Bendrr

Joined

• started 227 topics
• posted 1,625 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Bendrr

• 
  26

  Is pedophilia an unforgivable sin?

  by cnn77 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in my opinion it should be and a pedophile should never be allowed back into the organization.. the children they abuse suffer for the rest of their lives so why should a pedophile have forgiveness and be reinstated?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Bendrr

  I can't say that it is an unforgiveable sin. Do we really understand pedophilia? Does anyone truly know what makes an adult desire sexual intimacy with a young child? What makes a man ignore a beautiful woman in favor of say an eight or nine year old girl or boy? Probing deeper, what drives some pedophiles to also kill their victims?
  So little is really known about mental illness even in our enlightened age in which we have the "Human
  Genome Project" to map our DNA.
  None of can accept the fact that a pedophile may be set free in our community, since we really don't know how to stop his or her urges. They truly may be unable to overcome their urges. Some if not many may sincerely wish to never touch a child again. It seems that most simply give in to temptation, but you have to wonder how many pedophiles do manage to keep their urges in check.
  Make no mistake, I don't condone pedophilia and don't like the idea of letting them run loose in society unchecked. But we have to get past the emotional response of wanting to "kill the bastards" and treat it like the mental illness that it is. Just like any other disorder, just on a severe magnitude. We need to temper the emotional response and find a way to learn more about how to treat and prevent a mental disorder.
  mike.

  "Well done, Blind Squirrel! You've found an impressive nut!
• 
  2

  Own an Isuzu Rodeo? WARNING!

  by Bendrr in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just thought i'd share this, in case anyone here owns an isuzu rodeo with 4-wheel drive.. one came in the shop today and the owner wanted us to check the cv boots on the front axles.

  i checked it out and it needed both.. wayne (my manager) sold the job and came out to tell me.

  with a big smile on his face.

  1. 
  2. 
• 

  Bendrr

  Just thought I'd share this, in case anyone here owns an Isuzu Rodeo with 4-wheel drive.
  One came in the shop today and the owner wanted us to check the CV boots on the front axles. I checked it out and it needed both.
  Wayne (my manager) sold the job and came out to tell me. With a BIG smile on his face. When he checked the labor time in our Alldata system, he found much to our delight that the labor time for replacing the 2 CV boots is 5.9 hours PER BOOT!!!
  This customer will be paying for the rubber boots from NAPA and they are not expensive at all, but he will also be paying 11.8 labor hours at $59.00 per hour and I will be done before lunch Monday and I get 45% of the labor.
  Think I'll have steak tomorrow night.
  mike.

  "Well done, Blind Squirrel! You've found an impressive nut!
• 
  32

  Message From Faithful And Discreet Slave

  by silentlambs in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i recieved a phone call last night from a brother who i was able to verify was of the anointed.

  he stated he represented a large group of anointed from within the organization and they wanted to send me a letter.

  the anointed remnant.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Bendrr

  I look at it this way. With the fear the Empire has of the internet invading the homes of its subjects, this means that a great number of them were already online before the light dawned on the Governing Body. How long were you online and connecting with other witnesses around the world before the warnings started coming out about apostates online?
  There may very well be a group of "annointed" from around the world who are in agreement to disagree privately with the GB. It is certainly not impossible to imagine this in light of how we ourselves were brought together by the internet.
  On the other hand, you may very well have a "kook".
  It could be a very well-meaning supporter with the intoxication of electronic anonymity who is getting carried away. Quite an ego boost to claim to be part of a secret coalition of the "annointed" themselves and announce wide support of such a noble cause. That would be the harmless "kook", whereas this could also be a more dangerous individual with very questionable motives.
  You should be very cautious if this person is calling you on the phone in light of your "package" you posted about recently.
  (I didn't read every response on this thread so please forgive me if I repeat what someone else already said)
  It interests me to notice how this letter actually expresses no loyalty to "Jehovah's Earthly Organization" or whatever they call it these days, instead focusing on Jehovah God and I quote "Our Master, Jesus Christ". The outright condemnation of the Governing Body would indicate an apostate in their midst if the author actually acted alone.
  All the negatives aside, I do hope that this individual is sincere and that this group can help make a difference.
  Carry on the fight brother, if you only save one child then you will have succeded.
  mike.

  "Well done, Blind Squirrel! You've found an impressive nut!
• 
  16

  Any good times?

  by tattoogrl333 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just wondering if there were any positives to being a jw.

  i have read most of the posts and see that a lot of people were jw for years and years and was thinking that not all that time could things have been bad?

  oh and somewhere in gen. it is supposed to state that we are living in the 7th day now????

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Bendrr

  Hey Tatoo! Sure there are good times in the Empire.
  I had as we all have I'm sure some wonderful times with friends in the dubs. There were even times in field service that were enjoyable. A good time is what you make of your situation.
  mike.

