Harry Pothead

by Strangelove 12 Replies latest social entertainment

• 

  Strangelove

  My apologies, but there actually is no refference to marijuana in this post. I just needed an attention grabbing title to get at least one person to answer the question I am to...ask.

  ---

  I left the orginization only a few months ago.

  And on occasion, I have wondered, is a normal life possible beyond The Watchtower? The answer is yes, I know that much. But it's become increasingly apparent how difficult it is to achieve. It's like its very own Mid-Life crisis.

  I am more aware of all the things I missed out on as a child growing up. No finances or mental preparation for college, having to tell every school friend why I had to decline there birthday gift or why I would not be attending theres. Yeesh. I felt like an asshole then, and still do.

  ---

  So here is a breif bio on the whole "Magic" concept with me and my family. From my research, it appears every hall and individual is different.

  Wizard of Oz/Disney = Good.

  Harry Potter/Lord of the Rings = Bad.

  ---

  I must admit, most "Friends" I knew had either seen "LOTR" or at least read the Hobbit. With at least one or two holding massive convincing stances against Lord of the Rings.

  One thing that everyone seemed decided on though, was that Harry Potter was evil, demonic, etc. I heard so many talks on it at conventions or sunday. An example would be: "Just look at the movies coming out today, with their Wizards and..."

  Time has progressed though, replace Wizards with Vampires, and you are now caught up on what they condem in entertainment. (Don't get me started on the debates concerning Jame's Camerons Avatar)

  I tried to, at the time, be the best Wittness I could be. So when my family was off having fun, I would decline to see the Lord of Rings and such. Never truly reminising how everyone thought Disney was somehow OKAY. I mean, what's the difference. Perhaps the tones, but magic is magic.

  I'm pretty sure the only reason the whole "Consious Matter" thing is still going, is so The Governing Body and bethelites can read and quote from questionable material. I mean, it's a guess. They seem to have a double meaning or standard for everything.

  ---

  Now, as someone trying to be the Best Apostate they can be, I wanted to explore Harry Potter. Yeah, simple enough.

  Again, I don't know if this is just me rationalizing a way to reckindle with everything I didn't have as a child. Or that I am genuinly curious.

  I guess my Question is, is Harry Potter any good? I'm an avid reader, and wonder if I should just read the books first. Than start the films. (In private of course, my family would have a hissy fit.)

  Would I at all, look a bit odd (An Adult) Reading books for children? (I read Twain, with his Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Those were intended for children, but at least it's kind of understandable why an adult could be discovered reading them.)

  All answers are appreciated, even negative constructivly critical ones. ;)
• 

  GoodGuyGreg

  The thing I like with the HP books is that they grow with the main characters. If you don't find them very expensive, just go ahead and get them. They're not masterpieces, but definitely worth having read, in my opinion.

  If you want serious fun in the fantasy/magic world, though, get yourself started on Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. He's been releasing books like there's no tomorrow, and while they weren't bad to begin with, they seem to become better with every new one. He also has a few series for younger readers, which nevertheless are great reading for us parents too.
• 

  sarahsmile

  Here something odd! read the following, yet the JWs think reading Harry Potter is wrong! :-)

  Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in Ramah, in his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land.

  4 Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord , the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.

  7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.”

  And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.”

  8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Please conduct a séance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.”

  9 Then the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?”

  10 And Saul swore to her by the Lord , saying, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”

  11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”

  And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”

  12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!”

  13 And the king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What did you see?”

  And the woman said to Saul, “I saw a spirit [a] ascending out of the earth.”

  14 So he said to her, “What is his form?”

  And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a mantle.” And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down.

  15 Now Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”

  And Saul answered, “I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.”

  16 Then Samuel said: “So why do you ask me, seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy? 17 And the Lord has done for Himself [b] as He spoke by me. For the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”

  20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day or all night.

  Now, that was a nice story! Samuel prophesied beyond the grave! Nothing like a little Seance to speak with Samuel.

  Bring that to your families attention.

  1 Samuel 1:28
• 

  problemaddict

  HEY SL,

  Wow just a few months ago eh? So I have to ask......what did it? What event or system of events finally got you to scratch off the blinders? Its a question I always thing of, since I have so many i would like to get out.

  As far as the movies....I say don't worry about why you may or may not want to look at something. The Harry Potter movies are "meh" in my opinion. I'm more of a LOTR and Star Wars guy myself.

