If god is so cowardly that he desires to kill me with a car-sized hailstone instead of being man enough to come whoop my @ss in person, well friend, he's not my kind of guy anyhow.
If he would rather see my insides rot from ebola/black death or whatever than come reveal himself to me and tell me, not Hank, exactly what he wants, thats cool because I'd rather die like that than serve a prick like that.
Fear of the big "A"
by Chia 41 Replies latest jw friends
-
IP_SEC
-
jaffacake
There are very few things in life that we can be absolutely certain about, I have doubts about almost everything. One of the few things I CAN be absolutely sure of is the following:
That Jehovahs Witnesses do not teach or practice Christianity and the religion is based on doctrines of hate, fear and falsehood. God and Christianity is LOVE unlimited and unconditional, despite what the Bible is made out to teach by most world religions. Jehovahs Witnesses doctrines are most certainly not Bible-based, although they are experts at making them appear so..
By all means doubt everything, but not that Jehovahs Witnesses are wrong.
-
Hondo
Chia,
Your friends words,
"Why worry? Why stress? Live life. Be a good person, the best that you can be. Give back to people."
Are great words.
Go to a homeless shelter and hand out meals for a day, or just help someone (a blind person, and elderly person...) across the street, or volunteer to visit a hospice and just talk to a terminally ill patient there for an hour... then compare all this to going door to door, and the bordom associated with this. Who is God more visible in? Someone who is spreading the deceit, thoughts, Ideas and lies of an organization, or someone who is actually doing the work of God; doing good... Some people can be like a Mother Theresa or a Pope John Paul II. Some people can only walk a elderly person across the street, or perhaps visit a homeless shelter. Each is equal and the same in the eyes of God.
In many cases, without me saying a word or trying to sell someone a magazine, I get more questions about faith, God, Jesue, etc. by just doing the things I do (at a homeless shelter and not affiliated with any religious organization). There is so much good in this world, and It is such a good feeling doing something good rather than going around proclaiming that the sky is falling and all is bad in the world today. If you only look for the bad as the JW's do, you surely will find it; it's out there; it's part of life! Similarly, if you look for the good, you will also find it, and believe me, there is so much more good than you can imagine.
You are headed in the right direction. Try sharing some of your goodness. I think you will feel a warmth and inner goodness that is unique and something not found in anything the JW's do. The sky will only fall if you want it to...
Have a good day.
-
M.J.
I think a true historical perspective on this whole Big A teaching can do much to diffuse it. Check it out:
Charles Russell taught early on that the "little flock" would be transferred to heaven at the end of the " gentile times " in 1914, when all the earth's institutions of government and religion are overthrown ( p 101 ), clearing the way for God's kingdom . Mankind on earth would not be destroyed, but serve in a 1000 year "probation" period with a goal of becoming perfect humans like Adam in the garden. The basis of this was that all people that have ever lived have been covered by Christ's sacrifice, and thus should be given a second shot at eternal life under the proper experimental conditions. Together with Christ, the "little flock" would be the divine new rulers over the earth.
Russell got all this from the popular Adventist teachings of his day, with many of the specifics furnished by Nelson Barbour, a former Millerite . But after Russell's death and the takeover by Rutherford, some significant changes came about. The "Great Crowd" was identified by Rutherford in part to correct the problem of too many people joining the religion to credibly be part of the "remnant" of the 144,000. The very next year, a harsher view of Armageddon was implemented. Not only will Church and Government institutions be destroyed, but no living person outside of the organization could really expect to be spared from destruction--not even their kids (Riches, Rutherford, 1936, p. 98)...Many past generations will still be resurrected, though. In contrast, Russell had taught that everyone, with the few exceptions of those who had committed the unpardonable sin, would live to get a chance at redemption in the new system.Think about this point. First they taught that all mankind would survive the big A, with only church and state institutions being destroyed. Then the Great Crowd on earth is dreamed up by Rutherford. Now there are Godly people who are now relegated to remaining on earth as the earthly kingdoms' subjects. What the heck is the advantage to being in the organization now? If you've just been told you're in this new "Great Crowd", it doesn't take long for you to figure out that you have no real advantage over anyone else on this planet. Everyone will survive the big A, and all will be in the same boat as peons under the 144K in the new system. No wonder the very next year Rutherford came out with the sweeping claim that everyone on earth outside the org is now toast! This doctrine was thought up out of organizational, not Biblical concerns!
