Arthur

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Posts by Arthur

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  36

  What are you up to this weekend?

  by saki2fifty in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  well, i've been reading, and reading, and even more reading and just dont have it in me to respond (midnight here)... so... here's whats going on with me this weekend.. i live in houston, and scheduled a trip up to austin for the weekend for a little race that we are participating in.

  check it out, its pretty cool.

  its called the muddybuddy and can be found @ www.muddybuddy.com.

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  Arthur

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  19

  What impact did the internet have on your decision to leave the JW's?

  by JH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  on another thread, a co says that sites like these don't have much impact on their numbers.. personally i didn't leave because of this site or any other xjw site.. i was unhappy and felt that something was wrong and this site confirmed what i felt.. how about you?

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  Arthur

  Very little influence, if any at all. I think I had left the organization mentally long before I left it physically. I decided I just couldn't play the organization's games anymore; long before I even looked at any anti-JW site.
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  19

  Candid Interview with Kevin Smith on Prince

  by daniel-p in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is a 4-part series of video of kevin smith (director of dogma, chasing amy, jay and silent bob, etc) talking about his experience filming a documentary for prince.

  this is a must-see, even if you don't care for celebrity gossip.

  it's absolutely hilarious.

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  Arthur

  Great post daniel-p !! Thanks for posting that for us.
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  46

  thinkin of goin back

  by searching4truth in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was df bout a year back and have since been enlightened by a life long friend.

  i am leaning toward returning anyway but mostly for familyand friends.

  i recognize the hypocrisy of this move but also don't feel that i should be subject to there authority and in my current state i am.

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  Arthur

  It's sort of like someone who was fired from Enron who wants to return to the company so that they can later quit.
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  29

  A Testimony of Filth?

  by Perry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  at age 23 i became a witness after being raised in it from infancy.

  that made me a 4th genreation witness.

  the first hall i went to was the airport congregation in houston.

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  Arthur

  The organization (as well as other orgs) has to set guildlines regarding morality for their followers and those followers try to adhere to the best of their ability.

  There is no problem with this as long as that organization is honest in admitting that many of it's decrees are the opinions of men instead of claiming that they are Biblically based. When an organization attempts to enforce countless rules that have no scriptural precedent (while claiming that they do), this is a big problem. Many organizations do indeed have elaborate rules and guidelines; which they have every right to enforce. But, to make up countless trivial rules from one's own personal opinions, and then to claim that it has scriptural precedent is disengenuous at best.
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  29

  A Testimony of Filth?

  by Perry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  at age 23 i became a witness after being raised in it from infancy.

  that made me a 4th genreation witness.

  the first hall i went to was the airport congregation in houston.

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  Arthur

  Saki It is not a relative few. It is at about the same level of society in general

  I was stating that it was relatively few who were doing things such as having affairs and sleeping around with other members of the congregation. These things may have been an epidemic in some congregations, but this was not the case in the congregations that I attended over a 20 year period. However, I did say that there is an organizational problem with the GB operating as religious legislators, and micro-managing people's lives that I believe contributes to these kinds of problems.
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  29

  A Testimony of Filth?

  by Perry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  at age 23 i became a witness after being raised in it from infancy.

  that made me a 4th genreation witness.

  the first hall i went to was the airport congregation in houston.

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  Arthur

  but how can you classify and entire organization or congregation as filth when only talking about relatively few incidents.

  I agree that to characterize 6 million individuals in a negative light due to the actions of a few is irrational. However, I do think that the organiazational authority structure (the way the GB dictates to everyone in detail, what their conscience should and should not allow) does contribute greatly to individuals going through the motions and dutifully following organizational decrees without really developing the true characteristics of morality, chastity, decency, and love deep down inside their hearts. Again, this is not the case with many individuals, but I do think that this phenomenon is a significant factor that is relevant to the thread.
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  Atlanta Ga

  by Priest73 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i haven't been back in years... i wondering if anyone has any scoop on happenings in atlanta.

  buckhead cong peachtree cong, etc.

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  Arthur

  It looks like the Braves aren't going to make it to the playoffs.
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  29

  A Testimony of Filth?

  by Perry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  at age 23 i became a witness after being raised in it from infancy.

  that made me a 4th genreation witness.

  the first hall i went to was the airport congregation in houston.

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  Arthur

  Why don't long term witnesses get the overwhelming proof available all around them that adherence to WT teachings does not improve morality, in fact it probably makes it worse?

  I think the problem is that most Witnesses do not have their conscience trained by the Bible (as they so often claim); but it is trained by the Governing Body.

  The publications and assemblies constantly throw around the cliches about having a "Bible trained conscience". But is this really the case with the rank and file Witnesses? No. It is the Governing Body a.k.a. faithful slave that dictates to the r&f what their conscience should and should not allow. The whole having a "Bible trained conscience" is a myth and a smokescreen. It doesn't exist.

  The Bible contains basic dictums and principles about cleanliness, morality, and love. But the GB does not trust the "flock" to make intelligent, rational decisions in these areas. They believe that it is their job to take these principles a step furthur, and micro-manage people's lives and thoughts. And this is the problem.

  I think that many JWs dutifully follow the "theocratic legislation" that is passed by the GB out of an irrational reverence for a committee of men. Every Christian religion with at least a particle of rationality will always pay lip service to "following scriptural principals". Yet, often, it is religious legislators who decide what it is that the Bible is saying.

  JWs love to ridicule Catholics who follow all of the decrees issued by the Pope. But how are they any different? Every decree that is passed by the GB regarding healthcare, hobbies, education, entertainment, and even marital sex is expected to be followed to the letter. So, the whole "Bible trained conscience" platitude is a sham. If the GB were to issue a statement that eating Snickers Bars was unscriptural, most JWs would go along with it; and even applaud the GB's "wisdom".

  There is an old proverb that talks about those who are forced to accept dictums and ideas; but don't really truly believe in them deep down inside. I can't remember who said it. I am paraphrasing it, and it goes something like this:

  " A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still"
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  17

  What Are Unwritten Rules & Understandings That "Good" JWs Will Adhere To?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  jt, made a very good point in a different thread regarding how witnesses follow unwritten rules and understandings.

  for example, a witness may shun you----even though you're not disfellowshipped or disassociated.

  because they know you're leading an immoral life or that you smoke.

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  Arthur

  Here's My Top 11 Pics

  1) Don't refer to Jesus too much.

  2) Don't bring any other Bible translation to the meeting other than a NWT.

  3) In service, when someone behind a closed door says: "who is it?", don't say that you are a JW, say that you are a Bible student.

  4) At assemblies, after all of the announcements are done, don't sit until the chairman says: "please be seated".

  5) Don't ever read self help books about financial or career advancement. (JWs are supposed to have lousy jobs that they don't like - this shows that they are theocratic)

  6) When you are at a museum, and you come across a display of Homo Erectus, or Cro Magnon Man, make sure that you sneer at it and call it worldly wisdom; even if you don't know what the hell "cro-magnon" even means.

  7) When major doctrinal flip-flops happen, act very happy and applaud the organization for it's "flashes of light."

  8) Don't ever say anything remotely positive about the Israelis.

  9) Don't even think about reading a book on evolution. (Remember, Charles Darwin is the devil)

  10) Act happy, but don't act too happy. (remember, if you are not struggling, opressed, and being persecuted in some way, something is wrong with you).

  11) And lastly, make sure that when the name Raymond Franz comes up, to use the most viceral and ugly language in deriding that "wily ole apostate".

  My friends, if you do these 11 things, you are one who is letting your "theocratic advancement be known"

  Now, excuse me while I go vomit.