Posts by blacksheep

25

This bothers me

by Soledad in

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/10/national/10mlk.html?pagewanted=print&position=

may 10, 2004 honor for dr. king splits florida city, and faces reversal

by abby goodnough

It's so obvious that people of different colors, nationalities, languages, disablitiles CANNOT live in conjunction with the majority. Does this make sense? Anyone out there really who thinks that racism is dead and buried and a thing of the past.........

What bothers me is this self-rigteous attitude. Because people don't want their address/street changed because aggressive councilmembers shove it down their throat? Portraying anyone who doesn't go along with is as "racist" REALLY bothers me.

I remember when I worked for local government and a Latino mayor suddenly insisted that one of our holidays be changed to Caesar Chavez' birthday. We didn't get an ADDITIONAL holiday; we had to forgo another holiday: when most of our families would normally be out of work and out of school. For anyone who objected, the word "racism" was subtly implied by the mayor. He shoved it down our throats.

So your community agreed to rename a street in honor of one of your community leaders who had fallen. So? How was THIS particular community influenced by MLK. You're comparing apples to oranges.

If this is the best you can come up with for "racism" still alive and well, your reaching. I feel very strongly about this, as we've got people MURDERING innocent women and babies in other nations, and then opening FIRE on the people who came memorialize them.

I'm getting fed up with this PC double standard.

13

My Son is starting to hit problems with JW Mother.

by AlanB in

jw
friends

my son is 15 and lives with his mother in a strict jw reigime.

he told me the other day that he made arrangements to meet his friend from school to go skateboarding.

his mother found out and made him call his friend from school and cancel.. she then gave him a long lecture, complete with a young people ask video about association.

blacksheep

Sorry, I mean AlanB!

13

My Son is starting to hit problems with JW Mother.

by AlanB in

jw
friends

my son is 15 and lives with his mother in a strict jw reigime.

he told me the other day that he made arrangements to meet his friend from school to go skateboarding.

his mother found out and made him call his friend from school and cancel.. she then gave him a long lecture, complete with a young people ask video about association.

blacksheep

BTW, Corvin, how do you handle holidays? Do you celebrate? Is your son allowed to?

13

My Son is starting to hit problems with JW Mother.

by AlanB in

jw
friends

my son is 15 and lives with his mother in a strict jw reigime.

he told me the other day that he made arrangements to meet his friend from school to go skateboarding.

his mother found out and made him call his friend from school and cancel.. she then gave him a long lecture, complete with a young people ask video about association.

blacksheep

You're dealing with a cult here. I know I'm not in your situation, but I think you have to continually remind yourself of that. How would you feel if your son lived with your Moonie ex-wife. All of the reasons your ex listed for not allowing him to go are so bogus. Esp the last one: he may "stumble others." THAT excuse can be used to disallow ANYTHING.

Is he expressing interest in being baptized? Does he act like he believes this stuff? All I can say is I GREATLY the fact that my dad didn't protect me and support me when my JW mom made wacko rules. He was never a JW, but supported her to provide a "united message." I lost a great deal of my youth and was socially paralyzed during that time.

Frankly, I'd be less concerned with trying to "create confusion" in your son's mind and showing a "disunited" front than I would be with trying to help him develop emotionally, socially, mentally, and spiritually (doesn't mean religion). I think you need to have a heart to heart with him, and set some boundaries for his mom. I wish MY dad has stood up for me. Personally, I wouldn't pussyfoot around with this crap. You need to do what's right for your son.

(not meaning to lecture, but I just still harbor so much resentment for my own situation).

34

2004 Natinal Council of Churches Yearbook

by Amazing1914 in

jw
friends

u.s. membership denominational ranking: largest 25 denominations/communions.

2004 yearbook of american and canadian churches

source: http://www.ncccusa.org/news/04yearbook.html

blacksheep

Logansrun: here's an interesting site. Scroll down to Exhibit 7, and you'll see relative convert in, and convert out for 2001.

Note: The JW's showed a 39% of new converts, but also 32% people transfered out. (Interestingly the authors noted that the people who I'D themselves as JWs (1.3mil) exceed the society's own reported members of 900 thousand (can't remember the exact figure).

