I'm sure others have done similar topics and there might be many points that are repeated - I apologise!
I allowed myself to be dragged by mum to the district convention which was a very bad idea... I have not been to a meeting in four years... so it's like staying clean for four years and then overdosing it for 3 days in a row (5 days if you count the total time spent staying with an elder's family!) - Bad reaction! lol
Anyway, know how all the good JWs dutifully take notes during such a "spiritual feast"? Well to keep myself from falling asleep and to give the appearance of a keen member, I took my notes too - however they would have cleared the entire row if they realised what I was scribbling down... Some of my ponderings ....
Acts 7:22 was mentioned - "Consequently Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. In fact, he was powerful in his words and deeds."
That struck me as odd since Exodus 4:10-17 shows that Moses was not a fluent speaker and very inadequate in the art of public speaking. However, instead of improving Moses' skills, Jehovah merely appointed Aaron to speak on behalf of Moses so Mr M wasn't really powerful in his words right?!
A new discovery since my 'release from JW slavery' - I noticed my bible mentions the Kingdom Interlinear translation of the Greek Scriptures in the foreword... I had never noticed that before and didn't know of its existence until I was researching 'apostate' material online Yet another one of my 'How could I miss that?!?' moments!!
One of the speakers constantly stressed how 'some' JWs in the past jumped to hasty conclusions and made predictions. I felt like standing up and shouting 'Lies!!!' He mentioned only 3 years 1914, 1925 and 1975 .... he even said some of you may remember 1975 and how some JWs thought the end would come then... and also mentioned the horrible lie of how CT Russell thought 1914 was the end - to which everyone giggled and I was appalled at how no one seemed perturbed by all these failed predictions, especially some who witnessed the 1975 fiasco!! The pre-prepared excuse to such failures - Our eagerness to see Jehovah fulfill his promises. Our alertness is to be appreciated
To the century old expectation of armaggedon, Prov 13:12 came to mind - Expectation postponed makes the heart sick - Could that be why so many JWs are depressed and pretty much mentally unhinged at times?!
'Spirit of Independance' - DUN DUN DUN DUN!!! Vilified several times...
'Keep on asking, keep knocking, research, stay awake!' - Umm... do you think it's a good idea if I kept pestering them why the older publications are no longer made available and easy to access for research??
How many times has Jesus ever used Jehovah's name in conversation? - I looked at my bible and could find only two instances - Matt 4:10 and Mark 12: 29-30 .... I would need to double check with the KIT tho, coz it is probably inserted?
Of all the members of 'baptised' JWs each year - how many are under 18?? Catholics are criticised for baptising babies but most children are not capable of deciding on serious religious commitments either!
One of the talks emphasised the dangers of Peer Pressure in context of the big bad outside world. Fear of man is a form of peer pressure and everything the speaker said could be turned against the JWs themseves. They are afraid to go against the rest of the group due to fear or rejection/ostracism. A lot of the times, it makes individuals not stand up for what is right, especially if all of their family and friends are in the truth.
Job 2: 4, 6 - Satan challenges that everything a man has he will give in behalf of his soul. I interpret this to mean that a person would do anything to save his own life/soul (if you believe in an afterlife). However Jehovah says Satan can do anything, except only watch out for Job's soul itself. Isn't this challenge not very ideal since Job's soul was never allowed to be brought into the equation?? and what about a person's children? I know parents would be willing to sacrifice their souls/life to safeguard that of their children... couldn't Satan tempt Job in that way instead of killing off his entire progeny at the start?!
Isaiah 65: 25 - 'Wolf and lamb eat as one etc.... As for the serpent, his food will be dust.' That implies that the serpent is carnivorous and will be tamed into a dust eating being. However, Genesis 3: 14 as we all know is where god curses the serpent sayng that 'dust is what you will eat all the days of your life.' Eh?? How does that tie in?! When did god reverse his all binding proclamation?!
While dozing off, I heard the speaker mention that JWs believe Babylon the Great will be destroyed in literal 1 day because the bible says so. Is this current teaching or was I listening to old light? And what is their basis for judging this scripture to be taken as a literal 1 day? What if it is a figurative 1000 years?
Rev 20:10 mentions ' they will be tormented day and night forever and ever' - HELL?! I would really love to know what sort of drugs the dude was on tho....
To the claim that JWs insist you must join to be saved, the speaker countered - 'Not all JWs will be saved at Armaggedon' - Does that mean that not all NON-JWs will be destroyed at Armaggedon? Could some honest hearted non JWs be saved?
In the Watchtower article, para 7 says Satan twisted the scriptures i.e he altered the word of God. How is that possible if we trust God to safeguard his word down through the years? And how exactly did he twist the words? is there some way to compare an authentic version with a satan defiled one?! Then para 8 says the faithful ones studied the scriptures to see flashes of truth - but how could they do that if it was corrupted?
Hearing the org stealing 'Paradise Lost' and 'Paradise Regained' made me chuckle.. they can't even come up with their own material and now have to resort to pinching catch phrases from 'wordly' sources... tut tut....
Apparently, Babylon the great is 'drying up'.. I wonder what the latest statistics are on religious growth, especially among the evangelical sections... I thought such faiths were flourishing?
The constant stressing of contributions made me feel ill too.... they don't want people educating themselves and wanting high paid jobs, and yet hassle them for more money all the time!
The Resolution was awful as well - talking about being in support of God's rulership - more like GB's dictatorship... I had to suppress a snicker when the speaker said the Bible ALONE provides the answer... does that mean we can throw out all the WTs and books?? Oh the irony of the statement - Trust in imperfect, mortal humans is futile!
If 3 days of such nonsense wasn't bad enough, I was dragged to visit the Bethel which is nothing more than a posh looking glorified prison camp. Prisoners have to rise up at dawn, gather in the hall, eat quickly and then march off to do their specified roles in the institution. Had lunch with the bethelites and felt sorry at how they all gulped down their food and then rushed off back to their chores. The 'barber room' rule was odd... there is a window in the door where you can look in and see the guy cutting off the bloke's hair.. the tour guide said - when the men are having their haircut, the curtain is open, when the women are having theirs, the curtain is drawn closed. Isn't that weird?!? What's so private about having a hair cut? It's not like the woman has to undress or anything.... right?!? oooohhhh *strokes hairy upper lip*
Felt sorry again, when the bethelites themselves admitted the surrounding gardens and ponds were very beautiful but they didnt have any time to enjoy it as they were so busy. What a pitiful existence :(
Anyway, I just needed to get that off my chest, and telling my friends isn't going to be of much help as none of them are JWs. So there it is! :D