I thought I would respond to a few of your comments . . . I really appreciate all the support that I feel, as well as enjoy hearing other people's opionions.
TR: I don't really see a need for divorce just yet. We actually just married recently, and it was because of very stressful times (due to a rapidly changing world for her) that she became involved again with the JWs (her parents were JWs but then her father left and her mother was 'tossed'), so I feel partially responsible. We still have good times together, and things have calmed to a dull roar, and we don't have kids. I also don't plan on having kids until something is resolved. Maybe that means divorce. But not now.
Mytelecom1: Ha Ha. No Thanks. I endured almost a year of meetings, studying and snickering. For about a month it was interesting - a new take on religion. But then, wham, I learned about the 'remnant' and the 'governing body'. What CRAP.
Pettygrudger: We seem to average one heart-wrenching discussions a week. Does she manipulate me? Yes. But I allow her to. Will I continue to? No. I made a stand, told her my feelings and now am phasing myself out of any contact with her JW friends. It's actually not too bad - we each have our own space. Now, it develops in one way or another. Either she slowly realizes that her religion is the same as any other, or she starts to hate me or I start to hate her.
SixofNine: Thanks. Sometimes it really sucks. Sometimes it doesn't seem to quite so much.
You Know: The end of the world, huh? Well, I've been looking forward to answering your apocalyptic prophecy. My friend, I don't deny that humans are animals and that they are cruising for a bruising. I don't deny that humans don't seem to be making much progress. I don't deny that there should be a God to save those who deserve to be saved.
The world is quickly moving toward another showdown. I read the newspapers, and I well understand the dynamics of the situation. In fact, I fear many things for the future. I feel ashamed sometimes to be an American, and at other times very proud. I think the US will change now, they will either 'shit or get off the pot'. Which is better? I don't know.
Can Osama nuke us? Maybe. Could it cause an 'armageddon' and destroy humans? Maybe. Does that mean there must be a God? Nope.
Do you realize that every religion since mankind started padding around on his apelike hands has talked about the coming end? You probably believe its all inspired by that damn Babylon, whore of all time. Well, my friend, take a look at archaeology, paleontology and geology and tell me - does the Watchtower give you the whole story? Yes, there are parts of the Bible that are accurate, but the story just ain't all there, man. Every religion has the same story line, but this doesn't mean it all comes from the real story. Mayans, Aztecs, Christians, Jews, Ammorites, Ammonites, Chinese - they all had their own myth of the end. In fact, our good friend Nostradamus has a pretty good record too.
So, does this mean that one of these religions is right and the others are wrong? Nope. That's a logical fallacy.
You see, humans reason. And humans learn. Humans understand. Confucius and Budda, they didn't want to be Gods. They were philosophers. So were Paul, Moses and the crew. But somehow, over time, what they said was turned into God, and they were at times deified too. The things they wrote make sense, because they get at the heart of the matter. How can humans control their animal side? How can they stop destroying themselves?
Like they said in the Matrix. We're a virus, not a mammal. We destroy. And it will end us one day. We don't need a God to destroy us or protect us. We are given the gift by evolution or God or by ourselves to reason. And that makes life harder, because there is good and bad. I don't think its fair that some die and others live, but we all run the same risks. Will we destroy the earth? Nope. Not possible. We will destroy ourselves and the earth will take a new form. We're small, small things.
I understand that you want to reach for something higher up to save you for your self-punishing ways. But, hey, grow up. Realize that maybe, just maybe, you're wrong. And, as your Bible says, if you teach others the wrong way, you'll get it ten times as worse in the end. What if God is Jesus? Uh oh. You're really in for it. You destroyed the message, worshipped the wrong God, and spread your infection to millions.
Dude. That would suck.
Sorry for the rant. Just pissed me off.