Posts by Snapdragon

37

What plan's do you have for Labor Day weekend?

by kls in

jw
friends

i don't have any except work on my 68 charger.

so i want to hear yours so i can think of you having fun.,,,,,,,,,, please be safe no matter what you do.

ps , and i am nosey

Snapdragon

I'll be out with the inlaws tonight....unbelievable food and wine at this restraunt: Griglia Tuscany, here in Madison. Then off to Karaoke with the friends after 10pm. Nothing like drinking and singing!

Tomorrow, Saturday, well thats my 5th wedding anniversary. But my husband says he'll be out roofing, thanks a lot buddy. He'd better be planning on making me dinner!

Sunday, how about grilling out and hanging with all our friends. I have to work Monday at the hospital, so I can't be too naughty.

And I might as well let you all in on my vacation. Starting this upcoming tuesday I won't be around for about two weeks. Me and the boys (husband and puppy) are taking a car trip around Wisconsin. We seem to know Europe better than our home state. So we'll be cruisin. I'll miss you guys, but maybe I'll find a good internet cafe out there some where.

Thanks for asking kls. Hope your weekend isn't too lame

~Snapdragon

ps. Hey anyone have any suggestions about "must-sees" in Wisconsin?

25

What Is The Real Truth Behind Disfellowshipping?

by Golf in

the many posts about disfellowshipping prompted to throw in my 2 cents.

what is the real truth behind disfellowshipping?

my present thinking is this, over the years, jw's have been indoctrinated to avoid 'independent' thinking.

Snapdragon

Good point Ezekiel. I had often thought of it that way, only never put it into words. Remember how much they down play the "shunning" aspect, when questioned about it during studies? I'd sit there and bite my tongue, thinking about my family all the while. Makes my hairs rise!

And thanks for the clarification there, Bot and Rat. I was using "communism" in the sense that the average lay person does, though. No offense intended.

~Snap

25

What Is The Real Truth Behind Disfellowshipping?

by Golf in

the many posts about disfellowshipping prompted to throw in my 2 cents.

what is the real truth behind disfellowshipping?

my present thinking is this, over the years, jw's have been indoctrinated to avoid 'independent' thinking.

Snapdragon

It think your last point is quite valid, Guest.

Look around this forum. I'd say on whole, the people who were DF'd, Removed etc, are the strong willed ones. We've all been described by the elders as "spiritually stagnant, strong willed, unwilling to follow (my favorite word) guidance". I bet money that if we could compare all our cards the elders kept on us, we'd see a trend.

I've often thought about the real truth behind disfellowshipping. It has TORN my family to shreds. Some people follow the rules more diligently then others, in my family. My grandparents have been unable to completely toss aside their daughter (my mom), while her own sisters act with selfless love for the Jehovah, and shun her. If they were to see the error of their ways now, think of how destroyed the past 15 years would be for them.

It is like a lot of us here, following the way whole heartedly, only to be forced to see the falsities we were living for so long. Remember how painful that truth was/is? Disfellowshipping remains because to deny the validity of it now underminds a major stone in the WTBTS foundation.

~Snapdragon

And yes, communism is a great analogy. I'd never thought of it that way. The only difference being that communists could force an entire nation to become part of the collective. But Witnesses practice in a freedom-of-religious-choice country; so you join by free will, but you end up getting stuck, by free will, too.

2

My non-jw family's 1st memorial

by christopherrobin in

it was right before i was apponted an m.s.

i was also dating a young sis at the time and was so thrilled that my family would see the beauty of this 'spiritual paradise'.

my mom and three sisters went and my mother was clear that she would not tolerate anything to embarass me.

Snapdragon

Great story, it reminded me suddenly of many funny stories as well.

They all pretty much delt with the dress sucked into the black-hole-of-a-large-ass-crack. But imagine that....(while sitting behind the person) and the ass had popped out through the back side of the folding chair.

Hard to hold in the laughter. I was pretty much sick from choking on my giggles! Especially since this person was my own family member, and I happened to be sitting behind her for the first time, ever. I looked over in horror to my friend I was with, she just nodded in sad acknowledgment.

