Posts by scratchme1010

13

GRACE? GRACE? What the F*** is GRACE? Jehovah's Witnesses have no idea!

by TerryWalstrom in

i think all of us ex-j-dubs have had the --i'll call it a privilege--to exchange views with others who think differently than we do.

we encounter "christians" from mainstream churches.our dialogue is sort of...like speaking to martians.sooner or later, an ex-dub smacks into a wall.

that wall is a subject which is never spoken about or taught by the gb or watchtower with any candor.

scratchme1010

Sooner or later, an Ex-Dub smacks into a wall. That wall is a subject which is NEVER spoken about or taught by the GB or Watchtower with any candor. It is, however, the number one topic in the majority of Christian Churches. That subject seems weird to both Dubs and Ex's.
GRACE.

That's a little pretentious. What makes you think that I as an ex-JW never heard or learned about the concept of grace? Again, my JW upbringing didn't deter me from learning about, as you put it "the number one topic in the majority of Christian Churches", as well as many other topics.

In fact, many ex-Jdubs do go around learning MORE about the bible, about Christianity in general, about pretty much every other concept that other faiths teach that the WT doesn't. Why do you think some join other faiths? The decision of remaining an ex-jw is not solely based on what was taught (or not) by them. A lot of ex-jws end as such precisely because they find a whole lot about a lot of things they never learned before.

53

My Dad wants to study with me

by BlackWolf in

jw
friends

so my parents continue to pester me about getting baptized.

the other day my dad told me that i was old enough to make a decision, and was wondering why i wasn't ready (assembly is in a few weeks) so i told him calmly that i have many doubts and if i were to get baptized it has to be 100 percent my idea.

he was a little annoyed by this, and now wants to study the "is there a creator that cares about you" book (which is complete bs) with me.

scratchme1010

What would you do?

Very hard to say what would I do in that situation.

In no way would I make him feel disrespected. However, there may be a way to let him know that on one hand he's telling you that it's your decision, but on the other he's pressuring you to do what pleases him.

Please understand that in your JW father's mind he's saving you and your life. He believes that by pressuring you to baptize he's pretty much taking you with him to "paradise on Earth". That is no small thing. So whatever you decide to do, the one thing that I suggest you to consider are the feelings behind his actions. His heart as a father is (or may be) in the right place.

Maybe acknowledging that his efforts (though severely misguided) come from a good place may make him listen to you a little more. Something along the lines of "I know that you want to share paradise with me and the rest of the family, and I appreciated that". Then stand your ground a little about this making your decision, and that it will be made 100% once you're sure. Please notice the words. You're not saying you're going to baptized, nor that you're not.

For as long as you depend on your parents, you may need to play that game of dodging this kind of things, including a lot of pressure. Meanwhile, prepare to become as independent from them as possible if you finally decide not to become a JW.

I hope this helps.

19

My Thoughts on the Subject of Faith

by Saethydd in

i've had several discussion about the basis for faith in an all powerful creator for the universe, and it seems as if the conversation often comes back to, "well, either way, you have to have faith either in a creator or in the process of evolution because you can't observe that either.

" setting aside the issue of creation and evolution (where i currently sit at undecided), i was also troubled by the tendency to treat faith as a static or absolute concept when in reality it is far more complex.. to begin with, faith isn't just about belief, it combines the concepts of belief and trust.

for the purposes of this discussion, i will be focusing primarily on the second attribute.

scratchme1010

Anyway, those are just some of my thoughts on the nature of faith. Anyone else have thoughts they would like to share, or critiques of the logic I used? After all, I don't claim infallibility.

My thoughts on something you typed:

Logical reasoning (for whatever that is worth to a religious person) can certainly be used to grant such professionals a higher credibility, and this argument has nothing with education, but rather motive.

I wonder where did you get that. How do you back that up? It's juts curiosity. How do you conclude that? I am honestly inquiring, not confronting.

Then my thoughts on the faith thing is that some people don't have the capacity nor interest in looking too far for answers. Again, many people of faith have absolutely no interest in learning truths, science, logic, nor in anything other than what makes the feel right, whatever that feeling is, hope, certainty about the future, guidance, release from fear, sense of safety, a sense of belonging, a sense of direction in life, healing from past bad experiences, a sense of safety from hanging with the wrong crowd.

When you talk to people "of faith", high chances are that they are more into the faith thing for what they get that gives them comfort, than for anything scientific or logical. That explains many people who are literally scientifically educated, people with degrees in many sciences, and still go to church. Some don't don't know it, some do and don't care because it's about what they get in return for their faith.

Personally, I just don't see why people have to choose one or the other. I have my own believes, but don't feel like I need to express them, share them, and certainly, I don't need to prove them to anyone. So is my attitude towards other people's faiths. I draw the line only when others come imposing or trying to prove their faiths as a mean to indicate that they and only they are the ones with the real saying about the topic.

52

You wake up one morning and see

by A Believer in

jw
friends

the un has banned religion.

what are you're thoughts?.

also changes to it seem to be on the way.... http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/12/trump-vows-israel-vote-161224040133216.html.

scratchme1010

I's correct, in the name of religion a lot of people has gotten away with causing death and despair. A Believer, that's nonsense.

5

Pro-JW site with scanned out-of-print material

by Funchback in

maybe i'm late to the party but i stumbled upon this site:.

http://www.strictlygenteel.co.uk/index.html.

lots of old publications and such.. enjoy!.

scratchme1010

I never saw that earlier "Did Man Get Here By Evolution or By Creation?" book. I bet it would be pretty easy to debunk...

