in my totally overwhelming 53 years of human existence, i've finally learned that "it isn't what you think you know; it's what you've been through" that matters to most other people.
so, as an unwilling, though also willing, participant in that cycle of life and death, belief and unbelief, i will offer more to you more than i've ever said to any group of folks than i've ever known.
that's jwd .
In my totally overwhelming 53 years of human existence, ......But these are part of the events that formed me, as a mere child; supposedly before I even had a mind to comprehend what was going on, right?
And we're just to age 1.
Craig, does this mean there are 52 more installments to this story?
did anyone ever tell you that you look like someone on tv, a movie star, someone in professional sports?.
a poster here said that i look like charles manson .
i'm honored
I'm not sure what celebrity I look like, but I look a lot like my mother.
life is fun.
people who get devoted to delusions like saving the world by blasting people to death or selling magazines waste their opportunity.
its really a shame.. live life.
i think you end up helping people the most sometimes when you aren't really trying to help people but you are just chugging along trying to make the best out of your own life.
I know most people help me by their example, so yeah, I think you're right.
well, it's hard to believe, but i'm finally ready to go on my world travels that i've been planning for so long.
seriously, i've been trying to get out of here since way back in my witness days, at least four or five years.
finally, i've gotten everything lined up, all the loose ends tied - i am on my way.. i leave this thursday for my first leg: 3 months in japan!
SNG,
Where in Japan are you going? And what will you be doing there?
Andi
1. were among the first to respond to the tsunami of 2004 and hurricane katrina with food, water, shelter, clothing, comfort, etc.
and provided relief efforts to every person they came in contact with regardless of religious beliefs.. 2. point to jesus as the only source of true happiness in today's world of uncertainty.
3. utilise 'worldly' holidays to focus attention on god's love for mankind.. 4. welcome you in no matter how many tattoos or body piercings you adorn your body with.. 5. pray for everything and at a moment's notice.
Ross,
I'm not denigrating the sacraments, with my comments. I hold them in very high regard, and they are an intimate and regular part of my own worship. That having been said, though, I don't believe them to be "saving" ordinances. Vital, yes, but not the means of salvation.
To hold them as such makes idols of them, substituting a salvation of grace with a salvation of continuous works. It replaces "faith" with a checklist against which we must compare ourselves before we accept the bond that has evidently been experienced with the "Divine".
Of course, if an individual has never experienced that, maybe a bunch of such tokens is pacifying - check off the list, by human efforts, and enter into "Kingdom Kindergarten"
"God" remains my Daddy, whether I go to supper or not...
I love this. Thank you for stating I feel so perfectly!
Andi
i just got off the phone with my former bible study who i haven't talked to in over a year.
for the backstory look at http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/98983/1.ashx .
so, we chatted about family and just got caught up.
I told her that I knew it would happen yet I decided to leave anyways because I could not, in good conscience, pretend to believe something I didn't believe.
What's so weird to me is that to any logical and thinking person...this makes sense. To a typical R&F JW, it doesn't. You might as well sprout horns and grow a bifurcated tail before zapping them with your hayfork - they think you're demonized.
long time reader, 1st time poster.. still in the 'borg'.
trying to disconnect from the hive.
family and many friends are still in.
HBTN - welcome!
life is fun.
people who get devoted to delusions like saving the world by blasting people to death or selling magazines waste their opportunity.
its really a shame.. live life.
People who get devoted to delusions like saving the world by blasting people to death or selling magazines waste their opportunity. its really a shame.
I agree to a certain extent Joel. I think most people are more egocentric than they'd like to admit. (I'm lumping myself in there, before you take offense to my comments.) We'd like to think that little ol' me can actually make a difference by showing others we have the "right" way and nobody else's is as good. After being raised as a JW, it's a habit that I have to work hard at breaking. I'm getting better though.
.
would you marry someone more than 15 years older or younger than yourself?.
it seems to be somewhat common for men to marry women significantly younger than them selves, but when a woman marries a man much younger, it seems to generate a lot of attention.. what are your thoughts?
I remember a friend telling me once, "Age is mind over matter. If you don't mind - it don't matter."
Mozz is 3 1/2 years younger than I. When we first started dating, it really bothered me. He was 25 and I was 29. I remember asking him once early in our dating period, "Does our age difference bother you?" He raised his eyebrows and said, "Nope. Not at all." I found it strange that he didn't even really think about it. So I pushed further, "What about this summer when I turn 30 and we're in totally different decades?" He shrugged and said, "I think I'll be dating the hottest 30 year old I know."
I thought I'd keep him around for a bit longer after that comment.
re: to sin by silence.
upon further investigation, it appears that i was in error and misidentified the poster beacon of truth as being lawrence hughes/shunned father.
the misidentification was based on a telephone conversation that i had with mr hughes on or about august 20, 2005, in which he expressed frustration and the same negative sentiments toward the members of jwd and the lack of support he was perceiving from them for his protest rallies.
(((((Scully)))))
Girl, I've always loved ya. This makes me love you more. You've got integrity my friend and I'm proud to know you.
((((((SHUNNED FATHER)))))))
I'm sorry that our challenges in life sometimes seem like "no win" situations. It is my belief that we all answer to a higher authority. Those that have hurt you and your daughter will have to answer for their actions someday. Even in the dark times, Right and Good will always prevail in the long run. So no matter the support or lack of support you might be feeling, just take comfort in the fact that this is just the "battle". Not the war.
Please also keep in mind (and let BoT know) that we all fight our own battles that are very personal to us. EXPECTING others to fight our battles goes completely against the point of fighting battles in this Life. They are OURS...nobody else's. Most of us fight the WTS in one way shape or form. Just because it's not a cohesive plan does not mean it's ineffective. You tear a wall down one brick at a time. You tear down the bricks in the WTS in your neighborhood, we all tear the ones down in our neighborhoods. Either way, the wall is crumbling.
Best of luck to you and blessings as well,
Andi
