Slidin Fast
Good observation
some years ago, i attended a jw wedding.
marriage speaker said something which changed my life for the better, and it helps me even now.
he told the couple: “the very make up of man and woman is such that conflicts can often arise between you.
Good observation
some years ago, i attended a jw wedding.
marriage speaker said something which changed my life for the better, and it helps me even now.
he told the couple: “the very make up of man and woman is such that conflicts can often arise between you.
Some years ago, I attended a JW wedding. Marriage speaker said something which changed my life for the better, and it helps me even now. He told the couple: “The very make up of man and woman is such that conflicts can often arise between you. There will be many things that would unfold which would make you angry at each other. If you channelize this energy called anger on the person with whom you are angry, then you are abusing it. If you channelize it on the problem with a view to finding a solution, then you are using anger rightly because it acts like a catalyst to reach a solution. For example, when you choose to watch your favorite TV show, your spouse wants to change the channel to his favorite TV show. When this is repeated many times, it can make you angry. Now turn this anger to buying one more TV which means the end of anger on this subject. Hence anger is like a knife—you can use it beneficially or harmfully. So are all other emotions! They are all energy in motion.
You are quick to find excuses for the wrong you committed and you have found it often works to neutralize your behavior to some extent. That means there are excuses for behavior—no matter who performs it. When you are wronged, be quick to find excuses for the behavior of the other person who often acts under the influence of many factors and forces. Just like great events and great leaders are offspring of their time and circumstances every action/reaction (of your spouse) is also the offspring of the time and circumstance—even though you may seem to be the immediate object of an action/reaction. When you reason like this you will begin to find space around your problem which will gradually become too small to be reckoned with.”
Though most of the JW teaching seemed unsound and irrational, points in this marriage talk were amazing which helps me even now in all avenues of my life. [I don’t know all JW marriage speakers use the illustration and explanation because this was the only one I attended]
it’s really a bitch when god takes a day off.
he’s supposed to be watching over all things-except when he doesn’t and he can control any situation-except when he doesn’t.. so he gets all the credit for the good things that are and that happen due to his “dynamic energy”.
it must be tiring because he obviously takes days off.
I think God is enjoying this post also as He gives freedom to humans to blame or even to deny His existence. I love Him because of His silence. His silence is meaningful because nothing happens without something preceding which means everything has answer—some answers are too obvious and some are not.
not all scripture is god-breathed.
there are verses that also dishonor god.
for example, subject of preaching seems to be too illogical even though it is the very basis of many sects [especially of jw organization which defines itself as the preaching organization].
Your explanation about John 3:13 is a joke. Truth is that Jesus never said it, and it is impossible to say that. It is like Obama saying in 2007 "No one from the Black community has become US President except me."
If you were listening to Obama making such a statement in 2007, you would definitely say like me: "it is a joke." Now put yourself in front of Jesus in 1st century when he was supposedly making that statement; you will say the same: "It is a joke." But it is obvious that he did not say.
Since you are knowingly misleading yourself, I am not commenting on your other points.
how many times have you heard that trope?.
i found it more irritating than a dose of farmers on the bum.
i've even said it when i was a brainwashed jobo drone.
Finkelstein,
You put nicely; "JWS have blinders on their heads where they can only see the good of the religion, oblivious to the harm this religion can cause"
This is the trait of an average human being who is quick to notice other's mistakes and notice own good points. This trait is seen on the organization collectively.
Interesting!
not all scripture is god-breathed.
there are verses that also dishonor god.
for example, subject of preaching seems to be too illogical even though it is the very basis of many sects [especially of jw organization which defines itself as the preaching organization].
ttdtt,
2000 years of heralding mixed and confused message by his so-called messengers show that it is not God's way of conveying some message He wants to convey. (1 Cor 14:8, 33). People self-style themselves as messengers and use God's name to get easy acceptance.
how many times have you heard that trope?.
i found it more irritating than a dose of farmers on the bum.
i've even said it when i was a brainwashed jobo drone.
They don't know such probing stifles one's joy--still they ask. They don't know no one misses meeting for no reason. They are yet to know the meaning of Mat 7:12
not all scripture is god-breathed.
there are verses that also dishonor god.
for example, subject of preaching seems to be too illogical even though it is the very basis of many sects [especially of jw organization which defines itself as the preaching organization].
Drearyweather
1) God-breathed scriptures are those which are prima facie true—like Mathew 5:44-48. They need no interpretation like saying ‘the whole is greater than its part”
2) Fear evoked in verses such as Mathew 10:28, 33; Ezekiel 3:18 is morbid fear, not healthy fear as you feel.
3) Governments asking for valid documents is not a valid comparison with Mathew 10:32, 33.
