AudeSapere

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Posts by AudeSapere

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  15

  Hello all just moved to Lakewood NY

  by Still Totally ADD in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it has been along time since i have posted something.

  my wife and i have just moved to ny just west of jamestown.

  our log house in pa was so far from everything it was costing us to much time and money.

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  AudeSapere

  {nevermind. I made a mistake and deleted my comment.}
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  12

  Death of a loved one and faith

  by ilikecheese in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hey all.

  i haven't posted in forever and a day, but i feel like this is a great place to ask this question because of so many people who are unsure of their beliefs.

  my mom was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer about four years ago.

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  AudeSapere

  I am so very, very sorry for the loss you and your family are feeling.

  I don't have special insight into what happens at death.

  The world goes on, but sadly, we do not. To lose life at a relatively young age and while surrounded by so much love is just so heartbreaking.

  I think you can find comfort in your own words here:

  Mom had a heart of gold. If there is a heaven, she is SO there. I haven't met anyone more deserving of it. I like to think of the verse about whoever was last being first. Mom would be the first in line for everything.

  Seems that in the lottery of being assigned parents, you got a grand prize. Cherish our favorite memories of your mom.

  Trust in the kindness of others and share your own unique abilities (inherited and trained by the woman you admire and miss) with the rest of humanity.

  Again, though, very sorry for your pain at the loss of your mom.
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  67

  Is proselytizing less condescending when evolutionists do it?

  by paul from cleveland in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  is it just me?

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  AudeSapere

  Also, my Atheist family and friends seem to have much more varied (or highly challenging and focused) activities and interests in their lives. They work hard, play hard. And find delight in the exchange of ideas, experiences and sharing of themselves and their time.

  They just don't seem interested keep banging their heads or fists at someone who doesn't want to hear opposing thoughts of view.

  That's been my experience, anyway.

  On the other hand, my JW family and (former)friends... Well, you all know how THAT is...
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  67

  Is proselytizing less condescending when evolutionists do it?

  by paul from cleveland in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  is it just me?

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  AudeSapere

  I have only read a few posts on the first page of this thread...

  Regarding the Proselytizing/NotProselytizing debate... I have spoken with MANY atheists. I never once had a feeling that the Atheist was trying to convert me to his/her belief(s). In fact, quite the opposite.

  Religious people, however, continually try to get me to their churches and study groups. And they try some very, very tricky means to do so.

  In my experience, Atheists - for the most part - just logically discuss the 'facts' as they know them and seem to more-freely admit that they do not have all the answers. They seem less concerned with 'converting' me. The focus seems more focused on using and developing logical critical-thinking skills than on emotion and 'blind faith'.

  They also seem more inclined to see the person as uniquely individually. And if that person is happy with (or substantially reliant on) their chosen belief system - and it's actually *working* for that person - maybe just let them continue and not pressure a change.

  My strongly religious aunt worked for several years for a company run by prominent Atheists. She was reluctant to tell people that she was working there. But, guess what~!!?? She was so surprised that they were the kindest managers and owners that she had EVER worked for. They were tolerant of her Christian views and affiliations. They were as generous to her as they were to all employees. And this surprised her. A LOT.
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  13

  Just realized this recently - as a JW, I never "owned" any of my accomplishments or talents & abilities....

  by Muddy Waters in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  just realized this recently - as a jw, i never "owned" any of my accomplishments or talents & abilities....we were always told how we are nothing, just specks of dust, grasshoppers, worms.... lowly, despicable sinners in need of redemption, born into sin & misery, constantly facing temptations that we could never handle on our own but only with "jehovah's help"... so we were continually marginalized, all our abilities and talents... they would even quote scriptures that said things like "why should we boast as if we didn't receive these abilities..?

  "it was a weird mentally psychotic dichotomy -- being told we were worthless sinners, undeserving of god's kindness -- and on the other hand being the only ones who would survive the great day of jehovah the almighty god at armageddon.

  (well, probably, maybe, if we did enough and *kept* doing enough...)so we didn't "own" any of our abilities and accomplishments.

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  AudeSapere

  Muddy Waters wrote: All our talents and abilities are OURS. We are gifted (whether by a god or a universe, or heritage of genetics, or pairings of various particles and quantum things, who the heck knows...) and we stand on our OWN.

  From my perspective, the PRIDE comes in how how I choose to utilize and develop those God(???)-given talents.

  When we develop our gifts and utilize them to better our lives, the lives of our families and our community at large, we demonstrate respect and appreciation for those gifts by putting them to good use *now*. Not setting them in a symbolic box, 'safely & quietly' placed in the back corner of a symbolic dark closet while waiting on some future, fantasy event or time that very likely will never come.

  We show appreciation by using our talents DAILY to help both ourselves and others.

  I think it also makes us more appreciate the talents of OTHERS as they help us to achieve our goals and/or we can learn by their examples (and mistakes). Yes, we are humbled to the point of wanting to learn more, grow more, share more, receive more, and do more. The stimulation comes from within. Not from being brow-beaten by domineering overseers for whom nothing is ever 'enough'.

  .

  To me, that internal drive and stimulation to contribute to the human experience is spirituality. I think it is different than most people's view, but it works for me.

  Outward displays of 'task completion' (ie: field service hours, meeting attendance and participation, etc), these are just short-cuts to actual, true spirituality. They can be faked with relative ease and are not honorable in their drive. The goal with JWs is often more focused on the appearance of spirituality than the actual spirituality itself.

