6,741,444 publishers in 99,770 congregations.. .
1,059,325 peak publishers in the lower u.s. this is a 2.3% increase.. south korea has yet, again, to post a zero or negative growth, and this being the most internet/ wired country in the world.
publishers are up another 1%.
Here is some additional educational info and statistics that might put the JW's (so-called) stats into perspective, from the Population Connection:
"You're One in Six Billion
A middle-grades appropriate reading on the history and ecological context of population growth":
http://www.populationeducation.org/pages/0,themedetail,themedetail,00.ecs?contentid=40
It's useful and interesting, regardless of one's grade-level.
what i have wondered, is how true were the witnesses about the psychological affect of having multiple sex partners in our lives?
i remember reading, and hearing in talks, that people who have turned themselves into the type of person who engages in indiscriminate sex, will suffer depression, problems in relationships and illnesses related to such a life style.
this line of fear was often drawn, to make a young person in the congregation fear the idea of having sex out of wedlock, and perhaps be enough to control the extreme drive of their hormones in early years.
There are many reasons for dysfunctional sex lives. The main problem is boundaries for most people, both for those who are very promiscuous and for those who are very monogamous.
You have to know what works for you, physically and emotionally.
Unfortunately, for most of us, getting to know ourselves in regard to sex is a matter of trial and error, (although some aspects of that trial and error can be profoundly satisfying).
I think there is only one truly moral issue regarding sexuality, and that is taking responsibility for all of its consequences - both the physical and the emotional - both for yourself and for your partner, and for the possibility of pregnanacy, with its limiting/limited options.
Before engaging in sex, both partners should agree on how to cope with any unplanned consequences and both should expect that the advent of pregnancy can cause people to change their minds and to have sudden and unexpected emotional (and financial} demands.
Only emotionally and financially stable, empathetic adults can really cope with all that.
The bottom line, whether you choose to have multiple partners or to be monogamous is: know yourself, be responsible, and have fun (without being overly judgmental. "Judge not, lest ye be judged").
Happy Sex to y'all!
i've been tossing this idea around for a few days and thought i'd post this.
how many ex-jw's are going to spend christmas alone this year because most of their family is still "in"?
i figure there may not be tons, but there will be a few anyways.
That's a great idea, Kwin.
I feel lucky that I'll be spending Xmas with my non-jw, atheist aunt and daughter in Durham. It would be great to have other x-jws there. The more the merrier; oops, I'd better prepare my aunt for the deluge of people, heh heh.
I hope you have a great holiday and others show up. There are plenty of people who end up alone for the holidays, so reaching out to all is a great idea.
When I'm unable to travel, I sometimes go to church dinners and such where there are others also without family support, and such.
It's not the same as being in a home, though, with friends who are your chosen family. I hope you have a great holiday! I'd consider a drive to Niagara Falls if my back could take it.
i went to see someone in my old hall last night, who's recently been diagnosed with cancer.
she's only in her late 40s, healthy, so this was a shock when i found out about it the other night.
apparently it's gone in to her liver and her doctor has not given her any hope of surviving it, although they're going for a second opinion, as the doctors in our area are notoriously incompetent.. even though i stopped going to the meeting 2 years ago, i thought going to see her was the human thing to do, since she studied with me when i was 15 years old and i thought it would maybe be comforting for her to talk to someone else who had had cancer.
I think I understand that BCZAR. When one is sick, one does not want to become their illness, does not want to be defined by it; you just own it, the way you own other body parts, other issues, the way you own other delightful things, as well.
will be in wa next week (for two weeks).
anyone from wa want to meet up.
first week will be in perth and the week after in regional wa.
