Ok, I NEVER post about anything having to do with god or the bible, but....

by Jesika 32 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  gold_morning

  Jessika,

  I know what you are talking about. All those years I was a witnesses I never felt anything either.

  It is because we were praying to someone we did not know personally. We knew "all about" God and Jesus, but we never knew them personally. Jesus preached in John chapter 5, that they studied the scriptures diligently to get eternal life.....but they never knew HIM.

  Jesus also said ..."I am IN the father, and you are IN me and I am IN you. I had never thought of that before. I guess I use to think of them watching "over" us......... but never right IN us.

  Romans 8:11 says"

  "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit, WHO LIVES IN YOU."

  I don't think we ever really read the bible for enjoyment, like a good read. We never got to know the main character. We never read it like a Daneille Steele novel and had the characters really come to life.

  Try just reading the book of John for what it is Jesika. You will be soooo amazed at how different it is from what the JW's have taught us.

  If ever you need me or have questions....or just need someone to talk to please e-mail me at

  [email protected]
• 

  jst2laws

  Dear Jessica,

  I so understand what you are saying. The key to this thought is what you said in quotes "I never felt any "connection" ". I felt the "connection" for 44 years, but it was not a connection that the WT cult gave me. I had it as a Baptist, and later joined the JW's, where I felt connected for three more decades.

  This "connection" is not relevant to the Baptist or the JW's. It is not even, in my opinion, dependant on your relating to any RELIGION. It is something RELIGION can even impede. Whatever it was for me, it was real and independent of religion, institutions or a concept of a 'sky Daddy'. It is an experience that 'religion' tries to define, categorize and monopolize. THAT, is what prevents so many genuine people like you from "connecting".

  This is something for further discussion. But please assure yourself that your lack of "connecting' is not due to your personal deficiency, but more likely due to your background that was not within your control. I believe the ability to 'connect' is just as available to you as anyone else if you can shed the barriers you or an institution has built up between you and the ultimate source of LOVE. It is not easy, but you are no wimp, are you?

  Jst2laws
• 

  Double Edge

  Jessika:
  

  Below is a link that might interest you.... it's someone's 'take' on being spiritual.... not 'religious', but spiritual. I agree with a lot of it.

  http://www.meaningoflife.i12.com/beingspiritual.htm

  Double Edge
• 

  peacefulpete

  double edge...the generalizations and charactorizations at that link are typical language loading. He provides a definition and then broadly applies it negatively about those who do not feel a need for supernatural elements and who would define the term spiritual differently. Ethics and social responsibility as well as a sense of wonder are very much a part of the life and thinking of agnostics and Skeptics. To define spirituality in such sweeping language is a misrepresentation of people who do not regard themselves as spiritual due to their more occult/supernatural definition. By using the definition provided at your link all human other than sociopaths would be described as spiritual. I do not think this is what was meant at the start of this thread.
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  bebu

  Trying to explain spirituality is like trying to explain to someone else (who's never tried it) the taste of yogurt, or root beer, or...

  Real spirituality, I think, comes through a real relationship to God, or else the result is like a person who is trying to taste and chew food, but never swallow. We weren't meant to be divided up spiritually, nor to divorce ourselves spiritually from God.

  Jesus called the pharisees blind leaders. He meant they were spiritually blind, obviously. He also said that they led other spiritually blind people, who weren't leaders. So, spirituality can be impaired, if you accept his comments. Interestingly, Jesus said he came to open the eyes of the blind--he actually came to fix this impaired condition.

  Personally, I think if it really starts to annoy you that you aren't "getting it", the best general thing to do is pray, to "Whoever You Know You Are, God", in utter honesty about the very, very moment you are in. The more brazenly honest I have been in prayer, the more likely I am to find I have been Grasped. People talk about sex as the most intimate experience, but I--and others-- have experienced something even deeper by finally determining to approach God with raw simplicity, and having as much an attitude of humbleness as could be mustered...

