aojumper

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Posts by aojumper

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  25

  The Tobacco Bombshell

  by Dogpatch in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the tobacco bombshell

  early in the decade of the 70?s, all jw?s were notified (in the tobacco-growing district) of a special meeting at the kingdom hall.

  three representatives from wts, a district overseer and two circuit overseers delivered a symposium that brought an abrupt end for all jw?s working in the tobacco industry (whether selling cigarettes, manufacture, tobacco machinery, etc.

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  aojumper

  This was a wonderfully written post, my hear goes out to you. Thank you so much for telling your story, it was beautifully written.

  K
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  17

  Definition of an "Apostate"?

  by upside/down in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  what are the ancient words translated into english "apostate", from da bible?

  and what are their actual definitions and compare this to the wts definitions?

  i'm sure there will be some discrepencies.

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  aojumper

  Been There - Brilliant Question!!!

  This has been a most enlightening topic. The Word Apostate as used in the bible really has no negative connotations, per say, it's the BORG that has grabbed hold of it and made it a dirty word, it's just like in politics with words like "Global Warming".

  (((Sistaintheback))) I read your earlier posts, I'll keep you in my prayers. You need to know that the exit from this controlling entity is very difficult, especially when your family is still in - Mine is. I think shaking this monkey off you back is harder than a physical addiction because they have messed around with your entire sense of truth, with your concept of the world, and your place in it. Be strong, the wound will always be there but I promise it gets better and you will feel the ultimate satisfaction day after day of thinking for yourself and making choices based on your own solid foundation of ideals, whatever they are.

  Take Care

  K
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  46

  Name all the popular self employed Witness business's:

  by PinTail in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  trim line, rug doctor, janitoral bussines, lock smiths, roofers, car sales, book binding, catering, candle making: ....

  shane

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  aojumper

  What's really sad is not just the little boy in th epicture but on Sandy the quiltmakers website, she has her grandchildrens wuotes of what tehyy love to do, guess what they love to do...

  Going to the Kingdom Hall.

  Rrrriiiiiight!

  Speaking of MLM

  There's this JW "sister" who always stops by with the latest, and one time she had this lady with her who started to talk to me about my involvement with horses. I offered her tickets to the Scottsdale All Arabian Horse Show, you know just ot be nice, give her something to dream about, whatever.

  2 Weeks later I get a phone call, about how wonderful it is that I know horses and she doesn't know anything about horses, and she had friend on the phone with her (3 way) who was into the Tahitian Noni, and how it helped everyone in their families, cured of Cancer, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Depression, Warts and Bad Attitude, and they were using it on Horses...

  ...Could she send me some information?
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  22

  What's next for the Watchtower in 2005?

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  after all the events of 2004 regarding the botchtower, what do you think will happen next year?.

  i can think of a few events.. first of all, 70 years will have passed since rutherflawed took on the name "jehovah's witnesses" - a gross misapplication of that scripture in isaiah.. all the new man presses will be operational - already, the wt have increased their watchtower circulation.. "godly obedience" district convention next summer - we all know what that will be about; and don't forget the layman's km article on how to book a hotel, and not just any hotel at that either.. a new book to replace "organised to accomplish our ministry".

  bro barr of the governing body turns 100 (i think this is correct).

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  aojumper

  Bob,

  I get that hate and anger thing from a lot of my friends and family who are JW's. They are right, we hate that this authoritarian religion has excercised so much control over us, whether we let it by joining up or especially if we were raised in it with no other choice, or thought or say in the matter.

  I am very angery at the Watchtower for the things that happened in my childhood that were totally unneccesary and unchristian, things that were only to help them keep their own sick power and control.

  There is no real love in the Watchtower. On the other hand, here on this board, there is unconditoonal love, even when we express hate and anger for the "borg", we still love the people in the organisation (with the exception of the child molesters and those that hurt others mentally or physically). And we support and love each other here unconditionally. Whenever I have a problem, I know I have support here, and everyone here has my support and my prayers as well.

  The thing about this post is that, even though we are joking, some of it the Society may actually go ahead with. And that is just plain sad.

  May Jehovah open your eyes, that you might see.

  Love,

  K
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  31

  You Will Know By The Love They Have Among Themselves

  by Corvin in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the organization of jehovah's witnesses boasts of having true brotherly love for one another.

  i always believed they did, although i never felt it growing up in it.

  i reckoned that there was something wrong with me since i never felt that "joy" and "spirit of love" that supposedly permeated the congregations.

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  aojumper

  I remember reading about the Pharisees in the Greatest Man book and thinking, these people are just like this! I left too, for many reasons, Lack of Love being the main thing, I could never measure up to attain the love they said was there.

  Jgnat - I love the Open Mike idea.

  I just did my first Open Mike 2 weeks ago at a comedy club, I opened with JW material.

