watchtower bible & tract society of new york.
25 columbia heights, brooklyn, 11201.
revenue: $951 million.
My first thought when I saw the thread was "... I bet they're full of literature" and "..everyone needs toilet paper!"
However, it really doesn't matter what's behind the motivation if they actually do help people. Even if it is a delivery of toilet paper....
Bren
1. isn't the power of prayer just a myth?
if a child asks a parent for help in an emergency and the parent does not respond we'd call it child-abuse.
if a friend asks a friend for help and they were immobile and silent we'd call that betrayal.
I know there will be some, or many, who call bullsh*t on my beliefsThank you!Those people are not worthy of your time. I still try to live by the moto: Attacking a persons beliefs is assault, concealing truth is deception.
1. isn't the power of prayer just a myth?
if a child asks a parent for help in an emergency and the parent does not respond we'd call it child-abuse.
if a friend asks a friend for help and they were immobile and silent we'd call that betrayal.
Peacefulpete
I do agree with you. It is soulsearching, change of mindset (behavious, etc), and finding the strength within.
My friend's father was remorseful of his actions because he was dying of cancer. She was able to forgive him, because she had changed her attitude through prayer. Whatever it was, he died at peace and she was at peace enough to forgive before he died.
However, through my journey for understanding and enlightenment, I believe in "god" - He, She, It, and They. I have a belief structure that connects my "higher self" or the strength within to the Universal Energy or Higher Power. My journey only began with allowing myself to open up to the possibility of a Power greater than myself through AA, and of course hasn't ended yet.
There was another post that said something to the affect that prayers are often answered through others, with a hug, a helping hand, a cup of sugar, or a meal where needed. I wholeheartedly agree. There is nothing more important than a kind word, or a helping hand whenever we are able to give it. I have given my last dollar to a streetperson, who needed it more than I did. If he used it for alcohol, he needed it more than I did.
Being consciously and unconsciously connected to Universal Energy (god) leads us into the paths of others that need. It leads others into our paths.
Note, I do not capitalize god.
I once recieved $80 from a girlfriend who borrowed it 5 years before. I was flat broke and had no gas, nor gas money to get to work. Timing is everything.
It's part of the Karmic cycle - what goes around, comes around. This is true for those who abuse their power. It may not happen in the time, nor manner that we want it to, but they will pay.
I know there will be some, or many, who call bullsh*t on my beliefs. That's fine with me. Each of you have your own journeys. Blessings to y'all on the way.
Brenda
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ok im a brother from morden they threw me out , i didnt do it, they were forbidding me to get married, unreporterd child abuse could be in the area, they tried to get clever and threw me over the side of the ship.
anyway bethel have no record of my demise it seems that wasnt reported, lets be friends nobody else will talk to me.
Welcome, Morden. You should find safe harbour here.
I've read a few of your posts, and to me it sounds like you may have undergone some serious trauma. I hope you are seeking outside medical help either doctor or phycologist for assistance, as I don't think anyone here is qualified. However we are here to offer a welcoming hand.
There is lots to read. I'm sure you'll find commonality here.
Welcome, again
Brenda
just got back from holidays and read the posts about this topic.
let me clear a few things up to the ones that replied.
i should have mentioned that my story is posted in the womens section entitled "pretending".
BTW, this double standard has been around for eons, in and outside of the WTS.
One girl I grew up with had been sexually abused by her step father since she was 9 or 10. She was 15 or 16 when he was found on top of her by sibling. Mom knew about it but swore she didn't.
He quickly check into a treatment center and recieved only a public reprimand. She was disfellowshipped.
Another girl I grew up with had been sexually abused by her grandfather for several years. After he died, she confronted her mother who knew about it. "He did it to me and no one came to my rescue." was her excuse. Her dad was a travelling overseer. No one disfellowshipped.
just got back from holidays and read the posts about this topic.
let me clear a few things up to the ones that replied.
i should have mentioned that my story is posted in the womens section entitled "pretending".
