will?
Silverleaf
did you always know you wanted children?.
if so how did you feel after.. if you do not want children, why?.
i am not sure if i want children and i am interested in all your opinions.
When I was young I was adamantly opposed to having kids. I just couldn't imagine it. After I got married, it just seemed to be the right thing to do. My kids are 5 and 8 now and getting them this far wasn't easy, but it was worth it. They're great kids and I get the biggest kick out of them, but I have absolutely no desire to ever go through it all again. I think if you have any doubts about having kids, you should wait. It's a lot of hard work and even when you really want them, you have days when you ask yourself, "What the hell have I gotten myself into?"
A friend of ours absolutely didn't want kids and his wife was trying to pressure him into it. They ended up divorced - he remarried and boom - he's a daddy and absolutley thrilled about it. Sometimes it's not whether or not you want kids, but who you want to have them with that's the issue.
Silverleaf
.
my dad was a muslim and my mom was a methodist before they converted to jw.now that i am out what do i say if someone asks me my religion???
it may sound funny to members from western world but where i live you have to mention on any damn form you fill.
If it's possble to be an Gnostic Ecclectic Pagan Universalist, that would be me.
Silverleaf
