On a scale of 1 to 10?
I'd have to say a zero.
in reality, they are pretty insignificant..
On a scale of 1 to 10?
I'd have to say a zero.
i must admit i can at times be a little "egotistical" when it comes to knowledge and the bible.
i have studied the bible for so long and have always had a passion for the bible as a jw and as an ex-jw.
i guess that is all i have left when it comes to religion and as humans we do tend to stroke our egos.
Excuse my spelling.. wine and posting don't mix.
i must admit i can at times be a little "egotistical" when it comes to knowledge and the bible.
i have studied the bible for so long and have always had a passion for the bible as a jw and as an ex-jw.
i guess that is all i have left when it comes to religion and as humans we do tend to stroke our egos.
@ suavojr
I'm actaully tyign to see it outside of my mind for a change.
None of use can reall answer as none of us were there. We don't know do we.
But it does remind me of when I read for the first time in the Bible how the Israelites went into cities and were told to completely wipe out all the inhabitants. Men, women and children. I thought that to be extraordinarilt cruel. Untill later is was dosciovered what the inhabitannts of these cities were up to, human sacrifice, child sacrificce, bestaility, canibalism, hard core demon and spirit activities.
I'm trying not to be so quick to judge these days.. and that includes judging God of which I have no right.
One can never be sure any more..
i must admit i can at times be a little "egotistical" when it comes to knowledge and the bible.
i have studied the bible for so long and have always had a passion for the bible as a jw and as an ex-jw.
i guess that is all i have left when it comes to religion and as humans we do tend to stroke our egos.
Here's a possible view:
I heard a story that the human genetic line had become impure and corrupted due to the inbreeding with demonic entities and that these 'pure innocent babies' were in fact not so pure at all but just younger versions of the genetically corrupted men/creatures/beings he was destroying.
It seems that God was not even dealing with normal humans any more but something else that had become genetically altered.
Mankind’s depravity had reached a level that evil entirely permeated every part of his being. His wickedness was great- that is, his actions were wicked. Every imagination was evil - his mind was wholly corrupted. Every thought of his heart – his will, his desires, his emotions, his passions, had all become so sin stained that there remained nothing within them that was not evil. These people upon whom God poured out the Flood were not merely dabbling in sin here and there, everything that they were doing was an horrific abomination!
“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” (Genesis 6:11-13)
The Earth was corrupted and filled with violence! There is a linguistic device employed in Hebrew that we see throughout the Old Testament, and that is emphasis through repetition. Whenever a word or phrased is used repetitively, it indicates a stronger or greater degree of the expression. The evil depths that the people who lived before the Flood had sunk to is strongly emphasized and amplified here in verses 5, and 11-13.
In considering why God sent the Flood, we must first realize that those living upon the Earth were completely and utterly wicked beyond the hope of changing. There were no innocent bystanders caught up in the Flood.
“If you had the opportunity to go back in time and kill Adolph Hitler before he became Chancellor of Germany, would you do it?”
God knows exactly what the world would have been like in 1940 if Hitler had not survived to become Chancellor of Germany. If we knew what God knows, if we had all of the facts as He does, would we find fault with God if He had chosen to end the life of Adolph Hitler in 1920? I don’t think anyone would dispute that. Would it, however, become more objectionable if God chose to end His life, say, when he was 20? 15? 10? Remember, we KNOW beyond any doubt the terrible evil that Hitler will commit if he is permitted to survive until he takes control of Germany, so when exactly would be an acceptable time in his life for judgment to come?
So if:
“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. "
Then there is no such thing as an innocent baby.
I guess when you want to terminate vermin like roaches you have to make sure you exterminate all the young and eggs as well.
i am inactive for about 10 years now..
Walked out of last meeting a year and a half ago... had one elders visit in that time where I just closed the door in their faces. Not disfellowshipped, not dissassociated, not inactive. I guess I'm just 'NOT'.
