Posts by dostprefer

27

HOW WOULD A WITNESS ANSWER THIS?

by Mary in

jw
friends

i thought of a question i'd like to ask my sister-in-law (who's a fanatical dub).

i'd like to say to her: "...if it could be proven to you beyond any doubt that this was not the "one true religion", would you still go to the kingdom hall?...

i figure it's a catch-22 that really ought to make them stop and think.

dostprefer

"The Gnat", alas, has found that his life span was not two days as he thought but is actually one week. So the good/bad news that he/she/it will be around longer than expected.

this (from memory) from a T.V. show This may be of help to some reading these pages. Have taken this on board myself If I can do it, so can you!

Anger means you are holding fear, hurt or disappointment. Have to ask self ?what part did I have in it? A failure to take responsibility means we are choosing to stay angry, hurt or disappointed. And then we attack. Coming to the party means we are ready to move on but perhaps someone has moved on and we take it as rejection and we attack again . But we do have options. Be realistic, do we want to and do we have the same goals as the old friend? If it is ?no? stop attacking and work on our own goals and be civil. Make the other person feel better round us. That is being adult. If its ?yes? we should seek help from professionals to pick up our life, not in comparison with our ex friend/s but to have a personal feeling of success and be a pleasant and helpful person to be around.

NOTE circumstances, standoffs and personal attacks either through a group or through individuals.

This advice was given because so many find it impossible to move on and set own goals

Tendency is to envy others with more ability and attack them rather than doing what we personally do well.

happy postings!

31

The New Light that burned me

by czarofmischief in

i was reading the 1975 thread, and considered posting on it, but since i wasn't born until the carter administration, i don't think i really can comment on it.

i can sympathize, however.. you see, i was raised in the truth.

rarely missed a meeting.

dostprefer

"Wondering if it was the truth" Well kids are entitled to choose. As adults we are compelled to. But it's not good to subscribe to the mythology of 'missed opportunities'

We may dress up our declarations of 'freedom', stand up in the forum and others may declaim "a God's voice, not a man's" Such displays of independence and self congratulation don't last for long. Herod (Acts 12) tried this and was immediately eaten up with worms. Not the best option. . It's hard for us to be truthful about ourselves, but it is possible and isn't it less painful to be worm free?

13

How can I find out what my standing in the Org is?

by lv4fer in

jw
friends

there was never an announcement made.

i wrote them a letter not a da letter, but essentially i told them that me and my family simply wanted to "cease to be involved with the faith" at the time on their web site it said that you would not be shunned if you simply ceased to be involved with the faith.

i also said if they made an announcement that i would sue them for slander.

dostprefer

after over 300 postings and threatening to sue for slander, writing a disassociation letter which 'wasn't a disassociation letter' and 'wondering what I am.' The enormity of those people refusing to 'be nice' when having a gun brandished in their face! At least on this forum one has the company of other pistol packing mommas and poppas. 346 postings was it? Some six-gun!

"he is an indecisive (two souled) man, unsteady in all his ways? James 1:8

20

Does "Loyalty" work both ways in the Org?

by JH in

jw
friends

as jw's we are asked to be "loyal" to the organization.

all this means is, say "yes" to everything they ask, and believe everything they teach without questioning.. how about the jw organization, are they loyal to their members?

if a brother of sister falls sick, loses a job, becomes invalid, will the jw organization show loyalty to that person and help out?

dostprefer

loyalty must surely be a quality of both heart and mind. Jehovah knows us intimately in both respects

do you believe that? Even if you believe nothing else?

As Jeremiah pointed out, the heart is desperate and treacherous - who can know it?

And Pascal reminded us that "'the heart has it's reasons - we see it in a thousand ways"

all of this demonstrated in the thousands of postings on this forum

27

Will the average age of Witnesses go up with time?

by JH in

jw
friends

.

my parents go to a catholic church, and they say that the average age is in the 60's.. at the kh, the average age is about 30, if you calculate the age of the children too.. theoretically, the average age of witnesses should go up with time .

if less and less people become witnesses, the average age should go up, just like traditional religions....no?.

dostprefer

Thanks for posting an honest and straightforward question. Its non-combativeness makes one grateful for small mercies.

There is , at least, a 'greying' of congregations in some towns, cities and countries which is in line with local demographics. David 2002 has provided an informative, straight and kindly (which seems to be his style) answer. Others have packed up their troubles in their old kit bags and appended them to this topic. One expects them to do this, what would a forum do without them? Pardon the brashness of a very new newbie! However their (could one call it 'collective'?) memory appears to have drifted irrto a digressive inventiveness. But one allows for this.

Peevish prognostications again have found their way into print. Such 'prophecies are to be avoided as they present a long history of failure. Early in the piece,Balaam found this out, to his cost.