Clearly, the JW's (along with Mormon's have a very high conversion rate, but a corresponding losing rate.

http://www.gc.cuny.edu/studies/key_findings.htm

91

Torture to find WMD?

by Greenpalmtreestillmine in

do you think those iraqi's were tortured to find wmd?.

the rank and file soldier was following the orders of the hired interrogation contractors (who are outside of military law) to soften up the prisoners.

what were they looking for this past year?

blacksheep

lol. Ok, uh.. yeah. That sure describes people who've been in positions of power alright.

Actually, you are right. That describes *effective* leaders who are in positions of power. It's doesn't describe everyone.

398

Wasn't Saddam ousted for doing precisely this sort of thing?

by Simon in

utterly disgusting.

those responsible should be lined against a wall and shot.

publicly.. i think that would win more hearts and minds than bombing cities and using gunships on civilian areas.. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4855930/.

blacksheep

The Arab/Islamists have been recorded on video and in photographs doing far worse to their victims. Yet; we are virtually always told by the same media serving us this daily diet of how horrible America is, that for the sensitivities of their viewers, they can't show the details of Arab (or other) atrocities because they are too graphic. Or they never make what happens on that side public.

Didn't you know they have the right and duty to decide what we see and read and what we don't? We're the ignorant American public who'll be guided in whatever way THEY chose.

Honestly, it really reminds me so much of the JW's. They pick and choose what things they want to share/focus on. "Food at the proper time."

34

2004 Natinal Council of Churches Yearbook

by Amazing1914 in

jw
friends

u.s. membership denominational ranking: largest 25 denominations/communions.

2004 yearbook of american and canadian churches

source: http://www.ncccusa.org/news/04yearbook.html

blacksheep

Barbara Grazutti Harrison also wrote in "Visions of Glory":

"My own observations tell me that the "survival rate" among ex-Witnesses (both those who are disfellowshipped and those who leave of their own accord) is relatively low. (And the turnover rate, according to one ex-Witness who had access to headquarters records, is extraordinarily high.)"

http://www.exjws.net/vg5.htm

34

2004 Natinal Council of Churches Yearbook

by Amazing1914 in

jw
friends

u.s. membership denominational ranking: largest 25 denominations/communions.

2004 yearbook of american and canadian churches

source: http://www.ncccusa.org/news/04yearbook.html

blacksheep

Most DFd people go back to the organization (unfortunately). In my personal experience I've found that it's very difficult to break free from the Society. Hence, most people stay in. What are your alleged numbers for their turnover rate?

I recall the 50% from a lot of sources. I did a quick search, and the "angelfire" site says the same thing: (didn't have time to find out exactly where). :

Why are Jehovah's Witnesses so fearful of Armageddon? ... According to the Watchtower's
own records, the organization has almost a 50% turnover rate in the past ...

www.angelfire.com/oh/jude3and4homepage/jwitnesses.htm

What stats do you have supporting that most DF'd people go back? Regardless, even if they do (which I'm not convinced they do), the disfellowshipping return rate doesn't tell the entire story. I was never disfellowshipped, and I'm definatly not going back. Many people just "fall away" and don't return; they are never formally disfellowshipped.

36

i put this in humour, but it makes me want to vomit hard

by in a new york bethel minute in

i receieved this "poem" from some witness chick who sent it as a forward to myself and a whole bunch of other dubs.

my sister received it from someone else and i have other friends who received it from other sources.

im sure every young witness who has email has received it by now, and it's the most sickening, disheartening thing i have seen in a long time.

blacksheep

I once dated a JW guy who was really a jerk. When I broke up with him, my mother today thinks he "stumbled" me out of the truth. (It took more than one jerk to do that, and I didn't stumble, a left when IR realized the inconsistencies and I couldn't see living the rest of my life in psychological prison).

Later, my said something like "the worst man in the truth is still better than the best man in the world." When I pointed out what a jerk he was (yes, she knew), she said it would have still been better to marry him. Turned my stomach. She just didn't get it.