Meagan
Church Militant
Posts: 151
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Post by Meagan on Jul 14, 2008 21:47:24 GMT -5
Ok, so whenever the earth shattering events take place, my gut instinct is to say: The Tribulation is Nigh! Prepare for Armageddon. Not kidding.
It's that gut instinct.
Couple of questions.
Does the Church see events as they are unfolding as a "sign of the end times"?
Regardless of the answer to the above question, do you still have that knee jerk reaction?
peace
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Post by anne on Jul 15, 2008 4:39:33 GMT -5
Raised in the RCC I dont recall thinking about the 'end' just getting on with today... and 'watch and pray' The focus was on Jesus .and Judgment day as far as I can remember. though I did used to ask the priest about 144,000 and the mystery of the Trinity. Armageddon dreams .........loads of exs have them I had them inside and out of the WT,because you are mentally trapped for years after ,because you have lived in FEAR. I have known grown men cry,One man I know hid under a coat in the middle of the street,another one every time he heard a thunder storm would think /this is it' another one I met at a JW convention who was a complete mess and thought it was Christmas in October so carried a bottle of wine to celebrate .The elders had got involved with him and turned his brain inside /out.all he ever wanted to do was be a JW. he killed himself later.................loads of stories..............B****y B******s and they are not a cult? dream on.
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Meagan
Church Militant
Posts: 151
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Post by Meagan on Jul 15, 2008 18:29:53 GMT -5
I have noticed that with most of my Christian friends. There isn't this whole drama about Armageddon and the last days. There is just... Be kind to one another, have faith, and take care of each other. Do your best to do the right thing and when you don't, ask for forgiveness and help to do better next time round. I still don't totally understand the 144,000 in the Catholic way of thinking. Armageddon dreams .........loads of exs have them I had them inside and out of the WT,because you are mentally trapped for years after ,because you have lived in FEAR. That is just sad. Very sad. It can drive a person to that point. I want to ask what the B*****y and the other one is, but I suppose I ought not to.
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Post by carloshelms on Jul 15, 2008 22:40:59 GMT -5
Love casts fear outside. JWs bring it to your door. That is THE reason I left the watchtower and, ultimately, returned to the Catholic Church. The grass is never greener.
Live God's will for you today. There are fewer and fewer tomorrows.
The "end of the world" will come right on schedule. Exciting times! There is not one reason to fear.
Carlos the Procrastinator
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Post by anne on Jul 16, 2008 4:25:55 GMT -5
Thanks guys, that fear is awful isn't it anyone who has 'been there'will know. it seems to be easier for some than others,I suppose it depends on how much we liked the JWs?
Olivia...Got a bit mad there,feeling for others also.
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Post by carloshelms on Jul 21, 2008 8:31:04 GMT -5
Ya know, Olivia, from a spiritual standpoint, maybe there is an "end of the world" every day of our lives. There certainly ought to be ONE during our lives. I haven't gotten much into researching what it means to be "born again" in the Catholic Faith; but I have come to the conclusion that the JW caste system of multiple "hopes" is, for the most part, a divisive power grab by Brooklyn to keep the sheep spiritually in check.
Certainly being "born again" requires the death of the old flesh-oriented human entity to allow for a re-birth into Christ as a spirit-oriented entity. I have no doubt that the "tribulation" we face is due to the attachment we have with our physical bodies (don't get me wrong, I very much appreciate the one I have) and attempting to reconcile it with a new inheritance - that of living, finally and completely, at one with God in the spirit. While I strive to accomplish that connection with the Holy Spirit while inhabiting these bits of muscle and bone, nerve ending and hormone, synapse and skin...I find myself constantly conflicted and drawn first this way and then that. One day I am the "spiritual man." The next, I am Carlos the physical man, thinking about little but material and position. This "conquering the world" thing is hard work. But hey...it's a done deal already. Why can't I leave it alone?
C the P
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Post by anne on Jul 21, 2008 12:22:18 GMT -5
Carlos
We can become obsessed with it and drive ourselves crazy all over again. Paul had the same battles didn't he.so do all Christians we just got to put the armour on.
Don't forget Peter denied Christ,,,,,,,,,,,,yet repented and was forgiven.
John 3 v 3 and John 3v 5 ..............is essential Jesus taught it.