(giant hug) {{{{{{ JEZ }}}}}}}
Welcome, sister, I'm glad you're here. Your story sounds much like my first "proper jw" marriage. The abuse and beatings were my fault. I left the borg while still married to the alcohlic abuser. I couldn't see my way clear to get a divorce because "I didn't believe in divorce". It took an attempt at suicide - russian roulette, 44 magnum - to scare the life and sense back into me. I ended up firing the bullet into the ceiling when click 1 and 2 didn't fire into my head.
I used an affair to break the hold the relationship had on me. Unfortunately, it took 2 more marriages and 2 more divorces, to find the love of my life .... whom I refuse to marry.
Stick around. There's healing here. And few who judge. (There's always some horses arse, eh?)
Hugs and love
Brenda
it is evident that some prison immates get asimilated while doing their time.
i wonder if any of you used to preach rutinely in a prison and what was your experience.
were you asked by elders to do that or were you pro-active?
I did the AA thing of going to a womens low security lockup several times with others to conduct womens AA meetings. Really interesting because many of the things these women were in for were things I had done in my drinking days (drugs scared me too much, one good thing from the WTS). Truly, "there but for the grace of god, go I".
Hugs
Brenda
for those of you that are disfellowshipped, disassociated, a fader, or formerly non-baptized publishers.. if you had your funeral in a church, would your jw friends or relatives come to it?
i was telling him the other day that i want to have my funeral service in my church, and that my jw relatives would *not* come to it.
he could hardly believe that.. country girl
It's possible some may attend. I don't want a funeral anyway. If there are those who need closure, like my spousal unit, maybe a simple memorial service. I want to be cremated, and part of my ashes strewn on Golden Gardens beach (Seattle, WA - Shilshole bay, past life stuff), and part spread on the beach at the City of Refuge on the Big Island of Hawaii.
In reality, they could flush me down the toilet and I wouldnt' care.
Great Journey!
Brenda
1. isn't the power of prayer just a myth?
if a child asks a parent for help in an emergency and the parent does not respond we'd call it child-abuse.
if a friend asks a friend for help and they were immobile and silent we'd call that betrayal.
I believe in the power of appropriate prayer. I don't believe in the sky papa taking care of every need, request, etc. When bad things happen to good people, it's not "god's" doing, nor undoing, it's just life.
In AA in working the steps of the AA program, my sponsor told me that for 2 weeks, every night, I had to PRAY for the people who harmed ME! I knew it was coming as I had been in AA almost 3 years. So each night when I went to bed, lying in bed, I prayed outloud something to the effect "..god, my sponsor told me to pray for these people - here's the list: "
I swear before the end of the two weeks I was wholeheartedly asking god to bless these people, and much of my resentments were gone, or at least minor nuisences.
-------
A work associate and dear friend wanted to go to Arkansas to her parents 50th wedding anniversary. The problem was, her dad molested her AND her son. But she wanted to go for her mom. She had about a month.
I suggested she go ahead and "act as if" and make her necessary plans. But at night to pray for her father by simply saying "god bless my dad", and leaving it at that.
She did, and she went.
At the hall where the celebration was being held, before the party, she was helping and noticed her dad's makeup was askew (he had cancer). She invited him into the bathroom so she could fix his makeup. The moment they were in the bathroom, he began crying and confessed to the abuses and begged for her forgiveness. She was able to tell him that she had already forgiven him in her heart.
THAT is the power of proper prayer. If I hadn't experienced it, nor witnessed the results I would still be a skeptic.
Hugs
Brenda
i found this site by accident while looking for something on the computer for my son.
i have been trying to log on but couldn't seem to get a password.
today i thought...hmm wonder if my spam folder caugh it.
Welcome, Iforget! I'm glad you're here.
Elder's daughter, too. He was right up there. Mom was the typical overnurturing homemaker.
I think the worst "thing" my parents put on me is one day, when I was about 11 or so, my mom told me that "..everything I say and do reflects on my father and his position in the congregation". THAT is a tough load to put on a child!
I was bribed with a car after sophomore year of highschool to quit school and go into the ministry, maybe become a pioneer, go to bethel, or find a husband. At 18, I found a husband and I just wasn't a good salesperson, because there were too many unanswered (didn't dare question) inconsistencies for me.
I've been out now since 1979. I've been here only a few weeks but it's nice to find others like me, and not like me, and see where they've been.
Hugs, and love to you on your journey.
Brenda
