by MinisterAmos 54 Replies latest jw friends
At some point the brain trust at the WTS may have to devise a formula that will predict the balance of education/retention.
How about picking up some tips from the LDS church and building:
FJRU (Franklin J Rutherford U.)
Other possible names: WTU (Watchtower University)
FSS (Faithful Slave State)
New World Institute of Technology (NWIT)
BSI (Beth Sarim Institute)
Or maybe they can acquire University of Phoenix.
Anitar said:"In conclusion, I think God's message to us was to start thinking for ourselves. Even if you try to take the bible literally word for word, your brain won't let you! I don't mean to toss the bible out the window. But I think it was written for people who use thier brains, not the idiot JW's who are a complete waste of oxygen. So you don't have to believe what I say."
I may want to toss the Bible out of the window these days. I finally-after 25 years made the observations that you did about the Bible. I no longer believe it is inspired by God. I left the JWs still with the literal bible believer thing going on in me and NEVER would let it go until a few weeks ago. Kind of still figuring out what to do with the realization that the ONE fundamental thing I believed is not true. So where does it fit? I guess there is plenty of wisdom in the Bible and in other scripture(holy books). Trick is to separate the wisdom from the propaganda and manipulation. Its making me re-think God entirely. All I can do is go to God and say I am confused-if he doesn't really care, I'm no worse off. If he is a loving and concerned God, he understands. So either way. . .he knows our hearts. I wish it was easier to work through the BS. Shouldn't take a person with a decent IQ 25 years to figure this stuff out-to the point where all I really know is that I don't know anything!
I have a nutty mom too. sigh. You gotta love them-the WT sure doesn't!Take care.
Hey JWDaughter,
Thanks for the reply! I know just what you mean. It's not that I want to dissect the bible. To me, even though I feel you can learn an important lesson in any scripture, the ones that mean the most are either the direct words of Jesus, or when he is being directly described. That's where the buck stops for me. He cuts through all the mysteries and misconceptions, and as long as I'm centered in Him, I feel that I'm doing the right thing.
Last week in school my class got into a rare and very heated discussion about the bible. It reminded me of back when I knew nothing about the witnesses and biblical discussions went as far as "why can't we eat meat on Friday?!"
Watching my classmates bantering back and forth in vain, I suddenly realized something. My experience with the JW's, as bad as it was, has actually improved my view of religion and life in general, but of course not the way they intended. You see in the end, what really matters is how YOU interpret the bible as an INDIVIDUAL, not believing the doctrine of organized religion. We will be judged by our actions taken based on our own understanding of right and wrong. I no longer try to get other people to agree with my interpretation of the bible. I saw people bickering over symbolism and prophetic dates and getting quite angry, and I thought how pointless it all is. Yet this is the kind of thing that starts wars.
Perhaps the best way to find out what to believe is to learn for yourself what not to believe.
Anitar
anitar check this
the days of the mighty men Gen 6;1-7... The angels comes to earth and take any woman they please. Take them as thier wives. If a angel came to me and told me I want your daughter for my wife,what are you going to say, well yes my my son in law is a angel. Now they have a son ,he become a mighty man. The world become fill with wickedness Nephilim, my grandson. Who get blame me and the other men who approved the daughter marriages. So the world is doom because angels came from where I do not know, all I knew they were angeles that was good anough for me. The angels may have receive information not to marry the daughters of men, but I DO NOT THINK earth got the same info. And one other thing why only male angels, why not female angels.
Hello Jam! Very good observations. It may be possible that the men who wrote the bible only thought of angels as men. What if there are women angels? Once again it displays a complete departure from everything we are taught about God. Why would he punish innocent people for something they had no control over? If we did the same in this day and age how would he view us?
Now, I do not profess to have a complete understanding of either God or the bible, nor do I pretend to be omnipotent. However I do believe God is misunderstood many times. I hope that helps.
So welcome to the board and I hope you come back soon!
Anitar