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Post by carloshelms on Jul 25, 2008 9:44:23 GMT -5
Such is the nature of the battle, Anne. I never want to get to the point where I just give up...surrendering to the flesh. The Lord has provided for me and I am blessed (very blessed, actually); but the battle still wages. The character can always be refined a little more, a little better. I can't help but think that the end will come; but it will come when God says "it's time" and the body is too tired to resist any longer.
Salve! C the P
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Post by anne on Jul 25, 2008 11:44:55 GMT -5
Hiya
Yes we are in a battle indeed ,and I believe Jesus walks the road with us all the way. John 17.
The end will come 'one day' sure enough ,but it won't be when men say it will be we have had enough of that yeah!
I wonder how much money has been made by all these books written about 'end times'.
Jesus gave warnings for His day,but there is also a future day ,meanwhile we live each day as thought it is the last one,I mean In Christ...........
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Post by carloshelms on Aug 7, 2008 20:58:35 GMT -5
Hiya I wonder how much money has been made by all these books written about 'end times'. Thanks again, Anne, for your replies. PLENTY of money has been made and will be made because people long for a change and believe it's completely out of their control. We are reminded of "wait on Jehovah." Wait for what? Jehovah ain't gonna make all our "owies" better without some input from us. He gives us his Son, the tools, the power, the courage....not to mention the Holy Spirit. We need to make the best use of them. salve, Carlos
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Post by anne on Aug 8, 2008 3:54:38 GMT -5
Morning,
Too right carlos ,PLENTY OF MONEY .and they are still at it .trying to do exactly as the Watchtower did .They sold plenty of literature with all their false claims and dates,many including me putting their life 'on hold' every world crisis'this is it'..and I am not scoffing at end times, but so many different interpretations of it,and Christians get so 'het up' over it all. even saying 'you are not a Christian if you don't believe in the Larkin charts' yep! this was said in an FIEC church I was in................UNBELIEVABLE!
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Post by carloshelms on Aug 8, 2008 12:24:39 GMT -5
LOL...I wouldn't worry too much about it. What God needs you to know, he reveals to you wherever you happen to be. Other than that, it's a huge business operated by those who make money or who get their egos stroked by all the "Oooh's" and "Ahh's."
Architect Louis Sullivan said: "It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic, Of all things physical and metaphysical, Of all things human and all things super-human, Of all true manifestations of the head, Of the heart, of the soul, That the life is recognizable in its expression, That form ever follows function. This is the law.”
...and I'm inclined to agree. Purpose ought to define us and the way it looks ought to follow. Many have the order confused and are consequently conflicted. The spirit life can't be defined by the mechanical mind. In a spiritual sense, after purpose, what else matters? That's what I love about the RCC. They stay out of your head and leave you alone with God.
Carlos the Procrastinator
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Post by anne on Aug 9, 2008 16:59:55 GMT -5
I love that last bit.'They stay out of your head and leave you alone with God'
Vanities of the mind.boy we sure had our fill of that in the WT.
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Post by anne on Sept 4, 2008 3:41:23 GMT -5
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Post by tcabeen on Sept 8, 2008 13:11:06 GMT -5
Hi Anne,
Unlike some of the heresies that sprang up in the early Centuries of the church, nearly all Christian traditions that have sprung up since the beginning of the Reformation have a considerable amount of Christian truth to them. A few of them have quite a lot of truth. On the other hand, some groups are focused on one narrow part of Christianity (like gifts of the Spirit) and in that small area, they may appear to be pretty experienced.
Also, it appears that God blesses anyone anywhere who sincerely tries to serve Him, regardless of whether or not they have been misled or have the whole truth. This is why even some JWs seem to have God's blessing on their ministry, and I attribute their success to God. Even bad farmers can grow enough to eat on, and to a starving person, even a bad farmer may look pretty good. As the old saying goes, even a blind cat gets a mouse once in awhile.
But we are in a Church which possesses the Christian faith in all its fullness. Sadly, most Catholics do not even attempt to plumb the depths of the Catholic faith. But those who do are richly rewarded. Given that I spent so many years outside the Catholic tradition, I have chosen to focus my studies from now on discovering how rich the "mother lode" of Catholic teaching is. I highly recommend it.
Your brother,
Tom
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