Posts by JamesThomas

35

What would be the Ideal Church for you?

by AK - Jeff in

i mean - what kind of doctrine would they teach - what sort of social programs would they support - how big?

how small?

preacherman or preacherwoman?

JamesThomas

I find the ocean cost, mountains, or just being here on the little farm, works quite fine. There is nothing a minister or building can give me.

j

41

Fair minded person with a fair point of view

by keo15929 in

i have been one of jehovah's witnesses for about 9 years before i became inactive.

i just had some comments i'd like to make.. i think the reason why i'm inactive now is because i've come to a point in my life where i feel obligated to admit that i just don't know.

at one time i was as fiery and zealous of a witness as anyone could be but i had this nagging feeling that i really didn't know what i was talking about when i was witnessing to people.

JamesThomas

Welcome, Keo.

That was a pretty good first post. Glad you joined us.

Perhaps the Bible is the main reason for all the confusion and animosity. No two people perceive it exactly the same, and so it divides people and motivates much self righteousness and hatred. As you keep examining things and allowing yourself to see -- what perhaps before was too frightening -- you may grow beyond the need of ancient tribal mumblings and deities to find your way.

I have found that just being present with life and nature, can expose much innate wisdom. Really being with an animal, tree, or just the vibrant sense of existence itself can teach us more about the actuality of divinity than religious beliefs and concepts ever could.

j

27

So Confused

by RPT in

jw
friends

where to begin ?

i am not a jw or of any other faith but i have recently been involved with a jw.

JamesThomas

She keeps asking me to convince her that its not the truth but because I dont know enough about it

Welcome, RPT.

If she is of a mind that does not see any problem with accrediting a tiny tribal deity for the infinite expression of life and universe, and you are of that same mind, then there is little to work with.

Perhaps if you stepped back and deeply and silently observed and contemplated, you would find some inner guidance which could help you both. We all possess much innate wisdom.

j

17

20 WAYS TO BE A GOOD LIBERAL

by hillbilly in

jw
friends

as found elsewere on the net.....

20 ways to be a good liberal.

1. you have to be against capital punishment, but.

JamesThomas

I left my tomb of religious identity only to fall into the grave of political definitions. Perhaps my great travels are to nowhere.

j

8

Peace and Security to follow some day

by Sherwood in

1 thessalonians 5:1-11 .

5 now as for the times and the seasons, brothers, you need nothing to be written to you.

2 for you yourselves know quite well that jehovahs day is coming exactly as a thief in the night.

JamesThomas

Behold Serwood, the "spiritual blessed one", whose beauty and power is so great that we are all "distraught" as to not be like this great "spiritual minded" one.

Sherwood, you're so full of yourself, you wouldn't know spiritual if it bit you on the nipple.

j

48

Why is truth is so hard to find in Bible

by The Dragon in

i have been studing it for years looking for answers....yet for every answer i find there is a counter to it.

the words themselves are twisted by leaders/teachers to fit their personal opinions and adgendas, as well as twisted by trying to rely on our own reasoning to understand them.. a good example would be the way our current system of laws work.. if the supreme court writes a law into the book..say for example.."evil" is anyone who does this....... it is then turned over to a bunch of undereducated enforcers to interpert and judge others they feel are "evil".

they are allowed to accuse and shoot first asking questions later.

JamesThomas

Poppers,

Your above explanation is truly beautiful. A very open and clear narration.

j

48

Why is truth is so hard to find in Bible

by The Dragon in

i have been studing it for years looking for answers....yet for every answer i find there is a counter to it.

the words themselves are twisted by leaders/teachers to fit their personal opinions and adgendas, as well as twisted by trying to rely on our own reasoning to understand them.. a good example would be the way our current system of laws work.. if the supreme court writes a law into the book..say for example.."evil" is anyone who does this....... it is then turned over to a bunch of undereducated enforcers to interpert and judge others they feel are "evil".

they are allowed to accuse and shoot first asking questions later.

JamesThomas

Welcome, Dragon.

As has already been pointed out, you seem to be heading in the right direction. Recognizing what is false, prepares us for seeing what is true.

It would make sense, would it not, to look for truth within what we already undeniably know to be true? Every-ones personal viewpoints are to varying degrees different. However, we all experience a sense of conscious awareness/existence.

Everything phenomenally experienced may not be true; everything read and believed may be a lie; it may all be a dream; but the silent witnessing consciousness which is aware, is real and true. Why not shift attention here within this vast genuine pool and see what can be found? How deep does the living-truth of consciousness go? Who/what, am I, really?

Don't need a Bible, or religion, or masters, or travel to some other place or time to discover what IS, already.

Be still, and know...

j

27

Too Dang HOT!!

by caligirl in

jw
friends

i just stepped out into my back yard and thought i was going to melt.

i was going to fill up the inflatable pool for my son, but by the time it gets filled up, the water will be about 90 and not worth the bother.

i'm sure that other california people can relate to this.

JamesThomas

I'm hosin off me nutsack as we speak

It was 48.88C (celsius) or 111F (fukking hot) here today, and a nutsuck hosin sounds goood. Do you do a natural chamois skin buff after that? Wouldn't want any water spots.....you never know who you'll meet.

41

The End is coming Pretty Soon, Folks

by Flowerpetal in

jw
friends

i have been inactive from jws since 2003. i don't post here very much -- do more reading than posting.

but i just had to tell y'all that i got a one-page tract this evening which is an invitation to attend the deliverance at hand convention.. yes...the end is coming pretty soon because never before in jw history has an invitation or tract been distributed to a city not designated a convention city.. the end is also coming pretty soon because i was told at the convention there will be a lot of talks about noah and what he faced.. in addition, the end is very near because later on this year there will be several announcements coming from the society.

wow!

JamesThomas

a middle finger ready for jehovah as he murders me.

I'm with you, IP. alt

j

14

When was Jesus Christ Created?

by renando_stimpy in

i was thinking about this today and was wondering what the wts has to say about such things ?.

isaiah 43:10 : ... before me no god was formed nor will there be one after me.... john 1:1 (nwt): ... the word was a god .... john 1:2 : ... he was with god in the beginning .... if no god would ever be formed before and no god would be formed after, when was jesus christ ( a mighty god - isa 9:6 ) formed ?

i think the bible makes itself quite clear regarding time, first and last, alpha and omega, beginning and end, before and after, morning and evening etc.. so i would think that saying god is not within a form of time albiet a different time to ours (days = years) wouldn't hold water when compared to the scriptures... rev 1:17 - ... do not be afraid.

JamesThomas

Welcome, Renando.

It is likely that no two peoples concepts of Jesus are the same, as Jesus is a name we label a grouping of beliefs and ideas (mental creations) passed down to us and then modified to fit personal needs and desires. So, perhaps a more pertinent question is: when did you create Jesus?

Then again, an even more relevant question may be: when did we create what is believed to be ourselves, the "me"?

This may at first sound weired; however, awareness can observe the mind continually weaving and creating a story of "self" which is generally unquestionably believed to be "self". .....but what is it that sees all this? Is it part of the story? How deep does this indescribable conscious vastness go? Who/what am I, really? What is true?

j