the latest trend seems to be that you can't go to any store without being asked for money.. no, not the money for the things you went in there to purchase, extra money for the store to donate to charity.. yes, that's right, the big-name stores, often making $millions in profits, ask you to give them extra money so that they can give it to charity and get some publicity about how awesome they are so that they'll look good to their customers, like, erm, you.. it seems to have ramped up more in the last year or so and frankly, it pisses me off.
if i want to donate to some cause, i'll give the money straight to them.
i hate that it puts people on the spot to guilt them into donating and imagine some people on a tight budget may give even when they can't really afford it.. often you don't know what the charities really are (it's vague like "to help children") or how the money will be spent or even how much will go on the people it's supposedly to help (charity is a multi $billion industry, some just exist to pay themselves).. so what to do?
Interesting observations Simon.
I am seeing more requests for donations at the electronic terminals. You swipe your card and it asks you if you want to make a donation to "whatever."
One always has the option to refuse. I also know that there are costs involved in doing this, namely the interchange fee that is charged to the Visa/Mastercard processor.
How much of the fee is used to cover admin costs I have no idea.
Truthseeker
most jws are familiar with the scripture at matthew 24:5: "for many will come in my name, saying, ‘i am the christ,’ and they will lead many astray.".
it is implied that people would come in jesus' name declaring that they were christ - but could there be another view on this scripture?
could this also mean that jesus said many would come in his name saying he is christ?.
Half banana,
Thanks very much for your comment and insights. I will have a look at those books you suggested.
now that we have stepped away from the jw faith, how do you feel about the bible itself?.
what about those awkward sections of scripture?
how did you rationalise or justify those sections?.
@Wake Me Up
That's hilarious! Wasn;t King Eglon one of the Rephaim?
my mother was not the most emotionally stable person.
she was a follower and instilled in me the idea we were better than those worldly people.
its hard to go to school as a child and you can not be friends outside of school, you can not celebrate any holidays, and you are told all these people are going to die.
Gawd yes.
Thirty years of misery.
I'm over it now but still get bitter sometimes.
looking back on my two decades as a jehovah’s witness, i’ve come to realize how the constant theme of endurance is playing a detrimental role on the individual's psyche.. jehovah’s witnesses have become far too good at keeping going.
they’re experts at surrendering to the demands of the watchtower, living up to what’s expected of them, and getting on with the priorities that those in power have defined and imposed upon them.
they keep showing up, presenting themselves a dutiful pioneer or ministerial servant.
@Wake Me Up,
Did you read my last post on that topic? I added an update.
what did you imagine jehovah to look like?
i always pictured him like this:.
.
It tells you right here at Exodus 24:9-11
"9 Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up 10 and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. 11 But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank."
looking back on my two decades as a jehovah’s witness, i’ve come to realize how the constant theme of endurance is playing a detrimental role on the individual's psyche.. jehovah’s witnesses have become far too good at keeping going.
they’re experts at surrendering to the demands of the watchtower, living up to what’s expected of them, and getting on with the priorities that those in power have defined and imposed upon them.
they keep showing up, presenting themselves a dutiful pioneer or ministerial servant.
I loved your post Wake Me Up. Very insightful and spot on.
Staying in a perpetual state of urgency, which is what Watchtower encourages, is extremely unhealthy and over the long term, unproductive.
It kills the human spirit as far as self development and spirituality goes.
JWs are encouraged to postpone their interest and hobbies until the New System. In the meantime they are on a hamster wheel of Kingdom activities.
Truthseeker
most jws are familiar with the scripture at matthew 24:5: "for many will come in my name, saying, ‘i am the christ,’ and they will lead many astray.".
it is implied that people would come in jesus' name declaring that they were christ - but could there be another view on this scripture?
could this also mean that jesus said many would come in his name saying he is christ?.
Thanks, I will look into this more. I know the guy who did the podcast said to double check what the Bible is really saying about Matthew 24:5.
Appreciate your feedback.
most jws are familiar with the scripture at matthew 24:5: "for many will come in my name, saying, ‘i am the christ,’ and they will lead many astray.".
it is implied that people would come in jesus' name declaring that they were christ - but could there be another view on this scripture?
could this also mean that jesus said many would come in his name saying he is christ?.
Yes, that's what I'm trying to say. But it's hard to explain because we're so used to hearing just one interpretation.
Jesus said this to his disciples before he was known as "the Christ."
Imagine you're one of his disciples. Jesus tells you "look guys, many will come in my name, saying I am the Christ"
"be there at 7:30" i'm told.
that's where the action is.. it's early saturday morning in passaic, nj.
it's january and i'm bloody freezing.. i'm standing on the street corner in my black trench coat getting ready to ply my wares.
I add more...
On one occasion (I did not personally witness this), during field service, some of the friends saw a man chase his wife down the street with an axe and kill her. This happened in 2008 in Passaic NJ. It shocked a lot of people being that it happened in broad daylight.
There's an article here...
https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/10/passaic_man_convicted_of_killi.html
