I would buy Brad Pitt and have him on toast for breakfast...oh yeah..almost forgot...and then I would go gather my siblings and take them to the Non-Conformist EX-JW rally this weekend in Sydney :o)) (did u like that one kep?)
Beck_Melbourne
JoinedPosts by Beck_Melbourne
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16
What would YOU do?
by Adam inthe california super lotto plus is up to $131 million.
our office has 35 people buying a single ticket together.
since the organizer picked the "cash now" option instead of the "over 20-years" one, there will be a stiff penalty.
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30
Update On Elder Suicide
by Nat insome of you may not have heard about my sister-in-laws brother.
he was a elder/37/married/no children and my sister-in-law's twin brother.. he took his life a couple of weeks ago.
no one was sure what was going on or what had happened.
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Beck_Melbourne
Tinks
I guess there's not a lot you can do or say that will comfort your JW relatives...they are conditioned to see death not as the nations...so they won't want to admit that they are weak by seeking help outside the borg...professional help that is. For as long as they are strong (spiritually)...they will reject outside help...which is sad...but they do what they are taught and trained to do.
Like you, I still have family 'in' and some 'out'. It's not easy is it? And there are so many issues from being raised in the 'truth' that has screwed us all up....and what would normally be an ordinary family matter becomes a federal case because we (ex jw members) have to respect the conscience of JW family members.
How do you cope with the mixed family situation? I'd be interested to know your story. If you have posted it already....could you direct me in the right direction as I'm new to this forum and I'm not up with who's who in the zoo lol.
Thanks
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14
My Story
by Kep inmy mother and grandmother are dubs, so it was a part of my life from the start.
both my dad and grandfather weren't, so it was what they call a divided household.. that sucked coz, after the meeting we were hurried off home to please the unbelieving mate.. so i never got to have real friends at the meetings and never had any activities outside of school.. as i got older i began to fit in with the school mates but felt restrained as we always had meetings to go to.. to cut a long story short, i got baptised when i was 18, had trouble keeping on top of meetings and witnessing etc.... i went weak, then inactive, found myself a girlfriend, non-witness, talked her thru the issues and problems i was going thru and so she decided to study.. we got married, she was baptised and things were going good.. as they were always pushing at assemblies to pioneer we felt we had to do that.. so as our circumstances allowed, she began pioneering.. you know, i look back and can say there was so much pressure put on couples who didn't have a family to seek first the kingdom.. as i had a checkered past according to some in the congo, it was a battle to attain privilidges.
but i worked at it, i would auxillary pioneer each year and use my vacation time to do it, brown nose the co each time he visited, and bend over backwards to do anything the elders wanted done.. and as time passed i became a ministerial servant.. then in order for me to become an elder i had to really work my ass off.. so i did, i sorted things out so i could also become a regular pioneer.. after 18 months of doing that plus continually working hard for the org i was appointed elder.. my family was stoked.. i had a sister whose husband had also been appointed elder, my other sister was a regular pioneer and my brother was living with me and doing as much as he could.
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Beck_Melbourne
Just wondered how long you were going to take to post part 2! :o)
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41
The Great Beer Quiz
by Beans inthere are so many good brews out there and so many countries that produce them.which are your favs?here are a few of mine.. canada: kokanee,canadian,keiths,blue.
german beer: holsten,becks,diebels,lowenbrau,flensburger pils.
scotland: belhaven best,tennants.
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Beck_Melbourne
Hey hipster...thanks for the welcome *hugs* lol
Do you have another handle other than hippikon? I like a bit of mystery but not too much. C'mon...clue??
I moved to Aussie 3 years ago...the best thing is...no one 'shuns' me here lol. Couldn't find a way to deal with the whole exit from the borg situation...my answer was to move away. I have heard that they don't talk about me at the meetings any more...FINALLY!!
I left Steinlager for your Kep...isn't it a poofs beer? LOL
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41
The Great Beer Quiz
by Beans inthere are so many good brews out there and so many countries that produce them.which are your favs?here are a few of mine.. canada: kokanee,canadian,keiths,blue.
german beer: holsten,becks,diebels,lowenbrau,flensburger pils.
scotland: belhaven best,tennants.
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Beck_Melbourne
Waikato...NZ
Lion Red..NZI just thought I'd get that in before my brother.
Aussie beer sux...sorry to say...but if I HAD to choose one I'd pick Victorian Bitter.
Just thought I'd share that useless information with ya'll.
Regards
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30
Update On Elder Suicide
by Nat insome of you may not have heard about my sister-in-laws brother.
he was a elder/37/married/no children and my sister-in-law's twin brother.. he took his life a couple of weeks ago.
no one was sure what was going on or what had happened.
