Posts by Nate Merit

26

is it just me or do mormons look happier than jdubs?

by in a new york bethel minute in

it seems to me that mormons enjoy their work a lot more than jdubs... and they do it 12 hours a day.

they have to walk everywhere.

they have no social life or money.

Nate Merit

To InthinkIsee

Also, a Mormon doesn't absolutely, positively, have to go on a mission.

Jehovah's Witnesses will also tell you that you don't absolutely positively HAVE to go out in field service. It is just something you SHOULD naturally want to do out of "love".

-ithinkisee

In this case it's the truth. If you don't want to go on a mission, no one is going to force you or browbeat you. However, having gone on a mission is helpful down the road if you decide you would like to exercise your ego and become a bishop or stake president. I have never met an LDS bishop (really just a congregational overseer) or stake pres (more like an actual bishop) that had not gone on a mission.
Nate

26

is it just me or do mormons look happier than jdubs?

by in a new york bethel minute in

it seems to me that mormons enjoy their work a lot more than jdubs... and they do it 12 hours a day.

they have to walk everywhere.

they have no social life or money.

Nate Merit

I am happy to be corrected;if I am wrong, but I understand that Mormon Missionaries are engaged as such for two years only. Before that and after that, there is no requirement to hand in a "Monthly Report" - or else receive the pineapple ;if you don't, as is the case with the JWs.

I have to tilt my agreement in this direction. It's one thing to never be able to "Do enough" your entire life, it's another to know that you'll be able to have this experience and then get on with "real life" when your time's over.

(Nate here. I thought we were talking about Mormons in general, not missionaries in particular. I'm talking about LDS Christians in general. They are a much happier, pleasnt, positive, alive bunch that any group of JW's.
Nate)

64

My Accomplishments As A JW Of Which I'm Proud

by Nate Merit in

i never even came close to making a convert.. .

i never donated a dime to the wtbts.. .

when i was involved, i was involved.

Nate Merit

Aw Luna2, you aren't a sap. You 'sound' like a very pleasant person. I'm so pleased you never made a convert either.

I think I didn't make converts because I loved debating. I became extremely proficient, to the point that I was one of the "heavy hitters" called upon when needed. Being young and full of myself, I was most likely extremely abrasive.

Nathan

64

My Accomplishments As A JW Of Which I'm Proud

by Nate Merit in

i never even came close to making a convert.. .

i never donated a dime to the wtbts.. .

when i was involved, i was involved.

Nate Merit

Hi Sunspot Annie

Posts such as your cause me to feel fortunate that my time as a JW was brief. Only about two and a half years out of a four year period. I feel sad that so much of your life and money were stolen from you.

I'm glad you're out, Annie. I hope life is as good as this life can be now.

Sincerely,
Nathan

64

My Accomplishments As A JW Of Which I'm Proud

by Nate Merit in

i never even came close to making a convert.. .

i never donated a dime to the wtbts.. .

when i was involved, i was involved.

Nate Merit

Good for you Mastondon! Ilove the fake Bible studies. Very cool you never gave them dime one.

I never thought of having fake Bible studies, though I did keep any money people gave me to pay for subscriptions. My reasoning: These people don't really want a subscription, they just want me to go away. I'll keep the money and never go back. That way, they get what they really want and I have lunch money!"

Isn't the human brain a wonderful thing?

Nate

42

What 'pranks' did you pull off?

by Golf in

since nate merit has already enumerated some of his pranks, how about sharing your pranks/mischief?

this forum could do with some laughter.

in my school days (50's) my buddy and i were always into mischief (witness or not.

Nate Merit

Hey Almost Atheist

One night when I was 16 my buds and I uprooted a stop sign at the corner of Linden and Cook roads in Rankin Michigan and replanted it about a half mile away on Linden. There were no cross streets where we planted it. We sat back in a field smoking cigarttes and drinking beer and laughing our asses off at all the numbnuts slamming on their breaks.

People would regularly fly down Linden Road at over 100 mph. After a few months of chopped down trees and piles of garbage bags in the road they slowed down.

Nate

42

What 'pranks' did you pull off?

by Golf in

since nate merit has already enumerated some of his pranks, how about sharing your pranks/mischief?

this forum could do with some laughter.

in my school days (50's) my buddy and i were always into mischief (witness or not.

Nate Merit

silent odorless farts??? thats no fun! farts should cause folks eyes to water, and maybe even cause them to get sick and projectile vomit. oops

26

is it just me or do mormons look happier than jdubs?

by in a new york bethel minute in

it seems to me that mormons enjoy their work a lot more than jdubs... and they do it 12 hours a day.

they have to walk everywhere.

they have no social life or money.

Nate Merit

I've had extensive contact with LDS (Latter Day Saint, "Mormon") Christians over the last several decades, and I can attest they are in fact much happier and better adjusted (for the most part, there are always exceptions) than JW's. This is due to their positive, life-embracing worldview. In contrast, Witnesses are anti-world and anti-life, simply waiting and hoping for the end of the world so they can REALLY start to live.

In the LDS worldview, unlike Witnesses, marriage and sexual union are eternal. A faithful LDS couple believe they will become a God and Goddess and their deified sexual union will give birth to divine offspring, and they will populate their own world.

All of life in the LDS worldview has been redeemed by Christ and will share in the Resurrection.

Education is strongly stressed, as is family, and comunity. Success in life is strongly encouraged. I've found you cannot ask for better neighbors and co-workers than LDS Christians. Their willingness to help is amazing. My wife and I were helped out of a tight jam by the LDS church in Ann Arbor. We were given nearly three thousand dollars 25 years ago, no strings attached. Try THAT at your local Kingdom Hall or even your local Fundy Church. Or ANY other church for that matter!

If you quote the scripture "give to him that asks" to most LDS Christians, they will obey Christ.

I love Mormon people and the Mormon church. I would BE a Mormon but I know their teachings are simply fantastic delusions. Plus they expect too much time, effort, and money!

The LDS church and people arent fault-free, but if you're looking for a faith community that really seeks to put the Christian ethos into effect, look no further.

Nate

23

Hours of work, to get those talks right, and most people were not listening

by free2beme in

jw
friends

i remember one time i worked on a talk about a week.

looking up points, cross referencing ideas, and then i get up there and i just knew most people were either asleep mentally or not paying any attention.

who could blame them, i set in the front row doing microphones and i could hardly keep my eyes open.

Nate Merit

Working hard on a sermon, losing sleep, leaping from bed when a powerful point comes to mind, pouring your whole being into delivery of said sermon, only to have most of the congregation stare stupidly and vacantly at you is normal except in pentecostal circles. The pentecostal peeps are much more likely to be paying attention and getting into it.

Nate

23

What do you feel is truly and absolutely IMPOSSIBLE?

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

a friend of mine told me tonight that he believes something is impossible.

this happens to be a something that i feel is not only possible, but 100% proven beyond all doubt.

interesting.

Nate Merit

Hi Dave

Thou Hast Written, Yea and Verily:

My list of absolutely impossible things:

The Bible is inspired by any god
The god described in the Bible exists
Dead people can kill the living
My list of impossible things will remain the same throught my life

Dave

Ditto, ditto, ditto, ditto. I would add something about stinking corpses reanimating and flying away sans aerodynamic vehicle or balloon. The Bible is chock full of nonsensical stories that no adult in full possession of their critical thinking faculties could ever believe literally.

I would add:

ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND A CHRISTIAN WHO TRULY OBEYS CHRIST WHEN IT COMES TO THE HARD STUFF. And I ain't talkin 'bout no hard cider neither, no sir.

Nate