  But that is probably best left as a topic for a separate thread. (Sorry to detract from current OP Focus Topic~!!)
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  13

  Just realized this recently - as a JW, I never "owned" any of my accomplishments or talents & abilities....

  by Muddy Waters in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  just realized this recently - as a jw, i never "owned" any of my accomplishments or talents & abilities....we were always told how we are nothing, just specks of dust, grasshoppers, worms.... lowly, despicable sinners in need of redemption, born into sin & misery, constantly facing temptations that we could never handle on our own but only with "jehovah's help"... so we were continually marginalized, all our abilities and talents... they would even quote scriptures that said things like "why should we boast as if we didn't receive these abilities..?

  "it was a weird mentally psychotic dichotomy -- being told we were worthless sinners, undeserving of god's kindness -- and on the other hand being the only ones who would survive the great day of jehovah the almighty god at armageddon.

  (well, probably, maybe, if we did enough and *kept* doing enough...)so we didn't "own" any of our abilities and accomplishments.

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  AudeSapere

  I love this post! You captured the thought process of entrapment and subsequent benefits of enlightenment perfectly!

  I think this resonates with so many of us and that concept of valuable 'preciousness' in our own sense of accomplishment is what helps clear some of our FOG-induced depression.

  Thank for capturing this powerful insight and sharing it~!!

  -AudeSapere (meaning: Dare to Know; Dare to Have Wisdom/Understanding; Dare to Think for Yourself)
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  20

  Memorial Invitation

  by sloppyjoe2 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  how do you faders/inactive handle being asked to the memorial by family?

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  AudeSapere

  I am inactive (faded) for more than 22 years and have RARELY been invited. In fact, I don't think I've ever actually been invited.

  There is only one occasion that I can remember and that was just an inquiry from my non-baptized, severely inactive brother and his 'baptized-but-very-inactive' (now divorced) spouse. For them, I went more to support them in a new territory. Just the one time.

  I think if I was ever to be invited again by an active witness, my response would likely depend on my current relationship with them. If they are someone I've had good life experiences with, I would probably smile and diplomatically say something along the lines of, "Thank you. I probably won't attend, but thank you for thinking of me." and smile again.

  THEN, I would quickly make plans for something FUN that evening.

  Just because I can~!!!
• 
  62

  Brooklyn news on sending the elderly packing

  by I am a Bible Student in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  johnny the bethelite on this program talks about the older bethelites being targeted by watchtower.they are getting rid of those at bethel who are 65-87 years old, some being anointed even the widows of former governing body members who gave decades of loyal service time to the watchtower organization.. the reasons the very elderly are being expelled are money in that for their age range they cost so much to cloth, fed, and medicate, having problems from high blood pressure to dementia.

  they include persons such as sister henschel whose husband had been a watchtower president and marian sydlik whose parents are long dead.. https://soundcloud.com/rick-fearon/jan-16-2016-johnny-the-bethelite-watchtower-insider-host-his-radio-program-from-brooklyn-ny .

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  AudeSapere

  Outlaw - You crack me up!! Laughing so hard I've got tears on my cheeks~!!

  Can't find his f'in cat, either! LOL
  

  Thanks for the giggles.
  
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  1

  Glenn Frey has died at the age of 67. I'm shocked. I didn't know he was sick.

  by Butyoucanneverleave in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  i loved the eagles.

  still do as you can guess by my username.

  life is fleeting.

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  AudeSapere

  I only knew of his illness when The Eagles declined participation in the Kennedy Center Honors a few weeks ago. They declined because Glenn was just too sick to join them and they requested to wait until next year so they could all receive the Honors as a group.

  Sadly, now, Glenn will not join them next time, either.

  I'm really, really sad about his death.

  .

  I started a thread about his passing earlier this afternoon:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5186743326212096/heaviest-hearts
• 
  23

  It Is With the Heaviest of Hearts...

  by AudeSapere in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .. source: http://eagles.com/news/266763.

  it is with the heaviest of hearts that we [the eagles]...the passing of our comrade, eagles founder, glenn frey, in new york city on monday, january 18th, 2016.glenn fought a courageous battle for the past several weeks but, sadly, succumbed to complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia.the frey family would like to thank everyone who joined glenn to fight this fight and hoped and prayed for his recovery.words can neither describe our sorrow, nor our love and respect for all that he has given to us, his family, the music community & millions of fans worldwide.cindy frey | taylor frey | deacon frey | otis frey|don henley | joe walsh | timothy b. schmit | bernie leadon | irving azoff“it's your world now”written by glenn frey and jack tempchinfrom the eagles’ long road out of eden albuma perfect day, the sun is sinkin' lowas evening falls, the gentle breezes blowthe time we shared went by so fastjust like a dream, we knew it couldn't lastbut i'd do it all againif i could, somehowbut i must be leavin' soonit's your world nowit's your world nowmy race is runi'm moving onlike the setting sunno sad goodbyesno tears allowedyou'll be alrightit's your world noweven when we are apartyou'll always be in my heartwhen dark clouds appear in the skyremember true love never diesbut first a kiss, one glass of winejust one more dance while there's still timemy one last wish: someday, you'll seehow hard i tried and how much you meant to meit's your world nowuse well your timebe part of something goodleave something good behindthe curtain fallsi take my bowthat's how it's meant to beit's your world nowit's your world nowit's your world now.

  ..... source: http://eagles.com/news/266763.

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  AudeSapere

  I had an opportunity to see the 'Hell Freezes Over' show live way back in the 90's. I regret not going - for the past 20+ years.

  So sad to learn of his passing. And 67 is a number that seems smaller and smaller every damn day.

  RIP Glenn.