  Just enjoy what you would like to enjoy, and discover things you previously held in low esteem for no other reason than you were told to.
• 

  GLTirebiter

  Lord of the Rings = Bad

  Perhaps because J. R. R. Tolkein = Catholic Bible translator?
• 

  GrreatTeacher

  Don't read the books, just go to the theme park.

  The new Harry Potter world at Universal Studios in Florida opens July 8th.
• 

  HeyThere

  The books are good, the movies are good, and whether wizards or vampire or zombie, demons will not suddenly attack you o Dr your home for reading/watching lotr or hp...enjoy!!
• 

  Mum

  I read a couple of Harry Potter books and listened to several on CD's. The reason I did was that my granddaughter was reading them. She was always more of a social butterfly than a readier, so I wanted to see what about these particular books appealed to her. I enjoyed reading the books very much, probably because I love rooting for the underdog! They are worthwhile and offer some wisdom to the reader.
• 

  sarahsmile

  Harry Potter is fantastic!
• 

  Strangelove

  All excellent advice, thank you all. :D

  Definetly be reading and watching the films. See what the fuss is about. Hyped media like this usually has atleast one interesting merit to it. At the very least I hope to see the appeal.

  @SarahSmile: Yes, I am aware of the Witch of Endor. When asking others what it meant, they would always say, "That's not really Samual, but a demon impersonating samual."

  To which I would reply, "But how do you know for sure? They don't explicitly say it was a demon. Wouldn't a book from God not play so coy and specifically mention it was a Demon? Why the needless confusion? I mean, they don't even mention Satan in the Genesis account. Many years and books later did they refer to the Satan as the original serphant."

  I've never been given a clear and understandable answer.

  @Problemaddict: Well, that's a really long story I detailed better in a past welcoming thread. And detail even better in a memoir I'll never finish. But I will give you the low down to some of it.

  *Read a lot of Dinosaur books before age 5. (I am a product of the 90's) So I constantly came into conflict with the theory of evolution, how we got here, why we are here, etc.

  *Meetings ARE boring. (They were as a child, including the spankings. And even as a teen when I tried to make them interesting, my attention dazed)

  *Parents were not the pushing type, but flawed enough to help me see the hypocrisy in the religon itself without realizing it.

  *The idea my classmates would probably die in Armageddon, depressed me.

  *When I was 16, I doubted the existance of God. And was terrified at what this implied. So, for the next 4 years, I read the Bible front to back.

  When I started, I had some faith, when I finished, I had no faith.

  *It was more or less my personal struggle with the Bible. I hold very strong views within feminism. And hated how The Bible and Society portrays them as second class citizens. I could not support that no matter how much I tried. The weaker vessel crap. I read so much philosophy and feminist literature. Came across Apostate sites from time to time. They at first scared me, but the sentences never left me. I always wondered why we shunned Apostates. Shouldn't we have enough faith to stand up against any who dare challenge us. We have the true religon right? (Which in of itself is a big coincidence when you think about it. Being born in the exact right religon. What are the fucking odds right?)

  *When they shove harmony at you. No, there are inconsistancies. Faith can only patch up so much bullshit before it comes crumbling down. And of course, hearing the same damn message over and over and over. Pretending you were encouraged by the same information you heard last year.

  *Outside influence helps. I, at 17 wanted to pursue marriage. But had noticed how all JW Marriages seemed miserable. My standards so high, how could I just go from Kingdom Hall to Kingdom Hall asking elders if there were any single sisters. That is so, ugh, goodbye dignity. I developed feelings for a non religous co worker, and it really helps when you love someone more than God. Ya know? Than you don't mind questioning things as much. Got involved in Yoga, which has been really helpful in overcoming the whole despair of things. I mean, I really don't know why I should even carry on. Seeing as I have thrown away all my dreams for a false religon.

  *I honestly just kept asking questions and ran into dead ends. I realized I could never dedicate my life to something I only half believed in. So why waste my time any longer? I spoke with an elder why he wouldn't see me at any more meetings, and havn't been back since. My father has been the only issue. He kicked me out for some time. Only now, after these past few months have I been able to work my way back in.

  Though he does family worship with my sister over the phone. I of course feel like the asshole. Being that I'm rolling my eyes and pretending it's reppellent like I once thought of the cross. I mean, even the music is just ugh. He overplays it on purpose.

  But I digress. That's just me venting.