Posts by Acts5v29

162

Do you still believe in God?

by FormerlySandL in

i never thought i would admit it, but i don't.

i might superstitiously have some kind of doubt but digging a bit deeper in my heart i really don't believe in god.

as a human i could never just sit and watch people be tortured, live years of abuse, suffer from illness and disabilities and all the other awful things people have to endure day after day without doing something about it.

Acts5v29

not ad hominem - more encouraging by raising what might be helpful...

Thus far, the response to my earlier explanation has been heated to say the least - not reasoning, but very angry. Is there no-one who sees the merit in it, or who can discard it on a more reasonable ground than the distant "I don't believe it".

Honestly, like all other ex-watchtower I understand the horrors of realising that we've been hoodwinked and the feelings that induces - and I can imagine how easy it is to simply discard God to put an end to any chance of touching belief again. But that attitude - and I mean attitude - loses us so much. In a real sense, the watchtower is making people believe even after they've left: they're making them believe that God and the watchtower are somehow genuinely linked, so that they must reject both. They're making people believe in no God ever again. Didn't we leave to be free of that influence? why should we have to disbelieve, just because we leave them?

God is not cruel, and is inactive for the reason I stated - its hard on us, but really is of our own making as I explained. If we can understand that - and it is very easy to understand - we will be able to take a great deal without undue suffering, and it will help remove that painful attitude which keeps us blinded.

162

Do you still believe in God?

by FormerlySandL in

i never thought i would admit it, but i don't.

i might superstitiously have some kind of doubt but digging a bit deeper in my heart i really don't believe in god.

as a human i could never just sit and watch people be tortured, live years of abuse, suffer from illness and disabilities and all the other awful things people have to endure day after day without doing something about it.

Acts5v29

I wonder if you're just too afraid that it could be true, and find the strength in hating easier to live with.

162

Do you still believe in God?

by FormerlySandL in

i never thought i would admit it, but i don't.

i might superstitiously have some kind of doubt but digging a bit deeper in my heart i really don't believe in god.

as a human i could never just sit and watch people be tortured, live years of abuse, suffer from illness and disabilities and all the other awful things people have to endure day after day without doing something about it.

Acts5v29

Well Heaven, as any child who cries at having a painful operation comes to realise, there is usually a reason.

What if the child were determined to hate his father who sent him for chemo? Even a child could understand that, in the longer term, there was a good reason.

There's a reason for our Heavenly Father's inaction too, but it seems people would rather enjoy their hatred than consider they might be mistaken. I know its painful to revisit the seat of disppointment - but children manage it. They are made upset, they cry, they go into a lonely corner,... but they don't build a barrier, they don't say "never again". They wipe their eyes, they try again - perhaps because they're too young and vulnerable and they don't know how to build a shell for themselves - and there is too much in the world that they feel is out there for them to waste blocking out what they do not yet understand. Its only as we get stronger that we feel we can isolate ourselves - but that strength keeps out many things.

40

Who Picks The Governing Body?

by millie210 in

hey everyone,.

just a simple straight forward question on exactly what the process is.

if a gb member died tomorrow, do the remaining ones choose who gets to be next?.

Acts5v29

I was associated with a congregation where that was happening

15

Watchtower: You Made us Apostates!!

by kairos in

jw
friends

if you are willing to pay attention to the org's history and do any kind of unbiased personal research, it's impossible to miss ttatt.. watchtower's publication archive provides all the information anyone would ever need.where are all of the "half truths and outright lies" actually coming from?

( old light ).

why, oh why, back in 1989 when i first got hooked did i not do any research into the watchtower corporation?.

Acts5v29

13. "Woe to YOU, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because YOU shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men; for YOU yourselves do not go in, neither do YOU permit those on their way in to go in.

15. Woe to YOU, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because YOU traverse sea and dry land to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one YOU make him a subject for Ge-hen´na twice as much so as yourselves."

