Posts by merfi

27

Watchtower assaults its youth fear/guilt/baptism and career July 1, 2006

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

if we imagined for one moment that the majority of youths get baptized, then the july 1, 2006 wt paints a very different picture.

there must be a serious problem in the organization for the society to write so strong an article.

july 1, 2006 wt youths, make it your choice to serve jehovah.

merfi

What is the date for doing that study at meeting...?

My kids are 8-12, so at prime pickin's for this stupid article. I've already tried to lay some groundwork -- telling the oldest that Jesus wasn't baptized until he was 30... that the Society(tm) says to wait until mature to marry as younger ones are too young to make such a huge life-affecting decision...so baptism should be later in life as well...

They go with the ex for the summer and I'm hoping that this article is studied on my weekend with the kids (meaning we skip) or enough into August that they're home w/me after their summer vacay.

So yeah, the short version of this is my first question.

~merfi

22

Any question that most witnesses are whacked? (video)

by Jourles in

jw
friends

yet another example of ludicrousness.

obviously this was a homemade video production.

it came from a jw chain email.

merfi

That was pretty gaggy. The music was the best part, but it makes me pretty mad to have them use a little kids' Sunday School song to mean Satan, when when *I* learned it, it meant Jesus.

Friggin cult.

~merfi

23

Real religion?

by I-follow-the-narrow-path in

with all the talk around of people saying they know the real religion... do you (presonally) think that there is a real religion?.

personally, i think that it is hard to argue what the right religion is.

there are so many different translations of the bible.

merfi

I'm not saying there isn't one, but I also can't say there is one as a fact.
Gumagnostic

here here! I agree with this, Gumby. Maybe it's a huge rebound from the JW, a 180 in order to get away from all of it, but I'm in agnostic territory lately. Makes sense to me.

~merfi

9

BIGGEST AND SMALLEST CONGREGATIONS

by badboy in

jw
friends

any ideas?

merfi

The one that I was associated with had 35 pubs. Now 34...

~merfi

23

Real religion?

by I-follow-the-narrow-path in

with all the talk around of people saying they know the real religion... do you (presonally) think that there is a real religion?.

personally, i think that it is hard to argue what the right religion is.

there are so many different translations of the bible.

merfi

I made an unbiased post

Way to go Elizabeth!

There will probably be as many answers to this question as there are posters here. And I think that's a wonderful thing, given the cage we've been in for so long, not being able to even THINK there is any other 'true' religion.

My own opinion -- I don't hold to ANY religion. I think religion is a man-made set of moral rules based on its own interpretation of the Bible or other "holy" books. There is nothing absolute, especially not absolute truth, in religion. I'm a believer in the phrase "religion is the opium of the people". I think many join one to give them a sense of belonging, a set of standards to adhere to or strive for -- ones that closest match their own. (disclaimer: this is all just ramble, I'm still figuring it all out for myself yet) In my case, I'm not really searching (as I feel I do NOT *need* religion right now) but merely exploring, so have attended a couple different churches.

Each religion has a carrot and a whip. That's my big hang-up about them right now. My butt is still stinging from the elders' whip; I'm done wit dat. And the carrot was false...

~merfi

31

Reading WT & Awake for X years = College Education

by under_believer in

jw
friends

has anybody ever heard any witnesses utter that old saying "reading the magazines for 10 years [or whatever] is equivalent to getting a college education?

" a couple of things are amusing about this.

one is its utter and complete falsehood--what a crock!

merfi

BTW they don't do them anymore either--they are now called Oral Reviews--it's just the usual Q&A session only as a review of the few months of TMS&SM sessions.

Oh crap, I knew that but had forgotten. Gawd, I've only been out for just under 4 months and already things are slipping! This is such a good thing!!

...and on a similar note, remember "continuing in the things learned" or some such when the CO came to visit?

Good times.

~merfi

31

Reading WT & Awake for X years = College Education

by under_believer in

jw
friends

has anybody ever heard any witnesses utter that old saying "reading the magazines for 10 years [or whatever] is equivalent to getting a college education?

" a couple of things are amusing about this.

one is its utter and complete falsehood--what a crock!

merfi

I'm thinking maybe, if it was in the review in Feb, then it was brought out in the TMS part in the 6 weeks preceding -- so, a WT in that time? Or, the BE book? I'm at work right now, but I'll check when I get home... I'm curious about this. Education is a huge 'thing' for me.

~merfi

31

Reading WT & Awake for X years = College Education

by under_believer in

jw
friends

has anybody ever heard any witnesses utter that old saying "reading the magazines for 10 years [or whatever] is equivalent to getting a college education?

" a couple of things are amusing about this.

one is its utter and complete falsehood--what a crock!

merfi

I remember hearing this and it burning my ass... Please.

It was in the written review in February I think (last time I was at a Thurs night meeting) and the sister that commented on it said "reading... more good than a college education" (I think she meant "better", but I could be wrong, afterall, she has a more gooder edukashun than me)

~merfi

2

Return Visits (tm) -- something I'm thinking of doing

by merfi in

jw
friends

my little book, all organized into "town", "rural -- by township", and other towns is full of rvs.

i wasn't all that great at this, as i was not good at getting back to these people that i left stuff with, but i have a few.

what i'd like to do is go through my rv book and "call" on these people again, only this time with an apology and perhaps some tidbit of real 'truth' -- silentlambs, mexico/malawi etc.. anyone else ever feel like trying to 'right a wrong' or similar?.

merfi

My little book, all organized into "town", "rural -- by township", and other towns is full of RVs. I wasn't all that great at this, as I was not good at getting back to these people that I left stuff with, but I have a few. What I'd like to do is go through my RV book and "call" on these people again, only this time with an apology and perhaps some tidbit of REAL 'truth' -- silentlambs, Mexico/Malawi etc.

Anyone else ever feel like trying to 'right a wrong' or similar?

~merfi

23

How are JW's perceived where you live?

by JH in

jw
friends

.

around here, the moment you pronounce the word jehovah witness, you can be sure that you raised the blood pressure of the person listening.. i wonder if somewhere around the world, this isn't so ?

merfi

Before I went through all my crap with the elders, and would have asked someone what they thought of JW around here, they would have hedged and said something along the lines of "they don't believe in Jesus, do they?" or that they were a 'keep to themselves' type of religion. Not much reaction, anyway.

NOW, that I'm "out" and have been quite vocal to friends and family here in town, when I mention that I took myself out of the cult, the reactions range from "good for you!!", "congratulations!" and "oh I am so happy for you..." with words like "not right", "cult", "shunning" etc thrown in in agreement with what I've told people. I would bet that if any JW calls on the door of any of my fellow hospital workers, the door would be slammed very hard. The other day, the wife of the PO phoned one of my friends/workmates. My workmate let 'er have it on shunning and the blood issue (she is our blood bank supervisor!) and told her to never call on her again. Yessss.... My town is fairly small (12K) so when it gets buzzing, it buzzes loud.

~merfi