Hello, girls. I'm sorry, but I have to agree with RHW. "Mother", that is what some Jehovah's Witnesses's affectionately call the Watchtower bible and tract society--their parent corporation, will win, if they have to chose.
Yes, Serena, he probably has very strong feelings for you if he's gone so far as to invite you to a movie! But make no mistake, he will eventually have to chose between you or his religion. Likely he will chose his religion, if he cannot get you to convert. And the pressure will be VERY GREAT to get you to convert. On that front, one of 2 things you will encounter: either his congregation will love bomb you and make you feel oh-so-welcome when they meet you in the hope of converting you, or they will treat you with coldness; as a dirty outsider trying to corrupt one of their "sheep" (that's what they call adherants). This "religion" has every mark of a cult, and demands total devotion from its adherants. He's probably so torn right now. The normal person cannot relate to this. They cannot understand the power that this group of people can have over an individual. In fact, he's existing on two levels--an individual who's falling in love, when he's with you (normal, for maybe the first time in his life), and then he is the cog in the collective, when he is with his group. If he grew up this way, it is all he's ever known. He will feel the need to assimilate you into this group in order for you to be acceptable. Believe me, I was once in his very position! My religion won, that time. But I claimed my identity and left the cult, eventually. I am now married to my soulmate and best friend. *sigh*
Good luck to you all.
Love,
Bridgette
Bridgette
JoinedPosts by Bridgette
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ARE WE FRIENDS OR ARE WE MORE?
by Serena ini am so confused about this guy that i have been secretly talking to on the phone and secretly going to his apartment(only at nighttime).
he is a jw, ofcourse--if he wasn't i'm sure i would not have this confusion.
he flirts with me,touches me an chance he gets(on the shoulder or the knee) and i know he likes me more than friendship(or maybe he doesn't, who knows?).
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Bridgette
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I Now Provide You With Entertainment.......
by Ranchette ini put some of the funniest stuff in bold print.. enjoy!.
opic: unique plans for paradise.
pantherkatz wol stepper posted 09-22-2001 12:09 am we all look forward to common things in the new order such as, no more sickness and death, no more wickedness, meeting bible characters, etc.... but what are some of the personal, more unique things that you would like to do?
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Bridgette
<<Should we laugh or cry?>>
My thoughts exactly, Yerusalym. These, like the quotes from the desperately dating JW forums are getting just too sad. Like LDH said, if they'd just exercise and LIVE in this life, their metabolism would adjust. Like Running Man pointed out, most of those things that we take for granted: having children, gardening, etc--they consider a luxury to be savored in the ever elusive New World.
It really is so profoundly sad.....It reminds me of how "gone" my mother's life is just because some little "sister" got a hold of her one lonely morning.
okay, I laughed out loud regarding the meeting people from medieval times, and the ensuing comment from Expat. Like how are they going to communicate? "sorry, mate, we weren't allowed to waste time learning ancient gaelic, or even middle english and with the technology destroyed and all, we don't have any universal translator...not many of us went to college, so....it might be a while...just make sure you don't have sex while you're here---NO MARRIAGE/SEX ALLOWED--if you've already died!!!!" one can only imagine the unadulterated enthusiasm of a resurrected human awakening to an eternity of sexlessness (my husband wakes up from just 8 hours, in the mood!)
:)
Love,
B. -
20
Ooh... someone doesn't like us!
by Simon ini don't think someone meant for me to get this reply .
hi (name removed).
i thought you might be interested in this page: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=13759.
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Bridgette
"Beat them at their own game and expose them all."
okay, and, um, let me get this straight....expose us as what??? Apostates? real rocket scientists at work, there. Expose us for lying? WTBTS is the only one being exposed here. Expose us for spending excessive amounts of time on the internet? okay, that one I'm guilty of. Other than that, I'm utterly at a loss. What are they hoping to accomplish? The most anyone could do to us, is poison our family members still "in" against us. I grow tired of that tyrannic, unloving threat. I'm about ready to just tell my family members the truth about myself disagreeing with that ungodly religious corporation. And tell them the truth about their precious "mother"--you know, the one sitting astride the beast of all beasts (by their own definition)--the U.N.
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Venting.....
by Bridgette inwell, i came in this morning, prepared to write a glib little post regarding my astrological findings.
but i find my heart too heavy to do so today.
perhaps its just the timespatriotic fervor sweeps over me.