Matthew 23:13,, 15

27

What's the purpose of being a JW now?

by MrTheocratic in

with all the recent changes to this religion, what really is the purpose of being a jw?

especially for those who have been in and witnessed all the changes and still no sight of the end.

for these ones in particular (35-55 year olds) they must be in a state of confusion.

Acts5v29

Hello flipper,

I truly believe for most JW's who are still in and have doubts- it's the old cliché that "ignorance is bliss " - they WANT to keep their heads in the sand like ostriches ignoring the facts about the WT Society's injustices because it's a familiar feeling to them to be in an organization with everybody else feeling duped and disempowered as well.

Its always easier to stick with whatever seems strong against the challengers - just as when new atheist feels they have been duped by religion for years, they feel strong in their atheism. I don't think either side has to do much proving, just let the angst and the abuse of the opposing side be the glue which keeps their own membership.

Christ said it is important to approach like a child - and children cry at sad things years before they build a resolute attitude. He really had something there.

162

Do you still believe in God?

by FormerlySandL in

i never thought i would admit it, but i don't.

i might superstitiously have some kind of doubt but digging a bit deeper in my heart i really don't believe in god.

as a human i could never just sit and watch people be tortured, live years of abuse, suffer from illness and disabilities and all the other awful things people have to endure day after day without doing something about it.

Acts5v29

Good morning Xanthippe

Good evening Acts. That's great. I have a good heart and I am totally sincere in that unbelief. If God intervenes with Christ I will be happy to hear their guidance when truth becomes apparent as you put it. Meanwhile - I am an atheist.

In that case, you have a better start than many - believers or unbelievers.

best wishes

162

Do you still believe in God?

by FormerlySandL in

i never thought i would admit it, but i don't.

i might superstitiously have some kind of doubt but digging a bit deeper in my heart i really don't believe in god.

as a human i could never just sit and watch people be tortured, live years of abuse, suffer from illness and disabilities and all the other awful things people have to endure day after day without doing something about it.

Acts5v29

Good evening Stephanelaliberte

In the end, weather I believe in God or not does not change the fact that I chose to be a good person. I want to do good around me so that once I pass away, people will be able to remember me as a good guy.

So, if there is a God that has some higher purpose for me at that point, I don’t see why he would not judge me on my action rather than my beliefs.

A good heart with sincerity - what could anyone see as wrong with that!

162

Do you still believe in God?

by FormerlySandL in

i never thought i would admit it, but i don't.

i might superstitiously have some kind of doubt but digging a bit deeper in my heart i really don't believe in god.

as a human i could never just sit and watch people be tortured, live years of abuse, suffer from illness and disabilities and all the other awful things people have to endure day after day without doing something about it.

Acts5v29

Good evening Anders,

Assuming your God exists, She is part of the problem by not making it abundantly clear that everyone is doing it wrong by following religions that lead away from Her.

I don't see that as God's fault - He guided Moses, but the Hebrews quickly took to their own ideas, even before they'd crossed the Jordan. He sent the Christ, but that soon deteriorated into philosophy and competition.

Religions treat knowledge as essential for salvation, but God does not say that. If we have good heart - even if we are total unbelievers but are sincere in that unbelief - then that is fertile ground for following when truth becomes apparent, truth which we have missed during our earlier years. When God intervenes, the question of religion will be pointless, as the Christ will guide us without the need for a "middleman". The problem is whether we - individually - will want to.

40

Who Picks The Governing Body?

by millie210 in

hey everyone,.

just a simple straight forward question on exactly what the process is.

if a gb member died tomorrow, do the remaining ones choose who gets to be next?.

Acts5v29

Hello millie210,

Hi to you Acts, so in what way would they be outstanding?

It could be some extra-spiritual action beyond the norm, something which is beyond mere congregational duties, or something for which their spirituality becomes evident as different from others. However in the same way as Fatima, it would only be valid if it were within the confines of the congregational membership - a prominent action followed by someone joining would not be counted as the same thing.