inbyathread

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Posts by inbyathread

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  26

  When U Read The Society's "Direction" Now, What Goes Thru Your Mind?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i can right now only think of one thing---bullsh*t.

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  inbyathread

  Just one word...

  Stupidity

  You just can't fix Stupid.

  Stupid is not a crime You are free to go.
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  44

  My Wife Is Getting A Sheparding Call

  by sacolton in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've disassociated myself since february.

  i made no secret of my disapproval of the wtbts and was very vocal to my doubts of it being god's true organization on earth to the po.

  now, the po and another elder has scheduled to talk with my wife tonight for a sheparding call at the home of the book study.

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  inbyathread

  You are still the head of your household. Require, no, demand that the elders speak to your wife only through you and with you present.
  
  Just my thoughts.
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  27

  For those without Mothers 2008

  by Lady Lee in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  mothers day can bring up many issues for some of us.

  for some their mothers have passed away and the opportunity to say i love you in person is forever lost.

  for others, our mothers are lost to the wts.

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  inbyathread

  My Mom died on Easter Morning this year so this is one of those many "firsts" that I have to go through.
  
  Am I sad that she is gone? Yes, but I'm also greatfull that circumstances happened the way they did so that I could be living here. I got to be with her the last 8 years of her life. I've seen her slip away little by little and it did hurt to see. But she knew we were there for her. Everyday we were there for her.
  
  Sometimes those intimate memories pop up and take you by surprise but they're good memories.
  
  I love you Mom.
  
  Happy Mothers Day.
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  26

  Watchtower LOSES BIG on BLOOD in Court

  by skeeter1 in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  please read this post!.

  the ireland case is a big loss for the watchtower society.. it's a big win for ex-jws.

  i read the very, very , very long irish high court's opinion.

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  inbyathread

  I can't believe the Society would let her sue especially after she posed as a catholic. Shows how brainless they are and how they think Jehovah will move things for them...

  This very well IS what the WTS wants. Think about it. Early history of the Dubs shows them pissing off City officials getting arrested and then chanting "persecution" "Satan is angry and his time is short"

  The dam/dike has so many holes in it and the WTS lawyers have to plug them somehow. The last Kingdom News campaign that they held brought up a great uproar concerning the pedophile priests (and not their own)

  Even the latest news and letter concerning the BookStudy. To state (infur) that the increasing Gas prices is a direct attack to JW's by Satan and his worldly follows is crazy, but it takes minds off of the real issues. "Don't concern yourself with the Pay Off of Elder Pedophile Victims, don't concern yourself with the loss of publisher numbers, don't concern yourself with education, don't concern yourself that you need to follow the direction and AUTHORITY of the elders (as they are God's)... Add your own concerns (here).

  They are initiating this 'Self-fulfilling prophecy' Yes the WTS knows exactly what they are doing.

  But then...so do we.
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  19

  My bosses are JW, today we had heated exchange & I've got to vent....

  by NotaNess in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i haven't been around for a while, but i had to post this and get this stuff down for commentation and maybe any help that can be given.

  it might be a long-winded, but if you can stick it out...thanks.

  (see my note at the end about the 400,000 member growth a year thing).

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  inbyathread

  First of all, religion has nothing to do with this.
  
  You need to separate the religion aspect from the practices in the work environment. It sounds like you will be looking for another job in the not to near future. The owners will let you go because you are bringing up trouble. Sure the laws in the U.S. are clear (as mud) when it comes to discrimination by sex, religion, age, etc. but I believe it's harder for an employee to receive unemployment benefits than it is for an employer to deny them. "Not qualified" vs. "Don't like their religion" Owners can set their own standard of qualification and don't have to prove to the state what those standards are. Sure you might be able to prove sexual harassment and that will save you from your job, but really will it? The owners can assign you very undesirable jobs which will make your life even more miserable. Is that what you or your ulcer wants?
  
  Sorry, but I think it's time for you to move on. It would be better if you chose to leave than have on your employment resume that you were let go for insubordination or something to that effect.
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  6

  Love ventriloquists have any favorites?

  by Hope4Others in

  1. social
  2. humour

  damon scott and bubbles ( british really have some great talent gotta love this guy).

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebqvwyxjz-s. ron lucas & scorch.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-ro3e4a-zi.

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  inbyathread

  Jeff Dunham (love Walter) www.jeffdunham.com
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  7

  (Doubting Thomas) Disfellowshipped?

  by inbyathread in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  listened to a nice sermon last sunday.

  had many nice parts to it to think about but one point had me enthralled.. and occasionally, somebody skips the service.

  that happens from time to time, right?

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  inbyathread

  Oompa this sermon came from the church that we are currently attending.
  <br><br>Inbyathread (the thread snapped a long time ago.)
  
  TLN: Please let me know how the interrogation goes. Thanks.
• 
  7

  (Doubting Thomas) Disfellowshipped?

  by inbyathread in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  listened to a nice sermon last sunday.

  had many nice parts to it to think about but one point had me enthralled.. and occasionally, somebody skips the service.

  that happens from time to time, right?

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  inbyathread

  Listened to a nice sermon last sunday. Had many nice parts to it to think about but one point had me enthralled.

