Darkside Blues

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Posts by Darkside Blues

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  19

  EVIDENCE CONVENTION-ATTENDANCES ARE IN DECLINE?

  by steve2 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there are many threads on this forum about the stultifying tedium of the conventions.

  memories of one convention merge with every other convention over the years with few sticking out as high points.. in recent years, there have been lots of anecdotal reports (primarily from western countries) of an astonishingly low number of baptismal candidates at these conventions, and in particular district conventions - especially compared to the higher numbers who presented for baptisms in earlier decades.

  is this decline also reflected in general attendances at the conventions?.

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  Darkside Blues

  I'd imagine that not a few JWs literally can't cough up the cash for hotels, gas and food for this year's DC, what with the economy still sluggish and JWs tending to not have high-salary jobs. It's pretty cruel of the WT to insist that people attend even when it's not financially feasible. Even within Islam, you're only expected to go on the Hajj if you can afford it (IIRC).
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  17

  Meeting Not Cancelled but Postponed

  by wisdomfrombelow in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there's a big snowstorm on the east coast and i found out that the school and service meeting was not cancelled but postponed to tomorrow.

  why do they think it's so important to have it so they ruin another evening after shoveling snow?

  just venting.....

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  Darkside Blues

  WTF, postponed?! When did they start doing that? o_O

  I hate how much snow we've been getting this year, but I'm glad it's been getting me out of many a meeting! Here's hoping Sunday will be cancelled as well!
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  62

  Well my JW elder dad has lost his job...

  by BU2B in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  as a little background, my dad became a jw in 1980 i think, went to bethel, married my mom in 86' went back for another year and then i came along... he worked in the auto repair shop at bethel while he was there, and upon leaving, continued working in this field.

  my whole life they have been the type of jw parents that tell you how you will never get to high school, never graduate it, never get married in this system, never have children in this system etc.. i say this to illustrate the end is just around the corner attitude they have always had, probably because they fully bought/buy into the hype at the conventions/wt articles.

  my father has no plan in place for retirement, and he is physically slowing down doing such hard laborious work.

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  Darkside Blues

  Ugh! I feel for the OP. I see my JW parents getting up in years and they most certainly don't have money for retirement. My Dad has his own business, but it's not doing all that well; Mom has been unemployed for years and only recently began to work menial jobs (cleaning buildings and assisting elderly persons still living in their homes). Their house is in foreclosure and I don't know if they'll be able to fight it off.

  I'm deliberately purchasing a place that has no room for them to move in!
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  26

  Interview with a former Bethelite who now knows TTATT

  by RayPublisher in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  if you like these here's one with a fellow that has gotten his family out recently:.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3nqfprloog.

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  Darkside Blues

  There's a home overseer at Bethel? WTF? Cripes, Bethel must be a prison! But the alcoholism thing doesn't surprise me - I know if I was there, I'd need a drink or two daily. @_@
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  15

  Today's WT study

  by piztjw in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  so as i looked at the material i was struck by a few thoughts about this article.. par.

  6 glossed over the idea that we can pray for ourselves, or our needs.

  9-11 on one hand they say jesus did not harshly criticize peter or the apostles for falling asleep instead of praying continually, and on the other hand make veiled threats if we should feel tired out by life.

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  Darkside Blues

  Didn't have the meeting today due to weather (yay winter!) but paragraph 13 quoted above grinds my gears. It's the Borg that has us believe we are worthless, that we can do nothing of our own accord or strength. This is why many if not most JWs have no self-confidence or esteem. It's one of the things I'm trying to deprogram in myself, seeing as I've been in a forced codependent relationship for so long.
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  67

  How Long Have You Been Viewing Thiis Site? Does It Serve Its Purpose For You?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been here forever.... this site still gives us some of the most up to date info about jws .

  it keeps evolving.

  sometimes it is the place to be and i think that's especially true for newbies.

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  Darkside Blues

  No site is going to be perfect, but I'm glad these forums exist rather than not. :)

  Signed up in 2004. It's hard for me to stay on top of what's going on since I'm focusing on my transition out of the WT, but if something comes up I know I can always come here or to another ex-JW forum for advice and support!
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  7

  if i knew then what i know now....

  by jeremiah18:5-10 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  if you could go back and utilize the knowledge of ttatt that you have now, how would it have impacted your decisions?.

  for me, i would've made some different choices.

  i now see that my depression over losing my position in the congregation and watching what i perceived to be my entire world fall apart around me, left me highly susceptible to influence.

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  Darkside Blues

  If I had known before starting college, I would've arranged my finances in such a way to have had a smaller student loan debt load. I also would've chosen a different major that would've allowed me to get work right away and move out of my parent's house. My loans and lack of employment are the chains that still keep me in the Borg. :(
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  64

  What was YOUR wake-up call before you left the JW´s organization?

  by Mr Fool in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what was your wake-up call(s) before you left the jw s organization?

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  Darkside Blues

  I got tired of the control the WT has over the day to day lives of its adherents - you must dress this way, you can't wear that or watch certain shows, etc. So infuriating!!
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  23

  Do you know some witnesses that refuse to go to some restaurants because of the name like....

  by Iamallcool in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  lucky, luck, magic, fortune, etc...do you also know some of them that just shrugged it off and still went there to eat?.

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  Darkside Blues

  Yup, I know Dubs who refuse to eat at Hooters, and local restaurants that have names like "Devil's Alley" (which is a shame since they have good food, lol.)
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  25

  did any of you jW read orwells 1984 or Animal Farm

  by nonjwspouse in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  read them while you werre still active and didn't know ttatt yet?.

  i am wonderiing about your thoughts, and did you read, recognise, anything that disturbed you, familiariaties.

  did you notice them?.

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  Darkside Blues

  I read both in high school. I saw the parallels between them and the WT immediately, and I was angry that I wasn't able to just walk away right then and there.

  Indeed, Big Brother is watching you when you're in the Borg.