Posts by PoppyR

11

Any Comments on IE7?

by XJW4EVR in

jw
friends

i am currently testing this new ie update.

i was wondering if any of you technoes either have or are currently using it?.

is it worth using, instead of firefox?.

Been using it a few days, like the clearer screens, and I THINK it's faster, although not sure how that could be. Dont like the fact my links have dissapeared (I had a few favourite sites on the bar at the top, just one click away) and also dont like the favourites which have to be clicked on rather than just a menu appearing when you organise them into folders.

All in all, think I'll keep the update. Dont see the huge deal about tabs, surely when you had windows open before they showed on the taskbar anyway?

Poppy

36

WHAT WOULD YOU THINK IF SOMEONE POST.......?

by juni in

jw
friends

did you kill anyone?

rape anyone?...

" gary said "no, i was caught cheating on my wife with"... i looked at the jw and said, "look man, we all fall short of the glory of god, right?"..

PoppyR

I think you cannot judge someone without walking a mile in their shoes. It's very easy to say it's something you would never do. I was one of those pious people. How could you possibly know that?

I also agree with the point that adultery doesn't occur in a healthy marraige. Personally I was married for 13 years and never so much as kissed another person (as it should be). It was only the thought that I might well die (at Armageddon!!) without experiencing real 'love' that moved me to go out and look for it. I did not want to break up my marraige or hurt the children, but I did feel the need to know. And I'm sure some of you will think that's awful, and that is your right. I genuinely and naively felt I could do this and come back and be a good witness afterward.

Thirdly, no I would not celebrate it, and I highly doubt ANYBODY who has committed adultery is happy about it, unless they are a complete asshole. It hurts people, it hurts you, your partner, extended family.. But on the other hand, no, I would not judge someone for anything at all. That just isn't my place or my right.

Poppy

25

What would you say is the main reason why people didn't listen to us?

by JH in

jw
friends

when i started going out door to door, i was sure i'd bring a couple of people with me to the org.

i knew my parents believed in god and the bible, so i was sure i'd be able to convince them with a few simple verses that we had the truth.

but no, they didn't seem convinced enough to want to study.

PoppyR

Funny, the JW didn't seem to mind spending an hour or more every week or two NOT discussing religion and NOT knocking on any more doors.

How true is this! When I pioneered we'd have 'cup of tea' calls that we knew would talk for an hour or so, make us a drink, preferably bring cake and then right before we went, we'd talk about the mags for about a minute and we'd all be embarassed! I always HATED the service. I used to feel sorry for the people being polite enough to listen.

Unfortunately I can say I have one still baptised from my years of preaching, I did actually get 3, but one has since died, and one fallen away. The only comfort I take from it, is that when I called on her, she was an alcoholic and suicidal, and the Borg seems to have given her some meaning in life!

Poppy

30

Congregations Closing Down

by choosing life in

jw
friends

i recently heard about a congregation that was "diabanded".

the publishers were reassigned to other congregations.

is this happening elsewhere or just a local thing?

PoppyR

Where I live there were 4 booming congregations (over 100 pubs each) ours had 9 regular pioneers in at one point. Things got so bad that recently they were only having 40 or so to meetings and 1 pioneer between two congs! So they 'amalgamated' the 4 into 3, and things are supposedly better (although I haven't been since it happened, choosing that time to fade out completely in all the confusion!)

I did attend the memorial this year and the hall wasn't even full, and that's with a third again as many publishers.

I think the only 'increase' in the UK is in the foreign language field where things are still growing, and personally I feel that's because a lot of those people are far from home and it's friendship and someone who speaks their language they seek!

Poppy

21

Has anyone seen the movie "The Village"?

by megsmomma in

jw
friends

it reminds me so much of the jw's.

PoppyR

Yes, I must admit I watched it while still a JW and found the comparisons to be quite disturbing! Especially the keeping everyone away from anyone who believed differently.

Weird ending, but really good film.

Poppy

14

My anniversary today - 1 year on the forum

by fullofdoubtnow in

jw
friends

it's one year today since i joined this board, as a more than a little nervous jw, i hadn't disassociated then.

this was a place i really needed to be at that time, as i certainly lived up to my alias when i first registered.

although i'm not in any doubt about the jws now of course.. i'm still very thankful that this place existed when i took those first faltering steps out of the watchtower, i'd still have left without it, but being here made it so much easier to leave, thanks to the kindness of the many wonderful people on here.

PoppyR

Congratulations, you joined 3 days before me and with many similarities! I was looking forward to meeting you on Saturday, hope your mum is ok and you can make the next apostafest!!

