by stuckinarut2 56 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I did. I thought how wonderful it will be to live in perfection in a paradise and that I could travel and see all the world and take my time. Naive, yes but I believed it. I love animals so much I want to interact with them all, so yeah that was the perfect setting for me.
Once I realised the truth about it all and that once you die that is it - facing my mortality was difficult.
Yes. Absolutely. 100%.
Anything is possible if there is a divine creator.
Anything is still possible.
Not proud to admit to it, but yes - I did once believe that one, too.
Bill
no. but then i didnt believe in a god either. the whole idea to me is silly nonsense.
i quit the cult age 23--i knew i had lingered in it that long just to please others.
You make it seem like the weirdest belief a person could ever have. Or have I missed something more subtle in the OP?
Can I speak as a 3rd generation born-in?
Living forever on a paradise earth made relatively greater sense to my young, inquiring mind than the airy-fairy nonsense spouted by some religions about going to heaven and sitting at God's right hand for eternity. Fluffy white clouds, harps and celestial choirs was bor-ing...and seriously unreal. How could anyone believe that? In my young mind, that required a greater stretch of faith than simply living forever on an earth transformed into a paradise.
As Richard Dawkins has said, people seldom seriously question what they've been raised to believe. They may drift from it, but repudiating it is rare. Same applies to JWs: More drift away than repudiate the organization's forever-earth teachings. Nothing weird or far-fetched there.
The Adventists developed this belief (before the Civil War) and C.T. Russell & Nelson Barbour adopted the doctrine when they began publishing the Watchtower (1880's).
When we studied with or were raised in "the truth", we weren't told about the origins of this belief. Most JW's have no idea about the shaky scriptural underpinning - and Jesus never said "hey, when I become King I'm going to turn the earth back into a paradise". Most JW's think of the paradise hope as a Watchtower exclusive....
This carrot hope (that includes resurrected parents, grandparents, kids, etc.) is the primary reason questioning JW's remain in "the truth".
Damn right i did.
I also belived that if i wore my lucky socks i played basketball better.
now i believe that if i die worthy i will get a seat in valhalla.
i also believe that if i kiss hanks ass he will give me a million dollars when i leave town.
Updates on other silly things i belived in the past as i learn and grow out if them.
