and what did i see.
it was a jw.org sign looking back at me.. startled i was, and couldn't believe.
what a stupid place for a decal (stuck on the entrance door) to be.. rutherford wouldn't be happy, as stiff as a board was he.. unless he was drunk, with good 'ol whiskey..
Brown bear, brown bear what do you see?
I see a trolley looking at me.
Trolley, trolley what do you see?
I see mute, disinterested witnesses standing by me.
Mute, disinterested witnesses what do you see?
We don't know, but go to JWorg and you'll see.
(modified from the children's book: Brown bear, what do you see?)
"don't you believe that this is god's spirit-directed organization?".
"do you believe that god is teaching us through the faithful & discreet slave?
"who else has the truth?
I recently had this argument overt the phone with my former COBE. I was asking him over and over to show me where in the bible it is scriptural to shun df'd ones who are trying to get reinstated and going back to meetings only to be shunned at them. Inevitably, I was asked if I was criticizing God's earthly representatives the (k)GB. I said I was criticizing policies that are not supported by the bible which is the main authority in my life. That went right over his head.
Him: "So, you are telling me that you didn't have a problem with these policies when you answered the second question for your baptism with a yes, but now you do?"
Me: "I baptized myself to God with the bible as my authority and the bible as my beacon for my conscience."
Him: "So, you are saying you have a problem with this organization..."
Me: "Yes, I do. These policies are causing unnecessary pain, as well as suicides. They also bother my bible-based conscience."
Him: " Paul gave clear counsel to stop associating with df'd ones, as well as remove them from the congregation. In fact, 2 John 11 clearly states that we are not even to greet ones who are gross sinners, for if we did we would share in their sins."
Me: "Paul also said that we are to confirm our love for such ones so that they don't become overwhelmed with sadness and possibly end up killing themselves. By the way, I was hoping you would bring up 2 John, because it shows that you are not adhering to the bible at all. That scripture was meant for an ANTI-CHRIST. Someone who denies Jesus. My df'd family member is not an..."
Him (interrupting an increasingly excited me): "I think I see what you are trying to do. You only called to criticize. I can stomach you criticizing me, but I can't stomach you criticizing God's organization. I can't talk to you anymore. You are dangerous and something is going to have to be done about this phone call." Click.
child murder, sodomy & corrupting the human genome are not new sins, they are old ones.
what is new is their institutionalization.
but even that isn't totally new.
You've gone from being a JW to a Born Again. That is quite a feat! I bet 5 years from now you're an atheist.
Imagine being in an uncomfortable situation void of all comforts for ever and ever and ever and ever.... unable to cease being conscious - for eternity.
Sounds exactly how my life was as a JW.
there are literally about thirty young single very good looking sisters in this one kingdom hall under the age of 30. that is just one kingdom hall.
in the circuit there are literally hundreds of young beautiful jw girls under 30 who are single and anxious to get married.
about two years ago, this one single good looking brother who is about 30 years old and who is an elder married this plain looking sister who is 59 years old.
the bible has ample evidence of god communicating with humans during the first 4 centuries.. since jesus time ,god has not communicated with humans at all .,in the same way as he did in the first 4 centuries .. in fact jesus has not communicated with humans in the same way as jehovah did for the first 4000 years., during his 2000 years to this date , .
does not the bible say , god does not change , he is the same today as he was yesterday and will be tomorrow ?.
so why was god communicating with humans on a regular basis , one way or another for 4000 years and then , neither jehovah or his son jesus christ ever directly contacted humans ?.
Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes, that he would instruct born again believers into all the ways of truth.
Any proof to back up that that has happened yet?
(crickets chirping)
Guess not...
Many would like to believe that a loving creator cares about them. They wait for their "road to Damascus" moment, but it never comes.
there are literally about thirty young single very good looking sisters in this one kingdom hall under the age of 30. that is just one kingdom hall.
in the circuit there are literally hundreds of young beautiful jw girls under 30 who are single and anxious to get married.
about two years ago, this one single good looking brother who is about 30 years old and who is an elder married this plain looking sister who is 59 years old.
warning, novel ahead:.
after a few months of lurking on this site, i've decided to take the plunge...i don't really care so much about introducing myself, but somehow there is some relief in the thought of getting my little story out there, just getting it out of my system.
i am the oldest of 5 kids.
