Posts by ThomasCovenant

5

Anyone else ever done this at their baptism?

by ThomasCovenant in

there was a brother brought up in the borg who realized that to marry his girlfriend (daughter of an elder) he would need to get baptized.. went through the motions of the questions etc and then at the local circuit assembly it was time for those seated at the front ready for baptism to stand and answer the two questions put to them from the platform.

only problem was, this brother was not sitting at the front but was stood at the back.

as the questions were being asked to the twenty or so standing the local elders were in a bit of a panic looking around for the new brother.

ThomasCovenant

Hello

There was a brother brought up in the Borg who realized that to marry his girlfriend (daughter of an elder) he would need to get baptized.

Went through the motions of the questions etc and then at the local circuit assembly it was time for those seated at the front ready for baptism to stand and answer the two questions put to them from the platform.

Only problem was, this brother was not sitting at the front but was stood at the back. As the questions were being asked to the twenty or so standing the local elders were in a bit of a panic looking around for the new brother. He was already standing as there were no seats at the back. He did this deliberately as he didn't want to stand up for all to see him at the front and did not want to make a fuss but he answered both questions with a 'yes'. The net result was he wasn't permitted to get baptised.

His arguement was that the public declaration of dedication is the actual standing in your swim wear and getting dunked in a pool. It's not the standing at the front of a hall and answering out loud.

He tried to argue the case with the elders that he had

1) stood, albeit at the back and not the front

2) answered affirmatively to the two questions

3) was ready to don his trunks and submerge under the waters in full view of any who wanted to attend the pool area.

4) that points 1-3 are the outward show of a dedication that has already taken place between himself and Big J.

While this was taking place the baptism of the other twenty or so was complete and it was too late to proceed with anything further.

The brother then realized that as he was getting married very soon he would attend the next weeks assembly in a different circuit where no- one knew him and get baptized there. This time he stood at the very very very front and said yes and got baptized. Six months later, wedding.

Mission accomplished and point probably not made as congregation just thought he was a troublemaker.

Good thing was though that as he was baptised in a different circuit with only his girlfriend coming along to watch he could always later deny he had ever gotten baptised.

Thanks

Thomas Covenant

8

Books and You

by ThomasCovenant in

jw
friends

as a teenager i read the following books in school that i feel had a profound effect on me and my character building.

a man for all seasons by robert bolt (a play) .

to kill a mockingbird by harper lee.

ThomasCovenant

Hello

As a teenager I read the following books in school that I feel had a profound effect on me and my character building. How about you?

A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt (a play)

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

1984 by George Orwell

Animal Farm by George Orwell

I know it makes me look a little dull but it was only recently after getting out from the Borg that I realized one of the common threads with these books is the individual struggling to not follow the crowd of prejudice around him. I don't think I could really appreciate this until I freed myself from the JW mindset.

The fact that I appreciated these books was at odds with the high control that I internally fought with the Borg as subconciously I knew the Borg was the 'oppressor' of an individuals' mind. i just didn't admit it to myself.

Thanks

Thomas Covenant

23

Original 1914 comments compared with what the WTS claims it said

by jwfacts in

vol.

ThomasCovenant

Hello

Thank you for your hard work in compiling that.

I need to get Studies in the Scriptures!

Thomas Covenant

10

Any one going to Centre Parks Next Week?

by frogit in

jw
friends

are you or do you know anyone who is going to centre parks sherwood forest next week?

i know it's wito week, so maybe you will be three?

i'm going too... we could meet up, for a drink and spiitual upbuilding conversation....

ThomasCovenant

Hello

Funnily enough I was going to ask the same thing. We used to go to Longleat Centre Parcs this coming week every year with at least 4 other JW families staying in adjacent chalets.It was the cheapest week and enabled us to take the children away from the build up to Xmas in school. It seemed to me that we would always be meeting Bro's from the circuit and around. I would estimate that about 20% of the holidaymakers were JW's. Our group used to enter the 5 a side football comp. About half the competitors were Jw's.

