nsrn

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Posts by nsrn

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  26

  What does it take to make my sister to stop shunning me? High Gas Prices!

  by Elsewhere in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i recently received a very odd email from my devout-jw sister who has been shunning me since 1998. it is that "the price of gas is too high so lets stop buying gas from exxon and mobil to start a price war" email.

  i'm sure many of you have seen it.. therefore, what does it take to make my jw sister stop shunning me?

  simple: high gas prices!

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  nsrn

  Maybe that is just a very tentative attempt at establishing contact with you?!?!?
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  64

  WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE NOW?

  by bubble in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i've been disfellowshipped for 4 years now (for loose conduct - lol) .

  what i want to know is, what am i supposed to believe now?

  i was brought up a jw but i know that so many of their teachings and doctrines are completely false.

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  nsrn

  Here is my 2 cents' worth: I didn't need any religion for several years after I left. But after I had a child, I started looking for some support and guidance--I knew that the morals I had been taught had kept me safe and out of trouble, but how do you teach a child that without all that other witness baggage? So I was looking around, and hit on an Oprah show with an ex-witness guest, who recommended getting a nice neutral Bible, like NIV or Standard, and reading just the book of John. Just that. And then think about that a while. And I had some non-threatening, sincere Christian friends who had a peace that I didn't have...followed them to church....

  I totally understand the folks here who say they don't need any organized religion. I personally can't identify with the athiests, but I respect that that's where they are right now. We are all changing and reassessing our beliefs, even more than 'normal' people, since we are so leary of being misled.

  Anyway, I know God see in our hearts, and understands our confusion.

  Just give yourself time. If you feel comfortable praying, you could ask God for a little guidance.

  (of the now aging gracefully in a Methodist pew class)
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  23

  Elder has Power of Attny for my Mother

  by limbogirl in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my witness mother has a rare form of leukemia -- fortunately she is doing well and it hasn't been an issue yet.

  she notified me some time ago that she had completed forms to make one of the elders at her kh her power of attorney in the event that she required medical treatment.

  she told me that she did this to relieve me and my siblings of having to make difficult decisions for her at that time -- meaning authorizing blood.

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  nsrn

  Just waking this topic up...Limbo Girl, did you get to speak to your mom about this?

  I went with my folks to the lawyer this week and had a full POA/healthcare rep done. No further mention of elders or borg forms...hope things are going smoothly for you!
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  25

  In your family, how many of the grown up children are still in?

  by els in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am the youngest of 6 children (the only on that is out)and between us we have 12 kids.

  the last i knew only one was still attending meetings.

  two others were never baptized and see my parents once in a great while.

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  nsrn

  Elderly faithful parents. Of the 3 of us, one in, but she has disabling mental illness. Of our 12 kids/grandkids, none in. Hmmmmm......
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  15

  Memorial season

  by peggy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we are in the "memorial season" and therefore we should sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice!

  this is what i am hearing at the meetings.

  pioneer!

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  nsrn

  Easter is a good serivce to visit a church for the first time. There are lots of people that only go on Easter and Christmas, so you don't stand out. Most churches I've been to are fine with dress slacks or khaki's a nice shirt (tie completely optional). They give you a bulletin at the door with the schedule of events, and some indicate when to stand. You can take communion or set it out, no problem.

  Around here, communion is held regularly at churches weekly or monthly or quarterly, depending on the denomination. "Holy week" usually has a special Thursday service that will include some historic meal or footwashing or something. Friday commemorates the actual crucifiction. Then Sunday a.m. there is often a very early service to remember Mary going the tomb. Then the normal service with scads of kids all dressed up wanting the easter egg hunt to start!

  As far as the etiquette for taking the communion: most protestant religions would say that if you recognize that Christ died for you, then you may partake. (some care whether or not you've been baptized, etc, but no one will tackle you at the cup to see if you qualify.)

