Posts by nsrn

I'm not sure where on the internet I copied mine from, but it was in my photo file and couldn't resist. Hope I didn't pirate someone else's favorite...

18

Did Your Congregation Ever Get Away With Doing Things Until The CO's Visit?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i remember knowing that we could have a "large gathering" in the circuit before the new circuit overseer came on the scene and this was during the beginning of the "no large gatherings" edict.

when the co had his meeting with the elders in the circuit, he chastised more than a few and even made an example ot of one somewhat "prominent" elder by demoting his duties in the circuit to send a message not to play around and try to get away with things because "mothr" is always watching......anything that you got away with?

?

nsrn

It's hard for me to imagine 'fudging' the numbers--I grew up with my dad being so conscientious about the numbers in the field service reports...I learned to operate a big old fashioned adding machine very early...and a running commentary between us about the figures: "Uh, oh, Bro M's down a couple hours this month. Didn't he have the flu?" "Wow, Sis G got 18 hours this month!" "I wonder how old Sis L places so many magazines?" I was absolutely naive...never even considered that someone might not be honest. If Dad suspected, he never let on.

Makes me remember good old days of thinking everyone in my world was sincere...

9

What charities and clubs do you enjoy NOW, that you could not before?

by whyizit in

jw
friends

i couldn't help but notice how one of my jw friends always shows interest in some of the things we are involved with.

my husband is the leader of a boy's club at our church, we have study groups on books of the bible (using the bible only, no guides or other books), we donate gifts to children in our area and abroad, we support wycliff bible translators and personally have friends that are in remote areas of the world translating bibles into languages that are unknown to most of the world, we try to help in any area that we feel led by the lord.

i asked our jw friend why he doesn't approach his congregation or elders and ask if he could start an out-reach for kids.

nsrn

My time: I got involved in 4H (living vicariously through my daughter) and was a leader for 13 years. Ditto for a Boy Scouts program called Venturing (coed, older kids, leadership and high adventure trips).

My money: church, community food pantry, Christian Children's fund, Humane Society, 4H, International Myeloma Foundation, American Porphyria Foundation......

Ironic: If I buy them, my JW parents LOVE girl scout cookies! And they don't realize how much church bake sale food I have fed them over the years!

5

Hopefully planted a seed

by merfi in

jw
friends

a little background -- about a month ago, i was telling my brother (not jw) about the jw involvement with the un and why it would freak out the average dub.

the little fart (well, he is three years my junior) added the po's wife to his msn contact list and changed his screen name to "jw part of the un".

she sent a freaked out message to him "how did you get my address?

nsrn

I think it was a great reply! Sounds like you can't count on her not mentioning it to the child again, though--she'll probably get scolded for telling you!

12

During the assembly did you ever notice ... ???

by The_Replacement in

growing up as a kid in the 70's (and early 80's), did you ever notice at the assembly that there was always someone who had a tape recorder on stage and was taping the whole assembly.

are these tapes around today, generally i would love to hear some talks that were given before 1975 and see how many brothers said something big was going to happen, because we all know the watchtower never said that !!!

(yeah right).. any websites that might have a few of these or other interesting topics ???.

nsrn

Oh, yeah, I remember listening to a cassette tape of assembly talks in the car on trips--the old silver panasonic tape recorder in the front seat. Makes my stomach hurt to just think about it. It was awful to hear the first time around...

26

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

by Elsewhere in

jw
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!

nsrn

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

64

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE NOW?

by bubble in

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.

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)

23

Elder has Power of Attny for my Mother

by limbogirl in

jw
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.

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!

25

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

by els in

jw
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.

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......