Posts by CountryGuy

44

Were There ANY Advantages To Being a Jehovah's Witness?

by minimus in

jw
friends

...didn't have to buy any christmas presents......

CountryGuy

I'd have to say I got a few advantages:

*Never went into debt buying Christmas or birthday gifts. *I love public speaking thanks to the Theocratic Ministry School. *My parents taught me a wonderful sense of right and wrong. *Because of the dubs' importance of being a good example to the world, I made good grades in high school and got a great scholarship to go to college with. *I was friends with the prettiest girls in school, because they were dubs. More than once, my classmates told me what it waste it was that the prettiest girls in school were witnesses. *My folks are the only one in their families that aren't alcoholics. If they hadn't been dubs, they probably would have been, too. *If my sister hadn't been "rebelling," she never would have gotten pregnant and I wouldn't be the fantastic uncle I am!

And, I guess most of all. Because I was a dub, I learned to see the good in any situation... even when it totally sucked. You know, kinda like finding advantages to being a dub.

32

I ruined Thanksgiving

by ApagaLaLuz in

jw
friends

that's right folks.

had thanksgiving at my house this year with about 25 people.

i decided to run over tile in the kitchen wearing slipper (because that's what intelligent people do of course) .

CountryGuy

Ouch! Chevy, sorry to hear about your accident. You didn't ruin Thanksgiving. At least you got to eat with your family before the fall. This year was the first year we were having Thanksgiving at my house. I developed pink eye on Wednesday and my family cancelled Thanksgiving altogether.

Plus, think of it this way. Your family had a lot of time to think about the things that they are thankful for! I'm sure you were at the top of that list.

95

Balls of Steel or just plain stupidity ???

by Xandria in

the news just came on with a "special report" and my husband looked at me and said, "uh oh what now??

" the newscaster came on.. "president bush in a operation that outdone the cia in secrecy..blah blah blah".

bottom line... the president flew into iraq to spend thanksgiving with the troops.

CountryGuy

Dakota, you got me to thinking about the flip-flop on the character issue, on both sides.

When Clinton was in office, conservatives kept hounding on the charater issue, while liberals dismissed it. Now, any character issues with Dubya are dismissed by conservatives, while liberals keep bringing it up.

Honestly, no matter who is in office is going to have their character questioned. Yes, Clinton did have "an inappropriate relationship" with Monica Lewinsky. Yes, Dubya is one of the least articulate presidents we've ever had. Yes, Clinton went overseas and burned the American flag. Yes, Dubya drank and snorted almost everything in West Texas. Yes, Clinton did everything he could to avoid the draft (except tell them he was a dub ). And yes, Dubya did a great job keeping the Viet-cong out of Dallas during the Vietnam War.

You said you have no problem with anyone disagreeing with a politician, but to contantly bring up the past on one politician after giving the other "a pass" is wrong. I agree with you, but to be honest I can't see that Clinton got any more of a pass then Dubya. He's been out of office for three years and his past is still the topic of heated debates. And don't forget, Clinton was the first president since Andrew Johnson, in 1868, to face impeachment. No free passes as far as I can tell. To me the biggest issue is have they grown and learned from their mistakes? That is a true measure of a leader.

Thanks for the post, Dakota. I appreciate your making me "think" this moring.

41

Emotional Terrorism.

by Englishman in

jw
friends

sirona's thread about bullying got me thinking.

there's another type of bullying, which, imho, can be far worse.

i'm talking about psychological bullying, where fear of a persons hysterical reaction forces us to act in manner that fits in with what the person wants.

CountryGuy

I sometimes joke that I'm a "Freak Magnet." So, I've had a few experiences with people like this. Thankfully they were not family; they were either coworkers or people I knew from school.

For me, the way I have dealt with them is to present them with edvidence that I knew they were lying to me. I then explained to them that what they need is professional help and I am in no way qualified, or able, to give them that help. I've even gone so far as to help them find a therapist/counselor they can work with.