4) Knowing what is right and what is wrong is more than enough to suggest that preaching is not necessary. If one knows what to do, then it is up to him—he may or may not do it. Others have nothing to do with his decision. This is why even God chooses not to respond to people who try to dishonor Him—nothing will be accomplished. He gives freedom even to deny Him
5) Many of the verses are not inspired. If you step on to the 1st step of a staircase having 10 steps, you won’t say: “No one has climbed the whole 10 steps of this staircase except me.” Now read John 3:13 where Jesus is reportedly saying: “No one has ascended into heaven except him.” How can he say this in the beginning of his ministry—he ascended into heaven in the end of his ministry. Try this verse as a sample, and you will find many verses falling into this category.
not all scripture is god-breathed.
there are verses that also dishonor god.
for example, subject of preaching seems to be too illogical even though it is the very basis of many sects [especially of jw organization which defines itself as the preaching organization].
Not all Scripture is God-breathed. There are verses that also dishonor God. For example, subject of preaching seems to be too illogical even though it is the very basis of many sects [especially of JW organization which defines itself as the preaching organization]. To mention a few reasons why preaching commission is illogical:
1) Preaching commission is followed by all sorts of unreasonable instructions (such as 10:23, 34, 37 …etc. compare Ezekiel 3:18) which would not originate from God or Jesus. It is unlikely that they would say ‘fear should be your motive behind your service to God’ (Mathew 10:28, 33) because what is done out of fear is mechanical and is also as good as nothing being done.
2) In contrast to Mathew 6:2, 3, 5, 16 where he said what is done for reward is useless, it is unlikely that Jesus would say: “Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven.” (Mathew 10:32) This statement (often used to encourage the preachers to do more) dishonors Jesus and God because it essentially means: ‘If you do this we will do that for you’ which is a worldly attitude against which Jesus himself cautions us in great detail (John chapter 15, 17 … etc) and contradicts other fundamental truths Jesus emphasized earlier such as Mathew 5:44-48.
3) Result-wise too preaching is unnecessary as it accomplishes nothing because everyone already knows what is right and wrong. For example, people are quick to notice the wrong when it is committed by others [which proves they know ‘what is wrong?’] and are quick to seek glory for the good when it is committed by themselves [which proves they know ‘what is right?’]. We all know what actions of others make us happy and unhappy which means we know what actions to be adopted and what actions to be avoided in relation to others. We have also an ocean of experiences (of our own and of others) to decide what is beneficial and harmful.
4) We are already endowed with the capacity to live as though in heaven. When we are fully focused on the now we live as though in heaven [for example, three hours in an examination hall are felt by us like three seconds; in contrast three hours waiting in the Airport when we have something urgent to do on arrival are felt by us like three days]. When we base our happiness on perfect behavior of others we live as though in hell because they cannot often rise to the level of our expectation as actions of others depend on many factors and forces often beyond their control. Even when we are wronged, we have the freedom to move ahead leaving the past where it belongs to and to fully focus on the now which again makes us live as though in heaven. Jesus reiterated this saying: “the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21)
[Unfortunately, here too preachers tried to distort the meaning replacing the
phrase “within you” with the phrase “in your midst.” But they didn’t know Jesus
did mean Kingdom of God is “within” or “inside” us because he used the same
Greek word in other unambiguous verses (such as Luke 11:39) where he says: “You
Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.” If one wants
he can choose to make his life heaven or hell. It’s all within us because our
mind is too wonderful that it can choose to be self-contented (like some of the
poor people do) or greedy (like some of the rich people do) in any
circumstances.]
Thus, the major subject of preaching too falls into the category of God-dishonoring subjects such as those where God is shown as saying ‘I don’t like humans to become like Me’ (Genesis 3:22); ‘I would not permit humans to undertake engineering wonders’ (Genesis 11:4-7); ‘I authorize plundering and killing’ (Numbers 31); ‘Let sinners do the greatest sin of murdering an innocent, the value of which I would use to take away the sins of the world’ (John 1:29); ‘I have predetermined everything that happens’ (Isaiah 40:13; Ephesians 1:3-12; Romans 8:28) ….etc. all of which are obviously the product of human thinking.
it struck me just how odd and weird it is that jws are told that if they do not preach, they are "bloodguilty" for failing to warn people of the upcoming destruction at armageddon.. hang on a minute now, hang on!.
why should a mere human be made to feel "bloodguilty" and "responsible" for "failing to warn someone" of gods wrath??.
these average people are not the ones who are about to unleash a genocidal massacre on 99% of humanity (including babies born to non-witnesses).
nowwhat?
You are right. God has not arranged any organization with absolute clarity that matches His messenger, hence God will not hold listeners like us blood-guilty. This is HIS assurance: "Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?" (1 Corinthians 14:8)
In addition, God knows everyone knows what is right and wrong [and it is not necessary to make people agree on this subject]. Hence preaching is unnecessary and it accomplishes nothing. For example, people are quick to notice the wrong when it is committed by others [which proves they know ‘what is wrong?’] and are quick to seek glory for the good when it is committed by them [which proves they know ‘what is right?’]. We all know what actions of others make us happy and unhappy which means we know what actions to be adopted and what actions to be avoided in relation to others. We have also an ocean of experiences (of our own and of others) to decide what is beneficial and harmful