Posts by DazedAndConfused

81

Do you think of yourself as an apostate

by barbar in

many of the people on this site say that they are apostates.

but that is not the way i feel about myself.. i am not angry with the "witnesses" or the organisation, i don't feel that i wasted my life.

i just think that i was stupid to believe it for 30 years (well sort of believe it, i did have severe doubts on and off).

DazedAndConfused

Yes. I think of myself apostate in not only leaving the JW's but also for other things. A long time ago there was a thread on this very thing. I had at that time looked up the definition of apostate. In the dictionary it stated that one was an apostate because they left the ideals of their religion, political stance, principles or cause. I am an apostate also because I do not recycle anymore.

Yes, I left the ideals of being a JW. Do I actively go out to do harm to other JW's and their belief's?...No. I feel now that they have to do what they have to do that makes them happy. It is not my job to do that. In fact I told my mom once that she was apostate due to the dictionary understanding, because she went from being a devout Catholic to a JW, and she became indignant. I understand that now. I didn't then. I have in the past tried to sway others from what they believe but I now believe that is not what I should do.

Apostacy has been greatly missapplied in the JW world. Apostacy is not the big bad thing that the JW's try to make the R&F think it is.

6

TiVo

by DazedAndConfused in

jw
friends

does anyone have tivo?

i am considering getting it but i am unsure about how it works.

i understand how the remote works, that you get a box,etc.

DazedAndConfused

rut roh. As I stated I just ordered it (TiVo) I hope what you say is not true. oy vey!

6

TiVo

by DazedAndConfused in

jw
friends

does anyone have tivo?

i am considering getting it but i am unsure about how it works.

i understand how the remote works, that you get a box,etc.

DazedAndConfused

Thank you for your response. I just ordered it. I am so excited. My husband takes up the main TV with his PlayStation so I don't get to watch my shows on the big TV. This way I can record them and watch them while he is at work. What a deal! lol. Thanks again for your help.

6

TiVo

by DazedAndConfused in

jw
friends

does anyone have tivo?

i am considering getting it but i am unsure about how it works.

i understand how the remote works, that you get a box,etc.

DazedAndConfused

Does anyone have TiVo? I am considering getting it but I am unsure about how it works. I understand how the remote works, that you get a box,etc. But what I don't understand, and can't figure out by the information provided, is what the heck the "hour" thing means. I understand it is the recording time but can what is recorded be deleted/erased opening up that time space again? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Dazed

47

Do Abused Children Tend To Be Abusive Adults???

by minimus in

any idea?

?

DazedAndConfused

Abused people do have the propensity to be abusers. What I understand, there are 2 types of people who come out of abuse.

1.) Those who abuse.

2.) Those who aspire to be non-abusers because of their own abuse.

There are many crossovers though in those who strive to be non-abusers. They do get confused about what is abuse and what is not. Others tend to be more lenient, thus causing another set of problems.

39

Were You Really That Much Harmed Because You Were A Witness?

by minimus in

jw
friends

looking back, did your being a jw hurt you all that much???

?

DazedAndConfused

I hope this comes out right, I am working in WordPad.

1.) Was not able to celebrate holidays = Ostracism in school.

2.) Had to wear skirts in school = Ostracism in school. Could not wear pants in school. According to "THE" elder in my congregation we could not. He stated that "We should not be the first to embrace a "fad" nor should we be the last. (WTF!!!)

3.) Was encouraged many times by my student counselor to strive for college because I was intelligent enough. = According to JW "law" this was not allowed.

4.) Could not go out for most, if not all, extra-murial activities because I was a JW. (Ostracism in school.) I was asked to be in every sport there was in school. = Ostracism in school.

5.) Had to live with many hours of adults stating their views on what we would go through (persecution) before the "end would come". This created many nightmares about the horrors that would be inflicted upon us. ie. cages strapped to our heads with rats inside that would eat at us.

6.) Getting baptised at 15 because it was expected, despite the fact I had no idea what I was signing up for. I only got baptised for 2 reasons:

1.) Because 1975 was coming up. (I was baptised late 1974)

2.) I was repeatedly told I had to be baptised to get a good society man. (I married at 17 to a man who was abusive and no one listened or helped me. The man now is a servant and has been asked to be an elder.)

Then disfellowshipped and losing my family. This has since changed. This however did not change the hurt inflicted for years earlier.

7.) Alcoholism to "self medicate." Contrary to many people's ideas that alcoholism is just an inherited disease...many who go through traumatic experiences WILL self-medicate to cover hurts.

8.) Having to be singled out by being sent to the Principals office while any holiday celebration is being observed. = Ostracism in school.