Well, that's MY kit bag and it contains no 'nasties'.

38

Pioneerers can count up to 25 hours for taking special language

by DaCheech in

jw
friends

one of the latest announcement letters from the wts is that people should attend special.

classes setup for the purpose of preaching to foreign language communities.

these special classes are.

dostprefer

Lawrence, you might give some thought to making a fire-holder for yourself. The use of these lends more signifance to a challenge. And while you are at it why not make a number for others to use? This should buy around 25 hours of time for each person.. Guaranteed to get a result.

77

What I remember from 1975

by Big Dog in

since i am sort of late to the party this has probably been beaten to death and if it has just kick this thread to the curb.

i was 11 years old in 1975 and i remember being scared silly the whole year.

i mean there was so much hype about it and the tension in the air was so thick it was unreal.

dostprefer

good question, hang on a minute mate!

:"you must say to this people, 'Hear again and again, O men, but do not understand; and see again and again, but do not get any knowledge. Make the heart of this people unreceptive, and make their very ears unresponsive (quite denunciatory and galling unless you have the stomach to read to the end of verse 10) Isaiah 6:9-10

That answers 'why' and it did happen to some (but not to the majority who did listen.)

The postings reveal the pain and make one even more determined to eschew the obstinancy and pride which could entrap any of us. The '1975' thing is 'old hat' really. The task of 'eluding to it again and again' is now the preroccupation of those making postings on forums. . -- a strange irony.

The majority of over 6 million witnesses have 'come in' since then (and others came back - plenty of them!) And they are just glad to be able to finally repudiate the disgusting world in which they suffered so long. And the steady 'oldies' already knew there was no need to go back there.

77

What I remember from 1975

by Big Dog in

since i am sort of late to the party this has probably been beaten to death and if it has just kick this thread to the curb.

i was 11 years old in 1975 and i remember being scared silly the whole year.

i mean there was so much hype about it and the tension in the air was so thick it was unreal.

dostprefer

Jimbob First of all it is that 'they all think the same' and then 'they dont all say the same'. This encouraging people to have a mind of their own must be why 'they' are still witnesses. Yes, in the 60's and 70's 'they' went to all those assemblies sporting sideburns, wearing flares, stilletto and cuban heels, loved the beatles, beegees and abba and now they have the effrontery to change! And still put on this pretence of being human? Can't something be done to make them conform?

Heinrich Himmler had an excellent programme for them but unfortunately (for him) his time was cut short. Surely there must be some like-minded authority out there to create a programme to bring these miserable imposters into line.

39

WERE YOU THERE IN 1975?

by badboy in

jw
friends

?

dostprefer

1975 proved to be one of many tests that finished off many and that still do. Sadly, jumping to conclusions created a 'living death' for some whose bitterness still surfaces on these pages. What did happen is that many initially came to believe, albeit tentatively, that they would live forever on a paradise earth. But in their case it failed a strength test. A failure to set their minds to it, which is tough because nobody else can do that for us. The pain expressed ,sometimes crudely, sometimes eloquently in postings, is really about the inevitability of physical death with no seeable prospects beyond that. Don't they call it 'End of LIfe Scenario'?

Which all of us must face up to. But using slings and arrows to express one's disappointments in life becomes a sideshow, a diversion ,an expression of deniial

On this forum one is reminded of Thoreau's observation that "the majority of mankind lead lives of quiet desperation', although 'quiet' does not accurately describe many postings There seems to be a denial of that basic truth in postings..

Most Witnesses during the 70's, did not abandon their composure even though some may have stumbled a bit. They have become stronger and have learned not to blame others for misfortune, mistakes or misunderstandings.

Happiness is not proved by photos of ourselves as 'strong' or 'happy' people or by tirades and displays of bravado. Doesn't it come from inside oneself? For complainers of their lot in life such happiness is produced stillborn. One has the body but not the life. Harsh critics would recommend 'get yourself a life'. A kindlier encouragement would be 'return to the shepherd of your souls'

77

What I remember from 1975

by Big Dog in

since i am sort of late to the party this has probably been beaten to death and if it has just kick this thread to the curb.

i was 11 years old in 1975 and i remember being scared silly the whole year.

i mean there was so much hype about it and the tension in the air was so thick it was unreal.

dostprefer

re speculation about 1975 It's most interesting that you should perceive that "the wtbs didn't do a thing to put a stop to it".

On the one hand some may feel that the organisation is 'too controlling'. On the other that it does not control enough. Which do you prefer? As Jesus said about Matthew 11:16-19. About the sulking generation who kept changing their tune and then complained that the witnesses of that time would not dance to it. If posters to this forum insist on playing the dead march from 'Saul" they should not be surprised that ticket sales at the door are down. Better to consider the example of the sensible woman who said to her husband "waltz faster dear, they are playing a rhumba'.