Posts by pratt1

12

Spouses of JW's who attend meetings but never get baptized

by Bonnie_Clyde in

jw
friends

i know one who has attended meetings for 42 years, he knows it's a bunch of crap, but he loves his wife and doesn't want to mess up their relationship.

he is actually quite wealthy--maybe that makes a difference.

he doesn't have to worry about how to pay the bills.

pratt1

My Dad was one of those"unbelieving spouses".

For years my mom guilted my dad into going to the meetings with reasons like, all the other children has their father at the meetings, don't you want your son to have the same?

poor dad gave in and eventually had a bible study with our old "Anointed Elder" he was in his 90's.

My dad consented to getting baptized and even went through the 90? questions.

The questions were held in the back room of the hall and there were about 20 people also planning to get baptized.

When they got to the question- Do you believe that Jehovah's Witinesses are the true religion, my dad in a very firm and loud voice said"HELL NO!"

They then asked him why he had a bible study and came to teh meetings if he didn't believe? He answered, to keep my wife off his back!

Needless to say, he did not get baptized.

I thank God everyday for my dad.

29

"Stumbling Stones" in the congregation

by JH in

jw
friends

i remember a brother telling me many years ago, that he could have bought a beautiful fur coat to his wife, but he didn't want others in the congregation to be jealous.

that was the mentality back then.

no one wanted to be a stumbling stone.. gee, today you see acuras and expensive cars all around the kingdom hall parking lot.

pratt1

Having expensive material things were for the most part no big deal in my hall.

Many fur coats, nice cars , nice homes were owned by the elders and the rank and file.

Most of the elders I knew even encouraged their daughters to date brothers who had expensive toys.

No one objected to their daughters riding in my 911 in the 80's.

27

Yoga anyone?

by changeling in

jw
friends

yoga anyone?.

the yoga instructor passes around little sandalwood scented eye pillows, pops in a "mood music" cd, and dims the lights.

we all sit cross legged on our slightly sticky mats.

pratt1

I started taking yoga classes about 2 months ago.

I find it very calming but to my surprise I really get a good work out from it. I sweat a lot and I have found that I am becoming much more flexible.

I do weight training 3 times a week, and boxing once a week, yoga once a week.

The yoga is as strenght building as the my other routines.

I used to laugh at the people in my gym making the funny yoga poses.

I don't anymore!

If any of you are members of New Yrok Sports Club - you gotta take a yoga class, its free.

16

Faders-do you still enjoy old JW friends? Nothing in common?

by oompa in

jw
friends

as a pretty new fader with no friendships other than jw's, i spend virtually all time alone, or with my jw wife.

i have little in common now with her or old friends.

at least the old friends and i liked biking (both kinds), golf, hiking, the beach, camping, tennis, boating, fishing, football (tv).

pratt1

Oompa, there was a time I felt just like you. I missed my old friendships and I was very alone.

Honestly, you are better off. Eventually you would say something or a personal matter shared with your old friends would become fuel for a JC committee.

This could mean your being DFed before you felt ready.

My advice, don't considered them your confidantes any longer, keep your emotional distance. If you do associate with them at all let them drive it, and if it becomes too stressful, just fade away.

I would also reach out to faders you were friendly with before they faded. You be surprised, they might be prove to be a great source of encouragement to you or they may feel the same as you and prove to be a good friend.

After all you guys will have fading as something in common. That's a start.

Maybe join a gym, or engage in some community service. It's a great way to meet new people and at the same time, you are doing something good for yourself.

Good luck, it gets better with time.

4

Man Joke!

by ringo5 in

a young single guy is on a cruise ship, having the time of his life.

on the second day of the cruise, the ship slams into an iceberg and begins to sink.

passengers around him are screaming, flailing, and drowning but our guy manages to grab on to a piece of driftwood and, using every last ounce of strength, swims a few miles through the shark-infested sea to a remote island.

pratt1

Very funny

Relationships with on believing relatives

by pratt1 in

jw
friends

i was wondering how many of you feel that your relationships with your unbelieving relatives has suffered because of the influence the believing relatives have within the family?.

in my case, my dad and i are very subdued about celebrating holidays including his birthday and fathers day, because it upset my super pioneer mother.. we always seem to give in to her wishes, although we discreetly exchange gifts and spend time together out of her sight.. my gut is to ignore her, but my dad has to live in the same house with her, and i know that she takes out her anger on him more than me, because she blames him for my not still being a dub.. do you have any similar family dynamics?.

pratt1

I was wondering how many of you feel that your relationships with your unbelieving relatives has suffered because of the influence the believing relatives have within the family?