-
JAVA
The Watchtower Society got one thing right with large signs the dubs held up outside of churches on Sunday mornings--"Religion is a Snare and a Racket." Fear-based religions "snare" followers into believing that there is a loving God, but like an abusive spouse, he'll beat the crap out of you, even kill you, if you don't shut up and do what you're told. That's the "racket."
The "fear of the big A" is a sign--it's a sign that you've been in an abusive religion. Anyone in a relationship with another that threatens to harm and/or kill them if they don't follow the rules, is a victim of domestic violence. It's a crime in most developed countries. Fear-based religions are nothing more than a spouse that gets drunk on power, and pulls out a gun or fist to show they mean business.
The Watchtower Society is just another fear-based cult using intimidation, and shunning to enslave followers. It has become drunk on power, and uses "the big A" Hobgoblin to scare the hell out of followers. Exiting the Tower of Doom helps, and it can take a little time before one stops whistling in the dark because of fear. The next time you think about "the big A," think about the abusive cult that planted that seed. Think about domestic violence, and think about the Watchtower Society!
-
Honesty
The JW's do not have 'Truth'.
One scripture out of thousands is all it takes to prove it.
-
ozziepost
Fear of the Big A (Dubs) = Fear of Hell-fire (Roman Catholic)
What's the difference?
Both are designed to keep the faithful loyal and obedient.
-
Nathan Natas
Hi Chia,
You've received a great many excellent replies.
I'm hoping that maybe taking a humorous view of the situation might help too, and so I submit
"Kiss Hank's Ass"
= = = =
This morning there was a knock at my door. When I answered the door I found a well groomed, nicely dressed couple. The man spoke first:
John: "Hi! I'm John, and this is Mary."
Mary: Hi! We're here to invite you to come kiss Hank's ass with us."
Me: "Pardon me?! What are you talking about? Who's Hank, and why would I want to kiss His ass?"
John: "If you kiss Hank's ass, He'll give you a million dollars; and if you don't, He'll kick the shit out of you."
Me: "What? Is this some sort of bizarre mob shake-down?"
John: "Hank is a billionaire philanthropist. Hank built this town. Hank owns this town. He can do whatever he wants, and what He wants is to give you a million dollars, but He can't until you kiss his ass."
Me: "That doesn't make any sense. Why..."
Mary: "Who are you to question Hank's gift? Don't you want a million dollars? Isn't it worth a little kiss on the ass?"
Me: "Well maybe, if it's legit, but..."
John: "Then come kiss Hank's ass with us."
Me: "Do you kiss Hank's ass often?"
Mary: "Oh yes, all the time..."
Me: "And has He given you a million dollars?"
John: "Well no. You don't actually get the money until you leave town."
Me: "So why don't you just leave town now?"
Mary: "You can't leave until Hank tells you to, or you don't get the money, and He kicks the shit out of you."
Me: "Do you know anyone who kissed Hank's ass, left town, and got the million dollars?"
John: "My mother kissed Hank's ass for years. She left town last year, and I'm sure she got the money."
Me: "Haven't you talked to her since then?"
John: "Of course not, Hank doesn't allow it."
Me: "So what makes you think He'll actually give you the money if you've never talked to anyone who got the money?"
Mary: "Well, he gives you a little bit before you leave. Maybe you'll get a raise, maybe you'll win a small lotto, maybe you'll just find a twenty-dollar bill on the street."
Me: "What's that got to do with Hank?"
John: "Hank has certain 'connections.'"
Me: "I'm sorry, but this sounds like some sort of bizarre con game."
John: "But it's a million dollars, can you really take the chance? And remember, if you don't kiss Hank's ass He'll kick the shit of you."
Me: "Maybe if I could see Hank, talk to Him, get the details straight from him..."
Mary: "No one sees Hank, no one talks to Hank."
Me: "Then how do you kiss His ass?"
John: "Sometimes we just blow Him a kiss, and think of His ass. Other times we kiss Karl's ass, and he passes it on."
Me: "Who's Karl?"
Mary: "A friend of ours. He's the one who taught us all about kissing Hank's ass. All we had to do was take him out to dinner a few times."
Me: "And you just took his word for it when he said there was a Hank, that Hank wanted you to kiss His ass, and that Hank would reward you?"
John: "Oh no! Karl has a letter he got from Hank years ago explaining the whole thing. Here's a copy; see for yourself."
