Prayer? Why Bother?

by ChakkaConned 7 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  ChakkaConned

  Did it seem that JW's truly valued and promoted the avenue of prayer as a REAL force in one's life? Not to me. When you *sinned*, it was like you needn't bother Jehovah with your pathetic self through prayer and a one on one with The Almighty and receive peace and complete forgiveness via this precious privilege God provides. Oh no....you should talk with the elders and let them handle your pathetic, sinful self and leave Jehovah and Jesus out of it. WHO areYOU to think that that YOU can approach God privately and get off easy from your sin?? Sure, they pay lip service to the subject of prayer but they don't have faith that Jehovah alone can/will actually handle anything in a person's life nor do they think a person deserves this. Instead of Jesus as the mediator, they feel they are.

  What a fleshly, faithless, non spiritual group.

  CC
• 

  dsgal

  ChakkaConned,

  AMEN to that!!!
• 

  Francois

  The WTBTS have arrogated to themselves a position in the cosmic economy that they do not have, as you have so clearly put it. Thus, they are frauds, spiritual frauds. I would hate to be them and have to stand before God and explain myself. It can't be done.

  Having said that, I suspect that if God is anything like I have conceived him to be, even the GB will receive the same forgiveness that I seek for myself. Our desire for revenge on the GB is a human phenomena, after all.
• 

  terabletera

  One time I said, "I'm not sinful, I'm just human"

  got some "LOOKS" I'll tell ya. Gee I said it smiling so they'd think I was sort of kiddin but I think they knew me better than that.

  But I still feel that way now. Nor do I pray.
• 

  benext

  One of the first questions an elder would ask is if you have prayed about your sin. Then the interrogation would begin.
• 

  jack2

  I don't pray much either.

  When the elders do handle some matter involving 'sin', they normally do ask if you've prayed to Jehovah for forgiveness. However, the religion is not really geared toward people seeking God's mercy on their own - they are supposed to get the elders involved. While this can at times be helpful, it often creates an atmosphere of fear and enforcement of sanctions.
• 

  Undecided

  Why pray for forgiveness, if God can't read your heart and you have to pray, you could fool God by praying words that you don't feel.

  Ken P.
• 

  Navigator

  Francois

  Very insightful reply regarding the forgiveness of GB members. However, we can take comfort in that realization that the remembrance of those wrongs will likely be painful to them. Too bad that the same principle applies to us as well.