Posts by alias

33

college education=spiritual weakness?

by twvsnt in

hi i'm twvsnt and i've been a witness for 3 years now.

im glad this site exists.

i've been meaning to speak to fellow witnesses who are more open-minded.

alias

twvsnt, welcome to the board. It's great to see new faces!

I say follow your heart and take care of your personal needs by getting the extra schooling you need. Nobody else is going to be paying your bills or working in the positions you'll qualify for so you might as well make the best of it. Those who speak out against college are often from generations that didn't require extra schooling, or are working several menial jobs to make ends meet(hoping Armageddon will happen soon so they can stop) or are carrying around that older negative view that logical posted about.

There is nothing wrong with getting a good education and learning the skills you'll need for a decent job. I get really irritated when some label those who choose college as "sprititually weak". Because of being brought up in this mindset all my life, it was very difficult for me to rationalize going to college a few years ago. But the more you think about your situation (and the job market) logically, the arguments they have just seem so absurd. It's almost like them saying, "If you learn something new outside of the org, you are spritually weak."

Where I live it is very difficult to get a job that doesn't pay minimum wage without some sort of extra education. In fact, the current position I'm in required knowing some specific software that I learned at the local college. Most employers like to hire those who are willing to continue to grow and learn in their field because it makes them more valuable to the company.

I wish you well and hope you make the decisions that are right for you. Please don't let others influence you out of the opportunities that are easier to do when you are so young.

Alia

Edited by - alias on 24 February 2001 11:54:53

57

Tales from the Couch

by Seven in

i asked my therapist if it is possible for a patient to be re-traumatized during the course of treatment.

confronting memories over and over again.

painting mental images even more graphic to replace the vague ones i once had-is this a good thing?

alias

Seven,
I'm so happy that you are surrounded by all of these caring people who took the time to check in on you in this thread. Hang in there, we are all rooting for you.

(((((((HUGS)))))))

12

i'm here, let's have some fun

by truth_hurts in

jw
friends

hi people,.

i am a new participant on this board but have been following jw websites for a long time.

a friend has recently supplied me with a bunch of documents that show the way that our "friends" over at witnessesonline.com really feel about their participants, and particularly some of you that now are participants here.

alias

I learned early on that some are not the same privately as they appear publicly. Also that you must be prudent in your online communication, because you just don't know where your words will end up.

Edited by - alias on 22 February 2001 22:21:44

6

The Online "Outlet" For JW's

by alias in

saw this quote in a magazine today from a mit professor on the beneifts of children having online lives.. parent's need to recognize that otherwise these kids would be alone.

online communities provide ample spaces to explore identity, be happy or sad, get mad, act out.

this is the work of adolescence.. .

alias

Saw this quote in a magazine today from a MIT professor on the beneifts of children having online lives.

Parent's need to recognize that otherwise these kids would be alone. Online communities provide ample spaces to explore identity, be happy or sad, get mad, act out. This is the work of adolescence.

I couldn't help but thinking how similiarly true this is for inactive, X, and questioning JW's to be part of online communities such as this one. So many have benefitted from this virtual gathering.

The quote could very well read:

We need to recognize that otherwise these people would be alone. Online communities provide ample spaces to explore identity, be happy or sad, get mad, act out.

Just thought I'd share. :)

alia

18

Guess what I just got called?

by LDH in

jw
friends

talking to my cousin just now, she has been inactive for years.... she told me she just started going back to the meetings, hard!!!

i asked her a one-word question--"why?".

she immediately flipped out on me, and said because she doesn't want to be responsible for her children's death at armageddon (of course).

alias

LDH,
I too feel for what you are experiencing with your cousin. It reminds me of something I went through a couple of years ago with a very dear friend of mine who moved away from the area and knew I was inactive. In conversation on the phone, she would always make it a point to see if I was "trying" to go back and whatnot. Finally I just began expressing (carefully) that I just couldn't right now and some of the lighter reasons why. I chose my words carefully, but they still sound the same to active JW's who's loyalties are strong to doing what they are "supposed to".

Suddenly it seemed like a switch turned off in her mind about me and she told me that she would have to severely limit her contact/friendship with me because she didn't want my feelings to affect her spirituality. I instantly felt a brick wall of sorts go up and knew in her mind that she began classifying me not as "weak" but a "danger" to her.

I was really hurt over that incident, because I felt like I was the same loving and caring friend, but because of my new perspective on things, I became something more dangerous to her. Her loyalty was stronger to the WTBTS than a childhood friend.

Anyway, I can imagine how much more this would be with family members who suddenly put up that "wall" and begin viewing you as something bad. (((HUGS))) to you. Hopefully it will get easier for all of us.

Alia

5

My life as a JW

by conflicted in

jw
friends

hello all, i don't know if this is the right place to post this, but i need to get it out.. i'm new to the board (registered today), and here's my story:.

born into the "truth" so to speak, my parents just started studying after i was born.

after the 1975 prophesy failed my father slowly distanced himself from the org.

alias

Dear Conflicted,
I hope you felt some relief after posting your story. This is a good place to "get it out". Many of us come from similiar backgrounds in the org and can empathize with what you've been through.

Welcome to the board, I look forward to getting to know you better.

Alia

19

tonights sunset

by SixofNine in

jw
friends

.

edited by - sixofnine on 20 february 2001 20:28:24

alias

That is awesome!

23

What do you like about K Halls?

by philo in

jw
friends

hi folks.

what do you like about kingdom halls?.

i am not talking about the software i.e., the people, the pure language, the music, the smell of lavender as the toilet door swings to, or the obedient rustle of bible pages.

alias

LOL@normie – nope, you aren't the only one who enjoyed pulling out the little plastic squares! I *always* put them back tho.

Here's a question... did any of your KH's have good drinking water or did it always smell bad?

97

Hello...Hello...Hello (cont) #3

by Prisca in

well someone had to do it, so it might as well be prim & proper prisca to do the honors in the sex forum...... .

this thread is for all newbies to introduce yourselves.

whatever you feel happy to reveal about yourself.

alias

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone.

Edited by - alias on 19 February 2001 23:52:26

23

What do you like about K Halls?

by philo in

jw
friends

hi folks.

what do you like about kingdom halls?.

i am not talking about the software i.e., the people, the pure language, the music, the smell of lavender as the toilet door swings to, or the obedient rustle of bible pages.

alias

oops

Edited by - alias on 19 February 2001 23:37:48