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Bridgette
((Peacepipe and All)) Thank you so much for your kind words. I too, am hurting and sorely conflicted over the loss of civilian life in Afghanistan like you and many others. I do not wish to forget the innocent civilians who died in WTC, nor turn a blind eye to the suffering of civilians in Afghanistan. In the end, it's a clash of the Titans, and innocents suffer. I do not subscribe to biblegod's "eye for an eye". But mostly the citizens I see being targeted in this conflict are US citizens by bio-terrorism. *sigh* there's still so much to sort out. I don't wish to alarm anyone, but the homefront threat of bioterrorism is one that vastly alarms myself and others (though, I'm not a Dr., I closely associate with them-dep office manager/working on my bachelors in Nursing). Just be careful, my friends. They (the CDC/medical community) will get this all sorted out, but it may take a major outbreak (MAJOR) and much loss of lives before they know how to handle it properly. Your city or the community in which you live, should have some contingency plans in place.
Thank you to all who read this cathartic post. I felt the need to purge yesterday. It really does help. I felt much better after having written this.
Love,
Bridgette -
94
Hey baby, what's your sign?
by Bridgette inokay, it's a hobbie of mine: astrology and people profiling.
now, i have a hypothesis i want to gather correlational data on.
disclaimer: it's only for fun, nathan natas, larc, alanf--all you logical thinkers out there!
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Bridgette
I am humbled to report that my hypothesis was, alas, badly flawed.
I sorely underestimated the strength of my own sign: Pisces. I asserted that there would be far fewer Pisces than any other sign who got the guts to leave the Org AND to speak out about it--and they actually dominated the survey!! I'm so proud of my fellow fishies--we can get gumption when we've had enough.
And Cancers: our "sister" sign made a good showing, too. The fatal underestimation of the org of a Cancer would be when asked to shun a child or close family member or friend--wouldn't do it.
Sag and Aries females made a GREAT showing. Not surprising.
Nathan Natas: a Leo! Who woulda thunk it! hehehe. Leo's are far too intelligent and regal to stay with a sinking ship such as the org.
Librans were the only close to correct assumptions I had. They made quite a good showing. Too social and balanced for cult life.
I also asserted that there would be far more Aquarians than any other sign here. And they made only a mediocre showing (this could be due to the fact that a hardcore Aquarian might view such an exercise as futile ). However, now that I know which posters are Aquarians, it makes perfect sense.
Scorpios and Taurus also made a strong appearance--Scorpios are just too cool. And Taureans, well, I thought that they would not make a strong appearance, but they surprised me!
and just the fact that I got ANY VIRGOS surprises the hell out of me--you go, Virgos!! More power to ya!! Like Taureans, once you leave--you'll never go back.
Capricorns and Gemini's--do not feel alone. Sure, there were not as many of you, who responded, but take heart! You probably are just more apt to have a very busy, fulfilling life after leaving. Most Capricorns are probably in college making straight A's, or managing successful corporations, and would have no time to invest much on DB's. Gemini's are probably having too much fun in actual reality to notice this silly internet business.Aaaah, and I had one individual, INTROSPECTION who has successfully transcended the Kharmic astrologic wheel in his many re-births and has become a Master! He has obviously been sent here to guide us and has much to teach us. Teach me, oh great one! (*Bridgette bowing in Wayne's World fashion --"I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!*)
So, the overall conclusion of my "findings" is this: no matter what sign you were born under no matter where, or when or what your personality is, unless you check your intellect and free thought, along with all your dreams, hopes and ambitions at the door--*deep breath* living in a cult sucks!!!
Thank you, that is all.
Love,
Bridgette -
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Media Dept London HQ - UN Letter
by Celtic inhawk was most helpful in supplying letter to the board here a day or so ago re: wtbts membership of dpi un.. i rang the media department in london today who said that they were well aware of the letter and its contents.. asked why the organisation seems to be in contradiction to its litureture the wt and awake, concerning the beast of revelation, i was told by the department that the society has never been affiliated to the un.
the only reason why they belonged to the dpi was to access their, (the un), library resources.. i asked if the comments (non-affiliation) could be sent to me via email.
i was told that that was not nessarsary as the un had already supplied information.
