As you well know UnkyBruce, I have a cynical streak a mile wide. I really think we should start our own religion. Monetary gain would be an unavoidable side effect. Helping the little people would be the reward.
Posts by Gregor
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39What about calling out to Jah?
by hallelujah inthe big to me is what about jehovah.
after years of calling out to jah, literally, i start to wonder whether jah really helps me or rather it's just a type of mantra.
i have started thinking that i have to look after myself.
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25
Movie: The Truman Show = Jehovahs Witnesses? Anyone seen this movie?
by Trojan inby now, i realize there are a couple of good movies that help to understand the situation a jw finds himself in, once he finds out the truth about "the truth".
like: the village, the island, stepford wifes.
i find that these movies help me to understand the situation of being trapped in a cult and the mixed emotions about finding out and the courage and strenght needed to leave.
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Gregor
The original 1950's "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" when everyone you used to know look the same but now they are only concerned that you get a seed pod put under your bed so you can be completely absorbed and conform to the group.
Truman Show was good too.
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16
Have you ever bit your lip?
by CountryGuy inokay, this is a strange request, but i'm desperate... i have bit my lip too many times.
i bit it for the first time on sunday and have bitten it about 10 times since!
no matter how careful i am, i keep biting it!
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Gregor
Oh, yeah. When your 15 yrs. old sitting in the meeting and Sister Schwartz cracks an audible fart, try not to bite your lip too hard.
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16
Have you ever bit your lip?
by CountryGuy inokay, this is a strange request, but i'm desperate... i have bit my lip too many times.
i bit it for the first time on sunday and have bitten it about 10 times since!
no matter how careful i am, i keep biting it!
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Gregor
Pop an ice cube in your mouth immediately and hold it on the bite as long as you can, take a break and do it again, etc. (Same thing for burned mouth or kitchen finger burns).
Happening more often? Obviously, once it swells you have to be super conscious of it. But one of the reasons it happens initially is that you may be putting on weight, especially if it goes to your cheeks, (like me).
The good thing is, the mouth heals very fast.
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39
What about calling out to Jah?
by hallelujah inthe big to me is what about jehovah.
after years of calling out to jah, literally, i start to wonder whether jah really helps me or rather it's just a type of mantra.
i have started thinking that i have to look after myself.
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Gregor
Religious people call it prayer. But athiests can "pray" too. It is called "Positive self talk" and works basically the same as prayer. Either one is a healthy way to meditate and mentally organize your concerns by vocally or mentally verbalizing.
Asking, or supplicating, for strength to deal with the serious things life throws at us.
Airing our guilt or asking forgiveness for doing the things we know we shouldn't have so as to start fresh with new resolve.
Putting our life in perspective by thanking God or Providence for the things we do have, including life itself.
But I think the power of religious prayer is corrupted by expecting Gods answers to be manifest in the external, physical world. ("Dear God, please help unle Bill to quit being an asshole") Yes, there are those co-incidences (Wow, uncle Bill sent me a birthday card!) that can reinforce the idea of spiritually interacting with "GOD" , but, more often than not, the individual feels that their prayer went unanswered ("Please make Bob/Sue notice me and get the hots for me").
For me, the 'prayers' that work are those that refer me back to myself and my outlook for the answers.
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36
When did you first "get the truth™"
by unclebruce inconfessions of a "theocratic liar.
may 16th 1965. hampstead gardens primary school.
adelaide.
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Gregor
Third generation witnesses, like me, didn't get the truth, the truth got us.
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9
What makes a Special Talk "Special?"
by Virgochik inwhen i was growing up, they'd announce the date and title of a special talk.there was lots of buzzing and excitement, and everybody was encouraged to invite irregular ones and relatives to attend.
poor grandpa and aunt m. always got begged to dress up and come out to hear this vitally important message.why?
because it wasn't just a talk, it was a special talk!
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Gregor
It was always the Sunday before the Memorial. After the speaker sat down (by the way, everyone clapped at the end for the Sunday talks but never clapped at any point during it.) The MC would announce the Memorial, date, time, bring your friends,..blah blah blah.
I remember all the cigarettes being lit up by the newcomers, bible studies and and unbelieving mates as soon as they hit the parking lot. Same thing at the Memorial. See ya next year!
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21
Watchtower "study" - a puzzle for drones
by Gregor inok, here's how you prepare for the watchtower study.
come on, it's fun!
an unmarked copy of the watchtower for thewt study that week.
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Gregor
Yes, margin notes on a really dog eared copy were good. If held properly, it could be seen by others over your shoulder from several rows back. It looked like you had completely inhaled all the spiritual food there was to be had in that article. If this was observed consistently you got the reputation of being a very knowledgable, spiritually mature, brother or sister. If Armageddon started tomorrow, you'd have nothing to worry about.
Conversely, to be seen with a clean, unmarked magazine during the meeting was a sure sign of a weak publisher. Having to raise your hand for a copy when the meeting began, well, you must be, as the Hawaiians say, a real "weaky-sicky-newy"
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20
If they had the "truth", wouldn't they stop printing new literature?
by JH in.
the fact that they are coming out with new magazines and new books all the time, can only mean that they haven't found the truth yet.. if they had the truth, they'd be satisfied with their old publications.
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Gregor
GOOD EXAMPLE
Some of us remember the 'new light' that unequivocly stated that various named Society publications were the actual anti-typical fullfilments of :
1. The 7 Trumpet blasts by Joshua that brought down the walls of Jericho.
2. In Revalation the 'bowls' that were poured out on Babylon the Great
Once, near the begining of the summer conventions the Society hype machine was getting every body all goosebumpy over the impending release of a bombshell .
I'll never forget what it was. A Resolution that essentially warned all non-JWs..."OK, this is it! No more Mr. Nice Guy! You better shit or get off the pot! We're not fooling around this time!"
It was printed on the four sides of a piece of really cheap newsprint. We had to fold them. You would think such an important warning should at least be on the same quality of paper as the Watchtower.
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20
If they had the "truth", wouldn't they stop printing new literature?
by JH in.
the fact that they are coming out with new magazines and new books all the time, can only mean that they haven't found the truth yet.. if they had the truth, they'd be satisfied with their old publications.
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Gregor
My final meeting with the Judicial Committee was held in the KH library. near the conclusion I pointed to all the old WT books and bound mags., probably 20 linear feet of shelves, floor to ceiling, and said, "At one time all these were the 'truth', but we don't study them anymore because a lot of what they say has been changed. And don't tell me it's because we're getting 'new light'. If it was the real truth in 1928 it would still be the truth today"