What is spirituality?

by jwfacts 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  jwfacts

  What does it mean to be spiritual? JWs do not seem to have very much of it. They talk reguarly about God, but they can not have a real relationship with Jesus, can only approach Jehovah through Jesus, with the WTS somewhere in between and do not believe in the Holy Spirit as a person. There are no gifts of the spirit, born again experiences etc.

  Charismatic religions have gifts of the spirit and experience being born again. Does that make them more spiritual, and what is it they are partaking of?

  Africans have the equivelent of a born again experience. Yogi's have transcendental experiences. Pagans are in tune with nature, Psychics speak to spirits.

  Is spirituality an experience, a feeling, a relationship, a state of mind; is it real? I feel more spiritual now, but am not sure what it is. I just finally feel at one with nature and God, if that makes any sense

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  penny2

  When you say you are feeling more spiritual now, that could be a feeling of contentment - being at peace with the universe so to speak, after a time of questioning and discontent. Like finally you're arriving at a point where things are starting to make sense in your own mind and you can allow yourself to be truly happy (which is a state of mind - can be achieved regardless of material situation, how others are treating you, etc).

  I don't think JWs can be truly spiritual (whatever it is) because there are too many rules and regulations. There is no freedom to experience or express emotions which are outside the narrow confines of what is ruled acceptable. How can you feel contentment when there is always a fear in the back of your mind of saying or doing the wrong thing? We're not robots.

  Charismatic experiences - I think that's just the brain going into an altered state of consciousness. This can be achieved by most people through meditation (with some training) - it's quite interesting and doesn't necessarily have anything to do with religion - although it's been incorporated into religious practices through the ages.
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  nicolaou

  You might like to read 'The fallacy of 'spirituality'.
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  Honesty

  I believe the Governing Body is very spiritual. I believe they are involved in spiritual communication. Remember they are the spirit directed organization that JW's were baptized into after 1985. Their Father can be recognised by the fruits his children produce.
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  jwfacts

  Hi Penny, nice to have so many Aussies on board now.
  Nicolau, I an not sure about athiesm, just doesn't quite gell with me.
  Honesty, I imagine you are joking. For one thing, all the GB were baptised prior to 1985, so not of them officially belong to the organisation to the same degree as the newer ones.
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  FairMind

  Spiritual people never question the WTS or the elders. Spiritual people go to all of the meetings and prepare beforehand. They follow every silly little rule that is made. Being kind, forgiving and loving are not requirements for WT spirituality.
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  poppers

  "I just finally feel at one with nature and God, if that makes any sense"

  I'd say that's about as spiritual as it can get. Good for you.
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  greendawn

  It is the suppression of instinctual energies and their direction into less immediate objectives located usually beyond the tangible physical world. It's more in line with looking forward to the heavenly city rather than the enticing things of the earthly world. It's a high tension effortful situation.
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  Star Moore

  JWfacts...I really liked your comment... I was a witness for 26 years and left in Sept.

  You said: They talk reguarly about God, but they can not have a real relationship with Jesus, can only approach Jehovah through Jesus, with the WTS somewhere in between and do not believe in the Holy Spirit as a person. There are no gifts of the spirit, born again experiences etc.

  I agree, how can they be spiritual when, instead of tapping into the holy spirit and Jesus, they have to tap into the governing body for enlightment. I have had a born-again experience and I didn't dare tell a soul but a close friend leaked it to the elders and was really counseled for it. Because as a JW, we are not allowed to have a spiritual experience because it can only be DEMONISM> They would say, the only way to know if you are born-again is : (you just know) How do we just know? (We just know) Ugh....