the elders are giving me a chance to meet up with them a last time in order to try to prevent a disfellowshipping.
one of the elders will call me in two days to see what i think because i told him that i don't want to be in the religion anymore.
how can i politely and painlessly refuse?
Billen,
I did not say he should write that he no longer wants to be a JW, please read my post again. He is ready to be disfellowshipped and will likely be disfellowshipped. I was just trying to help him to remember that if he wants to keep peace with his parents telling off the elders will likely hinder that.
the watchtower ?
december 1, 2010 page 5,6 says:.
the ultimate personification of evil, satan stands in bitter opposition to jehovah, who personifies love.. .
Nickolas, "With respect, it appears to me you are betraying a paradigm that holds some groups of people are better than other groups of people. Those groups who are inferior, in race or creed or otherwise, should be erased from the face of the earth so that groups of people who are superior, perhaps like you, should inherit it. Do you really want to say this?" No, that's not what I'm saying. War is war. It is, as they say, hell. All peoples who have warred have at one time or another committed similar acts. I don't believe some people are superior to others, on the contrary, my belief is that all peoples are very much the same. And given similar circumstances would most likely do as those who came before them. The American Civil War was a brutal war and if we all had lived at that time we would have most likely done as so many on both sides of that war did, both the good and the bad. Let's look at the Palestinian situation today; if what is happening in the Middle East today was taking place let's say in ancient times the Palestinians would have done well for themselves if they could have wiped out the Jews from their land from the start. Decades of war would have been avoided, generations of children saved and so on. Now, to say what I just said does not mean I believe it a good thing, no. But it would have been in the minds of the Palestinians of ancient times a necessary thing. To understand the ancients is not easy from our modern perspective, I find it hard to read some of the history of Rome, for example, but they were what they were for their time. Not pretty but the truth is, imo, that given the same circumstance as they had many of us would likely live as they did if not by choice then by training and peer pressure. (sorry about the formatting. I've tried correcting it several times but it won't work"
the elders are giving me a chance to meet up with them a last time in order to try to prevent a disfellowshipping.
one of the elders will call me in two days to see what i think because i told him that i don't want to be in the religion anymore.
how can i politely and painlessly refuse?
If you hope to even keep a foot in the door with your parents I would recommend you say to the elders (or write a respectful note) that you appreciate their efforts but you do not choose to meet at this time. To say anything disrespectful would not be in your best interests if you are still living at home and hope to continue living in a somewhat peaceful situation with your parents.
the watchtower ?
december 1, 2010 page 5,6 says:.
the ultimate personification of evil, satan stands in bitter opposition to jehovah, who personifies love.. .
No. I'm saying that it is a fact of war.
the watchtower ?
december 1, 2010 page 5,6 says:.
the ultimate personification of evil, satan stands in bitter opposition to jehovah, who personifies love.. .
Nickolas,
"What the Jews in Bible did was genocide, that is why it is wrong."
Many peoples are guilty of genocide. First the Europeans then the U.S. itself killed off nations of American Indians in both American continents. The ancients killed off whole peoples as well. War is war and the idea of "war crimes" is relatively new. War was/is brutal and women whether during war or peace are always at the mercy of those who would commit terrible crimes against them. Among the Jews there were monsters who did what they wanted with women but that is a human trait found in every nation and army and in today's modern army even some fellow soldiers have raped their female counterparts. Let's look at the whole picture not just one piece.
money has dried up and i have too many credit card bills to pay.
both of my cars are not working right, property tax hasn't been paid and many other things are going crazy.
never been in a situation like this before.
Also, Ken, print or write down the posts on this thread and put them on your fridge or the bathroom mirror. Keep the good advice and good thoughts uppermost in your mind!
money has dried up and i have too many credit card bills to pay.
both of my cars are not working right, property tax hasn't been paid and many other things are going crazy.
never been in a situation like this before.
Keep your chin up, Ken. Things will turn around for you. Keep the most important things, sell the rest and do what you can to gain some peace of mind. Get out of the house or apartment. Concentrate on those things that bring a smile and warm your heart. Start something new and keep it going. In other words, don't stop living but rather increase the living and if you can give a helping hand to another person as well. That always feels good.
You are in my prays.
the watchtower ?
december 1, 2010 page 5,6 says:.
the ultimate personification of evil, satan stands in bitter opposition to jehovah, who personifies love.. .
Yes, I believe our Father personifies love. Jesus was the reflection of his Father and like his Father he spoke the truth and loved those who loved the truth. It's the hypocrisy of religious men and women that causes the problems. Does Revelation paint a picture of Jesus as one who never slays?
Did the U.S. and the Allied Powers during WWII ever cause the death of innocent children? Were any children burned to death? Were any children orphaned? How is it that we in self-defense, or for political reasons, can kill and maim but if in the Bible the Jews do the same it's wrong?
human misery: the default setting in the universe.. .
we think "everything is okay" is the norm and it isn't.
not by a long shot.. .
Terry,
Yes, "always". If you need to add the "absolute" by all means do so.
could alex do?
he might lovingly approach.
steve again and lay bare his fault.
In my opinion, this sort of thing encourages those who seek to lift themselves up in the congregation by "telling" on others. Small people who would inform on an elder or publisher just to get back or gain some status.
More importantly, the Society should practice what it preaches. Ray's COC brought them to account and their reaction was not one of repentance but rather they hardened their hearts and became even more harsh as a result. It's so easy for the Governing Body to point the righteous finger at the teens and publishers in the congregations requiring them to live up to Bible principles but they themselves, to use the current phrase, refuse to "man up" to what is right before Jehovah! Sure, tell a young man to rat on a friend for Jehovah's sake but keep the secret sins of the Governing Body, both present and former, in secret!
They truly are the Pharisees of the 21st century.