  K
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  28

  Being publicly reproved

  by Strawberryfieldsforever in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  years ago my husband and i were publicly reproved.

  we had gone out with some "worldly friends" from work and went dancing and had a few drinks too many.

  well someone must have been around to see us and told the elders.

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  aojumper

  Yup,

  I was out with a "friend", worldy you know, and he was smoking a cigar. I showed him how to blow smoke rings (something I learned from a JW) and low and behold I get to hear about it from my sister who says "So and So -(The biggest alchoholics in the congregation) saw you smoking a cigar at TGIFridays in Bank one Ballpark". I simply explained that I wasn't smoking I was demonstrating the art of blowing smoke rings.

  Then my mother hops in, you need to go to the elders, or I will have to.

  That day happened to be Sunday... I pulled aside an elder that I kinda got along with and explained that I was demonstrating the art of blowing smoke rings... He got veeeeery grave and said "that probably wasn't a good idea... Just a moment..."

  WHAM! Judicial Comittee! The Result - Public Reproof.

  I wasn't there for the announcement, in fact, I never went back.

  No Regrets!
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  11

  More New Testament and Inclusion of name Jehovah

  by robhic in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i read with much interest all of the replies to my original question in another thread.

  i downloaded one of the books suggested and compiled what i could.

  now, as i checked around for sources to prove that i was right and that the nt was jehovah-less, two people mentioned wt sources that i would like verified: 1 - "the watchtower march 1, 1991 p. 28 states that jehovah is not found in the nt.

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  aojumper

  Robhic,

  Please let us know the outcome of your study,I am very curious. I have a couple of nice sisters that come to the door, but they don't discuss things anymore, they only drop of that lastest issues and leave.

  K
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  39

  How Much is Personal Responsibility vs WTS' Fault?

  by Prisca in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the current discussion of an ex-gb member has prompted me to ponder this question:.

  just how much of our personal circumstances can/do we take responsibility for, and how much do we blame the wts?

  you may have grown up as a jw, coerced into leaving early to pioneer, not go to university, have no kids, even stay single for the pursuit of singleness in the kingdom work to pioneer or go to bethel.

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  aojumper

  Ilook back at my life as a JW sometimes in extreme anger, sometimes in sorrow, sometimes in pain. I ride horses, and wonder what I could have been in my industry if only my mother had used her ambition, and taught me to use mine.

  One time I said this to one of my equestrian students grandfather. She is 7 has been riding since 4, has a wonderpony and everything she needs to be one of the top competitors in the world someday.

  He turned to me and told me his story:

  He was raised in an orphanage, his mother was alive, but didn't want to care for him, then he had to go back home at 10 years old to an abusive stepfather. at 15 he moved out and started working, shortly thereafter he joined the service, started to learn a trade and is now a succesful business owner. He gives to his kids and grandkids what he never was able to have.

  It put things in perspective for me. It doesn't negate the fact that we were abused. And yes the WTBS is definately responsible for it's lies and cult tactics. But other people have lived in painful, harmful circumstances too. We have broken the bonds, so now we can pass this strength on to our children and their children and hopefully make the world a better place for it (excuse the cliche).

  K
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  18

  Do you ever get them at the door?

  by MrsQ in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok, i have been 'out' for about 9 years, now.

  in all that time i have lived in 4 different states.

  i have only had two visits from jw's during that time and both times they were from spanish congregations...the first time because my boyfriend at the time was mexican-american and someone told them we spoke spanish...the second time because my next door neighbors spoke spanish and they came to my place accidentally.. at any rate, both times as soon as they found out we spoke english, they scurried away and apologized for bothering us.

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  aojumper

  I get them.

  Quite regularly in fact.

  I have one that now has me as an RV. She is really nice, and a very thinking person. I feel personally, that since I have gotten out and have the gift of freedom that I should at least try to help them find theirs. you know. But no love lost if they don't, I also find it very reassuring to my self esteem. I read the WT and awake that she brings me, actually just scan it over, and realize what crappy, drivel it is. no one but a dyed-in-the-wool JW could read them and find them even slightly compelling.

  K
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  27

  Conversation with mom today re: apostate material

  by Jourles in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so my mom calls me up today here at work and asks me how things are going.

  she goes on about the usual stuff, latest gossip, and other things i don't really care to hear about.

  she asked me how i am coming along in my "studies" with my assigned elder.

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  aojumper

  Ascot,

  My sentiments exactly! My argument for the "New Light" Is that the scripture says the light gets brighter. The sun that gives us faint light in the morning ass it rises is still the same star that blinds us at noon. The light hasn't changed persay, it's just gotten brighter, like the scripture says.

  I need to take something for my "in a jamb" mind blank too, let me know how the ginko works, eh?

  Last time my Dad and I got into it, I just yelled fervently back at him, as he spat the same incomprehensable rubbish that we all were once cloned to drone "tell me what happens when they drink the coolade or eat the jell-o are you going to do that too?

  K