Posts by Gretchen956

((((Hammy)))) Good to hear you're still kickin and tickin, we missed you! Thanks for letting us know how you're doing. Hang in there and get better, huh?

Sherry

5

China Bans Reincarnation Without Government Permission

by Justitia Themis in

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/08/22/china-bans-reincarnation-_n_61444.html.

in one of history's more absurd acts of totalitarianism, china has banned buddhist monks in tibet from reincarnating without government permission.

according to a statement issued by the state administration for religious affairs, the law, which goes into effect next month and strictly stipulates the procedures by which one is to reincarnate, is "an important move to institutionalize management of reincarnation.

Gretchen956

They might just as well ban the sun from rising tomorrow morning. They have just as much control over it.

Sherry

13

Open Day!!!

by Sister Mansells Revenge in

jw
friends

are any other congregations of jws up to such ridiculous pranks to try to trick their local community.

turns out that we are to distribute this silly invitation to our local 'helldom hall' to mag routes, rvs and any other 'mentally vulnerable' individuals in the local community.

i have never, in any cong that me an my family have ever been in had to do something so silly.

Gretchen956

Welcome to the forum, Mansells! This is certainly a new one on me, but then I've been out for about 15 years. When I was in there were no tables of literature at the mall or at the airport, either. To me that is as silly as this invitation, but all of it is designed to draw in the vulnerable innocent. You have to hope people will know better, but you know what they say, there's one born every minute.

Sherry

11

Hole in space found

by MadTiger in

not a black hole, which has a densely-packed mass at the center, but a huge void of nothing, not even dark matter: .

void in space!.

home of the divine?

Gretchen956

This is fascinating but I'm not sure why you think its interesting to "theists and nontheists alike", I don't see the connection. It just IS.

Sherry

11

HAVE YOU PEOPLE LOST JESUS AGAIN???!!!

by Gretchen956 in

they lost jesus again.

so, i'm standing at a bus stop and they pull up.

a car load of well meaning, bible thumping nut cases that are just frantic!

Gretchen956

Oops, I didn't write it and hadn't looked at it carefully before I posted it, apparently the person writing it doesn't spell very well. Oh well.

I only wish I could remember half of this when they come up to me and ask me this question.

Sherry

20

Anniversary...

by tall penguin in

jw
friends

i posted this on my blog: .

http://www.tallpenguin.com/2007/08/anniversary.html .

but i wanted to post it here as well.

Gretchen956

Tall Penguin it sometimes takes a very long time to come to peace after being brainwashed by this or any other cult. If you are feeling extremely despondent, please find someone to talk to about this, many therapists are well versed in helping escape from this type of high-control group.

It will get better, and as it gets better you will experience all the phases of grief, including anger and finally you will find that peace you are looking for.

If you would like to talk to a non-therapist that has been there, feel free to PM me

Sherry

11

HAVE YOU PEOPLE LOST JESUS AGAIN???!!!

by Gretchen956 in

they lost jesus again.

so, i'm standing at a bus stop and they pull up.

a car load of well meaning, bible thumping nut cases that are just frantic!

Gretchen956

They Lost Jesus Again

So, I'm standing at a bus stop and they pull up. A car load of well meaning, bible thumping nut cases that are just frantic! The middle aged professionally dressed woman rushes forward...She takes my arm and with trembling voices she asks...."Have you found Jesus?"

Her eyes plead with an urgency that is out of proportion to a bus stop.

Now normally I just politely decline the sermon, and free religious paperwork that such folk pawn off on unsuspecting by-standers. But, unfortunately for her, she is the fourth car to accost me in the last 9 minutes. So by now I'm beginning to wonder what the heck is wrong with these people. I mean if its not Christians it is the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Can a simple Druid get no peace?

So calmly as I can muster, without being sarcastic I reply, "You people lost him, again??"

The woman looks confused. This is not the response she was hoping for and she needs to regroup. She takes a deep breath intending to launch into her sales pitch for her God, and church, paying no heed to the concept that I might not be into being converted. I decide to not let her get going so I launch into a speech of my own...

"What is wrong with you Christians? Every time I turn around you've lost Him!" I hit her with a glare of accusation. "I mean really..." I take a measured breath. "How do you expect to have anyone follow a deity that you can't even find!"

The poor woman looks stunned. This isn't going so good. Panicked she looks desperately to the car... Surely one of the men can help.... Undaunted I press on... "Maybe the problem is with you people... I mean Muslims never seem to loose there deity. Come to think of it neither do Jews, or Pagans of any kind."

I look at the man getting out of the car. He's all smiles. "I realize you people used to burn people like me at the stake... What was that about... deity even? I may be a Pagan-heathen, but I have never ever woke up panicked that I couldn't find my Goddess or God. They are always right where they should be... In the fire of my candle, in the air that I breath, in the earth that I stand on, in the water of my spring. I never feel abandoned by my deity(ies)."

"Of course, you Christians aren't much fun..." I continue. By now they are all out of the car. Befuddled, aghast, and at a loss for words.

"Of course," I offer trying to give them some defense for losing Jesus. "He could have left due to religious differences. If I remember correctly He was Jewish. So if you are really so eager to find him..." I smile gently to soften the blow. "Check the nearest synagogue. He's probably in there. Also you folks should try and remember that this is America... Where freedom of religion means ALL religions."

Slowly they climb back into their car and drive away. I stand at the bus stop... No pamphlets, no bible, no dogma. I haven't found Jesus, but I haven't lost him either:)

Someone shared this with you because they believe no one can have too much Deity. It is a blessing in disguise. You can keep it to your self or pass it on.

Oh, and if you've found Jesus, please get his face on the evening news A.S.A.P so the Christians can stop looking for him.

- Author unknown

43

The 2 Witness Rule & Adultery

by minimus in

jw
friends

isn't it interesting that the watchtower organization does not require 2 witnesses to prove an allegation of adultery.

if the elders, for example, believe a christian wife who says she's been cheated on, but her husband refuses to acknowledge this to anyone else but her, she can state in writing that her spouse committed adultery and she will be free to remarry if the elders simply believe her!.

yet, this same rule does not apply to pedophilia!.

Gretchen956

Well the elders back in Libby Montana were not aware of this rule, Minimus, or should I say, this application of the rule. My best friend was separated from her husband back in the 70s, she had a boyfriend. They went to his house after he got off work one night and had sex in the living room. The next day she was called into a JC because THREE elders were watching them through the window in order to establish her guilt.

He was free to re-marry, btw.

Sherry

52

Bethel Application asks if you molested a child, if so when, also if gay

by What-A-Coincidence in

the following is a page out of an application for bethel service.

notice line 21 under morals/sexual molestation.... http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/photob_014/bethelapp.jpg.

Gretchen956

What's very disturbing to me, both here evidenced in this application and also when reading the new CD from Barbara Anderson is their continued insistance of linking homosexuality with pedophilia. There is no connection. Pedophilia is a distinct type of attraction that certain men and women have for children. Healthy homosexuals are attracted to others of consenting age, just as healthy heterosexuals are attracted to others of consenting age. There are pedophiles masquerading as both, however I believe the statistic I saw was something like 97 or 98 percent are living as heterosexuals.

Still, this misinformation from the dark ages, is passed around as fact in some churches even today when medical science and psychology prove otherwise.

Someone asked if this questionnaire is legal. Yes, churches are allowed to discriminate. They are not held to the anti-discrimination laws of business and corporate America.

Sherry