Night of the Living Dead

JamesThomas

When you sit and ponder, it is plain that life is lived in the moment. Often times, if not always, the most joyous moments are those when we are so present that all thoughts of "me" are gone and there is just this vibrant aliveness, beauty and warmth. It's as if we have dissolved into Life. Being raised a Witness, I was always taught that here, now, was not important. That significance was in the future. I was taught it wasn't important to express myself artfully or embrace life now. I was taught to be afraid of life and put everything meaningful off to some later time...I was taught and programmed to be dead.

metatron

Good point

The 'Truth' puts your life on hold - year after year, decade after decade.

You give up college, often a good job, hobbies, and sell magazines and go
to vacuous meetings. It's a kind of stasis.

Maybe living dead is a good analogy. They're not far from zombies.

metatron

acsot

That significance was in the future. I was taught it wasn't important to express myself artfully or embrace life now. I was taught to be afraid of life and put everything meaningful off to some later time...I was taught and programmed to be dead.

It was that kind of feeling that made me really question things in the borg - I mean, if it's such a glorious truth, if there's such love, such a grand hope, then why did I feel so disconnected to everything? I was numb to anything and everything. You're absolutely right, and well said. Now at least I can start living and feeling.

SheilaM

JT:

That is so true, you expressed the feelings I have harbored for so long

email

So true...

They are so "focused" on the life that WILL BE that they forget to live the life that IS...

Edited by - email on 12 February 2003 12:44:29

RubyTuesday

JamesThomas......Beautifully put.

ARoarer

They are busy living their lives waiting not to die and viewing those outside as dead. Thier concept of life and death is so twisted that they have no clue how to embrace either.

JamesThomas

Thanks, all of you, for your replies. When I dwell on the wounds and why they are there, it takes me away from here. So I don't do it much. Yet, it seems to help some to recollect a bit, and realize one is free from where we have been.

JamesT

ESTEE

JamesThomas wrote:

it is plain that life is lived in the moment. Often times, if not always, the most joyous moments are those when we are so present that all thoughts of "me" are gone and there is just this vibrant aliveness, beauty and warmth. It's as if we have dissolved into Life. Being raised a Witness.... I was taught it wasn't important to express myself artfully or embrace life now. I was taught to be afraid of life and put everything meaningful off to some later time...

JamesThomas: I look back on the teachings and shake my head in amazement and disbelief that I used to think like that. I too was taught to fear, after all isn't the JW a religion of fear? I have done a lot of deprogramming of the jw philosophy. I take courses through the "Centre for Positive Living" here in Saskatoon, that are helping me heal from the dub mentality. The more adjustments I make, the more I think, "I believed . . . WHAT?" It is inconceivable and incomprehensible to think that people live with such a futuristic view of life. All the joy of the moments are gone . . . wasted . . . invalididated. I choose to embrace life NOW!!! I really appreciate your post, JT . . . good thread! ESTEE

cruzanheart

What a beautiful photo, JT! I agree with everything that has been said in this thread, and I see it for myself every time there are Witnesses and "worldly" people together. I did a Southern Living at HOME party at a Witness home last Friday. She had one of her co-workers there and four Witnesses. The contrast was AMAZING. The co-worker was animated, interested in what I was showing, and had a spark of life in her eyes. The Witnesses were like zombies: grim, no spark, very little conversation. That's been my experience with every party I've had with Witnesses. At first I thought it was me, that they'd heard something about my spiritual condition, but as I progressed to people who DON'T know me I saw that it's just the way they are now.

Funny, for a people who pride themselves on their hope, they act like people WITHOUT hope.

Nina (of the Free-At-Last class!)

Night of the Living Dead

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