A sparkling, clear glass of pure life-giving water...with a twist

Terry

I can remember a long while back sitting down with a one volue comprehensive printing of Pastor Russell's STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES.

I decided I would try and be as objective and neutral as I could possibly be. I would begin at the beginning and form impressions on the spot.

Well, let me tell you!

The "tone" was lovely. I sensed a gentle soul speaking with a big heart for the Lord.

So far, so good.

There was a keen intelligence and intensity in the writing. The florid style of that period is rather esthetically pleasing to me.

I started to feel a "tug" at my heart. Honest. I did.

The subconscious implants were stirring to life! I was the "Manchurian Candidate" and my signal had been activated.

I began longing for that once rapturous love affair with Jehovah and the feeling of absolute certainty again.

Why? Why was I feeling this?

I spoke to my youngest son about it at the time. He identified what was going on immediately. I give him a lot of credit.

My son said, "Dad, if you give a drunk a drink would you expect him not to like it?"

Wow!

Amazing insight. I am still a Godaholic deep inside. I was gulping down the bottle; chug chug chug.

No matter how long you are dry and on the wagon....it only takes a sip!

When I got to the chapter on the Great Pyramid, however---it all started falling apart quite rapidly!

The insanity was clear. The false reasoning, wrong suppositions, crazy connections that aren't connections---it all made me sick!

I closed the book and sighed.

It is like finding out your best friend that you grew up with has been murdering co-eds in his spare time and fooling you utterly.

The pathology is glaring.

The mind behind the beautiful words and daring and daunting chronologies is sick. One tiny little twist and everything that is good, noble and loving is poisoned with madness.

In any compromise between a glass of pure water and a drop of cyanide it is the poison that wins.

The TRUTH is sparkling pure water with that one tiny drop in it.

A lethal one.

Found Sheep

I remember THEM using that illustration to avoid "apostate" stuff. to think all this time it was them THEM THEM that had the poison!

dgp

Interesting. That feeling is what must lead many to join. "You see, I have this craving for God, and these guys are so good at preaching..."

willyloman

What I learned from a wise counselor: It was that "craving for god," that hole in my soul that needed filling, that first led me to JWs.

tec

The thirst for God, for Truth, for Life... that is real. I think its a clear analogy that God is the pure water, and the poison is all the stuff we put in to pollute it - and we sure do put a lot in!

I find it interesting, Terry, that you recognized the 'poison' at once, (Great Pyramid, etc.), and so dismissed it without the need for your alcoholic analogy. But you did seem to need that analogy to dismiss your still present thirst (no matter how small or dormant) to know God.

Don't be annoyed with me. I just don't want you to force yourself to dismiss what might be a legitimate 'thirst.'

Peace,

Tammy

thetrueone

Unfortunately the drink of life giving water free has turned into bitter poison for many long time JWS.

My father who has been a JWs for 60 years now seems to be in this state of anticipated anxious limbo.

In reality the WTS. doesn't care about ones who start posing in-depth questions on why things haven't occurred to the extent they were taught,

for they know they can easily cast these individuals aside and place a muzzle over their mouths by disfellowshipping

and there's always new members being recruited, naive and unknowing of the WTS. deceitful corruption.

wobble

I know what you mean about the tone of Russells writings Terry, I remember when I first decided to read his stuff, over thirty years ago, I felt "comfortable" with it.

I had read a lot of other religious writings at the time, and I did not feel right about them. Now all this probably sprang from being a"born-in", I was used to the style, which Rutherford and the WT had continued to a great degree, also there would be no trinitarian or immortal soul references in "Studies" as there were in the other writings I read.

I was struck then, at the tender age of 28 or so, that a lot of it was really wacky and off the wall.

I don't think my "comfort" had anything to do with the God side of things, I don't think I have the "God gene" ,so leaving the WT did not leave a god shaped hole in my life.

Funny, now, about that writing style , if I read any old WT stuff, I find it a tad creepy rather than comfortable, the mind-control techniques are too glaring to me now.

PSacramento

It's an interesting analogy.

I know to me, Christ was indeed a "life saving drink of water", funny thing is I didn't realize who "thirsty" I was till I "drank" from Him.

To this day he has not put any conditions or "twists" with this life giving water, He has only asked that I love others as He loves me and as I love My Children.

And I try to, to the best of my ability.

journey-on

It's like walking through a beautiful lush green field of grass one morning then suddenly stepping into a pile of dog doo. Ruins the whole morning!

Terry

But you did seem to need that analogy to dismiss your still present thirst (no matter how small or dormant) to know God.

Don't be annoyed with me. I just don't want you to force yourself to dismiss what might be a legitimate 'thirst.'

What I am craving is the comfort of the delusion.

Like being in a bad marriage; not everything is terrible or you'd leave immediately.

Those comfortable in-between moments are lovely.

But, you pay for them. Oh boy, do you ever pay for them.

Lying in be trying to pray one night I had a moment of clarity.

"Terry, you are just talking to yourself."

Wow.

That gave me closure. I'm no longer crazy enough to need to talk to myself for comfort.

Whoever, whatever "god" is or might be, the difference between humanity and that is too vast and profound

to bridge that space with mental conversations.

A sparkling, clear glass of pure life-giving water...with a twist

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