Don't believe anyone is up there listening - said a prayer anyway out of sense of obligation

by Zoos 20 Replies latest jw experiences

  • Zoos
    Zoos

    I've read many statements on this forum from people who have expressed the sentiment that you don't shove TTATT down the throat of an older person. It would be too traumatic and its best to let some people, in some situations, simply pass on in the delusion.

    Its humane. Merciful.

    In the initial roar of my awakening, I was unable to cuddle up to that sentiment; preferring, instead, to shove the blood curdling shock of TRUTH down the throat of anyone I could get my grip on... age be dammed.

    Until tonight.

    Upon my arrival at TTATT, one person, an old retired Baptist preacher, in genuine kindness, tenderly embraced me and offered to help. He was the father of a fellow (since passed away) that I used to date. Old man preacher never approved of my gay relationship with his son, but always treated me with respect. Now, 15 years later, preacher dude is on his last leg. He has had 3 strokes, the last one rendered him blind. He's 77 and giving up.

    I sat as his table this evening and shared a meal. Reminding me that he was blind, he told me he had counted up to 23 ways to put his underwear on incorrectly. Always the comic. Mostly, though, the life has gone out of this man who was once ready to jokingly insult me, or tell a really stupid story, usually with himself as the butt of the joke.

    He asked me to say grace before we ate.

    My journey from die-hard JW to this evening has rendered me without faith in anyone up there listening, but I decided to recite a few lines from the old database anyway. I felt okay with that because the old man preacher will sleep well tonight knowing (believing) I'm okay with Jeezuz.

  • smiddy
    smiddy

    That was very touching Zoos , your obviously a good person and I understand where your coming from .

    In that situation , what`s the point of trying to undermine their faith no matter how blind it may seem to be to us..

    Take care,

    smiddy

  • LevelThePlayingField
    LevelThePlayingField

    Yeah, I'm glad you said a prayer instead of backing down. Good for you because you're right, the old man will sleep better tonight. And hey, that's what makes life better anyways, by helping people. So, I'm proud of you for that.

  • DesirousOfChange
    DesirousOfChange

    You made the right decision. From the "scriptural" point of view, Jesus often "yielded" in making a decision that was "right" vs holding to the letter of the law (which we are told were his profound beliefs). JWs BTW, get caught up in all the legalism and forget what the meaning of Christianity really is.


    Doc

  • Listener
    Listener

    You were providing some comfort to him and that is the right thing to do.

  • Zoos
    Zoos

    Honestly, I was bracing myself for an onslaught of negative feedback for caving in.

    Thank you for the positive comments. It was uncomfortable enough doing the deed. I feel a lot better now.

  • Bonsai
    Bonsai

    I can't believed you caved in! You can no longer call yourself a faithful and devote atheist.

    Just kidding! You made the right call in my book. Nothing trumps mercy and compassion, and it is out of a sense of mercy, compassion and tolerance that many of us shed our intolerant religious superstitions.

    It can be too inhumane to rip the opium from elderly people who would die or go insane without it.

  • jws
    jws

    My dad was in his later years, when I had decided not to be a JW. And though our discussions occasionally went into debate territory over JWs, I usually tried to avoid it. His life was so wrapped up in the Jehovah's Witnesses. He expected to go to the new world and see my mother again. I couldn't take that hope away from him.

    I can absolutely see this scene. This man is already suffering. Nobody wants to add to that just for the point of winning the philosophical argument.

  • Magnum
    Magnum

    No negative feedback from me, either. I think situations are different and we should judge each individually and act in the most appropriate way for that particular situation. I think you acted appropriately for the situation you mentioned. Would it have accomplished anything constructive to have acted differently? I don't think so.

  • Anders Andersen
    Anders Andersen

    Well done.

    Religious people normally have a set of rules to live by: obey God and his human representatives at all cost.

    Atheists do not have such a set of rules to obey. Each one decides for him/herself what action to take, including participating (or not) in any religious activity.

    Even when put to the stand, threatened with death, religious folks may not deny the existence of their God because that means forsaking Him (although enough religious people would be ok with forsaking God to save their life, because they feel He knows they still believe in Him anyway)

    But for an atheist in most cases stating that he does believe in some God or another to save his life is a no-brainer. It's similar to agreeing that the green car is actually red. No divine beings' feelings will be hurt.

    And since it's of no celestial spiritual eternal concequence, an atheist can say a prayer if that makes an old sick man feel better...*

    *) This is not a rule in the Atheist Bible....it's my own conclusion that applies to my life ;-)

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit