Fear!

by LittleToe 114 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Xena
    Xena

    So what we are mainly talking about here is the difference between irrational and rational fear?

    Pardon me if I appear slow...As realist will tell you, I'm not the brightest crayon in the box.

  • franklin J
    franklin J

    Xena! ....you are stars and stripes and glitter in our box.....

  • Special K
    Special K

    Nice thoughts there little toe, but when I clicked to the site it gets down to the obvious fear for me. My FEAR of SPENDING MONEY! lol

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  • LittleToe
    LittleToe

    SpecialK:
    LOL - I never even looked at the site, beyond the quotes page.

    Xena:
    Either
    This isn't so much about the types and sources as the coping mechaisms...

  • Forscher
    Forscher

    I just thought I'd add a thought here. When I began learning ancient greek, I had an interesting trnaslation exercise that brought 1Jhn.4:18 to my attention.

    *** Rbi8 1 John 4:18 ***

    18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love throws fear outside, because fear exercises a restraint. Indeed, he that is under fear has not been made perfect in love.

    It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see why that verse is almost never commented on in the WTBTS literature sinct the whole system is biult on fear. Fear of Df'ng. Fear of being killed by God at the big A. And yet, the Apostle tells us that FEAR (more than likely of what men may do to us, not of things we should fear, such as the fear of injury if we stick our hand in a fire etc...) "exercises a restraint." That is, holds us back from doing what we know to be right because it may not be popular with certain folks. That phrase translates the greek prase "Kolasin exei" or "torment is having." Some translations say "fear hath punishment" (RV). The word Kolasis as I recall reffered specifically to torture. So that John was bringing to mind the way fear of the consequences of an action tortures us and thus "restrains" us (so that we see that the NWT is really paraphrasing this passage).

    But the passage also tells us that the antidote to such fear is love. If we have been made perfect in love, and especially love for God, then we will do what is right out of that love and the consequences be damned! Love insulates us from the fear of man.

  • Deputy Dog
    Deputy Dog

    LT

    What came first, fear or wisdom?

    I don't think I can answer that, except to say, sometimes it is very wise to fear.

    It looks like Xena just made my piont

    So what we are mainly talking about here is the difference between irrational and rational fear?

    But to answer your question

    Whilst "love" was actually there all along, what effect does "perfecting love" have on the manner in which we fear?

    it doesn't matter either way, as the verse says "perfect love casts out fear"

    D Dog

  • LittleToe
    LittleToe

    Forscher:Well put.
    I pointed that out to my mother, a few years past, when she was in fear of how the Elders were treating her. This was before I DA'ed. It has become clearer still, as time has worn on.

    DDog:Ah, sorry, I see that we DID get the long version

    <theological mode>

    sometimes it is very wise to fear.

    Would you like to posit some examples?
    I suspect you're thinking about "fear of God". A couple of questions that would lead on from that would be "what IS that fear?" and "what is the purpose of such fear?"

    Do you think the level to which we love, in this context, has an effect on the amount we fear?

    </theological mode>

  • stopthepain
    stopthepain

    the 2 prime motivators for men ,fear and greed.

  • Xena
    Xena

    Xena:Either
    This isn't so much about the types and sources as the coping mechaisms...

    so give me some examples.

    franklin that was really sweet, your wife is a lucky woman

  • LittleToe
    LittleToe

    Xena:
    So, someone parks in front of your car, blocking your exit.
    You need to go looking for him, to move it, but he's a 6', 230lb guy with a bad temper.

    What are the mechanics of how you deal with that situation (internally and externally)?

    Stop:I find it very sad, but I have to agree with you. Those ARE the prime motives for many people.
    Fortunately they aren't the only ones, though.

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