jstalin

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Posts by jstalin

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  31

  What's the word?

  by bagpuss in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if you could sum up your time in the borg with just one word, what would it be and why?.

  for me it would be guilt.

  guilt about not doing enough ministry, not enough study,doing too much secular work, the list seems endless.on the odd occasions i felt i'd done quite well you can bet we'd have a talk saying more,more more!.

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  jstalin

  Control.
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  8

  World Aids Day

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the latest news about aids is very disturbing, this truly is a global epidemic.. rather than give drug users needles and sex workers condoms, people who actively encourage the spread of the disease should cease and desist from their destructive behavior.

  it is not the fault of children who aquire the disease through the mother.

  unfortuantely, children with aids are being abandoned, neglected and dumped in the street.. people who work in the sex industry are responsible for their own demise, and that of others if they do not stop their trade.

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  jstalin

  I've never been too sympathetic to the aids cause. Aids is a completely preventable disease (except perhaps from rape, accidental cut, etc). Probably 99% of aids vicitms have it due to their own behavior. Why is that my problem?
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  31

  JW's: Polytheists?

  by jstalin in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i was thinking today about the issue of jesus' deity (or lack thereof), according to the wts.

  they say that jehovah is god, jesus is not the same as jehovah, but that jesus is a god.

  doesn't that make jws polytheists?

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  jstalin

  in which case all Christians would be polytheists since the bible speaks of MANY gods and many lords

  I'm wondering what you mean by that. I don't recall every reading about other gods in the bible. I know there is mention of false gods, such as baal, but traditional christianity recognizes only one god.

  Gary: It's interesting that JW's refer to Satan as the god of this world. I wonder how they define the term "god." The traditional definition is that of an all-powerful being. As you point out, Satan doesn't do anything, really, just tempt people.... that's hardly all-powerful.
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  31

  JW's: Polytheists?

  by jstalin in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i was thinking today about the issue of jesus' deity (or lack thereof), according to the wts.

  they say that jehovah is god, jesus is not the same as jehovah, but that jesus is a god.

  doesn't that make jws polytheists?

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  jstalin

  I was thinking today about the issue of Jesus' deity (or lack thereof), according to the WTS. They say that Jehovah is God, Jesus is not the same as Jehovah, but that Jesus is a god. Doesn't that make JWs polytheists? Are there any other official gods to JWs?
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  9

  process of deprogramming

  by nicbic in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my first post - hi!.

  i have a read a lot of posts though on here.. i was wondering if anyone could tell me (i'm a non jw) if there are any procedures that can help to plant seeds of doubt in my close jw friend's mind - she has been one since birth, was inactive for a time and went back in full force.

  now - she says she is unhappy but i think she has just gone back in due to family ties, i think with some support she could change her mind.

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  jstalin

  Try and steer clear of doctrinal issues, such as trinity, Christmas, blood, etc. The more you learn about the religion, the more you can use issues in an off-hand way to make her think. For instance, my JW friend doesn't have any idea I know so much about his religion, so I make off-hand comments about things like higher education, evolution, etc, without any reference to religion, to plant a small seed. The goal is to get your friend to think about subjects. They are taught to simply repeat what they are told and not think about issues.

  However, it sounds like your friend might already be in questioning mode. It's possible that she's staying in just because it keeps the family happy. You might try talking about what she wants to do with her future, if she's happy with how things are going, etc. Those issues might help her talk about what she's going through.

  How familiar with JWs are you?
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  20

  Choices, if I could change only one.

  by Fatfreek in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  if life were only like some rewriteable media -- rewind to where you'd change something, make a different choice, and proceed.

  i'd go back exactly 50 years when i conceded, reluctantly, to study with the jw's alongside my parents.

  i was some 15 years old and, admittedly, naive.

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  jstalin

  Ellie - it's never too late to go back to school!!
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  11

  Cyberguy’s one year anniversary! Free at last! Free at last!

  by cyberguy in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hey everyone!

  its been one year since i attended meetings of jws!

  i've done the slow-fade thing since then, had several road-bumps, but i have no regrets!

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  jstalin

  Congrats!
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  1

  The Lord Jesus told him to

  by startingover in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what is missing from the pictures on this website are the complete pictures of his cross.

  there was a feature on him this morning in our paper and it said he was gone from the wooden cross to now carrying a plastic cross...with a wheel on the end!

  he said he gets heckled about it.

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  jstalin

  To each his own....
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  9

  process of deprogramming

  by nicbic in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my first post - hi!.

  i have a read a lot of posts though on here.. i was wondering if anyone could tell me (i'm a non jw) if there are any procedures that can help to plant seeds of doubt in my close jw friend's mind - she has been one since birth, was inactive for a time and went back in full force.

  now - she says she is unhappy but i think she has just gone back in due to family ties, i think with some support she could change her mind.

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  jstalin

  Hi,

  First, welcome.

  Second, I'm in the same boat as you. I'm working on a friend was grew up as a JW to help him see the light. It's a long, slow, tough process. Read a couple of books:

  Crisis of Conscience by Ray Franz

  Combatting Cult Mind Control by Steve Hassan

  Those will get you started. The important thing to do is to lay off being a challenger of the doctrine. Be there as a friend, discuss the issues if asked, and be gentle about it. Which item did she give you to read? Perhaps we can help with pointing out some errors in that particular document that you can bring up as "questions" after you've read it.
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  46

  why celebrate christmass?

  by Cordelia in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok so its nearly christmass and i'm thinking of celebrating it for the first time, but i feel alittle wrong in doing so, i know all the witness reasoning of why its wrong and just wondered what your reasons are as to why its right!.

  i have a 3 year old little girl and would love to make it nice for her (tho my family would go mad!

  ) im thinking of getting a baby tree (one that can easily be hidden!

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  jstalin

  I'm a former Catholic, current Atheist, and I celebrate Christmas. It's a good time with the family... a time to help others out.