Posts by AlmostAtheist

28

Cancun

by Evesapple in

jw
friends

.

i'm going to cancun for a girl getaway next weekend for 3 days.

i've never been to that part of mexico before any suggestions on what to do and where to go?

No expert, but Gina and I went once and had a blast. We took several of the tour packages offered on about every corner. People walk up to you jamming tour offers in your face. I don't know how you tell the legitimate ones from the fake ones. Our travel agency (Apple) set ours up so we just did those. Took a few snorkeling tours, a power boat ride through the jungle, a horseback ride along the beach, and a group of us went on a Trimaran (sp?) [three-hulled boat] ride. No disappointments at all. Would go again in a heartbeat.

About the best time we had was in a little bar behind and to the left of the Hard Rock cafe. The band played for awhile, then sat down for a break. We bought them drinks, so they came over and chatted with us. They only spoke Spanish, we only spoke English, so it wasn't much of a chat, but still fun. When Gina got up for a bit, I managed to ask one of them to wave to her from the stage when they played again. Instead, they invited her on stage and let her play the drums with them! The look on her face, such total unbridled joy as she played drums in a real band by invitation, was one of the best images I recorded in my mind. I can still see her there, so happy, having so much fun.

Save us a spot on the beach, we'll join ya'!

Dave

6

Make your own prophecy...

by melmac in

jw
friends

.

the "composite sign" given by jesus could relate to many centuries in the past, and will no doubt fit many centuries in the future.

it's by no means a "fingerprint", as religions (especially dubs) will have it.. now, if you were in jesus' shoes and were to give an ummistakable sign, what would it be?

AlmostAtheist

"Teacher, how will we know when the end will come?"

"It'll be on August 10th, 2010 at about fivish. Bring a covered dish. And I'll be sure to phone you up the week before in case you forget."

(No way would I leave something important like this up to the imaginations of people two-millenia removed to just figure out.)

Dave

54

We're Studying The Daniel Book........ Again!!! AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

by Doubtfully Yours in

they'll be lucky to see me at all at the farguing book study meeting!!!

damn it, if they don't have anything new to study, why not move some of the other meetings' material to this hour thus making shorter those other meetings???!!!

of course not, for this move would be too simple yet smart and full of common sense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

AlmostAtheist

When I was a MS, I had the "privilege" of being a last-minute subtitute conductor for the Revelation book. The question was something like "What flawed reasoning led some into mariolatry?" The group just sat and stared at me and each other, so I prodded a bit, then finally asked, "Who knows what 'mariolatry' means?" Immediately one sister smiled and starting shaking her head. Nobody had a clue. Here we were, discussing the material, but nobody had a single guess as to what we were talking about.

So we all ducked back into the paragraph and dug out that it was "Mary-worship". Then we went on with our quoting-from-the-paragraph-to-answer-the-question-asked-by-the-paragraph "discussion".

Shame it wasn't "treat night", we might've had a better turn out...

While we're listing meeting attenders, don't forget Brother ParrotsWordsFromTheParagraphWithoutEvenKnowingWhatTheyMean

Dave

17

What inanimate objects "move" you?

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

i don't consider myself an overly emotional person, but gina and i went to an art museum years ago and i was nearly in tears over something i saw there.

it was a statue of an old man carrying a jug.

it was made two thousand years ago.

AlmostAtheist

LT: I'm not sure I'm getting the sense of scale from the photos, how tall are those stones?

106

Just got back from the 2004-2005 circuit assembly here are a few thoughts.

by PaNiCAtTaCk in

jw
friends

upon arriving i ran into lots of old friends and really enjoyed seeing everyone and visiting.

they dont know that im currently struggling with doubts about the organization and they think that im the same old zealous brother.

i couldnt help but feel a sence of guilt visiting with them about our current number of publishers and how many we had pioneering ect.

AlmostAtheist

In the box their was a
little coffin with a note in it that said "WELCOME TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF AIDS" (the whole audience gasped for air!)

Oh good lord! And they bought every word of it, didn't they? CNN must've failed to pick that story up. Shame, it would've made for great reporting. No criminal charges brought against the man? Shame, she would've had a good case.

I wonder where you buy those little coffins, I'd like to turn in my DA letter inside one. A nice touch, dontcha think?

Dave

17

What inanimate objects "move" you?

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

i don't consider myself an overly emotional person, but gina and i went to an art museum years ago and i was nearly in tears over something i saw there.

it was a statue of an old man carrying a jug.

it was made two thousand years ago.

AlmostAtheist

I don't consider myself an overly emotional person, but Gina and I went to an art museum years ago and I was nearly in tears over something I saw there. It was a statue of an old man carrying a jug. It was made two thousand years ago. Here I was, looking at this man that lived two thousand years ago. He was old, probably a grandfather, maybe a great-grandfather. He was born, had a childhood, married, raised kids. And died. But here he was, frozen in time. An anonymous old man, carved in stone by an anonymous artist.

