Posts by JamesThomas

85

Is Faith Dangerous? A Question for Believers...

by AllTimeJeff in

i hope this will be as respectful a debate as possible.

here is the premise: many of us (most) seem to be ex jw's on this board.

that means, whatever your motivation, for a time you bought into the theology of jw to one degree or another.

JamesThomas

[who accept a pardon for their crimes against their neighbors and God].

Perry, I'm not clear on what you are saying here; but it seems you are suggesting that there is something we must do in order to enter God's circle; and if so, I disagree.

Perhaps the difference in our sense of things is I see no possibility of being truly separate from what genuinely has no beginning and no end. Whereas the general Christian ides of a god is much less than infinite, and so there is the possibility that one can be separate from it and so there are hoops to jump through to get back home. The Christian god is just another object or thing somewhere within time and space. What I am attempting to point to, is what all gods, all time and space exist within. I accept no belittling or minimizing of the Divine whatsoever. Which is why I no-longer read the Bible, and why I do not accept any religion or belief system.

In this way it's about clearly seeing what is our actual and real truth and Identity right now, just beneath all which is believed and thought to be. Nothing external is required for such an investigation as it is about what is real and true already. It's about letting go of lesser ideas and beliefs of gods and deities, and seeing what is always, always infinitely vaster and so closer than close.

Is God less, or is God more?

j

12

Truth

by thebiggestlie in

i imagine part of the draw of the jws is the fact that they claim to have all the answers and the ultimate truth.

it's true they seen to on the outside provide many "answers" to many questions but now that i know these answers aren't the absolute truth that i once thought they were my mind is now open to a whole new world of ideas and theories and explanations.

assuming that logically there is only one absolute truth in the universe (that in itself is a huge assumption but bare with me) then it is easy to get tied down and overwelmed by the shear volume of differing info and ideas available to mankind.

JamesThomas

"what is truth"....

Is the thought or idea of a tree, a tree?

Anything the mind presents is not the reality you seek. Look into what sees all thought.

j

85

Is Faith Dangerous? A Question for Believers...

by AllTimeJeff in

i hope this will be as respectful a debate as possible.

here is the premise: many of us (most) seem to be ex jw's on this board.

that means, whatever your motivation, for a time you bought into the theology of jw to one degree or another.

JamesThomas

That is why for a Christian a "quiet and mild spirit is of great value in the eyes of the lord". Of course without the re-birth there is only a dead spirit within man with Sin as the governing principle of his intellect.

Here, is the danger. Sugar coated division of people into the chosen and the evil. The battle line is drawn, the enemy identified. Now all that is needed is a little schizophrenia, a tiny voice telling you to bomb the clinic so that you can gain even greater value in the eyes of your lord.

On the other hand: there is that which unites us one and all. That with no beginning and no end. To realize it is to know you are nothing of yourself, and have no greater value than anyone or anything else; you are one with all that IS. Of course this is coming from someone with Sin as the governing principle of his intellect.

j

51

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

by Amazing in

jw
friends

this is a touchy topic for some because of strong beliefs about god's nature.

many believe that the nt bible is a law book, designed to give us exacting instructions and formula on what to do and not to do.

on prayer to the holy ghost (holy spirit), the new advent says:.

JamesThomas

my method would be the babysteps

Yes, you fill the baby-step method position well; which leaves me -- i guess -- with the adult-running method.

I personally held on very tightly to my tiny -- but oh so precious -- mentally engraved god images. It was only when someone presented the radical understanding of the all-encompassing immediacy of the Divine that I began to lose the mental chains and concepts which bound me. I could have all too easily baby-stepped my way to the grave. So, for me the only right time to point to the infinite and present nature of our Source, is now.

j

51

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

by Amazing in

jw
friends

this is a touchy topic for some because of strong beliefs about god's nature.

many believe that the nt bible is a law book, designed to give us exacting instructions and formula on what to do and not to do.

on prayer to the holy ghost (holy spirit), the new advent says:.

JamesThomas

Ross, since you imply our messages are basically the same, why is it that when I speak of a truly unlimited and infinite God, it is most often those who boldly label themselves as "God Loving" that ignore or are offended by such posts? Why is it that generally the more scriptures a person quotes, the less likely they are interested in hearing of what truly has no beginning and no end?

j

51

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

by Amazing in

jw
friends

this is a touchy topic for some because of strong beliefs about god's nature.

many believe that the nt bible is a law book, designed to give us exacting instructions and formula on what to do and not to do.

on prayer to the holy ghost (holy spirit), the new advent says:.