  Certainly, if heaven is real, then the intimacy with God there must surpass even the good physical/emotional intimacies God created for this realm. A handshake is nice; a kiss is nicer (usually!). Sex with your soulmate is bliss. And I have experienced that communion with God, who made these faculties to enjoy relationships of various kinds, is awesome.

  Good luck in thinking all of the various answers through!!

  bebu
• 

  playdrums

  Jesika:
  
  This may sound really weird. But I've found as an outsider to things JW, that discovering the forces that are aligned against Christianity within JWism has somewhat reaffirmed a faith I had become rather lax about. It's weird because whatever is behind the Watchtower is diametrically aligned against all of Christian history - and in strangely specific but sneaky ways. But why?
  
  Anyway, I feel that it is definitely a spiritual battle and discovering that has definitely made me feel more connected to God.
• 

  anti-absolutist

  I skipped all of the responses before posting. If I have repeated what has been said forgive me but I have had little time lately to read ALL the posts and still wanted to respond to your post.

  I feel very strongly that you DO understand what spirituality is, and yet, the fact that it differs so much from other peoples' perception of spirituality, it can become confusing.

  A lot of people equate spirituality to religion. Religious people can be spiritual but it is not a prerequisite, although RELIGIOUS people seem to think that it is. Spirituality is a state of mind. It has absolutely nothing to do with going to church or the Kingdom Hall.

  In regards to what you say about praying, I feel very similar to your viewpoints as to who/what you are talking to. I feel that God exists within us. If he also exists OUTSIDE of us, then that is fine, too, but I do not think that it means that he cannot exist within us as well.

  The reason I feel so strongly on these points is that I have been a JW. I have also studied other religions as well, and it seems that, out of all the people that I have met in these travels, the people that feel that they are drawing on a power WITHIN themselves, rather than an obscure inanimate object are more happy, successful and objective in their lives.

  I am also humble enough to realize that these are just MY opinions, and if YOU PERSONALLY draw any power from these thoughts, then great, and if not I have lost nothing.

  May you and your family have a long and prosperous life. Your son sounds really cool and mature for his age. No matter what your thoughts are on religion, if you succeed in raising great kids, you have provided a fantastic service for the human race already.

  Cheers to a great person, Brad
• 

  Jesika

  Thank you all for your comments. I guess I was more curious then anything to get different views.

  I think I am with Larc on the topic personally though.

  Thanx again for replying!!!!!

  Jes
• 

  outoftheorg

  Ok Peacefulpete, I got it. Your explanation fits in with what I have come to "believe".

  Thanks for your effort in sharing this information with us.

  I have an assessing analyzing personality. Can you imagine the cognitive dissonance this all caused in my mind?

  Trying like hell to please my mom and later my family, by preaching things I never felt good about. Having to push away and ignore the obvious conflict of beliefs and the realities of life and learning.

  I find no conflict here with what you posted.

  Outoftheorg
• 

  Chap

  Hi Jesika,

  I believe that we were created as physical/spirit beings. Were we created for a purpose? It is impossible for me to believe that we weren't. Would it make sense that a creator would create to serve its purposes? Is that not why we make/create things?

  I think the closest parallel to what religious people call "spirit" is what we know as our conscience. Psychiatrists try to say that it is a couple of glands that are active when we do something "noble" or "destructive" but why are they there in the first place? I think the creator created a system where everyone and everything could be happy or fulfilled by living by his rules. After all, who would know better? The rules in short, love the Lord your God with everything you have and love your neighbor as yourself. I cannot see how things would be better than if most everyone followed these concepts.

  I think that children’s consciences are more active than many adults because many adults have ignored the bad feelings in themselves for so long that they don't feel bad about doing the bad things they do. The irony about all this; people want to be happy and fulfilled so they serve themselves above others and God. If people serve God and others above themselves, I think that is when they are the most happy and fulfilled.