Posts by Big Dog

i remember back in the mid 90's seemed like, my non-jw step-sister told me her jw mother said at some time all jws could be asked to eat a certain diet or perhaps move to a certain place in preperation for the big a.

anyone else hear of anything like that?

just curious.

Big Dog

So it was cancer that was eating gilbert grape, I always wondered about that.

11

Charity work in Dubsville

by Qcmbr in

jw
friends

how much does the watchtower organisation give to charity?

is there an organised effort to better the world in any way?

Big Dog

First, Scully, that is so true in every venue, the WBTS works the system when it benefits them, the legal system, the tax system, etc. but forbids any type of participation in that system by its members, just the worst sort of parasitical and hypocrital behavior that I can think of.

Second, when my father was dying last year hospice (which by the way I can't say enough good stuff about hospice) hooked my parents up with all sorts of outreach programs which included visits by a catholic priest of all things for grief counseling. One member of their old congregation came to see dad. Also an elder starts coming by and says, boy am I glad someone told me about this or we might have missed you. I ask him, (knowing the answer but wanting to make him squirm) don't you have any types of formal outreach programs for the sick and needy in your congregations. And he gives me this sick look and starts with uh, well, um see God (I can't even bring myself to type the J word) will provide for people and the congregation will take care of them blah, blah, blah. And I say, yeah like my dad who almost slipped through cracks, you know if you had a formal system set up that wouldn't happen. He starts with this well that's a nice thought blah, blah, blah. And then I say, the catholics are here and dad isn't even a member, do you do anything like that? Again with the sick look and then ums, and ah's and well with our preaching work we comfort people with the hope, blah, blah, blah. So of course I make sure that I say, but no specific grief counseling, just general preaching. Then I ask him what sort of training he has had in grief counseling, lots of ums and ahs, and well I have bible training blah, blah, blah.

By the way, my dad died in my house, the house of the only child of his four kids that wasn't a JW, and the reason why, well gee, they were too busy with the preaching work and going to assemblies I guess.

46

If the WT were to "reform" would you stay or go back?

by confusedjw in

this thought has sprung from recent threads and speculation over the new book.

i know many who post here are still active jw's or ones who were df'd, but may have not totally left the belief system.

many have trouble with the methods and policies of the wt concerning dfing, restrictions, blood, local elders etc.

Big Dog

Nope, no way I would go back, even if the above doctrines were changed because; 1. My loathing for the whole bunch is way too deep, and 2. Even if that wasn't the case there are still quite a few doctrines that I would disagree with and would still keep me from embracing JW faith.

26

Questions About Being Worldly

by Golf in

did you ever consider yourself a worldy person while being a witness?

if you did, what constituted worldliness?

in my days i've done many things that didn't bother my conscious, yet, by todays standards of the org.

Big Dog

Golf, when I was growing up, mainly the 70's it was just a relentless march on everything that was considered worldly, I mean they just got crazy. I remember my mom taking my chess set away because chess was like warfare and that was worldly. When I was young I think the borg hit the height of just reducing anything that wasn't going to the meetings or out in service as a worldly activity.

26

Questions About Being Worldly

by Golf in

did you ever consider yourself a worldy person while being a witness?

if you did, what constituted worldliness?

in my days i've done many things that didn't bother my conscious, yet, by todays standards of the org.

Big Dog

Golf, I guess you missed my post on the sports thread, I did sports too, snuck around for two years until I got caught! They believed the outrageous lies I told about where I was because I never got in trouble as a kid. Once I got caught I threw down the guantlet and we made a deal, I could play, but if I didn't have a game or practice I had to go to the meetings. So as a junior and senior I got to play without having to hid my equipment at a friends house.

26

Questions About Being Worldly

by Golf in

did you ever consider yourself a worldy person while being a witness?

if you did, what constituted worldliness?

in my days i've done many things that didn't bother my conscious, yet, by todays standards of the org.

Big Dog

I was never a good witness, I just had the misfortune of being born into the WBTS. Growing up I was constantly digging my heels in, I didn't want to go to meetings, didn't want to give talks, didn't want to go out in service. I hid the fact that my family was JW as much as humanly possible, especially at school. I was never a "bad" kid, the things that attracted me were sports, social events, dances, etc. I wasn't interested in drinking, smoking, etc. so that put my parents in a tough position of wanting to punish me for being a "normal" kid. When I got a job at 16 and my first car I starting doing the big fade, on the day that I graduated from High School it was over and I never looked back. I always felt worldly was who I was, I never ever felt like I was a witness from day one, so when I was truly able to become worldly I felt comforatable for the first time in my life.