by Frannie Banannie 29 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
The TRUTH is, innocence is truth. As the earth gives up its life-giving sources freely by your being altruistic you will be producing good karma; you will be in tune with the cosmos. That is what to believe in now.
I'm becoming more and more aware of these truths, Dansk....I agree...It seems that it was the lies and subterfuge of religions that smothered that innocence....it's taken a long time to begin to see where the healing is taking me.....
Frannie B
What to believe in now?
What a thought provoking question.
I too.. feel that God has become an empty chasm. When a J.W. .. I prayed diligently and truly believed he was there. But when I left the J.W.'s I threw him out...
Whether I believe in God now or not.. .. I just don't know. and that is exactly what I tell my children when they ask me if we believe in God. I tell them that those are questions that, as they grow, they can explore and investigate...and just be open minded to other peoples beliefs as long as they are not hurting and controlling someone... I tell them the first person they can believe in is "themselves" and to give themselves a big hug.
I guess now, I just believe in myself.. and it is okay to make mistakes and forgive myself instead of beating myself or any of my kids or husband with a BIBLE..I allow imperfection and individualism in both my family and other people... and THIS IS A GOOD THING.
I make most of my decisions based on my love for myself and love of my follow man.
I do miss however not having a transcendual belief in something higher than myself. I guess then that when I die.. if I'm aware that I am dieing then I'll just take the open minded approach, as I pass, knowing that I cannot change what is happenning.. but only ACCEPT.
sincerely
special k
I guess now, I just believe in myself.. and it is okay to make mistakes and forgive myself instead of beating myself or any of my kids or husband with a BIBLE..I allow imperfection and individualism in both my family and other people... and THIS IS A GOOD THING.
SpecialK, this IS a good thing....we weren't allowed to believe in ourselves when borganized....idnit wunnerful to do so now? Like a breath of fresh air...a restoration of one's own personal dignity....
Frannie B
There are many things "bigger than ourselves" that deserve our devotion. The present needs for social reform requires dedicated visionary volunteers to steer the world from shortsighted consummerism, waste and imperialism. The need for human compassion has never been greater. Sadly the majority do not see their contribution as meaningful and so never try to effect change. In other words, an informed person has "causes" worthy of dedication and commitment that will result in good that will last on for untold years.
There are many things "bigger than ourselves" that deserve our devotion. The present needs for social reform requires dedicated visionary volunteers to steer the world from shortsighted consummerism, waste and imperialism. The need for human compassion has never been greater. Sadly the majority do not see their contribution as meaningful and so never try to effect change. In other words, an informed person has "causes" worthy of dedication and commitment that will result in good that will last on for untold years.
Peaceful Pete, though I agree with this, I'm also mindful that the WTS took all compassion away from its members...until those of us who've escaped its clutches...and we must begin small....to first find compassion for and belief in ourselves and our future....in order to begin to reach out for other worthy causes....we must become informed...for that, too, was taken away from us...or never given in the first place....
Frannie B
Interesting how different people's experiences vary. In my case, being a true believer and being of the anointed, faith is better than ever. Plus having done critical research that challenges Satan's system of lies about certain things, like the ridiculous notion that the Persians didn't revise their chronology and we should take their "copied" records as fact ahead of the Bible, that actually proves the Bible is true, like the VAT4956 reference to 511BCE for the original year 37 of Nebuchadnezzar, my faith is more than ever!
So the Bible remains true. Those with a lot of faith to start off with have even greater faith now; those with little will have none. Those with much will be given more, per the Bible. So that's true!
It's great not to have lost faith in YHWH because of the witnesses, but they did point me in the right direction.
JC
Frannie...Noone can take who you are away from you. It is true that a recovery period will probably focus on self, but the sooner a person gets involved in meaningful activity that better and sooner the recovery takes place.
Frannie...Noone can take who you are away from you. It is true that a recovery period will probably focus on self, but the sooner a person gets involved in meaningful activity that better and sooner the recovery takes place.
PP, while in actuality it's true that your identity can't be taken from you, many DO suffer from a very traumatic identity crisis during their recovery period.....after all, xdubs have been identifying themselves as dubs for God knows how many years, perhaps their whole lives and must either discover or rediscover who they are on a personal basis....and you're right, it takes time....meanwhile, I think that any efforts xdubs make in campaigning against the WTS and it's doctrines and tactics is pretty darn meaningful and significantly selfless, since they stand to actually gain nothing from it but a sense of accomplishment, usefulness and satisfaction....don't you?
Frannie B
no...it was recomended by our councellor and other books on the subject, that after an intitial reeducation about how cults work and why we are feeling the way we do when leaving them, we should reinvest in new avenues that are challenging and absorbing. Lingering in the anger and resentment is not the path to recovery. Many see it their mission to help others out but forget the way to do this is to manifest happiness in our new life and be available as friends to the extent they will allow us. Some here have been separated from the JWs for decades and still feel a mission to destroy what cannot be destroyed. Cult thinking is universal and ancient, it is not going anywhere. If we take care of ourselves and pursue healthy choices, we are doing more good than becoming the disgruntled apostate that is expected of us.
I have been associating with a Unitarian Universalist church, and find it an extremely refreshing contrast to the WT religion.
At the UU church, there are no dogmas which one is compelled to accept, instead members are encouraged and assisted to find their own theology by researching sacred writings from many cultures and applying those which have the most significant meaning to their own lives.
Where I attend, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Pagans, Humanists and Atheists associate with one another in a non-judgemental atmosphere. People are not condemned or vilified on the basis of their sexual orientation, number of hours spent performing any particular task, etc.
Instead of spending time seeing how well one another 'measures up' to a set of doctrines handed down from Brooklyn, members find ways to help each other and the community in which they live. Some work to help the homeless, others work with refugees, some work to create understanding between various churches, others work for fair and equal treatment in the workplace of those who may be discriminated against for various reasons.
Services vary from week to week, the minister may quote from the Bible, from the Koran, from 'Drawing Down the Moon', or from a secular author, depending on the topic of the discussion and the particular point being made.
I found the UU experience to be helpful in bringing my personal beliefs into a sharper focus, because I was exposed to many different perspectives, instead of only one.
Gaiagirl
