Is some of the difference due to age rather than triad position?
I'm wondering as I read so many accusatory questions and answers, if at least some of the differences in viewpoint might be due to people being at different stages of life. I know I would have answered the questions in this section very differently in my 20s or 30s.
So, what is your age range?
Are you beginning your adulthood (20s)? Getting into the groove (30s)? Hitting your stride and thinking about what comes next (40s)? Starting to think about grandchildren (50s)? Enjoying retirement and grandchildren (60s and above)?
Me? Late 40s: old enough, but not yet creaky.
BPD Wife2008-03-04T17:24:24Z
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WOW! What an interesting question and a valid point. I agree that I would have answered questions differently when I was in my 20s than I would now (in my 30s). I think too that sometimes it is the age of the child that is involved that affects the way people answer their questions.
No sir, Jehovah's Witnesses do not understand the Trinity to mean three gods. Jehovah's Witnesses understand the Trinity doctrine as introduced by the Roman Catholic Church which defined it, as has been mentioned by the gentleman above. Therefore, attempting to redefine it now, so many thousands of years removed, exposes a form of dishonesty on the part of said revisionist. So Jehovah's Witnesses go with the definition as given by the Roman Catholic Church’s introduction of the Trinity doctrine. That being said . . . Much is made about the translation of John 1:1 – indeed, every time the Trinity doctrine is discussed, many fold their faith around this particular verse, denouncing Jehovah's Witnesses as if their particular translation of it is an alien concept (which it is not). Discussion abounds regarding the grammar, predicate nominatives, equative verbs, and so on. And this is just fine for we need to do this in language. It seems curious, however, to hang one’s hat on a particular verse – and that to the exclusion of all others. Particularly where, as here, the verse does not even mention the so-called third section of the Trinity. Now if, as you said, ‘God consist of three individuals: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit . . . the Father is not the same person as the Son . . . son not the same person as the Father . . . Father not the same person as the Holy Spirit . . . there are NOT three gods, but one,” then you have effectively introduced three gods. Why? Because, since there are three separate and distinct persons, three separate and distinct individuals, of necessity, there must be three gods. Or, are you saying that the three distinct persons make up Almighty God when they somehow come together? In which case, when on earth, Jesus was most assuredly not God. Moreover, it is impossible for God Almighty to die. And Jesus died. These two facts, scripturally, are undisputed. No matter how one looks at the Trinity doctrine – dead on or askance - it is impossible for Jesus to be Almighty God. Hannah J Paul Edit: The exhaustive quote located somewhere above concerning Constantine’s convening of the Council of Nicaea comes, wholly, from the August 1, 1992 Watchtower article entitled When and How Did the Trinity Doctrine Develop. Citation to this material must have been inadvertently omitted.
Reader's Digest summary of adoption feelings evolution:
Teens - a lot of rage
20's - wasn't ready to touch on my adoption issues, but rather focused on what I felt was a feminist issue of punishing women by taking away their babies. I was angry in your face political grrrrl
30's - started to touch on it, but then would bury it when the pain got too much. This repeated the entire decade
40's - wishing I had better spent my 30's instead of doing the revolving door
In my groove but on the verge of my stride. (39) I'm an adoptive mom. I usually have to learn the hard way, but after i bang my head against a brick wall uummm...like 10 times, i get it. The older i get it, the faster i understand other peoples point of view.
My answers are much different now verses my 20's. So i agree its a good question.