i was reading on a jw message board and one witness posted this:.
when she comes to visit she stays at his house which is on the same street as our kh.
our brother has offensive signs about the witnesses in his front yard and every year goes all out with holloween and christmas decorations.
ewww... that whole dialog made me feel icky. It's funny how sometimes you can forget how full of self-righteousness so many are. And then others are so afraid of doing something wrong, they have to consult the Organization on everything including the proper way to wipe their butts.
I can't imagine the disconnect it takes to not only believe this crap, but to admonish others that it's the only truth.
what is your favorite christmas music?
do you go for the classic stuff?
dr demento stuff perhaps?
We have a NOW Christmas CD that we like to play. It has all of the oldies-but-goodies that I love, plus some cute newer remakes.
I have to say I'm a big fan of the Christmas songs sung by the great crooners... Bing Crosby, Frank Senatra, Dean Martin... love that stuff!
i was petrified that day.
i felt nervous and slightly sick that morning, so i couldn't even eat breakfast.. leading up to that baptism day ( i was only 16 ), i didn't want to tell anyone about it.
maybe because i came from a cold-hearted congregation where the other kids my age didn't like me (i was too serious), i didn't want anyone else to know.. i felt relief after the dunking was finally over.
I was so starved for love and approval from my father, I would have done anything to get it. Getting baptised was a very happy day for me, my Dad was finally so proud of me. Little did I know it was just the start of even more guilt and falling short of every expectation.
I remember being so suprised to get gifts and cards... some with cash in them even. I remember wishing I could get dunked every year so I could have what would almost amount to a birthday.
I think I was around the 12-13 year old area when I took the plunge.... way too young!
i told on a girl for liking a worldy boy at school.
me and another brother actually waited down the street from the boys house to see if she went there after school, just to get some proof for the eders.
i cant believe i did that:( did anyone else spy on another witness like i did?
To my everlasting shame, I did.
She was my best friend too. She was "going out with" a worldly boy at school. I knew the gig was up for her though, I had heard scraps of information from phone calls my Dad was getting. I knew her parents had found a note I had written to her that had some sort of incriminating information in it. My Dad gave a special needs talk at the next service meeting all about having knowledge of anothers sin and if you know and don't tell, you are sharing in it. I still remember the horror of having him stare at me through the entire talk. I guess everyone knew what I was in trouble for when I met with the elders after that meeting!
Really I just admitted to what they already knew... but still... I hated that I caved at the first sign of trouble for myself. Ugh.
The good news was I left the cult within weeks of that meeting and the following Judicial meeting.
this is really making me mad.
i write articles about different bible topics.
they are mostly geared to new christians to help them get a better understanding of basic doctrine, christian life, and christianity in the early church.
So sorry this happened to you Lil, It's always a shock to a trusting person to run up against such blantant dishonesty.
And NO, this isn't about ego. This is about intellectual property and someone dishonestly taking credit and reaping benefits from someone else's hard work. It's not about the subject matter whatsoever (or spreading the news), it's the morality of the issue... and actions by someone who it sounds like is in a leadership position and should know better.
He's grasping at straws trying to make excuses for himself and his laziness. Shame on him.
our friend hambeak just got the most dreaded phone call from his jw child.
the news was passed on as he was asked for by name and not as"dad" and let known that "they" just called to let him know that his other son, brian, age 26, is dead.
he was in a car accident.
My heart is breaking for you... I am so sorry for your loss....
i complain sometimes that it is annoying living in this small town of 6,000 because i am always running into (not over) my former witness "friends".
but there are perks too : yesterday my microwave stopped working , so i called the local downtown maytag dealer .
he promises to make a house call later in the afternoon to check it over .
I've always lived in small towns.... love it love it love it! And what you're talking about are the reasons why!
The area I live in now can't even be called a town, it's more an area where there is a concentration of homes, but even then, we've discovered we have some really lovely neighbors who ask about our children and how we are doing, and even how our dog is doing. When my hubby was off to military tech school in the lower 48 for several months last year, someone I didn't even know came and plowed my drive for me. How sweet is that?!?
my friend's ex-husband was killed instantly in a car accident on sunday.
my daughter actually probably knew him better in recent years than i did, as she would accompany their daughter tori to his house on his weekends for four-wheeling, fishing, etc.
i have never been to a viewing before.
I totally understand where you're coming from. I had a friend of the family pass away this last year in Iraq. I didn't know him well, but his family and mine have been unofficial "family" for a long long time. In fact, our mothers went to high school together and have been best friends ever since.
I really didn't know him personally all that well, but attended his military funeral at the graveside. Like you, I couldn't stop the tears. I cried for the loss of a wonderful human being in his own right, and for all the family and loved ones left behind to cope with the loss. I cried because he was so brave and an American hero. I cried because I knew how much his Mother loved him. I cried because my husband is in the military and it forced me to consider the possibility of him being called away from me.
I don't think a single person would think of you badly because of your expression of sadness. If it were me as a family member, it would make my heart a little better to know how loved and appreciated he was. We all mourn in different ways and for different reasons. You are absolutely entitled to your own brand of grief and to be able to work through it in whatever way helps you.
***BIG HUGS***
just a quick note.
i started my new real grown up job yesterday at a bank.
i just wanted a break from ebay, i wanted set work hours and a set amount in a paycheck each week.
Congrats on the awesome new job! I know what you mean about the seperation of home/work. I started working from home about 2 years ago and it's really hard. On top of having to juggle your entire life around bringing in income, people just assume you have all day on your hands because you don't leave the house to work. Sometimes I feel like I have to carry my business license around with me to prove I'm really busy when I say I am.
Thank goodness you are able to be there for a kindred soul in pain! That's some kismet there!
You have every right to be frustrated with people who have no respect for your personal space and wishes. I'm not sure how many times you have to tell them to stay away short of getting a restraining order? These people are abusive and should be kept as far away as possible. A little righteous anger when it comes to protecting your family is entirely appropriate!
hey all.. first of all i want to say that i am really impressed by the warm atmosphere that this board provides.
i remember when i was little and we learned about non-witnesses, and they were portrayed as children-eating, blood-drinking criminals.
okay, i exaggerate, but the connotations were there!.
First of all- *big hugs*
I've been in your shoes as far as being on the hamster wheel of parental approval and affection. It does get better with time, but the pain never really goes away completely. It's just very important you surround yourself with the one's who will support and love you no matter what, and try not to dwell on your family's hateful actions. Blood is not thicker than water. Your friends are for real, family is just a trick of genetics. That's my excuse anyways!
You are much stronger than you know. You've already come so far! Realize that you are above their pettiness now, and you have your whole life ahead of you... whereas they do not. Personally, I've realized my JW family are a bunch of emotional leeches, and I refuse to subject myself to their abuse. Any of them who are still speaking to me don't even know much about my life. I don't open it up to their scrutiny. I actually have a sign in the entryway to my house that sums it up- "Friends Welcome- Relatives by Appointment Only".
YOU know you're a good person, we know you're a GREAT person, and your friends LOVE you. Build on that and it will take you far!
