Casper

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Posts by Casper

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  37

  What was your first Religious Experience ?

  by Casper in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  just wondered how others first learned about religion.

  i know "born ins" were taught from the start but the rest of us had to start somewhere.

  my very first memory of anything supposedly religious was at the age of six... my grandmother took me to a "tent revival".

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  Casper

  Warlock...

  Memories..........what would we do without them....

  Cas
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  26

  Amazing abuse of privacy...

  by CaptainSchmideo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my sister and her husband live in another city/state from me, so i don't get to see them that often.

  he's a ministerial servant, they have two young children.

  i heard a story that happened to them recently.... he was taken aside by an elder, who wanted to inspect his bag to see how many toys they were bringing to the meeting for their daughter to play with.. apparently, someone complained!.

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  Casper

  the only acceptable toys for a one year old to play with at the meeting is the Bible Stories book or the Great Teacher book

  My daughter had those.......She chewed on them and ripped them to shreds...

  Cas
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  37

  What was your first Religious Experience ?

  by Casper in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  just wondered how others first learned about religion.

  i know "born ins" were taught from the start but the rest of us had to start somewhere.

  my very first memory of anything supposedly religious was at the age of six... my grandmother took me to a "tent revival".

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  Casper

  Hi Mr. Flipper,

  I'm sure that's how it was for most born ins. But, "WE" converts... started out in a whole different ballgame..

  Cas
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  26

  Amazing abuse of privacy...

  by CaptainSchmideo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my sister and her husband live in another city/state from me, so i don't get to see them that often.

  he's a ministerial servant, they have two young children.

  i heard a story that happened to them recently.... he was taken aside by an elder, who wanted to inspect his bag to see how many toys they were bringing to the meeting for their daughter to play with.. apparently, someone complained!.

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  Casper

  He was taken aside by an elder, who wanted to inspect his bag to see how many toys they were bringing to the meeting for their daughter to play with.

  I brought small toys for my infant daughter to play with. They were quiet ones, cloth book, teething ring, etc... wonder if those would

  have passed his "Inspection"... That would have ticked me off so bad. I think the next time I prepared for a meeting, I would've

  put something in to really "Shock" him, teach him to do that again...

  Cas
• 
  32

  Absurdity in the Bible

  by darth frosty in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  not to diss anyones beliefs, i thought this was humorous.. .

  absurdity in the bible .

  if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.--1 cor.14:38 .

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  Casper

  I especially like the fact that God used a SWORD to block Adam and Eve's entrance into the Garden of Eden.

  There were only two people on Earth at this time... obviously neither of them had ever seen a sword (unless they'd had some really bad marital spats). When the first sword was later made by humans, was it patterned after that strange object Adam had seen all those years ago

  I love reading things like this... but, then it make me wonder...Why did I not "EVER" notice any of these things... amazing...!!

  Cas
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  37

  Did you see any sad living conditions in Field Service...?

  by Casper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  im sure all of us at one time or another witnessed homes that broke our heartshere are a few of mine.

  some of the homes i had been invited into out in service really left an impression on me.

  call it naive or whatever, it was a real eye opener in some cases.. one in particular that i remember was a poor family with 8 little girls, stair step in age, the oldest no more than 9. this was an rv of the sister i was with.... very nice people, but the living conditions were appalling.

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  Casper

  All these experiences are so heart wrenching...

  RR.... I never experienced anything to that level... Just amazes me how people can survive at all in such conditions.

  *****************

  But, you know it does make you realize that there did seem to be a disproportionate number of exceptionally poor people who were studying or having return visits made on them.

  Hey to you too, Alpaca...

  I agree with your comment... that's they way it is around here. Seemed only those that really needed help, would allow us to return, but then what could you do..???? Hope from the Bible.. (errr... I mean Mag.) only went so far.

  *********************

  Fadeout...

  Now that is just incredibly sad. That poor guy.

  wondered how much of that enthusiasm was due to our message and how much was simply joy to talk to anyone at all.

  You know I often wondered that myself. Mostly the Elderly tho. I really enjoyed talking with them, heck half the time I came away agreeing with them and wishing I had faith like they did.

  Cas
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  37

  Did you see any sad living conditions in Field Service...?

  by Casper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  im sure all of us at one time or another witnessed homes that broke our heartshere are a few of mine.

  some of the homes i had been invited into out in service really left an impression on me.

  call it naive or whatever, it was a real eye opener in some cases.. one in particular that i remember was a poor family with 8 little girls, stair step in age, the oldest no more than 9. this was an rv of the sister i was with.... very nice people, but the living conditions were appalling.

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  Casper

  I’m sure all of us at one time or another witnessed homes that broke our hearts…here are a few of mine…

  Some of the homes I had been invited into out in service really left an impression on me. Call it naive or whatever, it was a real eye opener in some cases.

  One in particular that I remember was a poor family with 8 little girls, stair step in age, the oldest no more than 9. This was an RV of the Sister I was with...

  Very nice people, but the living conditions were appalling. The floors were down to the bare sub-floors, you could actually see the ground underneath in places. The girls were thin, with long stringy, matted hair. They would climb all over you for attention. They reminded me of puppies. I felt so sorry for them, you just knew they had head lice and such. It was heartbreaking. I wanted to touch them, hug them, but on the other hand I was hesitant.

  The reasoning for so many children... They wanted that elusive "Son" and couldn't wait to try "Again".... We lost track of them, as they moved away.

  Another return visit was also in a run down house. You did NOT take your book bag or purse into this house. Also had to check your shoes before getting back into car. It was over run with roaches. The couple living there had just had twin baby girls. Preemies. They were in a crib in the living room and were so tiny and helpless looking.