Of course this year we are not invited but our old 'friends' are still going next week.

On a side note I was once hurling down the rapids when I spotted a lad in his twenties with the Tetragrammaton tattoed on his upper arm. I caught his eye and he looked at me with a bit of a strange look. I couldn't make out if it was one of regret or not.

Thanks

Thomas Covenant

3

Interesting Radio programme...............................

by vitty in

jw
friends

i have just been listening to a very interesting programme on the radio (here the link).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/d/.

john humphries is a journalist who claims he lost his faith in god, whilst reporting many of the atrocities throughout the world.

ThomasCovenant

Hello Yes I only caught about 10 minutes but found it interesting.I love Radio 4 Thomas Covenant

6

Abortion=Murder?

by ThomasCovenant in

i recently heard through my still attending bro in law that a young couple had recently confessed to having an abortion.

they were not disfellowshipped.

now if abortion equals murder then this was a case of premeditated murder of an unborn foetus.

ThomasCovenant

Please remember I'm not likening abortion to murder. But I think Jw's officially do. Am I correct?

6

Abortion=Murder?

by ThomasCovenant in

i recently heard through my still attending bro in law that a young couple had recently confessed to having an abortion.

they were not disfellowshipped.

now if abortion equals murder then this was a case of premeditated murder of an unborn foetus.

ThomasCovenant

Hello

I recently heard through my still attending Bro in law that a young couple had recently confessed to having an abortion. They were not disfellowshipped. Now if abortion equals murder then this was a case of premeditated murder of an unborn foetus. If I confessed to the elders to prior premeditated planning of the killing of for example an elderly gentleman in my street and then saying after the event that I was sorry would they say that 's fine as long as repentance is shown. I'm not looking for a discussion of the for's and against of abortion. However in JW land abortion = murder so would they say the same for a murderer as an abortionist?

Thanks

Thomas Covenant

23

Religions that don't go to war

by ThomasCovenant in

hello in conversation today with brother-in- law who is still in the borg.he said while he may have questions about the whole god issue he doesn't know of any other religion that refuses to kill their fellow believer if politicians say you must.

that is a strong plus point for him on the virtues of the wt.

is he correct?

ThomasCovenant

Thanks for the replies. I said to him even if they were the only ones who would not go to war it still wouldn't mean they were the one and only true religion. Thanks for the progressive answer Drew Sagan. I agree with you however it's not easy (at least for me anyway)in conversation to come up with thoughts such as these. Nevertheless it still doesn't seem right that a Catholic Brit would kill a Catholic German or a Muslim Iraqi would kill a Muslim Iranian whereas a JW would generally not kill another JW. Not in war anyway. Thanks Qcmbr for the name reference.Thomas Covenant

23

Religions that don't go to war

by ThomasCovenant in

hello in conversation today with brother-in- law who is still in the borg.he said while he may have questions about the whole god issue he doesn't know of any other religion that refuses to kill their fellow believer if politicians say you must.

that is a strong plus point for him on the virtues of the wt.

is he correct?

ThomasCovenant

Hello In conversation today with brother-in- law who is still in the Borg.He said while he may have questions about the whole god issue he doesn't know of any other religion that refuses to kill their fellow believer if politicians say you must. That is a strong plus point for him on the virtues of the WT. Is he correct? Are there any other religions who will not kill their fellow man? I am about to search on Google but thought I'd try here too. Thanks Thomas Covenant

1

Searching for an old friend from Southampton/Swindon

by ThomasCovenant in

jw
friends

hello i lost touch with a family from southampton uk by the surname of ockleford.

anyone know what happened to them.

thanks thomas covenant

ThomasCovenant

Hello I lost touch with a family from Southampton UK by the surname of Ockleford. Anyone know what happened to them. Thanks Thomas Covenant