Posts by JamesThomas

95

First & Last, One-time post

by journey-on in

jw
friends

i have been lurking for quite some time now on jwd.

my story is pretty much just like everyone else's, "only the names have been changed".

in reading your posts, i have both laughed and cried till tears ran down my cheeks.

JamesThomas

the path of healing

If we really want to heal from the wounds of past lies, we have to be radically honest.

You're angry at your sister for her self-righteous judgment and shunning of you. How is being like her -- with your letter full of self-righteous judgments -- healing the wounds? The Christians here will support you and applaud your anger; because too often, when we identify with tribal beliefs, it's not about healing for us, so much as reinforcing our beliefs that we are more righteous than JWs; just like JWs think they are more righteous and closer to God than us. No one is closer or farther away from what truly has no beginning and no end.

Healing begins when we honestly see that we are drowning in the same old story, and we see we are really no better than others. It is painful to examine ourselves with stark naked honesty. Yet, truth is discovered by self examination, and not by condemning and judging others. Again, I suggest seeking what unites us one and all, rather than what divides us; and I recommend looking deeper within yourself rather than in an old book.

Good luck to you.

j

19

Isn't it amazing ... how many Christians chose to ignore the OT...?

by needproof in

i read this funny article about the god of the old testament, and i thought how amazing it was that some christians seemingly chose to ignore this brutal god of war, yahweh, as though in the nt, he suddenly had a change of heart.

the deity is clearly a maniac with a bloodthirst.

here is the article: .

JamesThomas

No, it's not at all amazing.

If we derive our identity and understanding of "reality" out of a book, it makes sense to affirm the pretty parts and ignore the icky ones.

j

95

First & Last, One-time post

by journey-on in

jw
friends

i have been lurking for quite some time now on jwd.

my story is pretty much just like everyone else's, "only the names have been changed".

in reading your posts, i have both laughed and cried till tears ran down my cheeks.

JamesThomas

Like most every Christian I know, you have merely changed the pictures on your prison cell walls, and think that you are free.

Your letter is pregnant with self righteous gilt tripping. You think you somehow now know the "truth" of God, which gives you the right to ream others a new one.

I suggest you get your mind out of the harmful and divisive ego-inflating nature of the Bible and Christianity, and attempt to see what truly unites you with your sister and all mankind.

Welcome to the forum.

j

21

Deep thoughts: Is Jehovah omnipotent?

by Paralipomenon in

jehovah is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient.

he is the god of gods and all powerful.

this is a fairly accepted teaching and one that no active witness would argue with.

JamesThomas

But is he omnipresent? Is God everywhere, or is he a person with a specific dwelling place?

Certainly if we get our little god out of a book -- it is nothing but a tiny shard of existence that dwells between our ears. "God", is only a word that the mind uses to define, limit and circumscribe the divine to some tiny thing that it can be owned and embraced like a toy doll.

What has no beginning and no end is not a god. It is Reality. That, which everything exists within. Let go of all gods and Divinity has no boundary or edge.

j

21

Deep thoughts: Is Jehovah omnipotent?

by Paralipomenon in

jehovah is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient.

he is the god of gods and all powerful.

this is a fairly accepted teaching and one that no active witness would argue with.

JamesThomas

Is he REALLY all powerful or is he limited. I don't think we will get an answer to that.

The answer stares us in the face.

Seriously, does the infinite and wondrous expression of life and universe give witness to the limited and erratic tribal-deity found within the pages of the Bible as being it's Source!?

j

34

Mental condition of Jehovah's Witnesses, healthy or not ?

by Handsome Dan in

i thought i'd open a discussion on the mental health condition of most practicing jws.

and get viewpoints on what kinds of mental health effects the wts.

may have for most of the people that are practicing witnesses.

JamesThomas

abr:

Why stop here, why don't we put bold warning stickers on our posts?
Respectfully
abr

I understand how when we come to identify with our beliefs we are easily offended when they are not supported by others; however, it's not respectful or necessary to jump to the conclusions you stated.

Funny thing is, is that I probably view you much higher than you view yourself. Be at peace, abr. I'm not attacking you; but rather revealing what I honestly feel are harmful beliefs. You, are not your beliefs.

j

34

Mental condition of Jehovah's Witnesses, healthy or not ?

by Handsome Dan in

i thought i'd open a discussion on the mental health condition of most practicing jws.

and get viewpoints on what kinds of mental health effects the wts.

may have for most of the people that are practicing witnesses.

JamesThomas

Who are we to judge?

Whenever we substitute the actual presence of reality with conceptual words and thoughts from a book or belief system, we have become delusional. This is certainly not just a JW problem, as they are just a branch on the tree of Christian make-believe.

Fantasy can be healthy and fun when we see and know it for what it is; however, generally, most of us, and especially the most religious of us, have eyes but can not see or differentiate between what is real and what is myth.

It's kind of a catch-22. The more blind we are to the silent, bottomless depths of the real and present moment of reality, the more we rely upon and give credence to the confines of fantasy: in this case tribal stories and deities. We die, never knowing what it is to be alive and truly present with what IS.

We put bold warning stickers on cigarettes, we should do the same with every Bible.

j

15

HEARSAY....RUMOR...FABLE...LIES....or..INERRANT WORD OF GOD???

by Terry in

jw
friends

i was almost 50 years old before i really knew anything factual about how the bible came into existence!.

it is astounding.. i was reading it since i was a child never with a doubt in my head.

i was told by people i trusted (who had no reason to lie) that i could be confident the bible was the word of god almighty.. and, it was as simple as that!.

JamesThomas

no need to twist my words to fit your belief please

I have no belief system. I only ask a question. No offence meant. We are likely on the same track, just not communicating. My bad.

j

23

A Big Miracle - God is Love

by David ben Jesse in

a big miracle

i composed an instrumental song "god is love" and sent it as an mp3-file via email to a christian music publisher.

every time the song was cut in half, the rest was missing.

JamesThomas

Well, Ralf, I guess that qualifies you to call yourself a Jehovah's Witness as much or more than the next guy.

Can you tell me how big is this circle?

j

50

Loosing Moms We Never Had

by Sparkplug in

when my mom first came to live with me, i begrudged it.

i was angry.

i left home at age 14 and that was fine by me.

JamesThomas

Dear Sparky,

The universe is huge, and expresses endlessly. What we call "our lives" is also the universe unfolding. Things are as they are. Carry no guilt or remorse fore what you have done or did not do. Or what others have done, or have not done. It is as it is. The universe unfolding.

Be silently present in the moment, and do not abide too much or too long in the drama, judgments and chatter of the mind. Be kind to yourself and feel what it is to be alive, breathing, and just silently be-ing.

If it becomes too painful, then that is natures way of saying it's time to change. Your mother may have to be placed in a home. Again, you have done the best you can, and the universe unfolds. Not so much because of our efforts, as for harmony in a hugeness we are mostly unaware of. It is as it is. Be at peace with yourself. Be kind to yourself. You are always doing the best that you can. If you could have done something different you would have. Same goes for your dear old mother.

j