by Ozzygal 27 Replies latest jw friends
Hi all. I've been lurking for a while, and feeling a little guilty about being here. You know, the ol' internet is evil thing. It's been a big topic down our way recently.
How do you guys all justify it to yourselves (getting on the net)? On one hand we are encouraged to "make sure of all things" and on the other we are told to "trust in Jehovah". It's a real internal struggle for me. What do you guys think?
Nice to be here, btw! :)
I posted to you somewhere..I do not know where it ended up..guess you will have to play go seak "old grannys reply"
Hi Ozzygal,
Welcome and I don't feel you should feel guilty.
The society is the biggest fan of the internet. How else could they ever come up with the kingdom ministry on the internet and it's dangers. Personally I feel if they could put up a website then they should have no problem with me being here. Otherwise we might as well go back to the dark ages. So please start getting rid of your telephone , tv, microwave...lol!
Hi, or Hey (as they say in the Southern USA). Why should we have to justify speaking? On some sites, they do try to take us out of the Truth. And there are some very good arguments to be heard and thought about. Who says we shouldn't think? Shouldn't reason? We know who says we shouldn't question, but doesn't that just want to make you question why you shouldn't question?
That being said, this is a comfortable place to talk - thanks to all the other members. As one car salesman told me: "There's a seat for every bottom (I cleaned it up), so pull up a chair!"
Pull up a chair and visit for a while.
G'Day! I feel guilty everytime I login but I can't seem to deactivate my ability to think for myself. There are entirely too many brothers and sisters on the net to disfellowship everyone. They
can demonize it all they want. The net is here to
stay and so am I.
Glad to have you here!
7of9
Hi Ozzygirl,
Nice to see someone else who is new. Wow! This place has really started to come alive.
It's great to be able to discuss concerns and ideas without being labelled. I've always been somewhat of an iconoclast, I guess. I've always felt that I should look into things for myself.
For instance (should I admit this? Oh, well, why not?), when I was a teenager (a loooonnnggg time ago) I thought it would be prudent to understand other people's beliefs so that I could present a better witness to them. Since I had basically grown up in the truth, I knew very little of any other religions. I actually sent away for a Catholic study course. Needless to say, it was an eye opener....I never realized that they had changed the ten commandments. They left out the one about no idols, and split the covet commandment further to make ten.
While that eliminated Catholicism for me, I still find that I need to "know"....to discuss the things that I find troublesome or wrong. A forum such as this is such a breath of fresh air.
It helps, too, to find that everyone here has intelligent opinions and puts much thought into their responses. It's not just bashing, which I find to be a total turnoff.
G'day Ozzygal,
Welcome and please make yourself at home.:)
When I first started visiting so called apostate sites in the cover of night my heart too started racing and pounding away. My conscience was screaming and finally I felt like I was making a pact with the Devil to deliver my soul to him!
Good grief.
What I found was incredible, it confirmed all my suspicion that I had kept locked up inside for a long time. Now I'm looking at the scripture that says man will dominate man to his injury from a totally unexpected point of view. Why was I always told not to seriously question our own beliefs but worst why did I so unreservedly obey such commands of men. My suspicions were correct the Society did have something to hide. They are hiding many truths about the 'truth'.
I'm not going to go into any proof giving regarding this statement I just wrote because I found proof requires much reading and thought,but it's all out there on the net and in books.
The internet is certainly an eye opener, but make no mistake it's a long journey to truly learn the many truths about 'the truth'. BUT I can assure you that in the process you will be left to hold a large bag load of emotions and decisions to sort out.
The only reason I continued to pay any attention to these sites is precisely because I found ex-witnesses to be undeserving of the labels the Society places upon them such as apostates or liars or faithless and ungodly and that they should be shunned like lepers. Most are wonderful brothers and sisters like any witness but may I add without the judgemental and sometimes arrogant attitudes.
There I've had my say for the day, thanks for reading and again welcome.
Best wishes to you,
Martini.
and thanks for your comments. Martini, you said:
"The only reason I continued to pay any attention to these sites is precisely because I found ex-witnesses to be undeserving of the labels the Society places upon them such as apostates or liars or faithless and ungodly and that they should be shunned like lepers. Most are wonderful brothers and sisters like any witness but may I add without the judgemental and sometimes arrogant attitudes."
That's an interesting comment. I know I've always found it difficult to deal with not being able to talk to ones who have chosen to leave the Truth. I've had friends leave in the past, and it breaks my heart to have to ignore them. I know they're not bad people, they just can't deal with the lifestyle we are expected to live. And it is a difficult way to live. Isn't the fact that they're not gonna make it through Armageddon, punishment enough. It just seems so unchristian to treat anyone like that. Jehovah knows what is in their heart. Why should we be judging them?!
I'm new to the boards, so I want to say hello first.
When I hear apostate, I just want to scream. Because someone leaves the JW organization why do they have to be "labeled" by the organization? I never went on a Bible study where the householder wasn't told to examine their religion against scripture, yet if you examine JW doctrine against scripture and find it lacking then you're an apostate. Oh yeah that's right.JW's aren't to examine their religion just Batpist and Catholics and Mormans - oh my! No, I never left Jehovah nor His son; I left the organization. I did as I was told, I examined scripture and found that the KJV or NIV didn't support what was being taught. Like referring to the organization as "The Truth". Jesus said he ways the Truth and the Way. So is the organization Jesus? Sort of reminds me of the Trinity. Hummm.......no wonder they stopped making shepherd calls on me.
I know what you mean about heart pounding and feeling guilty. The first time I entered a Christian BOOKSTORE I almost hyperventilated, it was even worse the first time I visited a church. M
Oh shit~
I'll just go and slap myself awake LOL
