my congregation got a reminder today to start donating money.
elder said that after the letter on the new donation arrangement was read, the contributions for that fund went from the average (i believe it was $500 or so) to $0.
after that reminder, cash was put into those boxes.
When I first started studying in 1968 and into the next decade or so, all you ever heard was condemnation of other religions because they were always asking for money. Since the WT became a big corporation, they have become just like the other churches if not worse. I have Catholic friends and they say that there are no constant reminders for money. They give freely according to what they personally can do.
HappyDad
a loud get well grace from all of us to you.
everyone, grace has been in and out of the hospital and i'm sure she would love to read your get wells.
we miss you grace:) wish i could post pictures.
Grace (Mouthy) we love you and want you to be well and to be around to keep all of us on our toes for many years to come.
HappyDad
i'm not talking about a individual, but a congregation as a whole.. i'm talking about a brother or sister that really hit hard times.. have there ever been an occasion where the brothers (elders).
decided to dip into the kh funds and help one in need????.
example, brother loose his job, get evicted, family of four or.
Not a single person in my over 30 years as an active JW was helped by the congregation. It was always said that family or some social agency had that responsibility.
After I left the JW's and went to several churches, I found that they always helped someone in need. The money came from the church or the Pastor himself.
So where is the true brotherly love? Certainly not with the JWs!
HappyDad
you see them all over the place now, 2 or 3 of them standing near a portable display of bible-based literature, chatting to each other.
counting time.. i've seen them in london, glasgow and cluj (romania).
the portable display is always the same.
When I see pictures of them with their carts, I laugh to myself thinking how I did something similar back in the 1980's. I was really being groomed as an elder because I was such a "spiritual" man, but I wasn't getting my 10 hours a month. I really hated field service, so but for the few hours I got door to door, I would go into the business area in the morning when I wasn't working and walk up and down the few blocks there while holding the WT and Awake in my hands to get to the magic number 10 (hours). It was the same as those with the carts today......easy time to count and not a single person approached to talk!
And we KNEW that we weren't doing WORKS to gain salvation. Yeah....right!
So happy I am no longer a part of it. Almost 15 years now.
HappyDad
i have plenty of tips on my older site on starting ministries or outreaches.
though today they are now generally sites for public assistance, not personal blogs or opinion or doctrinal sites.
free minds has covered doctrines, news, opinions, and more for 32 years (since 1996 online).
You and your efforts have been a blessing Randy. Freeminds helped get me and my daughter out. And at the time, we didn't know that we both were wanting out at the same time. We were afraid to confront each other with our leaving the JW's. Once we found out about each other, our relationship has been the greatest ever. That was in the late 1990's.
May God bless you!
HappyDad
has anyone used rosetta stone for learning a language?
now that i'm living in sw florida i deal with a lot of spanish speaking people and would love to learn the basics.
my problem is that there are so many different levels with rosetta stone, starting about $100.00 to over $300.00.. any advice would be appreciated.. happydad.
Has anyone used Rosetta Stone for learning a language? Now that I'm living in SW Florida I deal with a lot of Spanish speaking people and would love to learn the basics. My problem is that there are so many different levels with Rosetta Stone, starting about $100.00 to over $300.00.
Any advice would be appreciated.
HappyDad
anyone else get the distinct impression that jws are being worked up into a frenzy with all the changes and activity nowadays?
by the end of august, there will have been four campaigns inside of a year.
one last november, a memorial campaign, a convention campaign and an advertise jw.org campaign.. then there's the conventions with all the hooplah around that with all the video, and the aggrandizement of synchronized gb talks.
Seems to me that they are desparate to keep the ones who are still in..........still in. In other words.......ZOMBIES!!!
someone mentioned in another thread that white jws can't have mustaches but black jws can.
i noticed that the only governing body member with a mustache is black.
can anyone confirm that this is an official policy?
I've had a mustache since 1973 when I was just 26. Nothing was ever said since many bros in the Pittsburgh had them....both black and white. I still have the mustache but instead of it being almost black in color, it is now whitish gray.
HappyDad
today at 1pm i met a poster here in sw florida that i have been talking to for 6 years.
it was a very nice experience and we could have talked for many more hours.
i am hesitant to say that persons name since said person has family who are still in.
Today at 1PM I met a poster here in SW Florida that I have been talking to for 6 years. It was a very nice experience and we could have talked for many more hours. I am hesitant to say that persons name since said person has family who are still in. If she sees this post and wants to pipe in, then all the better. Hopefully we will do it again. It's always nice to compare notes from our past. Said person is very proud of her children who chose the path of education and are leading good and successful lives.....just as I am proud of my xJW daughter and her career.
Life is good!
HappyDad
well, it has been a long time since i have visited here, and an even longer time since i have posted anything.. .
alot has happened since i last posted.
amanda and i were finally divorced last september after 3 years of separation.
I always liked JunctionGuy. Sure hope he is doing well these days. So many over my 10 years on JWD/JWN have stopped posting. Hopefully because they have moved on with their lives. I still check here on a daily basis even though I am a million miles beyond my past as a JW. Keeping up with the changes in the religion is always an eye opener to let me know that I am ok!
HappyDad