JamesThomas

Ross:

James:
Its one thing living in God, but the rational mind also likes to be able to explain it somewhat to others. You are no different. You still try to point to something that is bigger than ourselves by using words. At best we can describe something huge and all encompassing and say that its bigger than that...

Actually if there were no words in my posts they would be closer to the mark.....and so beautifully Zen. It's just that one of my pet peeves is how tenaciously the mind wants to reduce and define God as if it is just another thing or personage (or three personages), just another piece or fragment of existence which moves about through time and space. This type of language most always reinforces the sense that we are separate from the Divine, and so we need to do something in order to enter it's little circle, appease it somehow or motivate it to save us and come to us. This causes a great deal of suffering in the world and divides us into the godly and the ungodly. It's all BS. What does all time and space exist within??? What is the truth of being and existence at every ones and everything core right now???

On the other-hand I feebly -- and all too often sounding like a arrogant ass -- attempt to point to what is truly without beginning and end, and so then the actual reality of our foundational BEING and real Identity here and now. It's not about appeasing or moving towards anything apart from us. It's about seeing what IS -- ALREADY.

If others also fumbled around trying to point to a truly INFINITE Source, rather than a somehow circumscribable, confusing and conditional one, I probably wouldn't feel a need to step in and mess up their threads.

That said, in the end, what anyone of us says or don't say, doesnt matter.

j

16

Can't stop hating....

by ex-nj-jw in

my parents became jw's in the early 60's just before i was born.

i was raised as a jw but hated everything about it from a very early age.

going door to door was the worst growing up.

JamesThomas

Welcome, ex-nj-jw.

I can't get rid of the deep seated hatred I feel for this cult and its teachings!!! It's been 24 years, you think I'd be over it already!!! Anyone here feel the same?? How do I move on??

I suggest you sit silently, and nonjudgementally meet with the hatred.

Clearly see that it is just old thoughts and connected emotions; and more importantly clearly see that which is meeting with the hatred is not hatred; not in turmoil.

Now you have the power to consciously decide what you will do. Continue to feed the hatred, or bid it good day and move on.

If you decide to let go of it and move on, it may show its face again. Not a problem. Nonjudgementally sit with it again as if it was a hurting child. Be kind. In this way hatred becomes a teacher showing you the dynamics of the mind and body. You begin to see more clearly what you truly are, and are not.

j

85

Is Faith Dangerous? A Question for Believers...

by AllTimeJeff in

i hope this will be as respectful a debate as possible.

here is the premise: many of us (most) seem to be ex jw's on this board.

that means, whatever your motivation, for a time you bought into the theology of jw to one degree or another.

JamesThomas

If we worship as the "most high" an image of a god which kills, then the highest morals set before us are extremely low and very dangerous. It's a small step for us to kill in the name of our ruthless little deity.

j

15

Went to Church this Morning

by Undecided in

jw
friends

my wife and grandaughter went to church with me this morning.

i really would like to believe in god and christ but it all comes from the bible and the first scripture that was referred to was a contridiction.. 1 sam.

15:29 says,"he will not feel regrets, for he is not an earthling man so as to feel regrets.".

JamesThomas

I just don't know what to think of life and God.

Take the hint, and stop thinking about life and God.

A time comes when wisdom arises and sees all thoughts about God and Life, are void of the reality of God and Life.

Stop thinking about what is ultimately significant, and just be with Life, right here, right now, in the only real expression of Life there ever is.

You now know that thoughts and beliefs are not the way. So, what's left?

Think only when necessary. The mind is a tool only. The rest of the time SILENTLY be present and really feel what it is to be alive. Feel the air as it passes through the nose. Feel the chest expand and contract with each breath. Feel and be present with LIFE; with REALITY.....and see what beauty arises.

Sit and silently watch the mind. Clearly see that all thoughts and their connected emotions are only passing clouds upon the unmoving still pool of Consciousness which is the most close, immediate and intimate of what you truly are. Look deep into this pool of pristine purity and realize what you really are....what all truly IS.

You are not anything which is believed to be. Genuinely know thyself; and you will have found what you seek. It's that close.

j

19

Why I must be Agnostic and not Atheist.

by OnTheWayOut in

jw
friends

the wts has this nice little explanation for everything.

how can man be .

only six thousand years old, how could a global flood have actually taken.

JamesThomas

I believe in the strength of knowledge and understanding.

Not a problem. However, without knowing yourself first, without differentiating between what is REAL and what is not, within you, how can there be any genuine knowledge and understanding?

j