Don't get me wrong, these things DID make be a stronger person. But does it HAVE to take adversity to make you good? Could I have been a better person if I was allowed to do the things the society did not/does not allow? I cannot be sorry that they happened because it is part of what made me the way I am today. But...I can say that because I do not know who I would have been without the controlling attitude of the society and the way my parents adhered to what they mandated.

I could go on but time and space are a factor.

Valis, I do not understand why you stated what you did earlier...

"

minimus is running out of questions.........................again.".

What was the point?

6

JWs Are "Still Collecting"---(Relief Fund Article)!

by Voyager in

jw
friends

appears that the jws don't even want to reveal their figures!

http://tenterfield.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=local&category=general%20news&story_id=369622&y=2005&m=2.

DazedAndConfused

No problem voyager, better 2 report than none at all! Thanks.

5

Tsunami Donations and the Witlesses

by DazedAndConfused in

i just saw a news article listing organisations that had given to the tsunami victims.

it is interesting:.

"collections include: tenterfield shire council $2,500; rotary club $5,000 (both included in the total figure and tenterfield community tsunami appeal of $16,580.55 going to red cross australia); bowling club $2,080; golf club $250; seventh day adventists $500; st mary's catholic church $4,600; uniting church $750; anglican church $590; salvation army $457; jehovah's witnesses continuing to collect; assemblies of god church $200; lions club $490; drake red cross $3,645.".

DazedAndConfused

I just saw a news article listing organisations that had given to the tsunami victims. It is interesting:

"Collections include: Tenterfield Shire Council $2,500; Rotary Club $5,000 (both included in the total figure and Tenterfield community Tsunami appeal of $16,580.55 going to Red Cross Australia); Bowling Club $2,080; Golf Club $250; Seventh Day Adventists $500; St Mary's Catholic Church $4,600; Uniting Church $750; Anglican Church $590; Salvation Army $457; Jehovah's witnesses continuing to collect; Assemblies of God Church $200; Lions Club $490; Drake Red Cross $3,645."

Why are they the ONLY ones that have not actually given an amount? Are they collecting and not giving? In my own mind this makes them look very very bad. It makes them look...I don't know. Cheap. Like they may be collecting but keeping the money? I just don't understand why they do not realise how they look to the public. I can't remember the times I heard that this or that should not be done for fear of a bad witness. I sit back and just watch them make a bad witness themselves and I have to laugh.

17

"Train up a boy according to the way for him... (proof against the Dubs)!

by upside/down in

proverbs 22: 6 says, "train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it.

i heard this scripture cited at a district convention and used to show that if the family heads were indeed training their children properly than this scripture would be proved out- because "god" cannot lie.

also, it was pointed out that this scripture doesn't say "he might not" or "probably won't" turn aside- it says he won't turn aside .

DazedAndConfused

"Train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it."

This thread got me thinking. Could it be possible that the way this is worded may back up what child psychologists believe now? Let me explain. In or around the late 70's the thought became popular that parents needed to treat each child differently than the others in terms of how to train them. It was said that one way of reacting/disciplining children may not work for all of them. That what works for one may not work for another. People were encouraged to treat each child as a person, which many forget to do, and find out what works for them. Could this be what was meant in this scripture?

57

JWD flyers on cars at KH's

by ko38 in

jw
friends

.

what if we all printed up some flyers advertising ..........seek the truth about the truth.go to jw.com for the answers to questions youv'e had or may have.read articles from the watchtower that the society hopes you will never find.. could we legaly put those on their windshields during a meeting?im sure we could do it at least once,and then if asked to leave comply with their wishes.its a well nown fact that out of 100 or 1000 or 100,000 that some will take the bait and check it out just due to human curiousity.. if we all started using the same informal preaching as them such as dropping flyers at laundry mats and phone booths and grociery stores etc you would think it would catch on.i havent counted all the members of this board and how many countries are represented but it sure looks like a lot to me.. what do you guys and gals think?..............ken

DazedAndConfused

I have thought about this for quite a while and I think, personally, that to single out just Jehovah's Witnesses themselves is not going to do it. I think that the people in the organization need to know this information but I also think it is just as important, if not more so, to alert the general public about them. I have thought about magnetic signs for the sides of cars. Think about it. When you are stuck on the road at a stoplight you look around. When you do your eyes go to the signs on the sides of other vehicles. Great advertising!

I think that something short and to the point would be most effective. My suggestion:

Jehovah's Witnesees

In their own words:

http://quotes.watchtower.ca/

You can buy relatively cheap magnetic signs here:

http://www.magneticsigns.com/magfaq.html

They have discounts for bigger orders in case anyone wants to order some and mail them out to others. Just a suggestion.