  I went into the kitchen to speak with the mother, she was mixing formula and storing it in empty 7-up, 2-liter bottles. The kitchen was yellow and the walls were covered in black sheets of mold. Not just spots, black sheets from ceiling to counter top.

  With the mold, and roach problem, I often wondered how the twins survived. they too eventually moved away.

  I also had an RV with a single young mother with a 2 year old son that lived in a single wide trailer. Area seemed ok, close to the road tho. I was shocked when I was invited in and noticed that where the wall and floor met across from the couch....I could see outside......??? There was a open space between wall and floor approximately 2 foot wide...you could literally see outside. The floor slanted and anything would have rolled out. I often wondered how she kept her son from escaping...

  Those are just a few of my experiences, I really don't live in a bad neighborhood, and looks can be deceiving. Not until you step inside do you really see what is behind the door.

  I really felt sorry for these people and the conditions they were living in... What did we offer them…? A set of magazines !!! Seems so silly to me now. Kinda like "Snake Oil" men of old, "Here just take this and all your problems will be solved." And to think most of us believed it.

  Would really be laughable now, if it wasn’t so sad.

  Anyone else have any experiences like these...?

  Cas
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  37

  What was your first Religious Experience ?

  by Casper in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  just wondered how others first learned about religion.

  i know "born ins" were taught from the start but the rest of us had to start somewhere.

  my very first memory of anything supposedly religious was at the age of six... my grandmother took me to a "tent revival".

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  Casper

  Just wondered how others first learned about religion. I know "Born Ins" were taught from the start… but the rest of us had to start somewhere…

  My very first memory of anything supposedly religious was at the age of six... My Grandmother took me to a "Tent Revival". We lived in a very back woods area, so this was a norm for them. What I saw terrified me. People were calm at first and there was a speaker.

  Things went down hill fast for me as people began jumping around, hands waving in the air, shouting and some even rolling on the ground. I was scared and confused. Nothing was ever explained to me. Try processing that in a six year old's mind.

  Next, the same year, my Aunt decided I needed to go to Sunday School...This didn't bother me... as no one mentioned a "Tent" or Church. It was in a basement. I colored pictures of Jesus (I had no idea what he represented) and made paper chains. She did say at breakfast one morning ... "Lord children, the world is gonna go up in a ball of flames and you're all gonna die, if you don't behave and do what Jesus says."

  Well...gee...!! If that didn't make me feel like..."What ???"

  So, I continued to color pictures and make paper chains so, I guessed I was covered from such a fate...????????? I became the model child. Driving myself nuts trying to be perfect and not mess up.

  We then moved to the country, away from extended family next door. During this time, at the age of 7 my family began it's trek into alcohol and violence... the "War Zone" years.

  I was always afraid. Religion was never mentioned in our house and I soon forgot about coloring pictures of Jesus and had long since given up on paper chains.

  Instead I would find myself, hidden away in an obscure corner of the kitchen when things got rough. At one point I just started talking, begging actually...saying things like, "Please, Please, make it stop". I would be silently crying and begging for all I was worth.

  Who I was talking to, I did not have a clue. I did notice... (in my childish mind) that things would seem to calm down afterwards. Probably due to other circumstances, but try explaining that to a child who was sure "Her" magic had worked. Over time, I became obsessed with it.

  I would beg (didn't know the term pray, in reference to what I was doing) and beg, always in private. It always seemed to help, or maybe it calmed ME in some way and my perception of what was going on.

  This continued for years. Eventually it all stopped, due to surgeries and illness and my parents became the model parents from then on. Religion still was never mention in any way shape or form.

  I did not hear of, or find out who, Jesus was really suppose to be until I was 17 years old. I bought my first Bible called "The Way". Read it, and still felt skeptical about some things. I went to a nearby Baptist Church and became a member. I was searching, because at this time I had realized none of us are immortal. I began to question what happens at death and such.

  Stayed with that Church for a year and can honestly say... I learned NOTHING. Sing, pray, sermon, sing, pray...done. (sorry, just my personal experience).

  Went on about my life, then at the age of 26 or so… The witness came on the scene .... and "Finally" gave a name to whom I had been talking to all along. At least, that is what they told me. Jehovah had heard me, read my heart and sent them to me............hummmmm....

  Needless to say.......after 13 years of baptized service in that... and ten years out.......I am still as confused as I ever was. Still Searching...and No, I don't pray or beg anymore.

  Sorry so long, just felt a need to reminisce thru all that. Any one else remember their first experiences…???

  Cas
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  65

  The Watchtower Society Shows Their True Colors Again

  by TooBad TooSad in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  in the new may awake magazine there is an article "is philanthropy the answer?

  i knew what the answer.

  was going to be before i even read it.

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  Casper

  "Jehovah's Witnesses do not tithe or in any way solicit funds."

  That line is hilarious. They may not do it "Publicly"... but they sure hounded the heck out of us on Thursday nights.

  As for helping the needy... I seen so many people in dire straights out in service... and what did we offer them... a Magazine...

  That's one of things that bothered me so much, nothing was set up to be charitable... Nothing...

  Cas
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  50

  Things to wear at mtg that will raise eyebrows but won't get you into 2...

  by cognac in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  much trouble... or, things to do at the mtg that will raise eyebrows but won't get you into to much trouble.. i've been thinking about this since i still go.

  i'm surprised at how much a person can get away with if they are in a hall that they have no family in that particular kingdom hall.... at the memorial i put on so much dark eye make-up i was shocked my husband didn't say anything walking out the door.

  instead, i got compliments, lol, not exactly what i planned on.... one of my friends who faded went to the memorial and she had a pretty low cut shirt on.

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  Casper

  How about a big beautiful hat.........then sit up front where those behind you can't see around you...

  Good Luck...

  Cas