I really enjoyed your life story. life throws a lot of lemons at us, but it seems you are making lemonade with them! I respect you for trying to preserve your faith. Just remember that you don't need fleshly humans to dictate how you choose to worship your deity. It's so funny how fleshy men, who can't see or know any more than you can, try to hijack one's faith and chain them to a human organization.
"Ask yourself now, Did Christ Jesus, who set our example and told us to follow his example to gain life, join any church organization in his day? No, God does not require us to do that, but he requires us to worship him... We have the Bible to show us the right way. Certainly it is not necessary for a person to become a member of a church to gain everlasting life." Watchtower 1953 Mar 1 p.143
It seems "mother" Watchtower knows it, too.
the children of one of yesterday's shooting have told the media that they have already forgiven the killer for what he did.. dylaan roof has not apologised for what he did.
he hates black people and probably regrets not killing even more.. what does it really mean to forgive?.
if the legal system asked the victims relatives what they want done next would they ask for dylaan to go free and unpunished?.
I really like this thread. It has caused me to pause and think about what forgiveness really is and what it entails. I thought I knew, but now I'm not so sure. There is nothing I can say that others on this thread haven't so eloquently already written.
To forgive (stop dwelling on the offense and stop holding it against the one who committed the wrong) is to reaffirm good will to a person with a contrite heart who acknowledges his mistake and expresses regret. Any other kind of "forgiveness seems vacuous (new word for me) and lacks real feeling.
Seems to me that JW forgiveness is like getting beaten by a parent in scenario #2 and #3 where the parent looks forward to administering the punishment.
I'll give an example of religious forgiveness. The wife and I while dating, got a bit too intimate (nothing past 2nd base). I confessed to the elders and we had a kind of JC. We were contritely sorry and ashamed of our lack of chastity. The elders gave us private reproof and said we were forgiven. They then proceeded to say that since we were no longer exemplary, we could no longer use the hall for our wedding. It ended up hurting us financially to pay for a wordly wedding hall. Did they really forgive us? I don't think so. Like you said, it was just vacuous rhetoric which is mostly what religious "forgiveness" is. A pious, conditional, coerced forgiveness that has very little to no substance when examined deeply.
original text http://ameblo.jp/minus-driver/entry-12043910833.htmlposted on june 28 2015on a kingdom hall in eastern part of osaka japan ederly members of the congregation have been able to use elevators to go up to the kingdom hall.recently they are all denied to use the elevators and directed to use the stairs.elerly people have difficulty to go upstairson their own .nobody help them.. eders and ministerialservants of the congregation do not help those elderly members.congregation have no money to pay the electricity billof the elevators.those rank and files who truly trusted the org.
are deeplyconcerned about the future..
Hajimemashite Nakanoji san. Kono foramu e yokoso oide kudasaimashita!
I've never heard of that problem in the area where I live. In my area, the witnesses here are very kind and helpful to the elderly. I have been to many different halls and I have never seen an elderly person left alone to tackle difficult stairs. In fact, witness volunteers are assigned on monthly rosters to take care of the elderly ones needs here.
I guess I'll have to check out the local hall here in Sapporo to see if the elevator works!
Sounds like a problem indigenous to Osaka. Osaka people are well-known for not having any patience and trying to pinch every dime and milk every penny (yen) that they can get their hands on.
I've got a long list of complaints, but their treatment of the elderly here isn't one of them.
the children of one of yesterday's shooting have told the media that they have already forgiven the killer for what he did.. dylaan roof has not apologised for what he did.
he hates black people and probably regrets not killing even more.. what does it really mean to forgive?.
if the legal system asked the victims relatives what they want done next would they ask for dylaan to go free and unpunished?.
I'll think about it. Off to work...