Good times at the hall

18

the returning ... a question for thos raised in hell (whoops "the truth")

by Odinseeker in

i was just wondering for thos that have been raised within and then were df'ed ... did you return before giving it up for good?.

i grew up with the terror of post vnam and 1975 being the end or the end being just around the cornor, i was df'ed, thought long and hard.

and returned anyway.

Snapdragon

Oh, and "hi" and welcome to you and Merry, and Mysterio. Watch out for the addictive nature of this environment. Its amazing how used to encouragement and support you'll become

Mysterio....I guess we're neighbors, and the same age. Any chance you ever attended a Madison Wisconsin meeting, in the mid 90's?

See you all around,

~A

18

the returning ... a question for thos raised in hell (whoops "the truth")

by Odinseeker in

i was just wondering for thos that have been raised within and then were df'ed ... did you return before giving it up for good?.

i grew up with the terror of post vnam and 1975 being the end or the end being just around the cornor, i was df'ed, thought long and hard.

and returned anyway.

Snapdragon

It must be THE way to leave for good. My mother was back and forth many times. I recall the murmurs as we took our seats at the Thursday night meeting. "Oh, she's back again, wonder how long this will last?" I don't know that its what they said, but its what I was thinking.

It makes a world of sense, when you're raised to follow only one way of life, what else is there? Of course you'll try to go back. You feel this is the only truth. I did, (think it was the one truth) even until very recently. You all here, you helped me make up my mind on this matter. Thank you a million times over, again.

Just my bit.

~Snappy

15

ARE YOU HAPPY ????

by christopherrobin in

jw
friends

what a concept !!!!

!

Snapdragon

I'm happy, yes.

Even happier with this part of my life, since I found this place. Thanks Simon.

~A

59

How Many Here Left The Organization? How Many Got Kicked Out??

by minimus in

jw
friends

just curious.....

Snapdragon

Kicked out by loser white bread elders who were 'scurred by lil ole me.

They said I was spiritually stalled and making no progress towards baptism. BAAAD influence on the other youth. (Yah, except they forgot I was the only one not screwing around, like the other baptised kids. Hmmmmm)

I think that I scared them. Honestly.

~Snappy

26

Did I go too far / How far would you go to protect your partner ?

by bull01lay in

jw
friends

had a bit of an altercation this weekend... my nephew in law attempted to assault my wife..... this is the background:.

i have a deaf mute nephew with a personality disorder.

he's 32, and still lives with his mother and her fiancee.

Snapdragon

Wow Bull,

I'm really sorry about this situation. Because its close family the problem is even more difficult to deal with. Very sticky.

An observation as an American:

With the astounding things that have happened in our country in the past 10 years I think we all ask how far it has to go before someone does something. Kids who seem depressed or anti-social suddenly go on a killing spree, etc. So as a jumpy American, who thinks you can't EVER be too careful with this crap, I think you should do more. Maybe he'll be wary of you, but is there a possibility that your wife might be on his list?

If my nephew had hit me, my husband would have handed him his testes on a platter. You only did what any mate would have. Bravo.

~Snapdragon

28

Ethical question here, what to do?

by Snapdragon in

hey all, i have a hypothetical ethical question.. i know for a fact (having heard directly from the now-adult) a certain man molested at least 2 children in the the 1970's.

of course at the time this wasn't discussed and the creepo has gotten off virtually scott free.. i just found out some interesting medical information on him and was wondering if this should be shared with his victims.. of course this is hypothetical, right, i work in the health care profession and am bound by law not to divulge personal medical history.. that being said: the information of this guy doesn't have a lick to do with the past.

its just interesting.

Snapdragon

This is a highly charged situation, but clearly with only one course of action. I do agree that this is best kept under wraps. So in the words of jgnat, I am sitting here smug....with warm fuzzies. (Shamus, you make me laugh.)

~A

Addendum:

Also, just so you know, I'm not some random gossip. The victim is my sibling. I'm just clearing that part up, so that some of you out there (whose opinions and respect I highly value) don't think I'm nothing more than a nosey "sister". (The JW kind.)