Poppy xxxxxxx

19

Were you Socially inadequate after leaving the Organization?

by The wanderer in

jw
friends

socially inadequate after leaving the organization the organization encouragedno demanded that individuals who were.

jehovah's witnesses to restrict their association to other individuals who.

also were jehovah's witnesses.

PoppyR

Did it take you a long time to readjust your view-
point regarding people?

Initially I didn't trust my 'worldly' friends and found myself looking for things they did as proof they were not good for me, I quickly realised they were much more loyal and less fickle than my witness 'friends'

How did you feel socially after leaving the organization
I felt fine, I think the organisation actually gives you very good social skills, unlike most of my worldly friends I can talk to anyone in any place about any subject, I think I function far better socially than lots of people who have never been witnesses

Have you made a smooth adjustment or are you
challenged socially at times?

I really dont think there is much 'adjustment'. I think the org teaches you respect for people, good manners and how to talk to strangers even if they dont want to talk to you, if there are positives to be taken away from it, (and I think there are a lot) then that is the main one. The only worry I have is that I dont have 'enough' friends...lol. i think it's because as a witness you always feel surrounded by them, and having only a few close ones feels weird!!

Poppy

16

What is the re-instatement process?

by megsmomma in

jw
friends

i would like to know if it just requires an elder to send in something to update your records.

i have been very stressed out lately....thinking about my 8 year old shunning me just about kills me.

i da'd myself quite a while ago (7yrs) and i wish i could have somehow faded.

PoppyR

I can understand this must be awful. BUT if your daughter loves you, the very fact she is asked not to speak to you based on something you did when you were 14 should prove to her the religion is a load of s****

What message are you sending her by being reinstated?

Personally I've faded, but could be DFed, my children still attend, my son aged 12 said to me categorically that the day they told him he couldn't speak to me was the day he'd leave. This fills me with confidence that they will see the org for what it is.I never badmouth the organisation I just say to them both that I will love and support them whatever choices they make, and I point out that I wasn't that lucky, my parent would only support me if I made one choice. Therefore I had none.

I think hang tight for a few years. you know kids (especially girls) at that age are very into religion, wait til she discovers boys, friends, and wants to do her own thing, I think you'll find this is all a distant memory and she will never be baptised.

If you are reinstated you will have to keep a very low profile to avoid being DFed again.

Obviously all your decision, but I could never go back for any price.

Poppy

121

What is your purpose here?

by The Scotsman in

jw
friends

it is interesting to read the posts here.

people desperately trying to convince themselves that they were right to give up!.

is this your purpose in coming here????.

PoppyR

Just want to make one point, this morning I was referring back to my records of the service reports, and if you think 1975 was not a worldwide issue, can you explain the growth (or lack of???) a massive influx pre 1975, a huge and in fact the only negatives the society has ever had after... I wonder what happened? I personally lived through this, although only a young child, and I can remember it was all we talked about.

Incidentally I also remember a district convention that went on and on about this HUGE influx before the end.. strangely no matter how much the society fiddle numbers by allowing people to put in 15 minutes of service and letting pioneers do less and less... increase is at it's lowest since the 1975 debacle. Is this Gods chosen organisation? How could they have been so wrong so many times.

1971	1,590,793	1,510,245	9.1
1972	1,658,990	1,596,442	5.7
1973	1,758,429	1,656,673	3.8
1974	2,021,432	1,753,578	8.7
1975	2,179,256	2,062,449	9.7
1976	2,248,390	2,138,537	3.7
1977	2,223,538	2117194	-1
1978	2,182,341	2,086,698	-1.4
1979	2,186,075	2,097,070	0.5
1980	2,272,278	2,175,403	3.7

41

Are you really free from the Watchtower?

by yaddayadda in

jw
friends

the thread on how long it took you to get out of the organisation made me think.

i honestly think anyone that spends more than half an hour per day on anti-jw sites like this is, psychologically, not out of the organisation at all, despite their best protests.

the watchtower clearly still fascinates them to the point of an obsessive, compulsive need to frequently post on this website and others.

PoppyR

I disagree with your statements

Saying by coming here we are not free is rubbish. I come here for relaxation, the threads make me laugh sometimes, often think about things and I like to know what's going on inside the org still because I have many family members still in.

The WT has formed my life, I will never be free of it's influences, and I dont see why I should be made to feel guilty or patronised because i enjoy this website and talking to people who have experienced similar. I spent many years looking down my nose at people, now I no longer feel the need, maybe it's YOU should be asking the questions, are you free from the patronising, condescending 'I'm better than you' mentality that is so part of being a JW

I think not.

Poppy