If you're paying, I'm staying. Always wanted to visit Aussie Land.
my partners brother is being released from state prison on 12/7 and jake has to go to huntsville to pick him up.
i am cooking a big thanksgiving dinner and his mom wants me to duplicate it when the a**hole gets home and cook a big dinner for x-mas too.
i get 1 day off a week and i am starting to resent being the fricking maid.
http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/
I know sometimes it seems like a cult, but you and your father-in-law will find great support and coping strategies, especially with regard to setting boundaries (like not putting up with abuse from wife) at Al-Anon. Many there have multiple years, even decades, of experience. Best wishes.
my partners brother is being released from state prison on 12/7 and jake has to go to huntsville to pick him up.
i am cooking a big thanksgiving dinner and his mom wants me to duplicate it when the a**hole gets home and cook a big dinner for x-mas too.
i get 1 day off a week and i am starting to resent being the fricking maid.
BTW, if the drunk refuses to go to the AA mtgs, you are totally absolved of all responsibility for doing him any favors whatsoever. He's earned the right to go to meetings daily until he shapes up or ships out and his parents ought to agree to it, if they really care about him getting well. It probably won't get him sober or change his attitude to go to mtgs, but it gets you "off the hook" and in control of your own boundaries. No adult who behaves so badly deserves to have a cook, a maid, a caretaker, whatever if he refuses to help himself.
Also, I would make Al-Anon a requirement for my inlaws, in regard to certain duties performed on their behalfs, as well. They need help, too, as they are total enablers and son blames them for his alcoholism/problems, right? They need to understand how they're being manipulated by him and by each other over son's drunkenness. Al-Anon could really help them.
my partners brother is being released from state prison on 12/7 and jake has to go to huntsville to pick him up.
i am cooking a big thanksgiving dinner and his mom wants me to duplicate it when the a**hole gets home and cook a big dinner for x-mas too.
i get 1 day off a week and i am starting to resent being the fricking maid.
Hambeak, I thought I saw somewhere that you are recovering from illness or surgery. Good grief! Someone in your family should be waiting on you.
I would not go pick up this loser unless it's on the way to an Al-Anon meeting and he's getting dropped off at an AA meeting or a Treatment Center. I would make that the condition for any interaction/assistance I do for him, DAILY: I do this, you go to AA. You don't go to AA, you don't get any favors. Period.
You need to take care of YOU, not the drunk.
BTW, I hope you are recovering well and sanely.
Sounds like an abominable situation with your in-laws. They sound like a lovely Baptist couple. I'm picturing them as the cartoon with the 2 old folks and their very, very bad dog. What's it called? Anyone know which cartoon I'm talking about?
my daughter started school this year and in her class are 3 jw kids who happen to be relatives but she doesn't know this.. anyway, i'm pretty much known for my anti witnessing in my town so a few mothers have come up to me and asked what they should do about sending xmas cards to these kids, i don't know what theyshould do or what i should do, i feel mean leaving them out but i don't want to be responsible for them being given cards fromtheir friends only to have them taken away by their parents.. should i maybe send them a non xmassy card and some sweets?
they are only aged 3-4, i feel sorry for them..
BTW, wouldn't this be a nice opportunity for your daughter to meet her relatives and give the sweets and cards to the kids at school where parents can't interfere? Just find out about allergies and school policies on that, first.
my daughter started school this year and in her class are 3 jw kids who happen to be relatives but she doesn't know this.. anyway, i'm pretty much known for my anti witnessing in my town so a few mothers have come up to me and asked what they should do about sending xmas cards to these kids, i don't know what theyshould do or what i should do, i feel mean leaving them out but i don't want to be responsible for them being given cards fromtheir friends only to have them taken away by their parents.. should i maybe send them a non xmassy card and some sweets?
they are only aged 3-4, i feel sorry for them..
No matter what you do, there's no guarantee the kids will get the stuff if you're known as an apostate. Even so, it's fine to reach out to them without rubbing Xmas in their noses. Send them something right away so it's not interpreted as relating to Xmas or holidays . . . just a card to say 'thinking of you cuz you're sweet' with some sweets. Who knows, they may end up in the garbage and labelled "possessed," but at least you made the effort to reach out and it shouldn't cost you much to do some simple, little thing.
