Posts by Glofishy

31

Where's the payoff?

by AllAlongTheWatchtower in

excuse me if i'm being cynical, but i've had my own experiences with [b]organized religion, though it was non-jw.

the group i was affiliated with demanded that full fledged members tithe (10% off the top of your income; pre-taxes), and a donation basket was also circulated at nearly every gathering in addition to tithing.

even kids were encouraged to participate; they would give them little envelopes to put loose change into and put in the basket.

Glofishy

Welcome to this site! *hugs*

From a layman's point of view (not a JW, married an unbaptized publisher), they don't pass around a basket or anything. You sound like a very logical person, and your question is valid. The "hook" as you would think of it is the fact that they get free labor. They have very cheap labor at the publishing HQ since they don't earn a salary there, but are provided with food and shelter. (as far as I understand it, someone correct me if I'm wrong please). The labor of going door to door is free labor since you're not paid for basically advertising this organization.

Don't freak out yet bro. I studied with JW's for a while before I decided that I had learned enough about the beliefs to realize I could never become a full member and expect to be baptized. Take this time to love your wife and give her extra loving attention. Tell her she's beautiful and you're crazy about her.

50

Bi-Sexual

by misguided in

i guess my new-found freedom of personal expression is working its way down to my kids.. i came home from a crazy day at work, ate my dinner, was loading the dishwasher, when my 13-year-old son says, .

"mom, i have something to tell you - i'm bisexual...i've been that way for a year now.

i still can't help but have my old jw brain at work, thinking this is not okay - kind of like, i'm an apostate with a bisexual son...what will my family say?!

Glofishy

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( Rose))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Oh my God, what an incredible woman you are! Although I'm totally straight (to a fault at times) , I have had many gay and lesbian friends that have had horrible things happen to them when they finally came out to their families. I'm talking horrible like kicking their 15 year old son literally out on the streets with no possibility of returning home.

Here's a link to a great organization that might provide you with information and support that you need now. It's http://www.pflag.org It's short for Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Your son may just be going through a very short period in his life where he thinks he has homosexual tendancies, but in fact it's just a period of curiosity. Let's face it, at his age, he's probably going to gym and is exposed to other males his age in the locker room with the shower stuff. Not to say anything is going on, but males are turned on by sight, where us women are generally turned on with chemistry and conversation.

A lesbian friend of mine does paralegal work for a gay and lesbian charity. They run a shelter for homeless children/young adults that were thrown out by their parents or abused to the point they had to leave. I bet every single kid in that shelter would love to have you for a parent.

Lots of love and support to you!

76

no stones please!

by almosthome in

i am hoping a little balance is allowed here, or at least the coin's flip side.

this is my story so far, but i am fairly sure it is going to end up a bit differently than most i have read on your site.

the brothers couldn't help my husband, he didn't want help.

Glofishy

I'm not gonna throw stones at ya, but there is something that I would like to suggest you consider. (And it's very Oprahish)

You have an established history of winding up in abusive relationships. It sounds like things are going great with your new hubby, which I am very happy for you for. But, from the tone of your post, it sounds like you're going back, subjecting yourself to shunning and humiliation just in order to rejoin this group that shunned you in the first place, even when you sincerely were repentful. It kinda sounds to me that now that you're in a great marriage, you're trying to seek a different abusive relationship...that is with your religion. I understand not everyone has had bad experiences and there are many happy JW's, but I got the impression that your history with this organization hasn't been the best.

I may be way off base, but it was just something I thought of as I was reading your story. I do wish you well. If you do go back, just make sure that no one tries to interfere with your marriage, on any level. If you want to do the field service deal, don't do it so much that it's at the expense of quality family time with your hubby and kids and grandkid. Your first order of "ministry" should be geared toward your own household, not spending hours knocking on stranger's doors.