In my case, my dad and I are very subdued about celebrating holidays including his birthday and Fathers Day, because it upset my super Pioneer mother.

We always seem to give in to her wishes, although we discreetly exchange gifts and spend time together out of her sight.

My gut is to ignore her, but my dad has to live in the same house with her, and I know that she takes out her anger on him more than me, because she blames him for my not still being a dub.

Do you have any similar family dynamics?

11

Question about Sept. 11th

by pratt1 in

jw
friends

i spoke to a friend of mine yesterday who is a active dub although his actions and decisions in most things would indicate that he is not a believer of the "troof".. we spoke about 9/11 and how horrific the event was for everyone.. one of the things we spoke about was how terrible it must be for the people who made the decision to jump out of the windows because of the intense fire, heat and smoke in the tower.. he commented that an elder in his hall mentioned that this act is still considered suicide and those persons would not be part of the resurrection.. how ridculous is that?

do they just make up the rules on a whim?.

does anyone know what the "offical postion" on this would be with the borg?.

pratt1

NVRGNBK, you are probably right that the Dubs don't want to be part of an Interfaith event.

It's so foolish on their part, I attended 3 services and there was no discussion of religion or faith at 2 of them.

Not everyone who died had a particular religious belief, the services focused on the lives they led and the accomplishments of their families after their death.

Dubs are truly blinded by their ignorance.

11

Question about Sept. 11th

by pratt1 in

jw
friends

i spoke to a friend of mine yesterday who is a active dub although his actions and decisions in most things would indicate that he is not a believer of the "troof".. we spoke about 9/11 and how horrific the event was for everyone.. one of the things we spoke about was how terrible it must be for the people who made the decision to jump out of the windows because of the intense fire, heat and smoke in the tower.. he commented that an elder in his hall mentioned that this act is still considered suicide and those persons would not be part of the resurrection.. how ridculous is that?

do they just make up the rules on a whim?.

does anyone know what the "offical postion" on this would be with the borg?.

pratt1

I spoke to a friend of mine yesterday who is a active Dub although his actions and decisions in most things would indicate that he is not a believer of the "troof".

We spoke about 9/11 and how horrific the event was for everyone.

One of the things we spoke about was how terrible it must be for the people who made the decision to jump out of the windows because of the intense fire, heat and smoke in the tower.

He commented that an elder in his hall mentioned that this act is still considered suicide and those persons would not be part of the resurrection.

How ridculous is that? Do they just make up the rules on a whim?

Does anyone know what the "offical postion" on this would be with the Borg?

I also found out that the several of the family members of the Dubs that died in the towers refused to participate in any of the cerromonies of 9/11.

In fact 2 had their family members names removed from the reading of the victims names.

I am sure none of these families has refused the money that has come from the 9/11 funds.

65

September 11

by lavendar in

jw
friends

.

lavendar .

pratt1

I was on the WTC Concourse in a book store.

The HBO series Band of Brothers was on TV Sept.9th and I got so caught up in it that I decided to buy the book on Tuesday morning.

Had I not stopped to buy the book, I would have been under the tower when the first plane hit.

That book may have saved my life.

28

Refreshing, cooling delcious ice cream.

by Dragonlady76 in

jw
friends

i love ice cream, it's been so hot lately that this mint chocolate chip ice cream has really hit the spot!

.

what is your favorite flavor?.

pratt1

Dragonlady, you must live on the East Coast.

Cold Stone Creamry is the best.

We get Ice cream form there once a week.

My favorite: Cake Batter flavored ice cream mixed with Cookie Cookie Dough, Brownies, Caramel, and Pecansand Fudge.

I'm addicted.