People from there still say a warm hello to me in the street, I'm fine with this arrangment whatever it is. They make no negative imapct on my life what so ever and I don't write my expose on them. Seems a good deal to me.
i occasionally pop through here to catch up on the latest, but this time i'm going to pop my own post on here.. some of you internet oldsters may even remember this.
my first experience on the internet regarding discussions about jehovah's witnesses and the watchtower took place on a now-obscure usenet group, before i eventually stumbled across hourglass2.. during those days, there was a poster who went by the name "prominent bethelite," an otherwise anonymous individual whom i remember most for an extensive, exhaustive compilation of date-oriented remarks, predictions, and expectations by the watchtower organization down through the decades of its history.. it became known as "the list" and it's definitely lengthy... but a fascination look at the abundance of errant statements made through the watchtower's history.. if you're curious, it's been available for a long time on hourglass2's site, and can be seen using the link provided below.. the list, compiled by prominent bethelite (1999).
that's about it for this stop through here.
What an encredible resource! Copied the entire thing. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Anyone manage to get the Key to Publications link to work? I'm getting this error
----------------------
The requested URL /historical/the-list/list7_key.htm was not found on this server.
Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.
when you were a devout jw.
did you feel that you had an actual "relationship" with jehovah/god just from praying to him and reading the wt or bible?.
or that this was actually even possible deep down?.
Dis-Member, many people have had personal relationships with God. The Bible is full of them, so it is possible.
As for that 'gooey' feeling, you need to read the book of Psalms, where MEN, especially David, expressed their deep love for God.
The Bible says a lot of things about alot of stuff that apparently happened thousands and thousands of years ago and not a single word of it can be proven.
I live now, not back then. I have never met anyone that can describe their relationship with God with any real clarity or realism.
As I already said.. I don't doubt for a second that person can think that they can obey God, live for God, worship God.. yes even love God.. that's not really the queston here is it? The question is "can anyone have a real relationship with God"..
Unless you want to redefine what the whole meaning of the word 'relationship' is then I'd say the answer is still a probable no.
Sorry but I have never really taken to David. That business with Uriah and that chick ruined it all for me.
Seems strange also that God makes friends with killers (Moses), mass murderers (David), adulterers (David again), fornicators (David, Solomon) worhisppers of false Gods (Solomon and others), butchers of Christians (Saul) etc etc.. but the elders tell you can destroy your relationship completely and utterly if you have a fag or go to the YMCA or read this website..
Forgive me but this all sounds like complete and utter delusional madness.
can anyone recommended any good congregations to visit?
my hotel is in waterloo area so something close please.
anyone else here from london?.
when you were a devout jw.
did you feel that you had an actual "relationship" with jehovah/god just from praying to him and reading the wt or bible?.
or that this was actually even possible deep down?.
A Watcher:
Dis-Member, if you are referring to me, I must say that Iriddle80 said it quite well: "Now that I am interested in a relationship with Him, I see Him all over my life."
It's difficult to explain one's personal relationship with Jehovah. It's like being in love. I talk to Him in prayers, He answers me with actions.
I was not particularly referring to anyone really except the elders I mentioned. But now that you have volunteered.
"Now that I am interested in a relationship with Him, I see Him all over my life."
Does this mean by that that none of us here were ever interested in a relationship with God? Are you saying I sincerely prayed for over 35 years for nothing?
You have not really explained or described your relationship either.. all you did was quote another persons sentence about having a gooey feeling in their tummy and how they now see him 'all over their life'.
Millions are starving and dying all over the world and God has seemingly no interest in any of them but God is 'all over' her life? She must be real special.
It's difficult to explain one's personal relationship with Jehovah. It's like being in love.
No disrespect but that sure sounds like more vague and nebulous gooey mush to me.
I don't doubt that one can have faith, and belief.. and hope, yes all those are easy. Even seeking God is quite realistic and doable. But a personal relationship?