Part 2
She was suspecting me that I'm no longer interested in the Borg, and she was trying to get a confession. This is how our conversation went out. Names replaced with XXXX and YYYY.
Me: Now its time for me to ask you back. Do you have an open mind? reserving a possibility that our ideas and beliefs can be wrong?
She: My mind is open, of course. But ONLY to ideas that are in harmony with the Bible. And as regards reservations about our beliefs, nope, I don't have such doubts. And through the years, my faith has been strengthened all the more by all the evidence I have seen, in my personal life and in many other ways. No room for doubts...
At the office, we are always reminded to have an open mind, to take into consideration the suggestions of the younger ones and never to think hst oir ideas are always right just because we have worked longer at Bethel.
There's a nice topic from Watchtower the other week. The title was, "Are You Convinced You Have the Truth? Why?" That was a clincher.
Oh well, I don't expect you to believe me naman...Hahaha
XXXX, I am happy serving Jehovah, our dear brothers, and helping others learn about Jehovah and REALLY love him. my life has many tragedies XXXX, but I have proven time and again that there is no other better way to go but to love Jehovah with my whole being. That's all.
Me: ok that's good!
back to the point. so your selective on ideas, but have made up your mind on belief, having "No room for doubts" on our beliefs, are you implying that what we believe is infallible?
She: The Bible IS infallible, because it is from Jehovah, but our understanding of the Scriptures gets refined over the years. Just gets clearer and clearer. Jehovah sees to it that it will. (Prov. 4:18)
These is my favorite qoute, XXXX:
"In contrast with humans, who have a limited life span, Jehovah never feels pressured by time to reveal his secrets prematurely. This fact should prevent us from becoming impatient when certain Bible questions cannot presently be explained to our satisfaction. Jehovah, in his own due time and in his own way, will continue to reveal his secrets as to his purposes. Never should we become impatient with Jehovah’s arrangement, indiscreetly trying to rush ahead of the Revealer of secrets."—w97 6/1 pp. 13-14.
my point is, whatever thoughts Jehovah has, there i go. I may not understand all now but I will wait on him. The Israelites did not understand all the reasons why, but those who were obedient were blessed. Jesus' disciples did not understand everything he taught at the time, yet many of them remained loyal to him. As Peter said, "Whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life. " I want to have the same attitude.
Me: so it seems its our capacity to understand the bible and our beliefs from it, will change, and get refined as time pass, based on your comments. this progressive perception on biblical interpretation is an indication THAT WE ARE MAKING MISTAKES, THE PRICE FOR LEARNING. It's like every other human endeavor, where we always see the progress from simplicity to complexity as time passes. Science and technology are two great examples; as time passes methods get refined, procedures gets optimized, new ways being discovered, AND MISTAKES ARE IDENTIFIED AND GETS CORRECTED. Nothing wrong with that, as long as we can see and recognize the fallibility of our perception. Thus in other words, we should at times question and doubt our beliefs. self examining doesn't indicate haughtiness or being egocentric, RATHER IT IS AN INDICATION THAT WE ARE SMART ENOUGH TO RECOGNIZE OUR LIMITATION AND HAVE THE HUMILITY TO ACCEPT IT. Only then, I can see, we are able to make real progress.
She: We're interpreting the Bible, XXXX. You know that. The Bible interprets itself. You just have to really study. That's what the apostles had to do. I don't know what's gotten into you, XXXX...it pains me that is the way you think...don't you have faith in the channel Jehovah is using? That in his own due time, all will be clear and that we should keep pace with his organization? What about your dedication to him? Do you honestly think that He's not affected on your thinking right now. You could not even mention his name...
Questioning and doubting are not Jehovah's way of doing matters. James 1:5. Sighs...it's very sad...James 1:5, 6. Do you even read the Bible pa rin?
Look, I will not force you to believe what I am saying, okay? But I want to do things Jehovah's way. Self-examination IN THE LIGHT OF THE SACRED WRITINGS that he himself gave for our benefit. Di ako nagmamarunong o nagmamalinis...marami pa akong gustong i-improve sa buhay ko. Ni wala pa nga ako sa katiting ng faith na ipinakita ng parents ko until their death...At ayoko ring isipin na mas magaling pa ako sa millions of other brothers and sisters who are a lot more intelligent and still remain in step with Jehovah's organization. Yun lang po...
XXXX, you are my brother and friend. I just hope you will pray about this...please...Bye...
Me: about the "waiting for Jehovah to reveal his secrets", He is always revealing his secrets in many ways not just in the Bible, or exclusively from the bible or from the Governing body alone. He talks to us in many different ways, from everyday activities valuable lessons can be obtained, from nature he can teach us about his qualities and his wisdom as Paul asserts: “His [God’s] invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, BECAUSE THEY ARE PERCEIVED BY THE THINGS MADE, even his eternal power and Godship, so that they are inexcusable.” (Romans 1:20).
Thus learning from our world, from the universe, and in everyday activities, can be learning from God. Today, the best methodology to learn is called science, it's a streamlined way for us to determine reality and effectively filter out our innate human biases. There seems no monopoly, a sole agency, to dispense God's knowledge.
She: Oo naman, there are two basic ways to learn about Jehovah--through the Bible and Bible-based publications and through his creation and his ways of dealing with us.
XXXX, just spit it out. Are you implying that we should not trust the Governing Body as Jehovah's channel for dispensing spiritual food?
Me: Trust! but be careful, they too are humans and make errors, you even said that they are not infallible. They may have high accuracy when teaching spiritual lessons BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE THEM EXPERTS IN SCIENTIFIC MATTERS.
She: Because if you don't, there's no use for this conversation, because I do, I really do...and I know that Jehovah does, too. Science apart from the Bible cannot be true science...
"Today, the best methodology to learn is called science, it's a streamlined way for us to determine reality and effectively filter out our innate human biases." -- Do you even know what you are talking about?
Me: Of course i do. do you have any other effective methodology to study nature and our universe?
She: And has your focusing on science drawn you closer to Jehovah?? obviously it has not. you're no longer active!
Me: Unfortunately, science it seems can ONLY help us perceived nature more accurately, bringing our perception closer to reality.
She: XXXX, i'll end our conversation...i hope you pray and think the things i say...before it's too late... i wish you can talk to the elders to change your mind...i have to be frank. you are walking on a dangerous path, and as your friend, I am trying to help you...i insist please think and pray about it...Bye .
".....coz much of the so-called scientific stuff they promote draws people away from the true God by promoting evolution!"
Me: Look, God and Evolution are not mutually exclusive. Evolution is only the process that science has discovered that answers how the diversity of life occurred. It does not address how life started. It can be the program that the almighty used in process of creating diverse life forms.
She: Just as i said...tsk...I am sorry, XXXX, but this is where I draw the line. Evolution and Jehovah God simply do not collocate...sorry XXXX, but I have to stop talking about this. You've gone too far and its scary. I am sorry po