Posts by atypical

63

Just want to gain insight on the overall attitude of most on here.

by stillAwitness in

i am on here a lot.

leafing through posts, taking the time out to read individuals' profiles, their topics.

i like to gain insight, get perspective on what it is like to be "on the other side" i guess you can say.

atypical

Hi Stilla, thanks for the response. I admire the fact that you are taking the time to read and observe everyone's experiences. I have been doing the same thing ever since I found JWD. I have logged many hours reading peoples stories and how they have reacted. I think there is no better tool in life than to learn from others who have been where you are.

You mentioned that you feel for people who have been treated like goats. That is one of my biggest hangups towards the jws. I am becoming less and less religious (not less spiritual, just less religious) as time goes on, but I am fascinated by the attitude and actions of Jesus. To me, it seems like he made such a point to break down social barriers: talking to the samaritan, hanging out with tax collectors and prostitutes, being a smart aleck to the most prominent religious men, causing a huge scene in the temple, etc. I really feel that the witness culture is a direct opposite to that attitude.

No matter how many times they say from the platform that this is the only loving brotherhood on the earth, I think the truth is blatantly obvious: There are class distinctions, there are rivalries, abuse of power, ambition, pursuit of a title, nepotism, favoritism, pretty much every thing Jesus stood up against. And if anyone gets mad or upset by the rigid social caste system at the hall, they are told they need to be more forgiving.

Good luck (oh no - I said good luck!) to you as you find your way. Don't worry, there are tons of us out there doing the same thing.

50

What is your IQ?

by skyman in

jw
friends

my iq is 130 i have taken the test twice and both times it was 130. the detailed report said i am very high in math and logical thinking, but lower on language skills.

i believe this site has helped me with spelling and grammar.

i type rather fast now compared to when i started posting.

atypical

I took the test. It was fun, here's my score:
Congratulations!
Your general IQ score is 137.

78

My D/f appeal meeting went amazingly, but the still want to d/f me

by jwfacts in

sorry how long this is but i found the meeting very exciting.

the short version is i said directly that i do not believe in the wts, feel being d/f is unfair on my jw family so asked them to just leave me alone.

it didn't work.

atypical

Good job, man. My hat's off to you for being brave enough to go to that meeting and say your piece.

Are you going to pursue anything legal with them? Keep us posted.

Cheers

63

Just want to gain insight on the overall attitude of most on here.

by stillAwitness in

i am on here a lot.

leafing through posts, taking the time out to read individuals' profiles, their topics.

i like to gain insight, get perspective on what it is like to be "on the other side" i guess you can say.

atypical

Hi Stilla,

I would have to say that anger and bitterness are only two of the many emotions I have been dealing with. My wife, my parents, my siblings, and some of my in-laws are all very active witnesses. I have only recently stopped attending meetings and going in service. I am not df'd, so everyone thinks there's hope and is constantly trying to think of new ways to get me to a meeting or to read a new magazine that comes out (I keep telling them that I am willing to bet I read much more of the society's publications than they do).

So I guess the biggest struggle I have is the constant frustration of living this way. I can't really say how I feel, because then the brothers would have an excuse to df me. I want to distance myself from the entire witness culture, but I can't because of all my family ties. The anger and bitterness that I do feel is mostly toward the impossible mindset of most jws.

The way I deal with it is by trying to be aware of the hardships and sufferings that go on around me, and think about little things I can do to make someone feel better. When I think this way I realize how small my problems are. The other day I had a chance to talk to an autistic kid (well, he's about 22) and I tried to talk to him like an adult. I asked him about music, movies, etc. I could tell people don't usually talk to him like a real person. It was just a tiny little thing, but when I focused on him and what is in his life, it seemed to change my whole perspective.

35

What would you expect Jesus to say if he gave a talk at a Kingdom Hall?

by JH in

jw
friends

.

don't forget to give in your time sheets?

atypical

Local Announcements:

I have made a small adjustment to the drinking fountain in back. It now dispenses wine.

Also, I will be enjoying a meal after the meeting with all the disfellowshipped ones, marked ones, and those who are considered bad association.

37

convention freaky memories

by joelbear in

jw
friends

sucking on lifesavers to stay awake.

watching families eat meals during the session.

the smell.

atypical

One year, here in Phoenix, someone set off a firecracker during the drama. They lights were turned down except for on the stage and in the hallways, so it really lit the place up. The firecracker caused an older sister to have a heart attack, and I remember the men pushing her down the hallway on a stretcher. After that, they never turned the lights down for the drama.

Another year, we had a bomb scare during the drama (in Tucson) and they filed everyone out of the convention center. The police or whoever scoured the place for over three hours. We went to a restaurant and drank margaritas. When we got back, we found out that all of the "spiritual" people had gone into another building and sang kingdom melodies acapella and told upbuilding experiences. I was so glad I had chosen the margaritas. Then, they asked by a round of applause, if it would be ok to go ahead and do the rest of the program in its entirety. Keep in mind - three and a half hour delay, and on Sunday, and in Tucson (most of us had to drive 2 hours back to Phoenix). My wife and I got up and left after the applause!

1

Kick it, JC

by Vormek2.8 in

jw
friends

tell me who's in the house?

atypical

Kick it!

You wake up late for school and you don't wanna go!

You ask your mom please but she still says no!

You missed two classes and no homework!

But your teacher preaches class like he's some kind of jerk!

You gotta fight

For your right

To party!

32

WatchTower Observer now on www.reexamine.org

by reexaminer in

.

check it out at www.reexamine.org/wtobserver.

reexaminer

atypical

Sorry if I lead anyone astray. What I meant was, there is a link in the middle of the page to download a zipped file which is the entire Quotes site if I understand correctly. It is 40 mb.

I copied and pasted the link below; hopefully it will work.

Download Quotes

Also, good point, AuldSoul. We wouldn't want to crash the site and do the WT's work for them. But I do think it's good if as many people as possible have copies of the site.

37

Scriptures to make a JW think?

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

i'm looking for scriptures that you believe a doubting jw would read that would cause them to think a bit.

i have four in mind now: .

'do not go beyond the things that are written.

atypical

Here's one that has been on my mind lately.

Matthew 15:3-9:

3

In reply he said to them: "Why is it YOU also overstep the commandment of God because of YOUR tradition? 4 For example, God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Let him that reviles father or mother end up in death.’ 5 But YOU say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother: "Whatever I have by which you might get benefit from me is a gift dedicated to God," 6 he must not honor his father at all.’ And so YOU have made the word of God invalid because of YOUR tradition. 7 YOU hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about YOU, when he said, 8 ‘This people honors me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from me. 9 It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach commands of men as doctrines.’"

I keep thinking of this scripture whenever I have a discussion with someone about petty rules like the no beard thing, or writing hours on a little slip of paper, or the judicial process and reinstatement.

Also, AlmostAtheist - In my opinion, I would use the NWT whenever possible if you want to reason with a jw. Even if another translation may make the point better, it would be to easy for the jw to blame it on the fact that you are using another translation. Use their tactics; the NWT can be a common ground. It seems to me that even using that bible there are a multitude of scriptures that can make a jw think.

32

WatchTower Observer now on www.reexamine.org

by reexaminer in

.

check it out at www.reexamine.org/wtobserver.

reexaminer

atypical

Huge cheers and claps for you!!! You have done a great service. It is also great that you added the link to download the site. I suggest everybody download the site so that it can never be destroyed. No matter how many times the WT nails one, it will pop up somewhere else just as quick. They are rich and powerful, but they can't compete with the power of the mighty internet.