From the desk of Karl
Kiss Hank's ass and He'll give you a million dollars when you leave town.
Use alcohol in moderation.
Kick the shit out of people who aren't like you.
Eat right.
Hank dictated this list Himself.
The moon is made of green cheese.
Everything Hank says is right.
Wash your hands after going to the bathroom.
Don't use alcohol.
Eat your wieners on buns, no condiments.
Kiss Hank's ass or He'll kick the shit out of you.Me: "This appears to be written on Karl's letterhead."
Mary: "Hank didn't have any paper."
Me: "I have a hunch that if we checked we'd find this is Karl's handwriting."
John: "Of course, Hank dictated it."
Me: "I thought you said no one gets to see Hank?"
Mary: "Not now, but years ago He would talk to some people."
Me: "I thought you said He was a philanthropist. What sort of philanthropist kicks the shit out of people just because they're different?"
Mary: "It's what Hank wants, and Hank's always right."
Me: "How do you figure that?"
Mary: "Item 7 says 'Everything Hank says is right.' That's good enough for me!"
Me: "Maybe your friend Karl just made the whole thing up."
John: "No way! Item 5 says 'Hank dictated this list himself.' Besides, item 2 says 'Use alcohol in moderation,' Item 4 says 'Eat right,' and item 8 says 'Wash your hands after going to the bathroom.' Everyone knows those things are right, so the rest must be true, too."
Me: "But 9 says 'Don't use alcohol.' which doesn't quite go with item 2, and 6 says 'The moon is made of green cheese,' which is just plain wrong."
John: "There's no contradiction between 9 and 2, 9 just clarifies 2. As far as 6 goes, you've never been to the moon, so you can't say for sure."
Me: "Scientists have pretty firmly established that the moon is made of rock..."
Mary: "But they don't know if the rock came from the Earth, or from out of space, so it could just as easily be green cheese."
Me: "I'm not really an expert, but I think the theory that the Moon was somehow 'captured' by the Earth has been discounted*. Besides, not knowing where the rock came from doesn't make it cheese."
John: "Ha! You just admitted that scientists make mistakes, but we know Hank is always right!"
Me: "We do?"
Mary: "Of course we do, Item 7 says so."
Me: "You're saying Hank's always right because the list says so, the list is right because Hank dictated it, and we know that Hank dictated it because the list says so. That's circular logic, no different than saying 'Hank's right because He says He's right.'"
John: "Now you're getting it! It's so rewarding to see someone come around to Hank's way of thinking."
Me: "But...oh, never mind. What's the deal with wieners?"
Mary: She blushes.
John: "Wieners, in buns, no condiments. It's Hank's way. Anything else is wrong."
Me: "What if I don't have a bun?"
John: "No bun, no wiener. A wiener without a bun is wrong."
Me: "No relish? No Mustard?"
Mary: She looks positively stricken.
John: He's shouting. "There's no need for such language! Condiments of any kind are wrong!"
Me: "So a big pile of sauerkraut with some wieners chopped up in it would be out of the question?"
Mary: Sticks her fingers in her ears."I am not listening to this. La la la, la la, la la la."
John: "That's disgusting. Only some sort of evil deviant would eat that..."
Me: "It's good! I eat it all the time."
Mary: She faints.
John: He catches Mary. "Well, if I'd known you where one of those I wouldn't have wasted my time. When Hank kicks the shit out of you I'll be there, counting my money and laughing. I'll kiss Hank's ass for you, you bunless cut-wienered kraut-eater."
With this, John dragged Mary to their waiting car, and sped off.(from www.jhuger.com)
-
fairchild
The Truth (as I seen it)
According to Jehovah's Witnesses
by Gary Busselman
That was a wonderful write with a great ending, thank you for posting it.
-
kilroy2
I have had the same concerns, try to look at it from a different angle, look at some one, from a different cult, take scientology, they control their people the same way as dubs, The believe that many many years ago that an evil dictator took all the people in the solar system and put them in a volcano and dropped nukes on them, the spirits called theatons cling to people today and you need the scientologist to help you come to clear [remove the theatons] it sound silly, and you wonder how can any one have trouble walking away? well when you are inside a cult it is not that easy, but the to people not raised in the dubdom, they look just that stupid, when I look at it like that I find that wait,they really are that ridiculous. Some times it is hard to see the forest through the trees,