Posts by Curtains

61

Wow, This is Getting Tougher!

by Franklin Massey in

jw
friends

i'm having a really hard time giving my meeting parts.

i had a service meeting part this week and i could hardly get through it.

i am no longer convinced of some of the things jws teach and so i try to either eliminate those things from my parts, or reword them so that i'm not speaking about that which i do not personally believe.

Curtains

Hoffnung mentions some good points. A local witness also does the same. A couple of points they brought out recently were

In commenting on John 14:12 (Jesus followers doing works greater than him)

they said

We truly have done works greater than Jesus just as Jesus said we would. He began his preaching campaign at the age of 30 and continued working intensively for 3 1/2 years. Whereas many here have been preaching from childhood.

another time in commenting on Matthew 24:45 Who really is the faithful and discreet slave ...

they said: This is a marvellous verse for interrogating false religion as it's importance lies in the fact that it is a question. And this question can be put to all religions and they must provide an answer to Jesus Christ. Of course Jehovahs witnesses have already replied to this question.

edit: however if you feel that you would be letting your brothers and sisters down it is best not to use these tactics. the person who makes these sorts of comments has been fading for some time now and has come to terms with their own interaction with Jehovahs witnesses.

152

Are you a TRUE Christian?!?

by brotherdan in

i've been thinking alot over the past few days on what makes a christian a christian, and i'm coming to some different conclusions than i ever have.... the watchtower likes to use the term "true believers" or "true christians".

i'm at a loss here lately.

you are either an atheist or you are not.

Curtains

aguest in your line by line replies, it is clear to me that you are misunderstanding and delimiting what zid is saying.

A general point I will make and which I feel agrees with what Zid is saying is that the worship she describes has a multiplying effect whereas monothieism has a subtracting effect - subtracting down to one. And then monothieism when taken to suggest a single start does not allow for the fact singleness is absent in nature - what we have instead is profusion. So I would suggest saying always profusion and abundance. Archaelogocal and anthropological evidence supports this idea of profusion and always is a much more liberating way of seeing existence.

The Noah story perhaps testifies to having to make a new start after some sort of cataclysm (of which there have been many). Although the story possibly relates to a real life event, I see it as one of many such stories and as having been experienced not just by humans.

152

Are you a TRUE Christian?!?

by brotherdan in

i've been thinking alot over the past few days on what makes a christian a christian, and i'm coming to some different conclusions than i ever have.... the watchtower likes to use the term "true believers" or "true christians".

i'm at a loss here lately.

you are either an atheist or you are not.

Curtains

I would not take up the story of worship with SOMEONE as you suggest Aguest. To me plants, animals etc present themselves as meditating in worship, for example in turning towards the sun. One only needs to look at them to feel their calming meditative influence. No someone here. You can keep your guy/someone who talks in your ear. I prefer the babbling brook of nature.

edit: And in returning to the title of this thread, what could be more true than that?

73

My Labrador died can anyone please help me. I can't stand the pain.

by Witness 007 in

my wife recovered from depression just 14 months ago and things have been going well.....so much so that i started a buisness for her and we are two weeks into it.

my labby was ill vomiting abit of discomfort, i thought great, you ate something bad again!

the vet gave him a shot and sent us home.

Curtains

witness 007, I'm so sorry

152

Are you a TRUE Christian?!?

by brotherdan in

i've been thinking alot over the past few days on what makes a christian a christian, and i'm coming to some different conclusions than i ever have.... the watchtower likes to use the term "true believers" or "true christians".

i'm at a loss here lately.

you are either an atheist or you are not.

Curtains

thanks for sharing your research zid. lots I can agree with. Polytheism acknowledges the importance of the feminine whereas monotheism tends to be purely masculine. I think holy spirit could incorporate the feminine if believers would let her. However I don't see evidence of this in this thread so will assume believers don't.

I particularly like these points, zid,

I've said it before, I'll say it again - religion itself evolved - or perhaps devolved, as the range of options SHRANK... Polytheism was generally the RULE in older civilizations, not monotheism...

And Monotheism, by its very nature, LIMITS the number of deities available for worship. Therefore, the period of time in which Polytheism was common would NATUARLLY have MORE deities - and more methods of worship - than our modern, monotheistic world.

So, it didn't start out with "someONE"... It started out in MANY locations with many different kinds of humans... It WASN'T homogenous; it was - again - POLYtheistic, with a WIDE VARIETY of deities and methods of worship...

these points are a fantastic rebuttal to the theme of htis thread and sorely needed.

28

Please Welcome "saltyoldlady"!!!

by Yan Bibiyan in

jw
friends

a new member "saltyoldlady" just joined the board on the introductory thread of another new member here.

.

i didn't want the op's thread highjacked, so please welcome saltyoldlady on this thread.. .

Curtains

hi saltyoldlady - thanks for the suggestions

152

Are you a TRUE Christian?!?

by brotherdan in

i've been thinking alot over the past few days on what makes a christian a christian, and i'm coming to some different conclusions than i ever have.... the watchtower likes to use the term "true believers" or "true christians".

i'm at a loss here lately.

you are either an atheist or you are not.

Curtains

perry

Of course, there are sheep on many hills. Fundamentalists teach and preach this.

what complete twaddle.

152

Are you a TRUE Christian?!?

by brotherdan in

i've been thinking alot over the past few days on what makes a christian a christian, and i'm coming to some different conclusions than i ever have.... the watchtower likes to use the term "true believers" or "true christians".

i'm at a loss here lately.

you are either an atheist or you are not.

Curtains

The finger

Curtains,

The Ex Witness who said to me "There are sheep on many hills" I think was quoting from a book.

sounds like an interesting book

a true christian needs to undergo metamorphosis and this can lead to huge differences between christians. I think I get what you are saying. Seeking god does not lead to unity and sameness.

edit: but perhaps I've misunderstood you, the finger. Nevertheless the bible verses you bring to ding's attention provide food for thought so thanks for mentioning them.

152

Are you a TRUE Christian?!?

by brotherdan in

i've been thinking alot over the past few days on what makes a christian a christian, and i'm coming to some different conclusions than i ever have.... the watchtower likes to use the term "true believers" or "true christians".

i'm at a loss here lately.

you are either an atheist or you are not.

Curtains

finger I so agree with you and particularly like your "sheep on many hills" analogy.

19

Anyone else get stabbed in the back?

by WontLeave in

jw
friends

i was a gung-ho advocate for jws.

i got on the message boards and would argue down any detractor, apostate, church pastor, disgruntled ex-jw, you name it... i was out in the ministry constantly, practically running from door to door, preaching.

i started studies left and right.

Curtains

In a nutshell you are a disturber of the peace wontleave. An independent and free thinker. Such people threaten established order and are disfellowshipped for this reason. Many here have trodden this path.