Posts by Bonsai

26

Buddhism Anyone?

by LaurenM in

so, i have recently been delving in buddhism and i must say it all makes sense!

like, the philosophies and ideas are what i've always believed but could never put a name to.

for example, they don't believe in god, they teach acceptance of all faiths, that peace can be achieved - not by changing other people - but by changing yourself, that everyone has goodness in themselves, that happiness can be gained internally (not externally as a gift from god), and that life is temporary so we should enjoy it!

Bonsai

I've seen a lot living for over a decade in a Buddhist country. There are some appealing aspects to it, but I have the same problem with it as I have with the JW religion - there is no verifiable proof that any of it is true. Also, here Buddhism equals big business. Any kind of religious service costs boat loads of money to have performed. It costs a small fortune to have priests pray over the deceased and perform the funeral rituals. Shrines require money to gain a wish or make a prayer for good health etc. If there is a true religion, money shouldn't be the force holding it together.

Of course, Buddhism in Japan is somewhat different from its Chinese cousin, or the Indian version. Like Christianity it has numerous sects and varieties.

47

Lurker - just joined

by Je.suis.oisif in

hi all, nothing to report just now.

wanted to add name to list of those awakening.

been lurking for nearly a year.

Bonsai

Greetings and salutations!

22

Who Really is ..... The Blood Washed Multitude (Great Crowd) ?

by Perry in

for jw's the issue has never been who the faithful and wise servant (f&ds) was.

that is just misdirection and sleight of hand.

it is plain from the context that this was obviously a rhetorical question meant for self introspection.

Bonsai

Maybe that blood washed multitude crowd consists of all those who murdered and were murdered in the name of the son and his father.. 5,000 years of blood, genocide, mayhem and human sacrifices make it a number too numerous to count. But who the hell cares right? So long as you get your piece of heaven.

41

What were you favorite book in the organization? I know what you're thinking...LOL!

by BashfulAshG in

what were *your favorite *books in the organization?.

out of all of those books, i liked "mankind's search for god.

" however, it appears to me that this book is incredibly obscure and no one recalls studying it during the old book study format.

Bonsai

Commentary of James.

It blew my mind when I found out that it was mainly researched and written by Ed Dunlap.

59

Introducing Myself

by Peony in

i've finally got round to joining the site (after over 2 years lurking!

i was born into jws, pioneered for 10 years (met my husband at pioneer school).

had health issues that saw me catapulted away from 'the centre of the cong' and wow what a different place that was!

Bonsai

Looking forward to discussing lots of topics with you on the forum. Welcome!

69

Why Me?

by John Aquila in

do you ever wonder why out of all the witnesses, you are the one that woke up?

i wonder many times why me.

i know many men and women that are much, much better persons than me; either they are much smarter, more humble, kinder, more successful, or just better persons all around.

Bonsai

Circumstances also play a large role in not only awakening, but taking it a step further and separating oneself from the high control group. Living in a foreign country gave me the chance to look at things from an outside perspective. Having some free time (not much to do socially out here) gave me a chance to do research.

Knowing that the majority of my family would still have a relationship with me even if I left gave me the courage to pursue my questions and doubts and act on them.

Many are so busy on the organizational hampster wheel that they don't have time to reflect on what they truly feel. Others are impossibly entangled socially with their family and their employment all being in the witness social structure.

1

Let your name be spanktified

by oppostate in

lol!

the subbing wt conductor just stumbled over the title of the wt study and said "let your name be spanktified.

let your name be spp... stank... sanctified".. all right, so everyone gets tongue tied at some point, if we don't use the words we read as part of our daily vocabulary.

Bonsai

LOL

Lots of Japanese people can't pronounce "spirit" so they end up saying "spit".

"Please pour your holy spit upon us so that we are guided by your spit in our daily life".

I'd start giggling during the prayer until my wife jabbed me in the side.

19

have you been moved by something you have read.

by Sabin in

i found this book by carmel reilly, it`s called dear god.

childrens letters to god from around the world.

i promise you that if you are having a bad day this book what ever your believes will lift your spirits.

Bonsai

Where the Red Fern Grows was one of the most moving books that I ever read as an adolescent. Life takes from us the things we love, but it gives to us new things that we come to love.

69

Why Me?

by John Aquila in

do you ever wonder why out of all the witnesses, you are the one that woke up?

i wonder many times why me.

i know many men and women that are much, much better persons than me; either they are much smarter, more humble, kinder, more successful, or just better persons all around.

Bonsai

Good points Caleb. Survivor's guilt plays all kinds of roles in us waking up. I always questioned myself, as a witness, why I had "the truth" and was in line for survival when there were others on this planet who were much nicer, kinder, smarter and all around better people than I. Yet 98% of those people were in line to be destroyed at Armageddon because they couldn't accept our teachings of the bible.

That bothered me to my core. Why should I survive and rebuilt a paradise over the corpses of better people, people MORE deserving of life than I was? I could never understand how witnesses could be so content to believe that this incoming genocide from heaven was just,right and rational. To me, this world is like the modern day Nineveh. The majority of humans on the planet (or actually all of them) do not know their right hand from their left in regards to what is supposed to be the ultimate spiritual truth.

I dont know if you felt the same way as a witness John, but I did. I asked, why me? as a witness and why me even now.

90

The Org is terrified of apostates

by SecretSlaveClass in

i knew apostasy was a serious concern for the org, but until i watched this video, i had no idea how afraid they actually were.

all this guy wants is to do is not turn in his fs hours and immediately they (elders) set about drilling him about who are what influenced his decision, as if he was incapable of making his own (which as the elders confirm, in the org is highly discouraged).

they are convinced he has been communicating with apostates or visiting apostate web sites.

Bonsai

Instruction of GIVING. Matthew 6:1-4....What we do, must be done from an inward principle, that we may be approved of God, not that we may be praised of men. In these verses we are cautioned against hypocrisy in giving alms, which would having nothing to do with reporting the field service.

You're right SimonSays. Giving alms is, at least, doing something. Going out in field service and also reporting your time is equal to giving nothing. It literally doesn't benefit people at all. JW's do nothing for anyone. Good point!