TallTexan

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Posts by TallTexan

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  3

  What is a crackpot?

  by Vormek2.8 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  one who believes that thousands of intelligent, informed, educated, credentialed scientists from a multitude of backgrounds and belief systems, working all over the world, holding tenure at hundreds of major universities, publishing their findings in peer-reviewed journals, and winning awards and research grants from both government and private industry are wrong, but that a single individual with access to a computer and an internet account has miraculously stumbled upon the truth.

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  TallTexan

  ummmm....o.k.....would you like to be a LITTLE more specific.....
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  11

  Were you persecuted while in the WTS?

  by greendawn in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  during your stint in the wts were there any jws that would regularly harass and persecute you because of jealousy or sheer malice rather than due to any "apopstate ideas?

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  TallTexan

  I dealt with more backstabbing, lying, snooping, one-upsmanship, criticism, self-righteousness, and injustice while in the borg than I ever have in my employment life - and I've worked in sales...lol. I don't know if you call that persecution, but it's a fact. And for those reading this that think "oh, he's just bitter" - well, yeah. When you, your family, and your friends are regularly turned on and slandered by those from the platform claiming love and shepherding of the flock, maybe you'll be a little bitter too.....
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  14

  Question on downsizing

  by Champion in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if that is true what will seriously happen to those at bethel?

  how many people are there and what ages?

  i was telling my husband about it and he said they are just so pathetic!

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  TallTexan

  "you walked and sat with kings."

  That's revolting...

  Good post, though, Darth....
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  24

  How much time does the WTBT$$ have left?

  by TallTexan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  obviously, there is no answer to this, i just think it's an interesting ??.

  my personal opinion is that within 10 years, the wts will be a shell of it's current (and especially former) self.

  it may not even take that long.

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  TallTexan

  Those are some excellent thoughts. I especially appreciated Gary's input. And I think he's right. If the stigma of 'wordly association' were removed, and people could have associates outside of the borg, how many more people would gradually fall away. I know so many people who disguise their need for association with a 'love for the truth'. You know, those peopl who make 3 or 4 meetings a month but make EVERY single get-together....

  I don't think they will ever totally disappear. They have large financial holdings in the form of stock and real estate, and there will always be die-hards. But history has shown over and over again that religions come and go, especially fringe religions. That's why I stated that I thought they would be a 'shell' of their former self.

  I see a large snowball effect. Some of the posts talked about people like 'their parents' who would NEVER consider leaving. I know several people who have had those 'die hard' parents who eventually left because of the inconsistencies and lies.

  Like I said, I don't think there is any answer to this, I just thought it was an interesting discussion. Thanks.
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  24

  How much time does the WTBT$$ have left?

  by TallTexan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  obviously, there is no answer to this, i just think it's an interesting ??.

  my personal opinion is that within 10 years, the wts will be a shell of it's current (and especially former) self.

  it may not even take that long.

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  TallTexan

  Obviously, there is no answer to this, I just think it's an interesting ??. My personal opinion is that within 10 years, the WTS will be a shell of it's current (and especially former) self. It may not even take that long.

  We know that growth in the 'advanced' nations is either negative or at a standstill. How long until the REAL information about the WT gets to the developing countries? The fact is that most of the $$ to support the growth has always come from the developed nations. As that starts to dry up, it doesn't really matter how many converts they make in 3rd world countries, without that heavy financial support from the 'big boys', they won't be able to afford to do business.

  In the past, in developed nations, many of the 'newly baptized' have been children who have been raised in the truth. Now that those kids spend so much time on the internet, how long until that is no longer a source of membership? I think the Internet, the UN, sex abuse scandals - all of the last few years, have already taken a heavy toll. Given another decade, how much more severe will the damage be?

  Anyone have any thoughts on this?
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  29

  SELF ESTEEM in the organization

  by justice for all in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  did your self esteem increase or decrease after being in the organization for a while?

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  TallTexan

  Interesting question. I think in some ways being raised a JW helped me with certain aspects of self-esteem. I read well, speak in public well, and as I was giving #4 talks at a very early age, received much positive reinforcement from those in the cong.

  However, overall being raised a JW really takes it's toll on you. You are absolutely destroyed in school for being different. And in the congregation, your supposed "haven" from the pressure of the world, you're constantly being told that you're not doing enough - can't you pioneer, can't you give more $$, or more time, or whatever. You never feel that you're good enough. You feel bad for every 'sinful' impulse you have, like no one else in the cong has them. If you're not given privileges, then you are obviously doing something wrong, or just plain not good enough.

  Jesus said that his 'yoke was light' - obviously he was NOT raised as a JW........
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  43

  Bizarre JW stories of enduring hardship

  by Vormek2.8 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i remember hearing of a faithful older brother who was attacked by vicious dogs while in service.

  even though his clothes were shredded and he was bleeding he continued walking door to door to finish his assigned territory for that day.

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  TallTexan

  Katie, you're killing me...lol.

  And those bloody torture stories! How awful. Im sure they were probably true, lots of them. But what was the point of terrorising a whole generation of children in countries that were unlikely to ever experience that kind of backward brutality. I mean - is it likely that I was ever going to have bycicle spokes pushed through my genitals in the UK? But thats EXACTLY what I spent my entire childhood in fear of! There was no point to those stories, other than the fact that nasty old men used to love repeating them from the platform and got some kind of gruesome kick from imagining that we might have to go through that one day.

  See, and I thought I was the only one. I remember during this time they would talk about how the brothers would be picked up at checkpoints and beaten, so every time we drove to the meetings (being as I was about 6 or 7) I was constantly on the watch for roadblocks. I think the Malawi stories, while real (probably), were the 'tabloid' shock value of the time. I think they were supposed to be inspiring, but instead they scared the living crap out of all of us kids.....
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  15

  What are you listening to right now?

  by ozziepost in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  we've had "what books are you reading", so let's think of another of the senses!.

  right now i'm listening to a brand new released cd by opera star amelia farrugia, "joie de vivre!".

  amelia was featured in the all-star lineup for last weekend's "carols in the domain" broadcast on channel seven.

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  TallTexan

  Solitude Aeturnus - Downfall

  Killswitch Engage

  Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes

  Slayer - Decade of Aggression

  Pantera's Greatest Hits CD
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  27

  "We are the only religion on earth that can claim to be unhypocritical."

  by Bonnie_Clyde in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  those are the exact words of the po's wife today at the wt study.

  i wrote them down as she said them.

  the next comment by one of the servants was, "if we accept the authority of the faithful and discreet slave, we cannot go wrong.

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  TallTexan

  What's scary is that while I was 'in', I felt the same way, and I'm sure many of you did too. I hated being 'different', but at the same time felt that I was part of an organization that was honest, spiritual, and had the truth. You really buy into all that 'the world hates you because you're different' crap. The world hates you because they realize how stupid you are...lol. <jk> It's sad because they don't know how wrong they are - and until they become open-minded enough to research the truth, they will never know. I guess I pity them more than hate them.....
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  22

  President Bush wants to spy on us? Can we spy on him as well?

  by DavidChristopher in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  that is kinda goofy.

  he says it is his job to protect us!?

  by taking our freedom and privacy away?

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  TallTexan

  Never trust a government that doesnt trust its own citizens with guns
  
  --Thomas Jefferson

  Now that's a sentiment I agree w/ wholeheartedly. I hope I didn't give the impression that I was anti- 2nd amendment rights.....