joelbear69

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Posts by joelbear69

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  21

  Unsure what to give my son for his graduation present? any ideas?

  by chrisjoel in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i dont see my son very often.

  he is 18 and graduating at the end of may.

  entrenched as a jw but still he wants me to attend his graduation even though im "apostate"...(he loves me...) but what do i get him ...just money?

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  joelbear69

  a nice watch lasts a long time and creates a memory especially if its engraved.
• 
  13

  Carpe Diem

  by joelbear69 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  seize the day.

  as witnesses we were constantly taught to put off our dreams, our hopes, .

  our goals and wait til the "new world" to live.

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  joelbear69

  actually the point wasn't about my travel.
  
  it was about making goals to keep yourself going.
  
  oompa, if you hate me, then something is missing
  in your life. make a goal to find out what it is.
  
  peace.
• 
  13

  Carpe Diem

  by joelbear69 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  seize the day.

  as witnesses we were constantly taught to put off our dreams, our hopes, .

  our goals and wait til the "new world" to live.

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  joelbear69

  Seize the day.
  
  As witnesses we were constantly taught to put off our dreams, our hopes,
  our goals and wait til the "New World" to live.
  
  Well. One thing I've learned it to not put joy off until tomorrow.
  
  I've learned this by observation of how my witness family and friends'
  lives have turned out. I do have pity for them, but alas, we all choose
  our paths.
  
  How do you do it?
  
  Practice
  
  Start with short term attainable goals and then build on it.
  
  I'm 50 this year. My next goal is to see all of the continental US
  that I haven't seen yet and I'm doing it in July. Scary to quit my
  job and do this. Yes, quite. But in 10 years I'll just be older so
  I'm doing it now.
  
  Living is quite enjoyable when you are working towards goals.
  Without goals, life goes adrift fairly quickly.
  
  Now, I mean it. Your goals will clearly be different from mine.
  Bravo! Thats what makes them fun, they belong only to you.
  
  Read some Mark Twain. He'll inspire you.
  
  hugs to all my friends out there.
  
  love
  
  Joel
• 
  17

  My brother invites me to his graduation...may open up can of worms...(Sigh)

  by FreedomFrog in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok, my baby brother wants me to come to his graduation ceremony.

  from what my mom said, he really wants me there.

  here's the situation so far.... i know my aunt/uncle/and cousins, along with my parents and half of my old kh that i grew up with will be there.

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  joelbear69

  I would view this as an opportunity to plants some seeds of hope in your
  brother, encouraging him to go to college, seek freedom, think for himself.
  
  Confront the silliness of shunning head on. It is truly the silliest thing
  ever created.
• 
  110

  Do you wash your hands after using the restroom?

  by John Doe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've noticed a disturbing trend where 90% of guys don't wash their hands after using the restroom, and probably 25% don't even after number two'ing.

  encouragingly, about 80% of the guys in law school do wash their hands.

  (i know it's weird, but i count) .

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  joelbear69

  i started washing my hands a lot more a couple of years ago, not only after using the restroom, but in general throughout the day. i have had much less occasions of flu, stomach viruses and colds since then.
• 
  70

  If you believe in nothing, then how do you know JW's are wrong?

  by slimboyfat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  many who leave the witnesses go on to affirm other recognisable sets of beliefs.

  some become christians of various sorts, others tend toward patriotism as a kind of rejection of the anti-patriotic stance of the watchtower, while yet more simply affirm in general the secular values of mainstream society.

  do you believe jehovah's witnesses are wrong?

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  joelbear69

  I believe in facts proven by using the scientific method. I believe in people who have provided me with a history of being trustworthy. I believe in ideas that are presented along with a rational logical argument.
• 
  54

  Public Talk & Bookstudy Changes - the real reason

  by bud2114 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i havn't been able to keep up with all the discussion in this forum as to why the gb has suddenly decided to implement these changes and perhaps someone has mentioned this already, but to me the most obvious reason has nothing to do with control, or money.

  it has everything to do with the serious shortage of qualified brothers who can (or who are willing to) be used.

  i have been involved in the organzation for 40 yrs and i have never seen the level of apathy and disillusionment among those serving in some capacity in this organization.

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  joelbear69

  I agree with this.
  
  Many mid level and even first level management jobs require 45 50 or 55 hours a week. This
  is required. Most family heads need to make at least $35 to $40K a year just to keep a family
  in house, food and clothing.
  
  There is just not time to do what is required of MS or elder anymore and raise a family.
  
  I'm sure that's why witnesses advise against having kids. They need the manpower.
  
  It is remarkable how this resembles the Catholic church and their lack of clergy.
• 

  Meetup.com group in North Atlanta

  by joelbear69 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i know there are a lot of jwd folk in or near atlanta.

  there is now an exjw group in north atlanta on meetup.com .

  just go to meetup.com and sign up and then search for ex jehovah's witness .

• 

  joelbear69

  Hi all,
  
  I know there are a lot of JWD folk in or near Atlanta.
  
  There is now an exjw group in north atlanta on meetup.com
  
  JUst go to meetup.com and sign up and then search for Ex Jehovah's Witness
  
  in or near Atlanta. It is actually listed in Cumming, Ga
  
  I know I would love to meet up with any and all of you near atlanta
  
  and this provides a way to organize and announce meetings.
• 
  22

  Older generation JW's are being sacrificed by the Society? Why?

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what has changed in the last few years?.

  cheap paperback books.15 minute rule.reduced pioneer requirements.public/private watchtoweronly one pair of mags to public per month.doctrinal changes re 'generation', 1935 etcpublic talk cut to 30 minutes.and now the book study kicked into the long grass.this is an organisation that, since the big 1995 'generation change', is clearly slimming down and planning it's future srategy.

  real estate is being sold and essential operations are being relocated to more cost efficient locations.

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  joelbear69

  i agree. they are using similar tactics to other religious organizations.
  
  plan on them soon instituting reach out programs to help the poor,
  sick, etc. I know I know, totally against WTS practice in the past, but
  these are the kind of actionable programs young people like.
• 
  4

  Savior Complex

  by joelbear69 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i came down with a savior complex in my late teens and i still have yet to shake it completely.

  the idea that somehow i am supposed to figure out what is wrong with the world and try to help fix it can be overwhelming at times, especially for someone like me that suffers from ocd.

  i have found that they only effective way for me to handle this is to try and make things better in my small corner of the world.

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  joelbear69

  I came down with a savior complex in my late teens and I still have yet to shake it completely. The idea that somehow I am supposed to figure out what is wrong with the world and try to help fix it can be overwhelming at times, especially for someone like me that suffers from OCD. I have found that they only effective way for me to handle this is to try and make things better in my small corner of the world. I need to do more of this. I think the more I do the happier and healthier I will be.