Paradise Cafe Discussions - A Place For Bible Research And Christian Encouragement

This scripture was one I never heard talked about as a JW, but is one that really reached out to me when I started reading the Bible on my own. I find it very hard to accept the "rules" laid out by the society on just about everything without taking this scripture in to consideration.

Now don't get me wrong, I think the Bible is very clear on things that we should NOT do, but as for the little things that the society seems to have gone overboard on when it came to "controlling" what a brother or sister could or couldn't do, I think this scripture pretty much is the one they should have followed.

There are a lot of things like holidays, birthdays, movies, etc. that should be a real conscience issue and not set down in stone by the society or by the local elders. I do not think less of a person who may celebrate a day I do not, or who may like to do things that I may not like. If they are not doing something that is clear in the Bible we should not do such as fornication, adultery, murder, stealing etc., why should we judge them if their conscience is different than ours?

I would be interested in what others think on this.

Thank you.

Andy[/quote]

Hello designs2.

Yes, control is one way to keep the people in line, and allowing them to grow and become healthy is not in the game plan for the society.

I recall when I was studying, and then again out in service, about how we "must" keep on searching for the truth and grow in our spiritual knowledge, yet once I was baptized, that all seemed to change, except I was now telling others to "search" for the truth by reading the JW literature. The ironic thing is that while we were telling others to "search" for the truth, we were not allowed to do that!

Seems like once you become a JW, then you are not allowed to continue your search for the truth because the society does not really want you to search, just accept everything they say, which is far from what we told those at the doors. I remember hearing brothers tell bible studies that you "must NOT" accept what your leaders tell you, but find the answers for yourself!

The answers are in the bible if one takes the time to "search" for them, of course if you are still an active JW, you are not allowed to voice any of your new found "truth" to anyone else in the society, which is one of the reasons I could no longer accept the WTBS as my only source of "truth"!

Take care.

Andy:

:wave:
Hey there, Andyman! So good to see you again, brother! :hug:

Yes, we've mostly all made the observation that we must've been blind to have overlooked the bulk of Scripture in lieu of the society's oft-repeated mantras. Come to find out there's a LOT more to the rest of the story than what we were originally taught! There was specific purpose to their method of teaching - we were so busy trying to memorize WT theology that a LOT of Scripture relevant to being CHRISTians went by the way... unnoticed, obscured. OR - purposely veiled to be uncovered by only 'the remnant annointed' ones - so they cover-over MOST of the Christian Greek Scriptures by saying that they are only for the eyes and ears of 'the elect'.

In a way I think it's been a good thing - tho' it still makes me kinda MAD, lol. But what a revelation TRUTH really is - how exhilarating it is to recieve epiphany after epiphany about Christ Jesus, OUR Lord and Savior of the WORLD - not only for a select few. I reckon there are just some things one must discover for themselves - things that can't be taught except by the Holy Spirit. Case in point - here's another verse that I swore I'd never read before exiting the WT -

1 John 2:27
As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

Ah well, the scales have slid from our eyes - and now we can count it as a GOOD thing, Andy!

:love: Love to you, my Andy bro!
Your sister, Willa:siskiss:
:peace:

Hi Willa and all,:wave:


This scripture is excellent. I had almost forgot this one. Thanks for reminding of it.
I'm so happy that you believe in the power of the holy spirit. I just talked with my brother at work, who still is not disfellowshiped about how the holy spirit makes us understand the Holy Scriptures. That without holy spirit you can memorize teachings and bibleverses. You get the knowledge into your head. But to really understand and to get it down in heart, to get the right feelings :heartbeat: for the teachings of the Holy Scriptures, you must have the holy spirit.

Much brotherly love to you Willa and to all
Jan

Hi BethelBoy,
Your illustration with Wayne Gretzkey is excellent, and the point about differences in translation is important. Well, the verse according to NWT is very confortable in introducing Biblestudies, but of course we should not change any meaning of the scriptures.
I checked Kingdom interlinear and it reads:
This but is the everlasting life in order that they may be knowing you the only true God and whom you sent forth Jesus Christ.

Brotherly love
Jan

Thanks Wayne.

I think there are a lot of scriptures that were never used by the society simply because they could not "change" the meaning or slant it to their view.

Take care.

Andy:

Hello Willa, it's nice to be back! :thumbsup:

Great scripture, I hadn't come across that one before, but it sure is a good one. I think that most organized religions tend to pick and chose the scriptures they use to try and get their followers to see things there way. I have always wondered what Jesus would have said about the way organized religions do things!

Take care.

Andy:

Hi Debbie.

Yes, it is hard to leave when you have been told that there is only one path to salvation, and that is to belong to one certain group. I had that same problem for some time when I left, but after getting on discussion board with other current, and former JW's who also were having problems with accepting everything the society was teaching, I soon found that it is not any group of men who will decide our salvation for us, but Jehovah!

When we let others decide things for us we are not really following what the bible teaches, and we put ourselves at risk of being controlled to the point we have to "ask" the elders about every little thing we do, or check it out in WT publications to find out what they have to say about it. God gave us a great gift, the ability to learn and to make a choice that we feel is right for us. He gave us a conscience to use in order to be able to learn on our own the true course to take. When a group has to decide for us what our "conscience" should be like, then we have problems.

I knew many brothers and sisters at my old hall that were depressed, turned to alcohol, prescription drugs, and were find it very hard to cope with thing, yet they received no real answers from the elders when they talked with them about the problem. Seems like the only advice for just about any problem was "get out in service more"! No really what these people needed, and it never did help them. Some turned to counseling for help, but were discouraged by the elders because they were afraid they might say something about the congregation. They were warned "not" to discuss things that might shed a bad light on the "society".

The problem was for most of them that they had to much of a demand being placed on the to do more, more, more, for the society, and they had little or not time left for themselves, their family, and their mental health. It was very sad to see people stop going to get help outside the hall when they really needed it.

I think board like this really do help because you can talk about things, ask questions, and get answers from people who have been, or still are having the same kind of problems. Support from your peers is a great help.

Take care.

Andy: