Posts by outbutnotdown

And I think that there are some good hearted humans even in the WTS....they may be hard to spot but I was raised in the Society and I don't think I was ever heartless.

I agree with you on that too. Mindless? Yes, I agree completely that I gave my mind up to them for all intents and purposes, but never heartless.

Brad

32

What if World War One never happened?

by outbutnotdown in

jw
friends

reading all these 1914 threads lately has made me think a lot more about my own feelings of the jw movement in the early years.

particularly how i feel they got kind of "lucky" that something big happened on whatever numbered prediction 1914 was for them.. we have all seen individuals ride out the rest of their sports, acting, etc.

careers on one big break.

outbutnotdown

In "Life of Brian", my personal favorite was the scene where Brian's mother was at the window and refused to answer the crowd regarding her sexual history. IMO a classic scene. (Leaving it somewhat in doubt for those who may not have seen it.)

Brad

18

Does the average JW REALLY and TRULY want to see Armageddon come?

by outbutnotdown in

jw
friends

what percentage of jw's do you think would be happy to wake up tomorrow and honestly see all the people dying and everything else that goes along with armageddon as they've been taught?.

on the other hand, how many use the religion/belief as a way to feel superior to others and would never really want to see all that suffering or perhaps just wouldn't want to do the clean-up work after?

i guess a third question is warranted, based on their teachings...... how many hope they die a natural death and will be resurrected after all the nasty sh*t goes down?

outbutnotdown

like a bride-to-be, they never see past the wedding day and all the realities marriage can bring. none of them think beyond Armageddon, they just think how awful this world is, and its horrid people, and they can't wait for Jehovah to come down and teach that guy who cut them off in trafiic a lesson...

Great point Incense_and_Peppermints!! It is sad that to get people to believe Armageddon would be "better" for them, they have to allow themselves to believe first that the "world" is so evil. What a jaded way to go through life.

Cute point about the traffic situation. By the way, if the drivers are really nasty in Arizona, maybe I'll just let you drive.

Brad

32

What if World War One never happened?

by outbutnotdown in

jw
friends

reading all these 1914 threads lately has made me think a lot more about my own feelings of the jw movement in the early years.

particularly how i feel they got kind of "lucky" that something big happened on whatever numbered prediction 1914 was for them.. we have all seen individuals ride out the rest of their sports, acting, etc.

careers on one big break.

outbutnotdown

Good points all,

I guess when it really comes down to it, society as a whole has to be held responsible for producing enough people who buy that crap. Watching "The Life of Brian" makes you realize how people can create their own bandwagon, jump on and be thoroughly convinced that it's taking them right to God.

(And I know that the life is Brian is not a "True Life Story" but it could be..... )

Brad

54

Question for the Men

by Incense_and_Peppermints in

.

who's hotter, ginger or mary ann?

.

outbutnotdown

Re: Betty and Veronica.... I can't ge the new version of two two... just a red x, so I have to give an answer based only on the comic book ones...........

Hmmmmm... too close to call, they both have such beautiful smiles and eyes..... lol

Brad

74

my take...

by teejay in

jw
friends

... on the watchtower society.

i am not one who will ever bother to waste my time heaping praise on the jw religion as though it were some kind of improvement on society.

i have no qualms in saying that it was, is, and always will be a dangerous religion ?

outbutnotdown

under74,

I thought squinks assessment was pretty damn good. Sure there is the exception to the rule, but I have had experiences myself and been told by many other people stuff like this:

Bro,Supernice - "You know Brad, we really want you to come back...........(a long, pleasant conversation ensues where Brad becomes convinced that they really want to help.... so)

Brad - "You know Bro Supernice I appreciate your concern. I want to tell you about my problem so that you can help me......(tells problem).

Bro Supernice - "Well, Brad, that was the reason that you were df'd so you have to get over that problem yourself. You're on your own until you can prove you're repentant and get re-instated", and walks away.

I think that might be what squinks was refering to.......... when the line is drawn in the sand..... their line, by the way, that's it..... the love ends. That's my take on it anyway.

Or how about a conversation with my sister about my wife (now ex-wife) cheating on me, etc...... and she says she can't talk to me. I'm pleading for my emotional life at this point......... and she says, without batting an eye, "Don't take it personally, Brad, I can't talk to you only because you're df'd"

That is just plain ignorance. Just because they don't realize that it's cruel and hurtful doesn't make it any less so.

Brad

18

Does the average JW REALLY and TRULY want to see Armageddon come?

by outbutnotdown in

jw
friends

what percentage of jw's do you think would be happy to wake up tomorrow and honestly see all the people dying and everything else that goes along with armageddon as they've been taught?.

on the other hand, how many use the religion/belief as a way to feel superior to others and would never really want to see all that suffering or perhaps just wouldn't want to do the clean-up work after?

i guess a third question is warranted, based on their teachings...... how many hope they die a natural death and will be resurrected after all the nasty sh*t goes down?

outbutnotdown

Jim,

I was thinking the other day about cults that actually do knock themselves off. (I do have a great respect for life) but it's interesting that some of the "Kool-Aid" and "We'll go off in a space ship behind a comet" cults that do wipe themselves out sort end some of these people's mental/emotional miseries.

JW's do it the other way around. They don't physically take the poison, it's just emotionally and spiritually that they do it. Then they go around, in essense telling the whole rest of the world that they are taking poison every moment of their life.

A good chunk of my relatives are in it, so I'm not necessarily saying I want them to take poison instaed of feeding it to us, but if I had to choose...... better to be rid of 6 million emotional and spiritual blackmailers than 6 billion "better adjusted people (for the most part.

I hope I don't offend anyone with these statements, I just thought the comparison of different ways cults are run is interesting.

Brad

32

What if World War One never happened?

by outbutnotdown in

jw
friends

reading all these 1914 threads lately has made me think a lot more about my own feelings of the jw movement in the early years.

particularly how i feel they got kind of "lucky" that something big happened on whatever numbered prediction 1914 was for them.. we have all seen individuals ride out the rest of their sports, acting, etc.

careers on one big break.

outbutnotdown

CRR,

I agree with WWII being bigger than WWI. That makes what I am trying to say, (even if I am not doing it so well at this point ) a liitle more true.

Once they grabbed hold of the 1914 date, (even though they had already been wrong on some others), they had no need to look anywhere else. It made sense to the followers at the time. "Yeah, you're right Pastor Russell, that was a turning point in history. It makes complete sense that that was when bad ass Satan was thrown out of Heaven by good-guy Jesus/Michael."

Or did you mean CRR that they maybe would have stumbled around until 1939 and gotten lucky on that one?

Brad

18

Does the average JW REALLY and TRULY want to see Armageddon come?

by outbutnotdown in

jw
friends

what percentage of jw's do you think would be happy to wake up tomorrow and honestly see all the people dying and everything else that goes along with armageddon as they've been taught?.

on the other hand, how many use the religion/belief as a way to feel superior to others and would never really want to see all that suffering or perhaps just wouldn't want to do the clean-up work after?

i guess a third question is warranted, based on their teachings...... how many hope they die a natural death and will be resurrected after all the nasty sh*t goes down?

outbutnotdown

Remind me not to post topics at 6:30 A.M., when, despite being exhausted, I have not gotten to sleep yet.

all_forgiving,

Thanks for the advice and I will use it to remember to take a trip soon, but I am not a JW, never want to be one again and have my eyes FULLY open to that organization. I was just asking it hypothetically, as in how how many JW's really want to witness what they are taught to believe will happen.

As far as the trip goes, any suggestions? I was thinking maybe Arizona would be nice to see soon.

Brad