Posts by BlackSwan of Memphis

138

October~Breast Cancer Awareness Month~~ I challenge the posters here!

by purplesofa in

just a reminder to get your mammo, at least by the end of the year.. the komen foundation has done so much for breast cancer awareness..........is anyone doing the race for the cure in their area?

i am only a sponser .........i may be a late entry, not sure yet.. and guys, tell your ladies to get their boobs pinched.............you have a interest in it as well!!!!

http://cms.komen.org/komen/index.htm.

BlackSwan of Memphis

can't post pics for some reason, thought I'd post an encouraging link.

http://www.whyiworelipstick.com/v2/home.html

10

Some question about the dubs

by cultswatter in

i've been out of the dubs for 21 years so i need some info.

a) when did the wts reduce the publisher time requirement to 15 minutes per month and what was the minimum time before the change?.

b) when a jw gets over 15 min/month do the elders send the society a publisher card?

BlackSwan of Memphis

I don't remember when they made the change.

From what I can recall it doesn't apply to the average publisher.

It applies in extenuating circumstances.

31

Well it's official: free2think is no longer part of the congregation

by free2think in

jw
friends

as some of you may know i am fading.

well my dad, an elder, has now said that i am no longer part of the congregation, woohoo.

i am not da'd or df'd or reproved so my question is what does that mean?

BlackSwan of Memphis

I am guessing this is a good thing?

(((((((((((((((((((f2t))))))))))))))))))

Sounds like you've faded pretty well!

wondering if anyone here works as a mail carrier/city carrier for their city.. hubby has been taking the exams for this and we got one test score back.. we've tried to figure out where his score "falls" but we're getting different answers.. from what i read it seems like he got just above passing, but from what read last night, he did pretty ok.. .

BlackSwan of Memphis

Wondering if anyone here works as a mail carrier/city carrier for their city.

Hubby has been taking the exams for this and we got one test score back.

We've tried to figure out where his score "falls" but we're getting different answers.

From what I read it seems like he got just above passing, but from what read last night, he did pretty ok.

48

Cloth Diapers

by reneeisorym in

so .. my husband and i are going to start trying for kids next year.

we had a long discussion last night about disposable diapers vs. cloth diapers.

i know this decision can wait but i just like talking about my expectations early rather than end up with conflict later on.. i want to use cloth diapers and he thinks disposables are the way to go.

BlackSwan of Memphis

I know a few women who have done cloth diapers and they loved it.

I didn't for several practical reasons with our situation at home.

It really depends on you! Every woman is so different.

Examine your motives for wanting to do so, as well as your husbands for wanting to use disposable.

Research the death out of it, and perhaps search out some discussion boards which are geared for parents who take the au natural route

Here is one place for mommies which has a section for crunchy moms that I am positive you would find a great deal of support and info on the topic.

http://a-mommys-world.com/

15

what makes a cult a cult?

by BlackSwan of Memphis in

jw
friends

inspired by recent events here on jwd.

what makes a cult a cult and whose definition matters most?.

from a google search:.

BlackSwan of Memphis

These are some great sites OTWO, IT and Danny.

There are definitely some common themes and as OTWO pointed out Hassan does differentiate between benign and dangerous.

I thought this was interesting:

(from howcultswork.com)

Religious
Cults that use a belief system as their base are very common. Their belief system could be standard Christianity, Hinduism, Islam or any other of the world religions, or they may have invented their own belief system. What makes them a cult is the fact that they use mind control, not what they believe.

Commercial
Cults that use commercial gain as their base are called "cults of greed". They will promise you that if you join them and follow their special programme for success then you will become very rich. Often they will hold up their leader as an example and explain that if you do what he or she says then you will be successful too. Commercial cults use mind control to get you working for them for free, and to make you pay for an endless stream of motivational tapes, videos, books and seminars all of which are supposedly designed to help you succeed, but in reality are designed to enhance the cult's mind control environment and keep you believing in their almost impossible dream of success. Of course they never mention that the primary way the leaders make money are by selling these motivation materials to their group! For more information see below under the section, "Pressure Selling".

Self Help & Counselling
Cults that use "self help" or counselling or self improvement as their base often target business people and corporations. By doing their courses and seminars they claim you and your staff will become more successful. Business people locked away in hotel rooms are subjected to quasi-religious indoctrination as they play strange games, join in group activities, and share their innermost thoughts with the group. Once you have completed one course you are told you need to do the more advanced course, which naturally costs more than the last. These cults will sometimes request that you do volunteer work and that you help recruit your friends, family and work mates. These groups specialize in creating powerful emotional experiences which are then used to validate your involvement in the cult. The religious overtones are couched in terms which don't sound religious. They usually come to the surface as you near the end of a seminar. Many people have been bankrupted by involvement with these cults.

Political
Cults that use political ideals as their base are well known throughout history. Hitler's Nazi Germany and Stalin's Communist USSR were classic examples of mind control on a very large scale. On smaller scales white and black supremacists, terrorists, and rebel groups commonly use forms of mind control to recruit and dominate their members.

It is indeed mind control.

From Hassans site:

Being in control of your own mind includes: being in touch with your feelings; having the ability to question and think analytically; the freedom to act independently as well as the ability to look at issues from multiple perspectives.

Now, the thing is, I have met too many people from various backgrounds who may or may not be involved with some group, who seem completely out of touch with their own self. Like they are speaking from a programmed way of thinking.

These ones have included Christians, Muslims, Politically Conservative Individuals, Politically Liberal Individuals, Atheists etc.

It has been put forth that the Witnesses are a cult.

If a cult is based on the premise of mind control, anything can be a cult, if one allows a person OR program, to think for them.

Right?

26

Fr. Price's Website and Parish

by BlackSwan of Memphis in

jw
friends

http://www.exjwsupport.com/.

hello, my name is fr.

joseph price, i am a priest in the old catholic church of north america, i grew up a jw, was heavily involved in the organization until i removed my self after 17 years.

BlackSwan of Memphis

??

15

what makes a cult a cult?

by BlackSwan of Memphis in

jw
friends

inspired by recent events here on jwd.

what makes a cult a cult and whose definition matters most?.

from a google search:.

BlackSwan of Memphis

What are we talking about when we say cult. It seems, like any other subject, the two people communicating with one another have to come to terms on the subject before they can talk about it. Otherwise, each person will be imagining something different when they say "cult."

Exactly.

What exactly can we come to terms on? What can we agree on? So far control seems to be a big issue, but as Emo pointed out that can come from two sources.

Further, if control is the biggest issue, we can find controlling situations all over the place.

Steve Hassan's link has been offered up, now I've read from other sources (don't ask me where it's been a while) that he is not the most reliable.

Also, what is Lifton's 8 criteria?

(making dinner otherwise I'd google)

26

Fr. Price's Website and Parish

by BlackSwan of Memphis in

jw
friends

http://www.exjwsupport.com/.

hello, my name is fr.

joseph price, i am a priest in the old catholic church of north america, i grew up a jw, was heavily involved in the organization until i removed my self after 17 years.

BlackSwan of Memphis

Hey you aged a couple of years.

26

Fr. Price's Website and Parish

by BlackSwan of Memphis in

jw
friends

http://www.exjwsupport.com/.

hello, my name is fr.

joseph price, i am a priest in the old catholic church of north america, i grew up a jw, was heavily involved in the organization until i removed my self after 17 years.

BlackSwan of Memphis

yeah apparently he's a ghost from jwd past.

Like Eclipse said, don't let him get to you.