Um hi.... (page 2)

DubNoMo

Now with the economy so bad I've been er...completely freaking out.Welcome to the board, it's a nice place to get a read on all the bugaboo Watchtower stuff. Lots of intelligence hereabouts and lots of kind, caring people.

With unemployment at 5.5% the economy isn't so bad, except in the minds of demagogues, politicians and Bethel folk. I remember double-digit unemployment, interest rates and inflation -- all at once -- during the Carter "malaise" years. Now, that was a bad economy. Yet we lived through it. Cheer up. At 17 you should be planning for life, not worrying about death. You have many miles to go. Some will be good, some bad. Getting hooked up with the Jehovah's Witnesses will likely add more bad miles to your journey. It did for me.

Got hours?

Nathan Natas

Welcome, Hikaru!

More than 40 years ago _I_ was a 17 year-old Witness of Jehovah, and I felt then much as you do now.

Forty years from now, you will be posting a message to a 17 year-old who hasn't been born yet, assuring him, as I assure you now, that the WTB&TS is a DOOMSDAY CULT and that thier ARMAGEDDON and GREAT TRIBULATION will NEVER come to pass.

Tick tock, tick tock... the days go by, the weeks, months and years.

Maybe you can find a sympathetic counselor in school to help you with you anxiety. One solution would be to be very physically active. Play sports, work out... Be sure to continue your education and develop that mental faculty that the WATCHTOWER fears most - critical thinking skills.

Good luck!

Jim_TX

Since you are only 17, you are too young to remember the "Stay alive till '75" campaign in the early 70's.

We were told back then to not prepare for a future here in this 'old' system.
We were told that we wouldn'e even graduate from High School.
We were told that we shouldn't consider getting married.
We were told...

well, I think that you may get the point. We were told many things... that didn't happen in 1975... or 1976... or 1977... what year is it now? 2008?

Don't get freaked out. Live your life.

Regards,

Jim TX (who was about your age in 1972)

Simon

I remember being told that I'd never have to go to high school in 'this system'

It won't be long before my kids will be going ...

You have a long way ahead of you at 17, don't throw years away (especially young ones) on the WTS

Quandry

But have doubts (Please don't try to prey on those...) Now with the economy so bad I've been er...completely freaking out. I know I'm supposed to not really look up these sites..but curiosity got the best of me

The fact that you have doubts means that you need to slow down and do more research before you take a step that cannot be taken back, namely baptism.

Now is the time to ask questions and get answers. You know that after baptism, you are not expected to ask questions, and the elders, rather than being helpful, may take a very dim view of doubts.

Of course you are curious. You are seventeen. You should be, and hopefully you will never grow out of being curious. I am over fifty and still very curious. How does this machine work? What is dry ice? Where did dinosaurs come from? Why did they die?

How did the organization known as Jehovah's Witnesses get started? Why don't they believe many of the same things they did when Russell started it? Why would they use a term "present truth?" Does that mean that it can change and still be "truth" if it is completely different?

Yes, please don't make hasty decisions. Not for anyone. Ask those questions. You are important and so are your questions.

changeling

((((((((((((((((((hikaru))))))))))))))))))))))

Please don't be afraid. Life is too short and precious to live it in fear.

I am a 48 year old grandmother who was never supposed to go to kindergarden.

Life is good and you are young. Go to college, have a career you gain satisfaction from, start a family...the possibilities are endless... Enjoy!

changeling :)

Um hi....