  "Well done, Blind Squirrel! You've found an impressive nut!
• 
  113

  Silentlambs and Signifiers that Signify Nothing

  by dunsscot in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  call me a neopositivist, a semi-verificationist or semi-falsificationist, but the claims made by "silentlambs" reminds me of the shakespearean line that was quoted in the creator book published by the wtbts.

  that is, the contentions of silentlambs seem like much "sound and fury" that in truth signify nothing.

  i am of course referring to the supposed dateline show and the claims made about some members of the gb of jehovah's witnesses.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Bendrr

  Dunnscot.
  I believe Silentlambs has a real case here. You make it sound like some sort of vendetta, fueled by hysteria over an emotional issue. Anytime the subject of child abuse comes up, especially sexual, there will always be an intense emotional response.
  We'll probably never know the true numbers. I personally hope that there are far fewer cases than believed as I'm sure we all do. However, finding believed statistics reduced even one protected molester still leaves you with one-too-many molesters.
  The judicial guidelines of the Witnesses "look good on paper" so to speak. Two or more witnesses is a thorough establishment of an incident. An "investigation" establishes both sides of the story, even if just one witness comes forth. Unfortunately, molestation is not something that takes place where witnesses are available. Then it becomes the word of a child against an adult. The policies that compel victims' families to keep the incident internal within the bounds of the congregation and that do nothing to protect the congregation's children must be brought to light and changed. I don't need numbers to tell me that, even if it only protects one kid it must be done.
  mike.
• 
  12

  Another island thread

  by Bendrr in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  bitter mango got me going with the cd's thread.

  looks like it's one of those nights.. ok, you're stranded on an island.

  which one member of this board would you be stranded with if given the choice?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Bendrr

  Bitter Mango got me going with the cd's thread. Looks like it's one of those nights.
  Ok, you're stranded on an island. Which ONE member of this board would you be stranded with if given the choice?
  Try and be serious.
  mike.

  "Well done, Blind Squirrel! You've found an impressive nut!
• 
  44

  10 movies > stuck on an island

  by Bendrr in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  to carry the island thing further, if you were stuck on an island what 10 movies would you have?.

  1. superman.

  2. airplane!.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Bendrr

  Bitter Mango, I love Forrest Gump. Have you ever seen the movie Slingblade? It was really a sad movie but I laughed my ass off watching it. Carl Childers totally rules! I would love to make a sequel: "Forrest Gump Meets Slingblade".
  mike.

  "Well done, Blind Squirrel! You've found an impressive nut!
• 
  44

  10 movies > stuck on an island

  by Bendrr in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  to carry the island thing further, if you were stuck on an island what 10 movies would you have?.

  1. superman.

  2. airplane!.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Bendrr

  To carry the island thing further, if you were stuck on an island what 10 movies would you have?
  1. Superman
  2. Airplane!
  3. The Naked Gun
  4. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
  5. Young Frankenstein
  6. Star Wars (the original and still the best)
  7. The Empire Strikes Back
  8. Return of the Jedi
  9. Devil's Advocate
  10. Heavy Metal The Movie

  Ok, bonus question. If you only had one choice would you have a DVD player or VCR?

  mike.

  "Well done, Blind Squirrel! You've found an impressive nut!
• 
  5

  The Watchtower Has Downgraded Love

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a number of you like to speculate, 'reading between the lines'.

  of some watchtower article, wondering what reality hides behind.

  the starkness of black ink on white paper.. in one recent case, that hidden reality is sad, indeed.. take a good look at a particular contrast.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Bendrr

  I recall memorizing the "fruits of the spirit" as an Empire Youth: "LOVE, joy, peace. etc." . I guess the latest edition of the NWT has that passage edited also.
  You know, next thing you know one of those "fruits" will be "unquestioning obedience".
  Excuse me while I go throw up now.
  mike.

  "Well done, Blind Squirrel! You've found an impressive nut!
• 
  20

  OK to Check In?

  by troubled in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just felt the need to check in.

  i've just felt so touched at the heart by those of you who responded with such loving interest yesterday.

  and while i need to be grown up, responsible, and wise, sometimes all i want is for someone to love me and keep me safe.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Bendrr

  Hey there Troubled! I'm glad that 'Suicide' thread wasn't what you said, the last post for a while.
  You are not "self-absorbed" as you mentioned. I hope that your doctor is helping in whatever way but a pill is only part of healing. Depression is a large part of chemicals in your brain and I hope the prescription brings them into balance. It can go a long way to making you feel better. Maybe the rest of the way is to put things away from your mind as it heals. I guess that's easy to say isn't it? Kind of like what I said before. So the best thing I can tell you is that you have a whole lot of nice folks here who are very concerned about you and one way or another someone will be here to hear what you have to say and at least make an effort to make you feel better.
  I'll even go this far, if you ever want to just have a real voice and an ear to talk into, my number is 478-743-6131.
  mike.

  "Well done, Blind Squirrel! You've found an impressive nut!