Posts by humbled

14

Death

by Charles Gillette in

jw
friends

i often wonder about death.

no one has any idea, do they?

people have speculated since the beginning of time but each original concept of the hereafter as been absurd as the one before.

The stories of afterlife always fell short once l left high school.There were too many loose threads. But was there any reason to live if l rejected the whole cloth of god? Now I find grace in living even if the dust just settles permanently on me.

Catholicism taught me this mantra “Our purpose is to know, love and serve God in this world and the next.” Then l went searching down the religious crossroad ( like Blueblades said ) there was just a wilderness of martyrs on pikes —wreathed, garlanded, votive candles blazing —their dead fingers extended. Problem was each pointing out the “True Path”— in every direction criss-cross. useless

The life-everlasting that l honestly hold and that comforts me is ....TaTa! only the life that l presently, day-to-day live.

The real grace (A life past my life) l have found has been when someone has let me open my heart with out crushing me. That benefit is powerful..l think even immortal. Since it helped me, why not transmit that simple grace? It is a simple way to move past my own last breath.

The daily release of whatever narrative l was supposed to fulfill, l just accept the loss, let go of failures , mistakes and bad choices-I try to be honest about experiences going through this “Fire Swamp”. If the truth will set me free or take the sting out of death this is the only way l feel it for myself. I have lost family but gained family too. Others in this world need that grace. I find them , they are many. When l discovered religion bred hypocrisy, l left it.

I saw the life breath leave a person —but see their power persist through the lives they touched. This is the immediate, earthy, practical life -after -death l hold to now.

I have so many messes in my life but so much beauty . The fake narratives l felt l was supposed to be inhabiting hurt me. When l feel l have to pretend in my own life l drive myself and others crazy.( Lots of things will do this to you—not just religion )

I got to see a good counselor on and off and that point of “grace” l mentioned earlier—someone l could honestly open up to— confirmed (to me at least)that we can pass on enduring good. Having some mercy on one another is good. Listen mercifully and see that you become braver anc it empowers others to go forward with strength to make better choices too. Let’s them aspire to honesty. It is the least but it truly is so much.

This thread provided a moment of grace for me. Thanks for listening. And thanks for talking.

52

My JW Elder Brother Passed Away

by minimus in

jw
friends

he was basically a good man, just a believer in the religion.

when we were both elders we were best of friends and then things deteriorated when i was not an elder for a while.

then after becoming an elder again, i slowly drifted away from the religion and he drifted further away from me.

humbled

Sorry , min. I’m glad someone told you what happened . I wish the JWs had good memorials to help us in this stuff. I hope you have someone you can talk to about your brother.

14

Jehovah is true

by JehovahMyRock in

i feel as is he himself wants me to find a life my lost life..affordability jobless almost homeless doe to rent cost..i trust jahova witness and respect their teachings cause to before i liked and understand their mind..but my heart didn't resolve cause my brain not very helpfully i understand i have a important future roll i trust for the first time in jahova..i respect and my person addiction brothers please pray for me, please brothers and sisters please i don't want become a homeless or b more lost in wonder i one jobless truly if am here is because of jahova..the fact of loving a somebody not approved by god or nature i feel as if i like to serve jav as becoming a bomb to kill bugs that harm the good really.

humbled

Clearly needs help. Mentions addiction.

Get help.

226

Wealth, Poverty, and Morality

by SecondRateMind in

jw
friends

i am interested in the approach this forum takes to money.

apart from sex, (which i am quite relaxed about) it seems to me that wealth is the surest divider between those who are moral, and those who are not.. it seems jesus thought so, also.

luke 16:19-31 kjv describes well enough his dusty attitude to the rich who do not succour the poor.. and this world has many poor: so many, it might seem that we can do nothing about it, and twist his words; 'the poor ye shall have always with you, but me, ye shall not have always.

humbled

Edit; Oops- l didn’t send this morning before went to market. I will send it and see what folks have said in the last several hours.....,

Xanthippe- good for your daughter and you. Any organization that is able to have the least administrative burden with the best effect is good.

2RM— we used to have WPA -@ 90 years ago. People worked. It wasn’t communism, or socialism. I think we could look and see that there should be work for people that is good work. We could name it something that no one reacted against.

_________________________________

Okay- saw what was posted. Thinking.

226

Wealth, Poverty, and Morality

by SecondRateMind in

jw
friends

i am interested in the approach this forum takes to money.

apart from sex, (which i am quite relaxed about) it seems to me that wealth is the surest divider between those who are moral, and those who are not.. it seems jesus thought so, also.

luke 16:19-31 kjv describes well enough his dusty attitude to the rich who do not succour the poor.. and this world has many poor: so many, it might seem that we can do nothing about it, and twist his words; 'the poor ye shall have always with you, but me, ye shall not have always.

humbled

2RM—I still find a little money every so often to lend to budding entrepreneurs in the poorer parts of Africa. Sometimes this money is repaid, sometimes it isn't. When it is, I re-lend it 2RM someone else. In this way, even what little I can afford stretches a long way, and helps a number of people help themselves.

A good thing to do. I have heard this is often not even a large sum that makes a dramatic difference. Children in Zimbabwe who cannot afford even the $2 school fee do not go to school for every penny is for bare subsistence. That government betrayed the people. A little can do a lot. Small sums are do-able. A small gamble.

Do you have an agent through which you work? How are you able to disperse funds? If you don’t mind me asking.