20

Are all sins "equal" to the JW's.

by JH in

.

if a witness plays lotto, and doesn,t repent, he is disfellowshipped.. if a witness steals, and doesn't repent, he is disfellowshipped.. if a witness fornicates, and doesn't repent, he is disfellowshipped.. does this mean that the jw's consider playing lotto being just as bad as stealing or fornicating or even killing?.

how about you, in what order would you class sins?.

Glofishy

I would think it would be pretty fun to be the target of this congressional inquiry or whatever it is. I understand that the society views oral sex as being a sin, even between married persons? I'd go in there and describe in very descriptive details exactly how I do it to hubby.

It's just how my perverted mind works, don't mind me

31

Question About The Religion

by ImACatholic in

jehovah's witnesses do not believe or teach some of the very basic tenets of christian doctrine.

1. the trinity.

2. the omnipresence of god.

Glofishy

Not that I'm in agreement with a lot of the JW doctrines...but I think Catholics have just enough wrong as far as biblically sound teachings go as the JW's do.

We can start with the prayers to saints and Mary.

Pot, meet Kettle...

3

Quitting smoking

by Glofishy in

i've smoked for years and i've been smoke free for about a month now.

my doc gave me zanax and wellbutrin to help me with the cravings, and also gave me the green light to use nicotine gum.

it's working well so far, but i was wondering if the org also prohibits the use of nicotine gum?

Glofishy

I've smoked for years and I've been smoke free for about a month now. My doc gave me Zanax and Wellbutrin to help me with the cravings, and also gave me the green light to use nicotine gum. It's working well so far, but I was wondering if the org also prohibits the use of nicotine gum? Not that it's going to affect my usage of it, it just crossed my mind today and got me wondering.

Anyone else have experiences with quitting smoking? I'm told that at some point I'm supposed to hate the smell of smoke, but I don't! I love passing by and standing next to people that smoke. Will this ever go away?

22

Gave Blood today at work!

by qwerty in

i nearly passed out after too!

it's the only second time i've nearl fainted in my life.

it wasn't the needles it was after.

Glofishy

I give blood whenever I get the time to. :) My hubby think's I'm a bit nutty, but I really do feel healthier after donating a pint! It's gotta be healthy for you...I just know it!!!

6

should you be rebaptized ?

by josephus in

im thinking of be rebaptized.. .

it seems very few think the jw baptism is correct and i should get redone, as it were.. any thoughts.

josephus

Glofishy

Personally, if your old life "died" and you received baptism as an outward expression of that, I would think it's enough, but if you wanna get dunked again, I'd say go for it, it can't hurt! :)

I was baptized a Catholic as a baby (unwillingly) and baptized in a Baptist church willingly at the age of 12. My baptism in the Baptist church was enough for me. I knew I was getting baptized as a symbol of my old life dying and a new one beginning with a relationship with God. I'm not interested in getting baptized with the JW's because I think there's too many rules and provisos that frankly aren't biblically sound. Besides, I'm turning 40 this year and I'm waaaay past jumping through hoops for man's rules.

If you do it, make sure to take pictures! I regret that pictures weren't taken when I was baptized, as it was a very special time in my life and my relationship with God.

22

Something I've wondered about for many a year.......

by TadSexington in

o.k..... i've been out of "the truth" for about 10 yrs now.... .

so when i was in i was still a child, and someting just didn't sit right with my child like mind..... whats the deal with not having any women elders....?.

did i miss that watchtower article somwhere....?.

Glofishy

I always thought that Paul wrote that not to demean women, but to keep order in the congregation. I can't remember where I had heard, but as I understand it, they still practiced the old way of church attendance, where women were seated separate from the men. Therefore, if a woman had a question for her husband, it would disturb the service as they would have to speak out loud to talk to their husbands or get their attention. Anyone else hear of this theory?

11

Rapture

by Lois in

the pretribulation rapture : what if it isn't true?

- c. h. fisher

christian articles on: eschatology.

Glofishy

I had a fortune cookie today saying I was going to meet a person that would sweep me off my feet.

Hubby was concerned j/k