Posts by DakotaRed

14

Check out this JW site!

by dins in

jw
friends

hi all,.

i was at my grandmother's yesterday and stumbled upon a diary with www.circuitleasing.com on her kitchen table.. seems like the society has their own leasing company now, selling co's cars and they regularly send my gran the information on how to buy since she bought one about 8 years ago from brooklyn.

they are plying her with calendars and key chains this year.. anyway, check the site out and make sure you register for your free keychain too while supplies last.. let me know what you think.. diana

DakotaRed

Every time the CO or DO comes around and then everyone unanimously votes to pay for all expenses, we/they are really paying the society.

Are you so sure it was always a unanimous vote? Seemed to me that it was only elders that mentioned obvious points, sort of like a set up and then asked for a vote, after manipulating the congregation into voting the way they deemed appropriate. A couple times, I didn't vote at all and they didn't even notice.

Still, they do like to live quite well off the backs of the poorer members and then let them do without.

If God's Spirit is filling a Kingdom Hall, how is it that Satan can manuever the ones within that Kingdom Hall at the same time?

2

Lee, Anyone Who Knows: Blood Card Update?

by Room 215 in

jw
friends

greetings all,.

i've been absent from the board sofr a few days and may have missed a post or two on this subject; the decision by brooklyn not to issue cards for 2002. as has been acknowledged, the pressure on the gb to liberalize on this issue is enormous, but but brooklyn's dlemma is how to finesse this so as not to precipitate an avalanche of law suits...to do it in the tinest, almost imperceptible increments.. so i ask lee elder or anyone else who may have a cluse as to what's up... is this decision significant?

is it a step in the wts dstancing itself from its current draconian and indefensble ``no blood'' policy?

DakotaRed

I asked my wife just last night about the blood card thing. She said they are being told to use the old cards if they were printed after 1995, but not if printed before, some cock and bull story about a printing mishap, she says.

Sad that the WTS won't truthfully acknowledge to their own flocks their reasonings, but if they did, their numbers would most likey decline even more.

If God's Spirit is filling a Kingdom Hall, how is it that Satan can manuever the ones within that Kingdom Hall at the same time?

10

Ta-da! We didn't get shunned.....this time

by Mulan in

jw
friends

we were in the liquor store yesterday, and a former jw friend of ours walked in.

he looked right at me, and i could tell he was going to shun me, but looked again, and i smiled at him, and said "hi b_ _ _" he returned a greeting, walked over to my husband, who was looking at some whisky and shook his hand, and they chatted for a bit.. so, we decided that it must be okay to talk to us, as long as we are in a liquor store.

marilyn (a.k.a.

DakotaRed

I just wonder if they would have given a friendly greeting if other JWs were there? From my experience, it seems that many are friendly, as long as no one sees them. Perhaps their heart just isn't in the shunning, but they don't want to be caught.

If God's Spirit is filling a Kingdom Hall, how is it that Satan can manuever the ones within that Kingdom Hall at the same time?

18

Hello To All

by DakotaRed in

jw
friends

as you can tell, i am another newbie, so i thought i would introduce myself.

i have been quietly reading the posts for some time now and thought it time to join in.. i am a 53 year old grandpa (neither daughter or their husbands are jw) married to jw woman with three kids, ages 15, 16, 17. therein lies the source of my discourgement and subsequent disassociation from the jws.

i outlined my involvement with the jws in my profile, if any are interested.

DakotaRed

Ashi says == "Hi DR, nice to see someone with the balls to stick up for himself. I'm still slinking along, just avoiding the dubbies until they finally catch me seeing an R rated movie or something."

Hi Ashi, maybe sticking up for myself was what got me in bad with them in the first place. If that is so, then so be it! I never did cowtow to the elders and although liked what I read and heard, remained a free thinker and did my own research. Nor did I ever stop watching R rated movies. LOL, the thought amuses me. I was in my mid forties when baptised and I could just see an elder 10 years my junior complaining about what I watched. Especially after I saw some of the video games they allowed their children to play in their homes.

As for the step-daughter, there isn't much I can do. She will have to find out on her own. They all will, I have done what I can to show them. They still expect me to leave the room if a witness comes over. Sorry, I refuse to be made uncomfortable in my own house. I am just funny that way.

If God's Spirit is filling a Kingdom Hall, how is it that Satan can manuever the ones within that Kingdom Hall at the same time?

9

"Sex In the Sect" Book by Vicki J.

by VM44 in

jw
friends

note: this is the text from a 1996 image of a website that no longer.

sex in the sect.

DakotaRed

I went to Amazon.com and although they don't have a copy, they do have a used book service that will look for it.

If God's Spirit is filling a Kingdom Hall, how is it that Satan can manuever the ones within that Kingdom Hall at the same time?