226

Wealth, Poverty, and Morality

by SecondRateMind in

jw
friends

i am interested in the approach this forum takes to money.

apart from sex, (which i am quite relaxed about) it seems to me that wealth is the surest divider between those who are moral, and those who are not.. it seems jesus thought so, also.

luke 16:19-31 kjv describes well enough his dusty attitude to the rich who do not succour the poor.. and this world has many poor: so many, it might seem that we can do nothing about it, and twist his words; 'the poor ye shall have always with you, but me, ye shall not have always.

humbled

https://youtu.be/5BYpJVTdeAU

From around 1968-70 documentary shows how work was melting away for these Kentucky miners. Like the miners in the UK when jobs left. Trying to retrain for other work their retraining was stopped. They don’t want welfare, handouts ( minute 35) . And sometimes they are accused of being lazy. But they are not.

These are the grandparents of much of today’s poor. It’s a good film, l think.

2RM, everyone l know would rather have a way to make a living. Neither man nor woman wants a handout. We need a living. Why can’t THAT happen?

143

Good Guys VS Bad Guys: Facts Nobody Wants to KNow

by TerryWalstrom in

jw
friends

facts we don't want to know.

the purpose of war is to kill humans.. .

which humans?.

humbled

Ruby— l looked up that link and signed on to futurelearn. I don’t have much time beyond what I said have stolen for this discussion. But so much of that course covers things talked about here l will try to keep up.

luhe—are your talking points directed at anything l may have said? I hoped l was clear that l don’t have a brief against capitalism. I do have an issue with the massive sway that huge corporations are exerting over democratic processes and government. I thought about whether my phone was produced by capitalism and l am not satisfied it was. But perhaps it’s price was a result of capitalism.

There are a lot of moving parts to your remarks. I see you have a lovely thread on toxic masculinity that l am watching and reading the videos and links given-certainly a world unsettled.

It seems to be unraveling, doesn’t it? I hope to pick up the threads ov conversation after a night’s sleep. Take care friends.

143

Good Guys VS Bad Guys: Facts Nobody Wants to KNow

by TerryWalstrom in

jw
friends

facts we don't want to know.

the purpose of war is to kill humans.. .

which humans?.

humbled

So this is vain hope that the UN will ever be more than nothing for international crimes. So cofty said, a toothless tiger now and forever.

And looking at a brief account of the surveillance system and interdependence of those English speaking nations, the Five-eyes are the protectors of life as westerners know it.

It is good to know there are policemen. But it is also bad because l know that they protect their own and any one of them is corruptable . And they protect their own.

George H Bush was CIA and vice president under President Reagan. He ran that stuff that was so crooked and criminal with that Iran-Contra business. George H Bush was CIA and vice president under President Reagan. The collusion in back of the war in Iraq that stripped oil out of that country and left devastation and this unfolding chaos in the Muslim/ oil countries. It sickens.

There is a saying in Spanish that translates: “Everyone judges the fair according to their luck.” Some people are still in luck with this system but more and more of us people are struggling with structured failure as Ruby has somewhat mentioned in her posts. The powerful don’t listen to the working poor. The multinational corporations have their claws deep into the political structures of nations. But systems created by Big Money are not sustainable. I am watching them fail right here where l live in this little part of the world in Arkansas.

143

Good Guys VS Bad Guys: Facts Nobody Wants to KNow

by TerryWalstrom in

jw
friends

facts we don't want to know.

the purpose of war is to kill humans.. .

which humans?.

humbled

Russia has the power of veto which it uses every time the Security Council tries to pass a resolution against her evil cronies such as Asaad.

Something troubles me about this reluctance for there to be any judgment on the big players-like Russia...or the US.

I can’t get it out of my head that the US by refusing to participate in the International Criminal Court may allow Russia the freedom to avoid judgement as well. As l have pointed out elsewhere, the US has committed clandestine crimes —maybe should / could be tried for. Hillary Clinton did not want to the US to join the ICC for the reasons that the US role in the World was special and made it vulnerable to accusation. On the other hand one of the prosecutors in the Nuremberg trials wrote about the need for the US to be part of such a court.

Especially because the US refuses to submit to international judgement l find it unhealthy that the UN relies so heavily on this country. This reliance removes tooth and backbone to international justice -and peace.

Do you think the US should join the ICC?

143

Good Guys VS Bad Guys: Facts Nobody Wants to KNow

by TerryWalstrom in

jw
friends

facts we don't want to know.

the purpose of war is to kill humans.. .

which humans?.

humbled

Apropos of the problem of bigness in a nationstate – I heard an interview yesterday with a guy named John Dickerson who had written a book The Hardest Job in the World. It’s about the growing, massive responsibilities of the US presidency. Is it safe to rely on one overgrown nationstate to supply the Big Stick for smaller nation states?

Maybe we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Does anybody think the U.N. could be that big stick?

But I have understood that the US exercises most control in this body. Is this good? If we would get out from under the control of any one single powerful nation it would seem so much better.

So, this sort of addresses luhe ‘s : what other better arrangement than the nationstate?

I am all for nation states—but I think they tend to look for (love)economic /military support in all the wrong places. By not putting the burden of maintaining an army big enough to fight off the big selfish interest a happy little country could maintain itself without crawling under the umbrella of that supranational bureaucracy.

?

lt simply does not seem that small nationstates can hold their own if either Russia, China, the US or any single other nation state is in charge of policing the world.

This thought may be silly but tell me why.