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Bridgette
Sadly, I have to agree with Path. The Rank and File will swallow this hook line and sinker. Of course, most would desperately swallow anything from Mother like obedient little children. It's sad, but true. They've probably been waiting with bated breath for anything--ANYTHING, that would excuse Mother's harlotry, no matter how absurd (mummy wasn't REALLY fornicating with the beast, you just THOUGHT you saw her on his back--you must have been dreaming, hush and go back to sleep, there, there--daddy's coming soon to kill all those baddies who try to make you think mummy's riding the beastie--AND he'll kill the beastie too)
I, too, am sickened at the expendability that the brothers in Africa apparently had in the eyes of the WTBTS during the 70's regarding the political cards. When such ones were martyred, they were "gladly doing their Christian duty" (remember the vomitous stories & speculations that Jehovah probably caused them not to feel pain after a few torturous blows--then they could assuage all our white, american consciences? It's called endorphines, and it takes an INCREDIBLE amount of pain before the brain reaches that near catatonic like state) Oh, but--ask a few J.W.'s in a small town in Ohio, U.S.A. to wear ID badges when canvassing private residences with propoganda--and "PERSECUTION!! PERSECUTION!! Our rights are being violated!! We won't stand for this!"
sickened,
B. -
9
Venting.....
by Bridgette inwell, i came in this morning, prepared to write a glib little post regarding my astrological findings.
but i find my heart too heavy to do so today.
perhaps its just the timespatriotic fervor sweeps over me.
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Bridgette
Well, I came in this morning, prepared to write a glib little post regarding my “astrological findings”. But I find my heart too heavy to do so today. Perhaps it’s just the times—patriotic fervor sweeps over me. Perhaps it’s just my “delicate condition”, and the hormones that race through my body w/pregnancy. Maybe it's just me thinking with the reptilian part of my brain. Then again, perhaps it’s just plain sadness. Please allow me to vent, as we all do at times here on this board. It DOES help to be able to say ANYTHING without Big WTBTS Brother censoring.
There sits on my desk this morning’s paper with the picture of a young Wyoming, mountain boy, the first of what I fear will be many casualties in this endeavor. At the same moment, there sit in my waiting room, 3 young men, fresh out of high school, waiting to see if their lungs are fit for military service. We are getting more and more of these kids. Young, brave, maybe naïve men, willing to fight and die for us. I do feel this time is different. We were attacked on our own soil. The loss of civilian life was monumental. This is far from over, I fear. Anyone with teenage sons—anyone with prepubescent sons and daughters, please go hug them. Show them everyday you love and cherish them. It could be them going off to the Middle East. It could be you or I, getting our lungs pureed by Anthrax. We cannot be crippled by fear, but we should be more aware of the sacredness of life.
Now, a note about spiritual harlotry. I know, a seeming change of subject, but, bear with me. I hope someone will refresh my memory of what constitutes spiritual harlotry according to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society a.k.a. Jehovah’s Witnesses' doctrine, because it has been a while for me, and I never really paid attention to their ranting and ravings against the governments, anyway. I always loved my country, even as a little girl forced to sit out for the pledge—I don’t know, maybe I was a US soldier in another life? I do recall, a graphic picture of a whorish woman sitting atop a beast, in quasi sexual manner, and another one of the same woman dancing suggestively with a “kingly” looking man. The connotation being that she was any religious organization who used the earthly governments to further her own ambitions.
Well, this is where I always got upset. Jehovah’s Witnesses were allowed to conceptualize, and propagate under the government of the United States. I simply cannot see it being started and growing, in, oh, lets say for arguments sake—the Islamic MIDDLE EAST! Is the U.S. a saintly bastion of liberty, and justice for all globally? Sadly, I do not think so, entirely. But, many of its citizens aspire to be. I do believe it has the greatest potential to be, and if I have anything to do with it, it WILL be. Okay, so, this organization, the WTBTS, while bragging that she is the ONLY religion who does NOT fornicate with the governments, is covertly riding the United Nations (in her teachings, the beasts to end all beasts—THE DISGUSTING THING IN THE HOLY PLACE!—gasp!). Should we be surprised? She has been riding her paramour, (her first customer), the United States, for ages; hiding behind him and his laws anytime she feels the least bit threatened. Does anybody see the irony here? Does anybody remember hearing the horrid tales of brothers being exploited, er, I mean martyred in expendable countries like, Malawi, Cuba, etc? They were just doing their “Christian duty”. But try to get the U.S. witnesses to wear ID badges in a small town in Ohio—and hark! Persecution!-—you can’t do that to us—IT’S OUR RIGHT, by the constitution of (say it with me) the United States of America. Right to do what? Preach?