38

Freewill - a paradox

by gravedancer in

jw
friends

i have had a couple of discussions about freewill lately but it seems as if i am talking to a brick wall.

here is my basic reasoning, perhaps you can point out what i am missing.. lets outline the 2 common assumptions normally associated with the debate concerning adam, god and freewill:.

2. god gave adam freewill to obey him or not to.

DakotaRed

Grave >> So if the term "Almighty" can allow for the fact that God did not AND could not know what Adam would choose, then how can he read "hearts" and/or minds?

Well, Grave, I don't know if you have raised children or not, but I have. Now, I am not even close to Almighty, or even Mighty, just a plain old human. But, in dealing with my daughters, I could usually tell what they were thinking or feeling. Naturally, I did not know what they would choose, but I also knew what the outcome would be, if they chose a particular way. Still they were and still are, free to choose what they will do. Does that make me a mind reader? Not at all. It just makes me their Dad who cares for them and loves them, no matter what.

Personally, I hate putting God in a box of humanism, but that is the closest I can think of to describe how I see it. If we have that ability with our children, how much more could God have it with us?

Which one of us is right I leave up to God, we just appear to see things differently. Will it even matter a hill of beans? Who knows? Again, I leave that up to God. Like I said in another post today, to me the true essence of being a Christian isn't about being right or wrong on points, but loving our fellow man. If we don't have that freedom to love and it is all preknown, then we aren't humans, but fleshly robots.

Just my opinion.

If God's Spirit is filling a Kingdom Hall, how is it that Satan can manuever the ones within that Kingdom Hall at the same time?

38

Freewill - a paradox

by gravedancer in

jw
friends

i have had a couple of discussions about freewill lately but it seems as if i am talking to a brick wall.

here is my basic reasoning, perhaps you can point out what i am missing.. lets outline the 2 common assumptions normally associated with the debate concerning adam, god and freewill:.

2. god gave adam freewill to obey him or not to.

DakotaRed

Hi Grave,

I try not to get too hung up on words. Placing extreme emphasis on individual words is what I believe has led many down the path of ruin. But, in reply to your question, Vines says of "Almighty," "ruler of all." To me, that leaves room for God to allow us free will in decision making without him making choices for us. If he were to make, or know what our choices will be, then I would have to say life itself is an exercise in futility. We are individually responsible for what choices we make and the outcome, no one else.

If God's Spirit is filling a Kingdom Hall, how is it that Satan can manuever the ones within that Kingdom Hall at the same time?

38

Freewill - a paradox

by gravedancer in

jw
friends

i have had a couple of discussions about freewill lately but it seems as if i am talking to a brick wall.

here is my basic reasoning, perhaps you can point out what i am missing.. lets outline the 2 common assumptions normally associated with the debate concerning adam, god and freewill:.

2. god gave adam freewill to obey him or not to.

DakotaRed

To me, it seems that you are confusing free will with predestination. As I see it, having a free will means that we are free to choose and even though God may know how a choice will affect us, he does not interfere with that choice. His being Almighty does not necessarily mean that he already knows what we will choose, just how a choice may affect us.

It's kind of like the old "if God can do absolutely anything, can he create and object that he himself cannot move?" Of course, there is no answer to that.

If God's Spirit is filling a Kingdom Hall, how is it that Satan can manuever the ones within that Kingdom Hall at the same time?

18

Hello To All

by DakotaRed in

jw
friends

as you can tell, i am another newbie, so i thought i would introduce myself.

i have been quietly reading the posts for some time now and thought it time to join in.. i am a 53 year old grandpa (neither daughter or their husbands are jw) married to jw woman with three kids, ages 15, 16, 17. therein lies the source of my discourgement and subsequent disassociation from the jws.

i outlined my involvement with the jws in my profile, if any are interested.

DakotaRed

Thank you for the warm reception. However, a little clarification is in order. I do not live in the Dakotas, but in Washington State. I chose that name as I drive a bright red Dakota pickup truck, my baby, so to speak.

As to the rest, my wife and all three of her kids have all been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, manic depressives, you name it. The same docotrs give me a clean bill of health and do not prescribe any medications for me, but I am considered the one with the problems. Go figure, huh?

This is my third marriage and I honestly feel that in time, there will be enough interference from the JWs to fully destroy the marriage. I have tried to point this out to the wife, but like was said, it is a total waste of time. Whether or not she asks the elders means little to me. I have let them all know they have absolutely no say so in my house. I include the wife in every decision I have to make and often, get little or no feedback. She does complain to me that I don't do things with her, but almost every day, she is off either at a meeting or some JW social function. Of course, I am not welcome at those functions and will not attend any meetings.