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Beck_Melbourne
Tinkerbell...very sorry to hear about your loss in the past and your sister in law's recent loss also. Many of us can relate to that feeling of despair...no where to go...no one to talk to...and that overwhelming guilt. I was an active witness in a small town when a young witness boy chose to take his own life. He left behind a suicide note...and on that note he named people who had wronged him and his family...elders in particular. He was a third generation witness...both his parents were witnesses...and both grandparents on both sides. His father was a prominent elder..with an older brother serving in Bethel and a sister who was a pioneer. This particular boy was under a lot of pressure...to be what was 'expected' of him...but the hypocrisy within the congregation and within the elder arrangement left much to be desired. What was expected of this boy? To follow in the footsteps of his brother of course...to go pioneering...to marry a fellow pioneer sister...to set spiritual goals...and one day to be an elder or PO like his father and Grandfather. BUT...sadly...this was not who he wanted to be...he wanted to be an ordinary teenager...meet girls...play sports on Saturdays...look forward to xmas...etc. The pressure became too much to bear...and he was tired of always disappointing his parents.
I remember the support from the elders at that time was pretty slack...the father was removed from the body of elders...and he was reprimanded for causing a division in the congregation...as he chose to leave the suicide note on the coffin for everyone to read....he was gently persuaded to remove the note...as names were mentioned.
I know there are others out there who can relate to the desperation one feels when they are torn between an obligation to be what is expected of them....or to be true to oneself.
Thank you for allowing some of us to reflect and share some of our own experiences. Thoughts are with you and others who have suffered.
Regards
Beck -
21
Freaky picture
by Elsewhere inlook at the blue thing in the door in this picture... at first you won't be able to make it out, so look closely and very carefully.
it may take a few minutes, but eventually you will see what it is.. .
religion stops a thinking mind!.
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Beck_Melbourne
MortishaLOL@Gomez
more would be nice...i'll turn the lights out for the next one :o)
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8
forget it
by jerome ini would like to ask ew-jws jw a question.
when you read the book crisis of conscience how instrumental was that book in getting you to leave the organisation.. i have a gf who is an active jw.... i by the way am wordly.
this religion thing is putting strain on our relationship.. she condems me for obtaining information about the watchtower from apostates or just about anyone who has something yo say about the org.
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Beck_Melbourne
Jerome
I don't think your girlfriend is a very 'strong' witness...she can't be if she has a worldly boyfriend. This is a good thing...as you can wear her down eventually. I would suggest you avoid trying to influence her thinking so directly...offering her a book written by 'apostates' will only push her away from you. She will find your interest in so called apostasy disturbing. I would suggest you try more subtle means...as you can introduce the seed of doubt in other ways. She obviously still has some faith...despite the fact that she is in this relationship with you. Keep in mind that she is probably getting a lot of pressure from witness friends/relatives about this relationship...OR...she is secretly in this relationship....which means she possibly has a lot to lose if she were to come out in the open. I am making a lot of assumptions here...sorry...I don't know the whole story. But from what you've said I do think you have a good chance of getting her out of the borg....but you may have to employ some sneaky methods. Maybe some others out there may come to life with some suggestions...but the main one I can think of is to show her that you're NOT a bad associate (one who dwells with apostates)...and you can demonstrate this by your conduct. It is basically a teaching within the borg to witness to worldlies by one's conduct...do the same but from the other side. That way she may eventually be won over.
Those are my thoughts.
Cheers
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21
Freaky picture
by Elsewhere inlook at the blue thing in the door in this picture... at first you won't be able to make it out, so look closely and very carefully.
it may take a few minutes, but eventually you will see what it is.. .
religion stops a thinking mind!.
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Beck_Melbourne
Scared the bejeeezuz outta me!!
Do another one :o)
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14
My Story
by Kep inmy mother and grandmother are dubs, so it was a part of my life from the start.
both my dad and grandfather weren't, so it was what they call a divided household.. that sucked coz, after the meeting we were hurried off home to please the unbelieving mate.. so i never got to have real friends at the meetings and never had any activities outside of school.. as i got older i began to fit in with the school mates but felt restrained as we always had meetings to go to.. to cut a long story short, i got baptised when i was 18, had trouble keeping on top of meetings and witnessing etc.... i went weak, then inactive, found myself a girlfriend, non-witness, talked her thru the issues and problems i was going thru and so she decided to study.. we got married, she was baptised and things were going good.. as they were always pushing at assemblies to pioneer we felt we had to do that.. so as our circumstances allowed, she began pioneering.. you know, i look back and can say there was so much pressure put on couples who didn't have a family to seek first the kingdom.. as i had a checkered past according to some in the congo, it was a battle to attain privilidges.
but i worked at it, i would auxillary pioneer each year and use my vacation time to do it, brown nose the co each time he visited, and bend over backwards to do anything the elders wanted done.. and as time passed i became a ministerial servant.. then in order for me to become an elder i had to really work my ass off.. so i did, i sorted things out so i could also become a regular pioneer.. after 18 months of doing that plus continually working hard for the org i was appointed elder.. my family was stoked.. i had a sister whose husband had also been appointed elder, my other sister was a regular pioneer and my brother was living with me and doing as much as he could.
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Beck_Melbourne
Just wanted to say I'm looking forward to Part 2...and thanks for referring me to this site.
Cheers.
D