I can't put in words what struck me about this work. Gina liked it, but it didn't touch her like it did me. There was a postcard picture of it in the gift shop, but I didn't buy one. It wouldn't have had the "power" of the statue itself, so there was no point for me. I knew then and there that if I had the money I would buy that statue and treasure it forever.

Are there any objects that moved you like this?

Dave

66

OK, I HAVE to meet with the judicial committee. Advice?

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

hey guys,.

" you say, "no you don't, you mind-controlled idiot.

tell 'em to fark off.

AlmostAtheist

Isn't it funny how you find out that you loved them WAY more than they loved you- a crushing reality! It only means they are losing their "hold" on you.

Zach (our 6 year old) said he "hated" grandma and grampa now. Gina and I explained that we can't hate them for it, it isn't really their fault. It is their love for us that is making them treat us this way. They think we HAVE to be JW's in order to not get killed by their god at some point in the very-near-but-god-only-knows-how-long future. They further believe that doing this is God's way of trying to show us the error of our ways. So while it hurts, we have to recognize that they still love us, and they are only doing what they're told.

I know there's another argument that says they could still choose to act another way. But I think as long as the Borgian influence is on them, they are only partially responsible for their conduct.

Mary:

They'll still claim New Light over the Christmas thing. The new light would be the fact that a seemingly innocent practice that has pagan origins is displeasing to Jehovah. Upon determining that, they knew they had to shun Christmas and birthdays and everything else with pagan origins. (Except, of course, wedding veils, "best man" traditions, eye makeup, the calendar, ....)

Dave of the "Bookbag for sale. Very low mileage. Free or best offer." class

16

What was Judas' motive for betrayal?

by JustTickledPink in

not getting into any specific bible scriptures, just thinking about jesus and his friends all hanging out when judas decides to betray him.

what would the motive be?.

do you think that judas was really that hard up financially and wanted the money?

AlmostAtheist

Always bothered me, too.

I saw a Life of Jesus-type movie once that suggested Judas thought the betrayal would force Jesus to stand up and take control. Sort of like Jesus was meant to be king and he just needed a little kick in the pants to get him to accept his role.

I don't think the money could be argued as the motive, though I recall a Watchtower picture of Judas appearing to hungrily accept the money, as if that was his motive. I suppose it's still possible, people do funny things.

The Bible's full of stories of people doing stuff like this, though. Israel supposedly saw the Red Sea parted, then the very next day started sinning against the God that did it. Moses supposedly took credit for getting water from the rock. Lot offered his daughters as sex-slaves rather than see some total strangers have to fend for themselves in a sex-mad crowd. The story of a guy that follows the Messiah for 3 years, then betrays him for a DVD and a pack of gum actually fits pretty well, in context of the whole book.

Dave

11

mind games to free yourself of jw fear mentality

by boy@crossroads in

i find that to get rid of the jw mentality i have to play mind games on myself as i go throughout my day.

one tactic that i've been using recently involves telling myself "now as i go through this (whatever) situation how would you act if you had never been exposed jehovahs witnesses".

it really is an amazing thing for me b/c after i think about the situation i really do become more comfortable and the true "me" comes out.

AlmostAtheist

Some feelings are stronger than others, and some people are more affected by feelings than others. But I have to ask, have you *proven* to yourself that the Watchtower teachings are bogus? If not, you owe it to yourself to do enough research to satisfy your questions. You don't have to carry around any question at all about blood, birthdays, Christmas, "Faithful and Discreet Slave", all of these doctrines can be comfortably shot down using the New World Translation.

If you haven't done this for yourself, you must do so. The peace of mind can't come without it.

Dave

66

OK, I HAVE to meet with the judicial committee. Advice?

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

hey guys,.

" you say, "no you don't, you mind-controlled idiot.

tell 'em to fark off.

AlmostAtheist

OK, off the hook.

Gina thought it over and realized she really didn't want to go taste a little family only to have it yanked away forever a few weeks later. She called and chatted with her family and they confirmed that once we're DF'd, we wouldn't be welcome anymore. No holding the baby, nothing. So even if we bought enough time to see the baby, that would be the end of that. And as one prudent poster noted, one little hold won't be enough. Better none, than a little.

So I'll just call the elder I wanted to meet with, get any information out that I can, and tell him that I won't be there Saturday. It definitely isn't in the cards for us to go grovel at their feet and hope they don't DF us. Not only does it make me sick to think of doing it, but it wouldn't work. We'd just be back in this same spot next Christmas, or when our kids go trick-or-treating. There's no escape, and I don't care to try.

Screw 'em.

I was only playing along for Gina's sake, and she says she doesn't care.

Thanks again for the help.

Dave