One thing I did note early on: when the JWs found out I was an auto mechanic, they were very friendly to me, when their cars needed fixed. Even when inactive, the only calls I got were car related. Once I made it known that I didn't do "side jobs," the calls and friendship abated. Of course, now that I am DA'd, since early 2000, they won't even come to the dealership I work at. I see that as simply their loss.

I doubt I will join any churches in the future as I have been to many over my lifetime and have come to believe that all religion is hypocritical. God does not mandate any religious affiliation, in my opinion and we can research and draw to him with the Bible without the aid of man slanting things to suit their whim. I am not an atheist by any means, but have come to reject religion as manmade, all of them. I do have quite a library, both of Watchtower related publications and many others from various scholars and religions and all have abused the scriptures, in my opinion. I do not and have never accepted the trinity, but do not condemn those that do. To me, true Christianity is summed up at John 13:34,35.

Funny thing is, I once brought that scripture up to an elder that was perturbed that I had the audacity to challenge him on scripture and he didn't even know what it said.

To me, when we can comply with John 13:34,35, then we have truly found Christ and realize that almost all of the other arguments seem quite petty.

Once again, thanks for the warm welcome and I look forward to associating with you all.

If God's Spirit is filling a Kingdom Hall, how is it that Satan can manuever the ones within that Kingdom Hall at the same time?

18

Hello To All

by DakotaRed in

jw
friends

as you can tell, i am another newbie, so i thought i would introduce myself.

i have been quietly reading the posts for some time now and thought it time to join in.. i am a 53 year old grandpa (neither daughter or their husbands are jw) married to jw woman with three kids, ages 15, 16, 17. therein lies the source of my discourgement and subsequent disassociation from the jws.

i outlined my involvement with the jws in my profile, if any are interested.

DakotaRed

Hi all;

As you can tell, I am another newbie, so I thought I would introduce myself. I have been quietly reading the posts for some time now and thought it time to join in.

I am a 53 year old grandpa (neither daughter or their husbands are JW) married to JW woman with three kids, ages 15, 16, 17. Therein lies the source of my discourgement and subsequent disassociation from the JWs. I outlined my involvement with the JWs in my profile, if any are interested. I am a conservative free thinker, not bound to any mindset and research matters on my own. I do not have a problem with what the Watchtower teaches, in general, but came to realize that what they teach is not necessarily what they follow, especially down at the Kingdom Halls locally. To me, that is hypocrisy.

Maybe I should have seen it when I was studying. The Brother I studied with, along with his wife, let me know up front that I was really stupid for serving in the US Army and doing two tours in Vietnam. But, I let that comment slide. You see, the JWs are close to what I actually believe, but not completely. I don't think anyone actually is.

After my trouble started within the congregation, an elder iinformed me to hang tough, that I was just going through a "test of faith." This is the same elder that chewed me out privately for 50 minutes outside the Kingdom Hall over some manipulative ;ies my then 8 year old step-son told him about me. This is briefly addressed in my profile. He also told me that satan attacks us where we least expect it, including using those in the Kingdom Halls, which led to the question I ask in my signature, how can satan and God's spirit both work inside the Kingdom Hall? I thought the KHs were a place of peace and comfort and a way to avoid satans influence. Of course, no answer, just told it was a "test of faith."

I don't have a problem with being shunned by the JWs as I did initiate the DAing myself. However, I do have a problem with them coming into my house and taking advantage of my hospitality, goods and wares and then turning their noses up at me if I walk into the room. Therefore, I placed a notice on the outside of my front door stating;

"NOTICE TO ALL Jehovah’s Witnesses !

If your conscience dictates that you
shun and ignore the disassociated head
of this household; Then your conscience should
also dictate that you not enter the premises
or take advantage of the possessions purchased
or owned by that same disassociated head
of the household.

In plain English, if you cannot be cordial
and friendly and greet ALL members of
this house, then please exercise your
freedom to leave the property!"

Needless to say, I succeeded in upsetting the wife and her kids. In fact, the 16 year old daughter ripped the notice off the front door while I was at work the next day. I put it back up and informed them all if it came off again, I would paint JWs NOT WELCOME in two foot high letters across the front door. The wife came to agree that I was well within my rights as the main provider of the household and as the head of the house, to post such a notice, after she asked her elders and they stated that I was within my rights. With her asking the elders if I am permitted to do certain things tells me that our marriage is not going to last much longer.

I do see the JWs as not being very family supportive, unless you are towing their party line. Even then, this "pure language" message they claim seems to vary a large degree from area to area.

In closing, I bid you all a good day and pray that we all find the peace that God intended for us.

If God's Spirit is filling a Kingdom Hall, how is it that Satan can manuever the ones within that Kingdom Hall at the same time?