  And occasionally, somebody skips the service. That happens from time to time, right? It happened here in the First Church of the Upper Room. The faith community (the disciples) are gathered together, not sure how the service is going to go now that Jesus is gone, when suddenly Jesus is there: He is standing there with them! He gives them a greeting: Peace be with you. He empowers them with the Holy Spirit by offering them his own breath. He even does a little preaching on forgiveness.

  However, someone is missing. Thomas is not there. Absent, not present on Easter Sunday (of all days!). We don’t know why, but I’m sure he had a good reason. Isn’t it comforting to know that even in the earliest days, people missed church?

  Unfortunately, for Thomas, he missed something HUGE-- the Risen Christ. Jesus, who three days before had been executed before their eyes, put in a tomb, a stone rolled in front –dead…buried. Yet as they gathered together, Jesus was there—a living, breathing person.

  And Thomas missed it.

  So later, when Thomas joins them, the disciples share the news – Thomas, you should have been in church on Sunday – Jesus was there.

  And Thomas says I don’t believe it.

  Have you ever been the odd person out?
  The lone dissenter, the devil’s advocate, the cynic, the skeptic, the black sheep? The Doubting Thomas?

  “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

  Now that’s what I call throwing down the gauntlet. In the face of the account of 10 witnesses, and not just any witnesses, but men with whom Thomas has spent years, with whom he has worked, laughed, eaten, suffered and grieved – he is saying to them, I don’t believe you. We are not in the same place on this.

  Imagine being one of the disciples and listening to your friend say he doesn’t believe you. You have just shared great and glorious news and your experience isn’t good enough for him.

  I have tried to picture this scene in my mind and I have to believe that the moment was pivotal one for these 11 men.

  You see, I think the best part of this story is verse 26: “A week later his disciples were again in the house and Thomas was with them.”

  A week later: I think we rush right past those words, so take a moment and imagine what that week would have been like. What would that week have been like for the disciples who saw the risen Christ?

  I think it’s safe to say that their encounter with Jesus was a topic of conversation at least once or twice. Maybe the first couple of days, that’s all they talked about.

  What would that week have been like for Thomas who doesn’t believe? Do you think he wondered if his fellow disciples were having a laugh at his expense? Do you think things may have gotten a little tense sometimes? Maybe he got up a left the room once or twice.

  Maybe they just avoided the topic altogether.

  We don’t know- the gospel writer leaves that to our imagination.

  Here’s what the scripture does tell us. When the next Sunday comes, they are all together – even Thomas. His faith community stands beside him. They do not reject him for his doubts, for his unbelief. They don’t criticize him for needing to see and touch for himself. They don’t ostracize him for not getting with the program, for not being in exactly the same place that they are. Thomas doubts, and the disciples let him doubt, and he remains a part of the community.

  As for Thomas, he felt like he could stay.

  I believe that this is one of the greatest gifts that the church has to offer. This is a shining example of how we live the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit.

  We know that this is not how it always works. We know that there are groups, including communities of faith who would say to those like Thomas: hit the road. I have heard those stories from folks who had that experience. How unfortunate. Because, as we see from this story, even in the earliest time of the church, even with those who were closest to Jesus, there was doubt, there were questions. Yet, there was room in the community for the doubt and for the questions.

  More importantly, there was room in the community for the doubters.

  Since the elders don't come to my door anymore, perhaps someone here could ask one of these doorknockers how Thomas could question and doubt the word of his fellow worshipers and not be disfellowshiped from their group.

  It seems the WTS doesn't say to much about this aspect of Thomas's life. They use this entire story to show how Thomas used words as an exclamation rather than a statement of fact "My Lord and my God!"

  It would be nice to hear how the WTS explains this one. But we wouldn't here the answer. They will kick us out before the answer comes.
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  14

  Dealing with an elder

  by kzjw in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  thiis one's long, but here's a letter i sent in open dialog with the elder of my wife's congregation...let's hear the input... i appreciate your candor, and admittedly i can see an effort to not be overbearing in your response to my questions.

  my main concern is trusting the organization.

  when i read john 14(the whole chapter because i"m never satified with just a verse), i don't see anything that provides for some "organization" to lead us to the salvation that we all seek in our christian walk.

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  inbyathread

  What a response. I did notice that the elder mentioned (that other Franz character) but I didn't see Rays name in your posted comments. The elder stated that Ray posed himself as the president of the society. Never saw that, never read it. Would like to ask where did HE see it. Fred was president. Ray was only a member of the governing body.
  
  As to "where will we go?" Boy are they blind!! Please remind him that it is not WHERE but to WHOM shall we follow.
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  56

  Still think the Society is not running out of cash? ...

  by sir82 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ...then check this out!.

  (of course the society has $billions in real estate, but many have speculated that they are low on cash for day-day operations).. unfortunately i don't have a working scanner, but here is a summary of & a few quotations from a boe letter dated march 1, 2008:.

  "for an number of years, an arrangement has been available to congregations to place funds on deposit with the branch office.

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  inbyathread

  The funds earned by the branch office would then be available for use in building Kingdom Halls in lands with limited resources

  It's been awhile since I was in a KH but don't they have separate boxs for their voluntary donations? 1. World Wide Work 2. Local Hall Needs 3. Kingdom Hall Building Funds

  It's a scam and the blind don't even know it.

  Someone just posted that he was going to be elevated to Elder status. (Hint: We really need a scan of this letter)