You never saw that one? God, I'm old! That was the first book I placed in somebody's hand. I was a just a little boy (though with the same smart mouth I still have). Anyway, it brings memories.

Funchback, thank you for sharing.

9

Did Jesus really say: “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also”? (Mathew 5:39)

by anointed1 in

if we apply to the above verse jesus’ own criterion (“every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit”—mathew 7:17) we will know that it is unlikely that jesus did say it.. when i practiced it, i found that i was encouraging others to slap (whether in its literal or figurative sense) me more and more.

the same is happening in large scale when countries practice tolerance.

we know many countries who “turn the other cheek” when attacked, and it only invites more trouble (which means jesus’ advice is counterproductive).. but see what happens if you return more than what you receive in view of the principle god himself follows.

scratchme1010

There are people who care about this because for them every verse of the Bible is "inspired and beneficial"

They shouldn't. It's all nonsense.

6

upskirt voyeur a JW

by Luo bou to in

report was in nz news paper recently this guy had a camera attached to his witnessing bag so he could film up girls skirts hyperthetical can you imagine before he was caught this bro being commended for his zeal in the ministry and used as a role model for reporting a lot of hours which is considered by the elders a measure of ones spirituality .

scratchme1010

Can you imagine before he was caught this bro being commended for his zeal in the ministry and used as a role model for reporting a lot of hours which is considered by the Elders a measure of ones spirituality

Sadly, I can imagine the elders asking for specifics and every single detail of his actions. I always wonder if the elders rub one out after those confessions they get out of people.

15

A Question about Spiritistic Books

by schnell in

jw
friends

i have a nearly academic interest in the occult, though i am not a spiritualist and remain a skeptic.

i've come to learn that demons are based on everything from dust devils in the desert, to diseases, to actual people.

probably most of all, demons are a tool of good ol' fashioned con artists and fear mongers.. but here's a question.

scratchme1010

...would it haunt your house?
If you don't think so, awesome, but if you do... What about the e-book???
Is your phone or tablet going to be haunted if you download it? Will you have bad luck if you do? Every time an occult e-book gets copied and downloaded, does a new demon get created to follow that copy around? So when you delete the file, are you killing it?
I'm just curious.

Interesting and excellent questions. I don't think it will haunt anything, physically or electronically. How could they explain the extent to which the "demons" will haunt? Will it haunt the device? the server where it resides? the entire network that carries all the bytes? the service provided?

Come to think of it, maybe my data plan is haunted; that may be why I pay too much for it

In a more serious note, I don't have a specific believe or non believe in things related to that subject. I don't feel that I am informed enough nor properly to establish an educated opinion. I use my logic and also completely disregard what the WT says about demons or objects being demon carriers or similar nonsense.

I'm curious now.

6

why haven't the elders talked to him yet???

by Homer notsimpson in

my brother got himself in hot water, ive been posting alot about this only cuz i care for him so much.the story goes like this, ge and a girl wete sexting very on and off for a year, they haven't sexted in a year due to her finding a bf... they were engaged in less than a year, and it broke off in august ,she tries to commit suicide, and talked to the elders, she told my brother that and that shes gonna tell on him too.. she got df in august ( shes been reproved before) and its now january 2017.. she claims that she did tell, but because the elders didn't know what his hall was they couldn't do anything, is that a possibility?

why haven't they talked to him?

could it bw that she didn't tell on him?

scratchme1010

she tries to commit suicide, and talked to the elders, she told my brother that and that shes gonna tell on him too.. She got df in AUGUST ( shes been reproved before) and its now JANUARY 2017.. She claims that she did tell, but because the elders didn't know what his hall was they couldn't do anything, is that a possibility?

Are you going to believe the words of a messed up suicidal woman that is no longer in a relationship with him? Who knows what/if she told anything to the elders. And at the end of the day, who cares.

I agree, I remember your question previously posted. No one can really tell you why the elders haven't talked to him. All we can do is guess at best.

As I suggested in your previous thread, this could be a great opportunity, as a loving sibling, to have a nice talk about responsible relationships and sex decision making with your brother. Rather than worrying about the elders, probably your brother may need support and guidance about making more responsible choices around sexting with a suicidal JW woman. The elders and the entire JW system will be more than happy to shame and shun him. He will have plenty of that. Support, love and understanding may be a little scarce for him in this situation.

How supporting of him are you?

3

Does anybody know the story with this?

by careful in

jw
friends

the cover says that it's about "the biggest latino gangster ever recorded to be associated with the mafia.

" ordinarily i could care less about things like that.

scratchme1010

So does anyone know what the story is with this book and/or this "Frankie" guy (perhaps "Angel Garcia")? Does anyone know if the book's publication is now, or will become, a problem for the org? If nothing else, it bears watching.

I know nothing about it. However, what you explain may be true, but I think the facts have to be proven. First, is the book a memoir, and autobiography, fiction, a biographic story from the point of view of an outsider about another person? Then, is it verifiable that the person was in fact a JW, became a JW, stayed a JW, that is, what kind of connection if any exist(s/ed) between that person and the WT? Also, was the person's claims about the crimes committed verifiable? And if such relationship with the WT is verified that exist(s/ed), what if anything did the WT (a) know about it, and then (b) do about it?

With the information that you provide it's difficult to hold the WT responsible of anything related to a person that may or may not exist, that may or may not have committed crimes, and may and may not have had a connection with the WT.

I think that makes an interesting research project, thought.