Posts by JamesThomas

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

37

Newbie!!!

by KCM in

jw
friends

i'm a newbie on here.

been away from the truth for nearly a year now and have just got my divorce from my violent ex who is stil serving in the congregation.

found things hard and still am, as the 'truth' is all i've ever known....so am on here for some well needed support, if thats ok?

JamesThomas

Welcome, KCM.

am on here for some well needed support, if thats ok?

It's not only OK, we would have hunted you down and tickled you until you had joined us.

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

TopHat:

You will have to wait and sit on it James. The miracle of LIFE itself tells me there is something exceptional out there, without reading the Bible.

So, you are saying that an infinite expression of life and universe does not give witness to a limited patriarchal deity as being our true Source?

j

27

Trevor: Meditation

by onacruse in

in one type of meditation the mind is able to be fully conscious without he intrusion of words, which lead to thoughts,.

trevor, i'm not trying to get on your ass here, but, please.... thoughts without words?

that is a fundamental epistemological impossibility...rather like farting without emitting gas.. or, perhaps, we're talking about a purely personal "mystical" experience, which cannot be put into (and did not spring from, nor finds any possible formulation within) words?

JamesThomas

Deliciously lucid observations, Poppers.

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

But who would I be without my tribal deity? Who would I be without his offspring -- my beloved Jesus?

Certainly you can not pull the rug of my entire reality and identity out from under me, offering me nothing in return, and expect me to applaud you.

j

7

Positive Thinking vs Positive Knowing

by What-A-Coincidence in

jw
friends

i got an interesting email that i wanted to share that deals with beliefs.

in this case it deals with financial success but it also applies to doctrinal beliefs.

example: witnesses are positive thinkers but not positive knowers (is that a word?

JamesThomas

WAC:

I got an interesting email that I wanted to share that deals with beliefs. In this case it deals with financial success but it also applies to doctrinal beliefs.

Beliefs run deep. V e r y d e e p.

Sit, and silently run through your mind everything believed about your self and all the beliefs regarding your relationship to the rest of the universe (it's unlikely one could seriously do this, unless you are a monk in a cave; but for now do the best time allows).

Does any of the noted beliefs, in any way, describe the silent conscious presence which sees all the beliefs (that which is most close and intimately you)? Can it be seen that everything ever thought and believed about "self", is not self?

So then, if you are not what has been believed for all these years, what are you -- really? and isn't it important to know since our relationship to everyone and everything is based on what we perceive our-self as being?

j