Posts by barbar

23

If you had the choice ,when you became a jw,,,,,,,

by kls in

would you have been better off being born in to it or have been better off being recruited as an adult .

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what are the pros and cons of both.

barbar

This is very difficult to answer because none of us can anser authoritively from both sides.

But I was bought up as a JW from a very young age,neverknew anything else. My brother always thought that he missed out on birthdays etc, I never did. I tried to be a good JW but when I left it took me along time to come to terms with much of it. I believe that mentally and emotionally we have missed out on so much that we are affected for life.

Why do we all post on this site? Is it not therapy? Are we not all affected and seeking comfort from others who have suffered in the same way, whether we were born into it or came in as adults.

32

Comments You Will Not Hear at the 5-23-04 WT Study (4-15-04)

by blondie in

comments you will not hear at the 5-23-04 (week of 5-17 to 5-23-2004) wt study (4-15-04)

paragraphs 1-2. being made in god?s image, humans have the capacity to reflect godly attributes.. there was a time that the wts used to say "man" was created in god?s image.

" man was created first and for some time was alone, being in god?s image by himself.

barbar

Blondie

As usual your comments make real sense. The point you made about the article suggesting that JWs show kindness, but don't expect them to be showing kindness to us was exactly right.

I also noticed you type the dates in American yet you are based in Cornwall, England. I was intrigued by this.

Barbar

15

Does the jelly mould theory hold water?

by barbar in

i recall the idea that just like a jelly mould that has a dent all of the jellies will also be dented.

therefore just as adam was imperfect we to would have the imperfection.. if a cook makes a faulty jelly, is it the jelly that would be blamed?

no, it is the cook for using sub-standard tools or materials.. the same is true with adam, the faulty materials should have been replaced immediately, it is no good blaming the offspring of adam and making them pay for his faults.. i never could understand the suggestion that we had to pay for adams sin.

barbar

I recall the idea that just like a jelly mould that has a dent all of the jellies will also be dented. Therefore just as Adam was imperfect we to would have the imperfection.

If a cook makes a Faulty Jelly, is it the jelly that would be blamed? No, it is the Cook for using sub-standard tools or materials.

The same is true with Adam, the faulty materials should have been replaced immediately, it is no good blaming the offspring of Adam and making them pay for his faults.

I never could understand the suggestion that we had to pay for Adams sin.

21

Nephalim

by barbar in

for many years i have wondered about the nephalim, sorry if this is a previously asked question.. i don't undertsand how the angels could have got women pregnant.

surely they did not have any inherent capabilities of producing life.. it seems to me that only a creator would have that ability.

so how did the angels get the women pregnant?.

barbar

For many years I have wondered about the Nephalim, sorry if this is a previously asked question.

I don't undertsand how the angels could have got women pregnant. Surely they did not have any inherent capabilities of producing life.

It seems to me that only a creator would have that ability. So how did the angels get the women pregnant?

Any thoughts?

14

"Comments You Will Not Hear at the 2/15/04 WT Study" by Blondie

by Gopher in

in blondie's absence this week, i am posting the comments she sent me for the week's watchtower study.

since the article is mainly a statistical recap of jw statistics for 2003 (and basically the wts patting themselves on the back), this post is shorter than blondie's usual commentary.

comments you will not hear at the 2-15-04 wt study

barbar

Gopher

I am not sure how to highlight quotes from other posts so I have pasted your comments

I thought it was a nice catch on the Society's "lie, damn lie and statistic" that the article said Japan had a "peak" publisher count in 2003, when actually they peaked 5 years previously. Of course, the WTS needs to create the impression that they're still growing and have Jehoober's favor.

I think by PEAK, they mean the maximum that year, not the highest peak ever, si I don't think it was a lie.

But I do find the whole concept of the statistics and the "society" strange. I have not seen the annual report for 5 years, but wondered whether the number of memorial partakers is still falling very slowly, they almost seem invincible.

Barbar

35

did you ever miss the memorial?

by freelife in

did any of you ever miss the memorial while you were in?

i missed 2 of them.

once i had a very serious staff infection in my leg and i could not wear any pants or shorts because it ran all the way up my thigh.

barbar

Yes I once missed it. It was about 14 years ago and my son was in hospital, I left the hospital to make my way to the KH that was about 10 minutes walk from the hospital. I had asked a nurse where it was but couldn't find it, so I then asked a cab driver where the KH was. His directions sounded OK, but I walked over an hour in all directions and never found the hall.

As I was a good JW I desperately did not want to miss the memorial and was really praying for the whole time that I would find the hall. The fact that I never made it depsite trying my hardest and praying for direction really shook my faith and was one of thre reasons I ended up leaving. I realised that God did not answer prayers (or he was not there) even when what we were trying to do was serve him.

12

Resurrection

by barbar in

if a person is resurrected, are they really the same person?.

it is a bit difficult to explain this, but are they not a copy of the original person (all of the cells are new) with just the memory etc reinstalled?.

it seems to me that even if resurrection were real then it would not be the actual person who was resurrected but an image of them who thought, acted and remembered the same as the original.

barbar

If a person is resurrected, are they really the same person?

It is a bit difficult to explain this, but are they not a copy of the original person (all of the cells are new) with just the memory etc reinstalled?

It seems to me that even if resurrection were real then it would not be the actual person who was resurrected but an image of them who thought, acted and remembered the same as the original. In which case it is not really resurrection.

38

Have you ever honestly had Jehovah ansure your prayer?

by Singing Man in

yes have you ever honestly, had jehovah ansure your prayer in a way that told you it was from him and not some trick of a wanting heart?

barbar

I once thought he did when I found a 5 pound note just before an assembly. That money helped me to attend. But in reality he never answered me when I prayed for help for 15 years because I was stuggling with my faith.

To reinforce the fact that prayers are not answered I recall an experience at a convention. A sister said that she wanted to pioneer and that Jehovah answered her prayers when her employer made her redundant. As it happened she worked for British Telecom and at that time 1000's of people where made redundant. I wonder how many were witnesses how relied on their jobs?

Just so one sister could pioneer Jehovah put 1000s of people (including other witnesses) out of work. I even heard other say that jehovah had blessed them when the money in their purse was exactly the same amount as their shopping cost.

People just believe what they want to believe.

63

Older ones here, what do you remember being told about 1975 ???

by run dont walk in

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i was just a little kid when the 1975 thing came about, didn't pay much attention to it, after it was over, my parents told me it was just some people being over anxious, and being about 8 at the time i believed it, now when you research you find some amazing articles.

what do you remember being told about 1975 as the year got closer ?

barbar

I remember telling other kids at school that the world would end in 1975. Also my mother didn't want to buy a new school uniform because it would be a waste of money It was only when I explained that the money would be no good after armageddon that she bought it.

Its amazing how many people are still witnesses to this day.

19

What do you think of Jehovah ?

by skiz in

picture an israelite man standing at attention in joshua?s army.

israel fights other cities.

israel fights more cities.

barbar

One thing that has been going through my mind recently is that god is the greatest "prick teaser" ever. I have tried to think of a better way to say it but can't. Humans have been led on for thousands of years believing that there is something better for them but they never quite reach it.

Life is full of promise and dreams which we rarely achieve. We have the ability, even a need to dream and wish for a better life, we get upset when either we or our family don't do well. Yet a god who can do something about it has not. He has left us to suffer.

I cannot think of a single good human being who would stand by and watch while people he loved suffered, he would do something immediately.

That makes me think that if a god exists he does not really care about us.