-—no one’s disputing that. Oh, I WANT you to preach. I am part of a global organization (another one of the beasts you sit astride?) that protects your right to preach and worship freely throughout the globe. I send money that provides legal defense, I write letters, etc. Not because I agree with what you say, but because I avidly agree with your RIGHT TO SAY IT, anywhere on earth. So PREACH-PREACH-PREACH!!! Now, here’s the hard part. You have to be honest. No, I mean completely honest—from the get go. In fact, I’d like to see a return to the placard style witnessing, let’s bring back the radio witnessing! And I want you to show the world that you are: “Jehovah’s Witnesses” and PROUD OF IT. What have you got to hide? I want you to tell the world exactly what you teach about the governments. Continue enjoying her laws, please, that's what we're all about. Laws that are defended to the death by young boys like those sitting in my waiting room (surely, you don’t think the Taliban or Terrorists would give a flying fuck that you think wearing ID badges violates your rights? They want you to bow to Allah with the same fervor you want them to bow to Jehovah, and they have more guns than you—that’s why you have to hide behind us). How would you like to try to run your fat cat organization under the constraints of an Islamic Government? Little like being left, devastated, and naked, and plundered, just like………you know who. So, again I say, PREACH, go to court—I insist, because these rights you enjoy have been hard won and defended. Just remember, these freedoms are paid for with real blood. Real, life has and will seep out of young, willing bodies, so that you can continue to preach that the government they are fighting for is a minion of Satan. So, when you approach a potential convert, tell them first of all that, you are a Jehovah’s Witness (say it with pride). Tell them that unless they convert AND get baptized as Jehovah’s Witnesses, renounce their government, your god is going to slaughter them at Armageddon.
Just be honest.
Pax,
Bridgette -
10
Been outta a hell of a long time and still bummed
by Mindchild insometimes i do a lot of thinking.. yeah, i know that is dangerous.
regardless, at times it seems that even though ive been out of the borg for a little over two decades now, gone through expensive therapy, had a long term relationship once with another ex-dub and spent 8 years in college, i still find my personal thinking effected in some negative ways by my being raised a jw.. for instance, i have a really difficult, if not impossible time, ever finding a community where i feel i belong.
ive lived everywhere from san francisco to cocoa beach on the opposite coast and no matter where i live, i feel like im an alien from another culture.
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Bridgette
Skipper,
I suffered from terrible depression and a dreadful outlook while in the org. When I got out, I felt displaced, to be sure, but look at it like being an excited immigrant to a new country--one which I love to explore and find ways to make my home.
Just a few suggestions, maybe they'll work, maybe not:
-learning new things (I know you've been to college, but take something outrageous like, interpretive dance)
-exercise
-meditation
Good luck, my friend,
Love,
B. -
20
WTS comments UN case in Portuguese newspaper
by Osarsif inarticle in portuguese newspaper publico (saturday, october 20, 2001) about the un case:.
testemunhas de jeova ligaram-se a "besta".
(jehovah's witnesses connected with the "beast").
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Bridgette
Exactly my thoughts, Patio34. Their so-called great interest in "distributing humanitarian help" constitutes mainly of hawking their silly magazines, and recruiting more converts: "here you go, starving little war-shocked individuals, read two of these magazines and see us in the morning--oh, and we might throw in a little food, if we see you making adequate progress--but don't get too dependant upon it--once you're "in" and we can count you on our rosters, YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN!! and will then be expected to bring in more converts to distribute more magazines....and round and round we go--widows and orphans need not apply, we have far too many of those pesky things around as it is."
I am actually disappointed that they withdrew their association with the UN, because I saw it as a sign of lessening fanaticism. I thought that the UN should be alerted to their "feelings" regarding the UN as reflected by their inane rhetoric, however, I honestly thought that PR saavy would rule the day and Brooklyn would acquiesce, and perhaps become a useful little religious corporation. I actually hoped that shunning might be eliminated once enought public attention was drawn to them.
*sigh*
Bridgette -
94
Hey baby, what's your sign?
by Bridgette inokay, it's a hobbie of mine: astrology and people profiling.
now, i have a hypothesis i want to gather correlational data on.
disclaimer: it's only for fun, nathan natas, larc, alanf--all you logical thinkers out there!
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Bridgette
Slipster--
are you.....??...could it be????....you're not one of those....fabled creatures.....I've only heard in legends.....are you a Scorpio born on the cusp of a Sag?!?!?
hmmmmmmmmmm......
Thanks to all for playing. I am still compiling data. It's interesting, to say the least. Please feel free to continue to submit. I'll post my results soon. This has been fun!
Love,
Bridgette