  For you rookies, there are several ways to take communion. Just do what everyone around you does. Sometimes it gets passed around witness style. Sometimes one big cup, sometimes a bunch of little plastic cups. Sometimes little wafers, sometimes a whole loaf of regular leavened bread. We usually break off a piece of the bread, dip in in the grape juice (Welch's) and pop it in your mouth. AND No lightning bolts through the stained glass directly into my heart that first time! Then at our church you can stop up at the front of the church at the prayer rail and kneel and pray silently for a few minutes.

  Sorry this is so long, I just thought some one might wonder what the procedure is....my 2 cents. Nancy
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  33

  How to reply to the inevitable invitation to Memorial this year...

  by nsrn in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm anticipating a series of visitis from the witnesses to invite me to memorial.

  every year i get a few with the preprinted invitation, a couple slightly old magazines, and big smiles.

  these are people who i grew up with, who were kind to me, who honestly think my fade out will cost my eternal soul at the big a. these are the same people who pick up my elderly parents for meetings, bring them food when they are sick, and change their rusted out water heater for them in the dead of winter.

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  nsrn

  Almost there--tomorrow evening!!! We found an invitation in our door, but didn't hear a knock. I've also seen several witnesses at work and at my parent's' house, and not a word about Memorial!
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  55

  Lola and her big mouth, stupid, stupid and sooooo stupid

  by lola28 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i posted a little about this last night but i figured i would post the rest for you guys, this is the conversation that i had last night with the sister that studied with me.

  she called me and wanted to know if i had plans for the memorial, i told her that i would not be going this year and the following is the conversation we had:.

  jw: oh no, you can't miss the memorial, if you can't make it to the one in your hall why don't you cme to ours?.

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  nsrn

  Was it a relief to actually say what you were thinking? I don't think you were 'stupid', just honest. Are you going to back off, or keep going? Good luck, I remember how hard it was to finally say what was on my mind...
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  23

  Embarrassing...........

  by beachbugg in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  ok, i was giving one of those rehearsed skits during the ministry school meeting one time and i got the giggles..........seriously bad situation.

  the lady sitting across from me forgot "her line" and it struck me funny.

  the more i tried to get past it, the funnier it became.

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  nsrn

  I was about 12 years old when one of the elders ( a heavyset, pleasant man that I loved) came up behind me and tugged at my ponytail after meeting. Without thinking, I drilled him with my elbow solid in the jewels. Bent him over double, grey and sweaty. I was so embarassed! I had been getting some teasing at school and on the bus and had been practicing my moves....
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  14

  Saw Elder at Lion's Club meal, and other thoughts/observations......

  by WingCommander in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  yep, you heard me correctly.

  in the spring and fall of every year at our community fire hall there are three meals held to support and help out the fire company, ambulance, and one for the lion's club.

  now, every good jw knows not to support worldly organizations, right?

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  nsrn

  Here's my two cents' worth about your two year old:

  There are lots of wonderful kid's books with Bible stories (no agonized faces on young innocents being destroyed at Armageddon, either). You can teach a child to pray, to thank God for wonderful things, and to follow God's rules. Best of all, you can teach them that God loves them, unconditionally, even more than you do!

  If you feel like you need to take the child to a meeting, please make sure it's a short one.

  I took my daughter a few times just to please my folks, but I knew that I didn't want my child to learn the doctrine and the guilt that goes with it. We ended up with dear friends at a local church with a fantastic children's program.

  I too was an unbaptized publisher, bailed out at age 18. Didn't need religion of any sort for a long time. Then got hungry for something... Long story.

  Just my contribution...

  P.S.: Here's my guess about the cool reception from the elder: as being at a Lion's club function is a grey area, he was embarassed to be seen, thinking he might be 'stumbling' you...
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  13

  Did you ever feel in danger due to extreme weather?

  by greendawn in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  did you ever find yourself in extreme weather conditions extreme cold, heat, winds, rain etc .

  .

  i was once caught out driving during a hurricane, some things were flying around but fortunately i survived.

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  nsrn

  Scariest I ever experienced was driving home in a developing thunderstorm and suddenly our ears all hurt (pressure drop), big old car lifted up and down, and there in the field next to us was an up-close-and-personal tornado. We were fine, but scared.