Posts by Bonnie

4

Being engaged is the same as being married!

by Bonnie_Clyde in

my brother was engaged to a rather nice girl in our congregation back in the early sixties.

during the engagement they decided that they wanted to call off the wedding.

the same elder who counselled me not to go to college told them that they could not break their engagement as, "being engaged is the same as being married.

Bonnie_Clyde

My brother was engaged to a rather nice girl in our congregation back in the early sixties. During the engagement they decided that they wanted to call off the wedding. The same elder who counselled me not to go to college told them that they could not break their engagement as, "Being engaged is the same as being married." I think he used the reasoning that Joseph considering divorcing Mary when he found out she was pregant even though she was only promised in marriage. Matt. 1:19. They went through with the wedding, and what a miserable marriage they had. Not much later a pioneer sister and her fiance broke their engagement, and no one seemed to think it was a problem.

I still seethe when I think of how drastically he affected our lives.

21

Education and the WT: my story

by Pistoff in

the influences on my life, education decisions, and baptism in 1971

(bold, highlighted added).

how many had a job because they have a degree?

Bonnie_Clyde

I took college preparatory courses while in high school, graduated with honors in 1959 at the age of 17, but decided not to attend the local University because of the WT. I decided that I would attend a local two-year business school and study accounting. Boom! There was an elder (then called congregation servant) at my door. This man asked me if I could take "dictation." That was before computers, and I was very good at taking shorthand and my "spelling" was perfect. He dictated a letter, had me type it up, and I handed it to him. He turned to me and said, "You have all the skills you need to get a good job." You don't need to go to school. For some reason he didn't tell me I should pioneer, so instead of attending the local university, I got one of their lowest paying jobs at the local university as a secretary. Later I pioneered for two years, attracted a wonderful young brother, and we were married and had three children. I thought to myself that it didn't matter that I didn't get an education. My husband would take care of me.

Well he did! He followed the same stupid advice that I did, but later managed to get into an apprenticeship and got a fairly good job in the trades. However, his body began to wear out, he has since had cancer, and I knew that I had to find a skill. Shorthand was completely out, it no longer mattered if you were an accurate typist because of word processing, so I had practically no skills. I found my way into sales, and am actually doing a pretty good job, but it takes up a lot of time.

I'm going to have to say that the Society was harder on education back then than they are now. I know others who were discouraged from any king of education beyond high school right into the 70's. I also know that back in the 1940's and maybe into the 1950's some children were encouraged to discontinue education as soon as they turned 16. Didn't even get a high school degree. Well the end was near!

This same "brother" who gave me the advice to not go to college also gave some counsel to my brother and his fiance. They wanted to break up their relationship, but he told them that being engaged was the same as being married, and they would have to go through with it. They were stuck in a miserable marriage for 34 years before my sister-in-law divorced my brother.

7

Never a year like 2005 for disasters

by Bonnie_Clyde in

that's what the speaker said today.

he spent a lot of time on hurricane katrina and other disasters.

quoted luke 21:11, "and there will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another pestilences and food shortages, and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs.

Bonnie_Clyde

That's what the speaker said today. He spent a lot of time on Hurricane Katrina and other disasters. Quoted Luke 21:11, "And there will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another pestilences and food shortages, and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs." The latter part of the scripture referred to the hurricanes. He stated that never before in history has it been as bad as it was in 2005.

Interestingly, I saw on the history channel that the year 1816 had a tremendous amount of hurricanes.

8

Education Public Talk

by ackack in

has anyone seen the education public talk?

i have the outline over here, but its a talk that i'm sure will now have to undergo some serious modification.

the talk itself (imho) was far more balanced than the current line from the watchtower.. has that happened before, that a talk has to be pulled or reworked?.

Bonnie_Clyde

I specifically remember a circuit assembly in the spring of 1994 where they mentioned the article several months earlier that had lightened up on the matter of education. They stated that some had interpreted it to mean that the Society was encouraging higher education. They stated that was not the case and that the only reason one would get any education beyond high school is if it would improve their skills so they could do more in Jehovah's service. The goals of our young people should be pioneering and Bethel service. An example of how the Service Department and the Writing Department are at odds.

My husband and I were studying with a couple who attended that assembly with us. They were both college educated, the man was an attorney, and a very fine person. Afterwards, he made a comment that he did not agree with what he heard and he completely lost interest in studying or attending any more meetings. Interesting how our organization drives away quality people!