Either they will get that help and you can continue your friendship, or they won't. If they don't, you can bet that they will continue to emotionally terrorize you. In this instance I have basically treated them like Michael Jackson at the kingdom hall. Avoid them at all costs until they find someone else to latch on to. I know that sounds harsh, and I want to go on record that I think the dubs' shunning practice is hurtful and unchristian. However, in this instance it is not about blindly following an organization's mandates. It is a matter of keeping your own sanity.

23

Do any of you start humming a Kingdon tune out of the blue?

by Singing Man in

do any of you start humming a kingdon tune out of the blue?

i do from time to time, i love music you can take any key and there will be a kingdom song that starts with it.

that is how i learned how to play a harmonica was by remembering the tunes of jehovah's witness's.

CountryGuy

The only one that sticks in my head on a consistant basis is "From house to house."

We had a CO in California that loved the kingdom melodies. During one visit, he taught each book study a different verse of that song in a different language. We then sang the song together as a cong on Sunday. My family's group learned our verse in Chinese. It went something like "Jook ja, jook woo..."

I was very young. The only reason I remember it is my father still sings it over twenty-five years later!

33

Survivor....Jon is a dirtbag

by Stacy Smith in

what a piece of garbage jon is.

if you haven't seen it yet don't read further.. jon goes and tells his tribemates that his grandma died so that they'll allow him to win the reward challenge.

then he laughs behind their backs.. they should have dumped burton or jon tonight, big mistake.

CountryGuy

LOL! Good comparison, jgnat! You could also say that his blond hair and dark roots makes him look a bit like a skunk... funny, so does his personality.

Just my thoughts, Country

95

Balls of Steel or just plain stupidity ???

by Xandria in

the news just came on with a "special report" and my husband looked at me and said, "uh oh what now??

" the newscaster came on.. "president bush in a operation that outdone the cia in secrecy..blah blah blah".

bottom line... the president flew into iraq to spend thanksgiving with the troops.

CountryGuy

Freedom, Have you spoken to any of the military personnel in town lately? My brother-in-law is in the army. He just got back from Afghanistan. He says that a lot of people in the military are upset with Bush and his administration. One of the biggest reasons for this is they don't feel they have a commander-in-cheif that actually understands what they are going through. In light of this, I think Dubya's visit to Iraq was a very good thing. Politically and morale wise for our boys over there. I'm still voting against him, though.

Another reason some in the military are unhappy with this administration is that Sec. of Defense Rumsfeld is trying to get rid of military schools and the base exchanges. True the military doesn't need these things, but they make it possible for them to have a family and a somewhat "normal" life while protecting us.

33

What Are You Thankful For???

by minimus in

jw
friends

since today is the "worldly" day of thanksgiving for many of us, it is a good time to reflect on what we can be thankful for.....anything come to mind?

CountryGuy

I'm thankful most for my family (and for the fact that they aren't dubs anymore, either).

I'm also thankful for the peace of mind that I have developed. I don't know that I would change my past if I could; but, I do know that I like the person I am today, and that past is a HUGE part of who I have become.

I'm also thankful for my sweetie who puts up with, and is helping me get over, my still present "dub tendencies" and loves me anyway!

42

Do you believe in Soul Mates?

by Lost Diamond in

how many here believe that we all have a soulmate somewhere in this world that is especially for us, or do you believe that the person we happen to fall in love with becomes our soul mate?

CountryGuy

I didn't used to believe in Soul Mates. Then I found mine.

It is truely an awesome experience to love someone so deeply and know they love you that way in return.

19

If You're Having A "Bad Day", Does It Show Up When You Post???

by minimus in

jw
friends

when we post, we pretty much express who we are, at least in cyberspace.

but every once in a while, we might get out of character.

we might express ourselves in a way that we don't typically.

CountryGuy

Sometimes, I don't think it's an issue of the poster having a bad day, but the reader having one. They may take the post in a way the writer didn't intend.

Even if a reader is having a good day this can happen. We communicate with so much more than words. We use body language, voice inflection and facial expressions to help us get our point across. Any time one is communicating via written word we don't have any of these to help us communicate, so the meaning you intended to convey can be lost and the reader gets a totally different message.

As for me, if I'm having a bad day, I'm in bed.