regal1

Joined

• started 0 topics
• posted 2 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by regal1

• 
  15

  JW at My Door Admits That She’s Had Doubts

  by Broken Promises in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the background: a female jw who introduced herself as lisa came to my door a couple of weeks ago with a memorial invitation.

  i acknowledged that i knew what it was about, and had asked her why they dont accept the wine and bread.

  we had a discussion about that, with me stating that the bible only gives a heavenly hope, not an earthly one.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  regal1

  Umm. I reject the JW's, and I know longer believe in anything spernatural. Having said that, and in the interest of keeping things real: As a JW for decades, with plenty of pioneering time, I very seldom met any person who had read the Bible as much as i did, or as much as my friends had. When this rare event did happen, it usually involved a spirited but futile argument on the trinity or other such abstractions. It's misleading to suggest that JW's are less well-read than average members of other religions. Large numbers of people don't know a damn thing about their religion. It's also pointless to suggest that JW beliefs, which are quite silly, are somehow more silly than anyone else's. Really? Wine turns into Jesus' blood? The Rapture? The JW's reject certain silliness, while embracing others.

  I do feel for that woman. Doubting can be a terrible feeling. But it can lead to something good. I hope that she's able, finally, to escape from the whole business, from god, demons, everything. That's true freedom.
• 
  29

  What's the Watchtower's current stance on...

  by FifthOfNovember in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the big bang?

  -do they leave room for it as a possibility for jehovah to have created the universe?

  (i heard an elder say once that the society doesn't necessarily rule out the big bang as a possiblity).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  regal1

  The human genome has been explored and it provides excellent evidence that we are just animals and not the result of supernatural intervention. Embedded in our genome are the remnants of ancient viruses, which may have wiped out many homo sapiens. The survivors carry the scars of this ancient battle. We are amazing similar on a genetic level to the primates that still live on the earth with us. I find that it's easier to do an end run around JW and other religious teaching as to our origins. I was taught about 7,000 year creative days, but expanding the business to eons or whatever is, in my view, beside the point.

  Back in the day, I was one of the few JW's in my area to want to talk with evolution believers. Some of the arguments I tried, with the greatest sincerity, are still being used by born-agains, etc. Science offers explanations for our origins and for the evolution of life. There is no need, really, to get into theological debates about what has happened in the natural world. Life on this planet is very old, and we are simply among the critters that live here. Bronze Age guesses about such matters are not relevant. I was once a very devout green-Bible minister, but now I realize it was all futile. Rational thinking is liberating, even if it means there is no heaven, gods, etc.