# *What I've learned on H2O.

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Posted by Friend [Friend] on November 05, 1999 at 08:15:07 {6xiCHW3gJ2rRIg7iiOekOgnjR4Br/g}:

In Reply to: What I've learned on H2O. posted by angler on November 04, 1999 at 19:59:41:

felix a

You have described some fine personal development, which is a fine thing. Without it we simply cannot enjoy the finer aspects of life. We certainly cannot nurture spirituality without it. And, in my opinion, realizing and nurturing spirituality is the very finest aspect of life.

On the issue of spirituality I maintain that intellect is less a critical factor than personal needs (Of course intellect is part of our personal needs but not the equivalent of personal needs. Intellectual issues will be more important for some than others). While individuals should not accept dishonesty—which is a facet of intellect—they also should not forsake the virtues of tolerance—a facet of spirituality. While I agree that people should be thinkers I also maintain that each person has innate spirituality than cannot be explained purely by intellect. On a spiritual plane I hold that thinkers will and accept and tolerate certain evaluations that would not be tolerated if only examined intellectually. In a nutshell I believe you are doing quite well in sorting out those issues for yourself, and sorting things out for ourselves is the only way to do it. Your discoveries along the intellectual side have greatly enhanced your ability to decide your needs and tolerances, which is a fine thing.

Though decades apart in our development (not that I am better off than you) your experience is in some respects like my own, the difference being under what circumstances we grow or decide to continue. In my case it was not so much a matter of discovering inconsistencies or contradictions but rather that of resolving what should I do in the face of them realizing that practically no choices of association leaves us without them. At some point we are all faced with that dilemma and we hope proper choices are forthcoming.

As for “the truth”, I do believe that Jehovah’s Witnesses representations are genuine. I do not believe they have absolute truth or that they posses some unique and critical knowledge unattainable elsewhere. Rather, I believe what Jehovah’s Witnesses hold as “the truth” is a way of life. In their endeavor to mimic the earliest Christians in following Jesus they believe their manner/way of doing so is most acceptable. In that case, since the early Christians believed they were in “the truth” then Jehovah’s Witnesses likewise genuinely feel they are in “the truth.”

It is always refreshing to observe people such as you that have learned to see beyond trivialities to the weightier. Ideally that is something we all do and it continues throughout life.

As for the most affective way to help people (JW or not), I believe each of us has a moral obligation to share things as we see them, the good and the bad, the ugly and the beautiful. Besides that we should always be listeners first. If we have done those things then we have done all we can and we have been honest in doing it. Afterward people who we encounter must do the same thing we did, decide. Some decisions have longer lasting effects than others do. Some decisions are more difficult to reverse than others are. Nevertheless in the end it is the individual that must decide their course and deal with the consequences thereof. If those choices/consequences are partly due to dishonest representations then those so doing are reprehensible to the degree of their influence.

On the issue of “Theocratic Warfare”, based purely upon the Bible I do not believe that intentionally speaking something untrue is always a crime or should be classified as a lie. Even in modern Society it is rather evident that some situations beg that we speak an untruth as a manifestation of what is morel. My opinion based upon the bible is that the difference between a lie and intentionally speaking an untruth lay with our intentions and whether they are genuine and unselfish. Please, do not get me wrong here. I do not believe that speaking an untruth should ever be employed to misguide anything legitimate. That which is illegitimate suffers the consequences of what it is and represents. If a consequence happens to be misguidance due to intentional untruth then so be it. From a purely scriptural view that which is illegitimate should be determined based upon explicit statements from the Bible, which I believe also considers the feelings of the society of mankind. That means that in most respects (if not all respects) that which the Bible deems illegitimate is also deemed illegitimate by society at large. I do not agree with every application of so-called “Theocratic Warfare” though I do agree with the principle.

Anyway, I really enjoyed your post here and look forward to reading more of your thoughts in the future.

Friend

Follow Ups:

- **What I've learned on H2O. Cygnus 15:20:54 11/05/99 (0)
- **What I've learned on H2O. Worldly?Witness 13:37:57 11/05/99 (13)
  - ***What I've learned on H2O. Friend 14:52:50 11/05/99 (12)
    - ****What I've learned on H2O. WorldlyWitness 17:04:54 11/05/99 (11)
      - *****What I've learned on H2O. Friend 17:30:34 11/05/99 (10)
        - ******What I've learned on H2O. WorldlyWitness 22:06:35 11/05/99 (9)
          - *******What I've learned on H2O. Friend 06:38:31 11/06/99 (8)
            - ********What I've learned on H2O. Hypocrisy 18:06:25 11/06/99 (7)
              - *********What I've learned on H2O. Friend 18:51:11 11/06/99 (6)
                - **********What I've learned on H2O. WorldlyWitness 14:23:05 11/07/99 (5)
                  - ***********What I've learned on H2O. Friend 14:38:03 11/07/99 (4)
                    - ************What I've learned on H2O. WorldlyWitness 17:38:35 11/07/99 (3)
                      - *************What I've learned on H2O. Friend 17:57:43 11/07/99 (2)
                        - **************What I've learned on H2O. One More 20:20:38 11/07/99 (1)
                          - ***************What I've learned on H2O. Friend 07:36:18 11/08/99 (0)
- **What I've learned on H2O. AF 09:20:22 11/05/99 (13)
  - ***What I've learned on H2O. Friend 11:04:22 11/05/99 (11)
    - ****What I've learned on H2O. AF 13:33:19 11/05/99 (8)
      - *****What I've learned on H2O. Friend 13:54:04 11/05/99 (7)
        - ******What I've learned on H2O. AF 01:19:11 11/06/99 (4)
          - *******What I've learned on H2O. Friend 06:48:43 11/06/99 (3)
            - ********What I've learned on H2O. AF 08:40:28 11/06/99 (2)
              - *********What I've learned on H2O. Friend 10:09:52 11/06/99 (1)
                - **********What I've learned on H2O. AF 17:16:54 11/06/99 (0)
        - ******What I've learned on H2O. Friend addendum 20:54:42 11/05/99 (1)
          - *******What I've learned on H2O. WW 22:14:14 11/05/99 (0)
    - ****What I've learned on H2O. J 11:27:13 11/05/99 (1)
      - *****What I've learned on H2O. Friend 11:41:23 11/05/99 (0)
  - ***What I've learned on H2O. metatron 10:38:55 11/05/99 (0)

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