by problemaddict 2 37 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
That is right...it affected me too. In my epiphany of waking up to reality three thoughts occurred in fairly short order:
1] Everything and everyone that I had believed in , looked up to and respected was just plain wrong.."Just not true!"
2] I was not going to live forever. If fact my life was already 2/3 over and I had wasted most of it.
3] I was not going to see my dead mother again, after all.
I can well understand why people succombe to depression at that realization
I spent countless hours in the fetal position when I learned TTATT. It was a real rollercoaster for a while. I entered my 40's, learned TTATT, realized that I would bury my parents, and that I was an under-educated wannabe/nobody and had a shitty job that I would likely never escape.
It was more than a bitch-slap of truth. Truth made me its bitch, and didn't snuggle afterwords, or bother to call me later.
DD
Hebrews 2:14 Therefore, since the “young children” are sharers of blood and flesh, he also similarly shared in the same things, so that through his death he might bring to nothing the one having the means to cause death, that is, the Devil, 15 and that he might set free all those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.
As JW's we always applied this to the poor people we called on in the ministry. How sad to live their lives in fear of death. But we had a real hope and no fear of death for us.
The 1969 Awake! about never getting old in this system was published my last year of public schooling. Social Security is next! Now that Scripture is the reality of many JW's of my generation.....overlapping or not. In fact I heard a Public Talk recently and that Scripture was used as a warning to JW's that they should not fear death since they were still alive in this system that was supposed to be over by now.
It is a sad reality to come to grips with late in life. So many things that were promised never came true. Still, they hold on and rejoice with new light. So glad that I can now allow myself to think for myself.
Somewhat related is the realization that one will never live to see "justice". (There is a full string of posts on this somewhere.) We were taught as JWs that all the things that are "wrong" with this world would eventually be corrected by God, because he is "just".
Now, I've come to realize that will never happen. The millions that suffer unfairly due to tyrants or disease or injury or for any reason whatsoever are just SOL. God isn't going to "fix it". It is what it is.
That's kinda sad.
Doc
problemaddict 2,
Thank you for your post. I do struggle with this. It's hard to just accept that you will one day die when all you have ever known is living forever in Paradise on earth.
As I approach middle age I realize that my time and my life are precious to me.
Doctor Who: In other words....I am more alive now, than ever before. It is wonderful!
Great comment. Life is here to be enjoyed now, while we are alive. As one advertising campaign said "Life-LIVE it!"
To the OP,
This reality can lead to daily happiness. Death is inevitable, and not to be feared. The thing is, to enjoy the moments that life offers, be kind, to yourSELF and others. Begin each day with a great stretch like a cat, and realize that every moment is unique, and some are special in that you will treasure them forever.
Death is not to be feared, we can only hope it will be swift and relatively painless. After that, we are dust in the wind...... it matters not.
Just my 2, as we used to say.
xx
TALSIN: Begin each day with a great stretch like a cat,
SHIT! Tal, you didn't warn me that was gonna hurt like hell.
Anyone know a good chiropractor?
I think I'll just stick to laying around like an old, lazy hound dog.
Doc
Great comments everyone. I appreciate it. Everyones experience and coping (or lack thereof), is very interesting and different. But you can almost break up into two groups. One group is very matter of fact and accepting, the other sad/depressed/ or battling those thoughts as I described.
I wonder what that is, if it isn't just aspects of our personality.
I'm sure I'll struggle with this for a while. I had children late (they are very small still), and while I enjoy them, i will be old when they become their own men. That is sad to me. I would love to see my family grow, affect future generations, and the thought if being non existent is still a bit paralyzing. I'm sure I'll cope and find the right place to put it. Its still a basically new thought. I just hadn't ever perhaps reached down and figured out why it was there.