Bonnie

72

IS THE WORLD REALLY GETTING WORSE?

by ruari in

hi guys,.

my name is ruari phillips, i'm 21 years old and if possible...i'd like to ask a question.. jehovahs witnesses believe the world is getting worse and that as time passes we are approaching armageddon.. but, haven't we always lived in a cruel world?.

since the begginning of time we've been killing each other, there's been diseases, death and destruction.

Bonnie_Clyde

Frogleg - I also saw the history channel about the "Little Ice Age." I was astounded at what historians have been able to uncover. They think that the cold spell that lasted for some five hundred years contributed greatly to the dark ages as people were more concerned about staying alive than reading and learning.

Also the program on the bubonic plague. One expert disagreed with the opinion that one-third of Europe died during that plague. He felt that HALF of Europe died. He also mentioned that we have no information about how many died in Asia, but that was where the plague started.

Interestingly, the latest Awake tells us that the Spanish flu was much worse than the bubonic plague. Maybe it was according to the numbers through the world who died; however, if we don't have all the numbers from the bubonic plague, how do we know for sure?

The history channel also had a program on the Spanish flu, but I fell asleep.

I'm really starting to think I would like to become a history buff.

26

is it just me or do mormons look happier than jdubs?

by in a new york bethel minute in

it seems to me that mormons enjoy their work a lot more than jdubs... and they do it 12 hours a day.

they have to walk everywhere.

they have no social life or money.

Bonnie_Clyde

I'm really glad you posted this topic because two Mormon boys are calling on my husband, Clyde, right now. They have actually studied with him, and I sat in on one of their sessions. I agree the doctrine is nutty, but strangely I am intrigued by them. I like the fact that they are encouraged to get a college education. One of them plans to become a dentist. I also like the fact that they encourage people to lay aside food and supplies in the event of a disaster. Ever heard of the WT doing this?

Clyde and I have talked about how we would like to go to some church. We are a bit lonely because most of our "friends" were witnesses, and it's hard to develop new relationships after so many years. We've been invited to go, but probably won't. Two things holding me back are, 1) the chance that someone in the family will find out (my daughter and my father are still strong dubs), and 2) why would we want to exchange one high-control religion for another one? But, judging, from your comments, they are not as high-control as the WT.

Bonnie

70

Jan 1st WT: Reaching out, Higher Education and Providing for one's needs

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

well, as a nice start to the new year, the jan 1st watchtower article, "how firm is your trust in god" blasts those who live comfortable lives, those who don't reach out, and those who pursue higher education.. definitely, they are taking a harsher stand, having completely painted themselves into a corner.. i highlighted the interesting comments.

i did not include all the text for each paragraph, just the main points.. .

1 a young man wanted to be more useful to the congregation.

Bonnie_Clyde

This may sound like another subject, but it's not.

Two Mormon boys have been stopping by to see Clyde (my husband) and they actually started having Mormon discussions with him. I sat in on one of them and asked them what they thought about higher education. One said he planned to become a dentist after he finished his two-year ministry. The other planned something similar (can't remember).

It seems like the Mormon church (at least in our area) is growing and that they are keeping their young people. On the one hand, perhaps they are staying because they are allowed to go to college. On the other hand, you would think that being taught to think critically in college would make them question their Mormon beliefs. Maybe it was just me, but very little of what they said made any sense.

Your thoughts?

Bonnie

26

Comments You Will Not Hear at the 11-20-05 WT Study (Haughty)

by blondie in

" was pharaoh's haughty.

"your heart became haughty".

"-isaiah 2:17.. humble christians--only jws.

Bonnie_Clyde

I am so proud that I'm humble.

30

Do you know of any "baptized" JW's single sisters that got "pregnant"?

by booker-t in

i was just curious about this question.

when i was a jw i remember a young baptized sister that got pregnant and she was unmarried.

i was waiting for the elders to either disfellowship her or reprove her but nothing happened to her.

Bonnie_Clyde

They used to say, "Babies take nine months, the first one can come any time."

30

Do you know of any "baptized" JW's single sisters that got "pregnant"?

by booker-t in

i was just curious about this question.

when i was a jw i remember a young baptized sister that got pregnant and she was unmarried.

i was waiting for the elders to either disfellowship her or reprove her but nothing happened to her.

Bonnie_Clyde

I remember a pioneer sister who was giving an experience on the platform at the assembly. My husband leaned over to me, and whispered, "She sure looks pregnant to me." Sure enough she was, and she was disfellowshipped later. Back then, it was the seriousness of the sin more than whether one was repentent that would lead to being DF'd.

Bonnie_Clyde

Posts by Bonnie_Clyde