Posts by Joe Grundy

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES will discuss their beliefs on the end of the world during their three-day district convention in Limassol next month.

The convention will be held at the Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Centre Palais de Sports from July 3-5.

Throughout the weekend the convention “will highlight an analytical and reasonable – as opposed to fanatical – approach to the subject”, a Jehovah’s Witness press release said.

On Friday the convention will touch on why keeping watch is important and the importance of keeping spirituality alive in families. Saturday’s programme will highlight the dangers of indifference and apathy regarding the upcoming world events foretold in the Bible, while Sunday’s session will contrast popular views with the Bible’s definition of the end of the world.

A special feature on Sunday afternoon will include the modern-day drama, “Your Brother was dead and Came to Life”, based on Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son.

The programme will be presented in Greek, English, Turkish and Russian and will be translated into Arabic, Polish, Rumanian and Bulgarian. Representatives are expected from England, Greece and Turkey.

Jehovah’s Witnesses invite all to attend and learn more about these topics.

Programme sessions run from 9.20am to 4.55 pm on Friday and Saturday and to 4pm on Sunday. Admission is free and no collections will be taken.

I have sent a letter to the editor for publication:

Dear Sir

Jehovah's Witnesesses - District Convention

I read with interest that the JWs are to hold a convention soon.

They are an extremely active religion and are always seeking to make new converts. In Cyprus their target audience includes the many foreign workers from developing countries.

To many, they are regarded as a 'cult'. The organisation was founded by Charles Taze Russell in the late 19th century in the USA. He studied the pyramids and decared that the world would end in 1914. This did not happen, so later dates were provided.

The sad thing about this cult is that if one joins it, especially by baptism, it is hard to leave.

They practise 'shunning', which means that someone who leaves has absolutely no contact with members who are 'still in'. This can include mothers, fathers, and so on. I have a friend who has never been allowed to see her grand~children because she dared to leave the religion.

Those who are interested may wish to visit http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/

Yours etc

Chris Pope
Paphos

*PLEASE DO NOT PUBLISH MY NAME OR E-MAIL. I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE JWS.*

For information.

Regards

Joe Grundy

71

A Man Flirted With Me ...

by snowbird in

... at the laundromat on sunday.. it was strange and exhilirating at the same time!.

i must get out more!.

tee hee hee.. sylvia.

Joe Grundy

Snowbird

Ignore these doubters.

Flirting is one of life's pleasures.

42

What does nicotine feel like?

by Elsewhere in

i have never smoked or used any tobacco products aside from puffing on a cigar a few times (maybe 5 times in my life).

even with the few cigar experiences (which i did not enjoy much) i never noticed any real "feeling" from the tobacco.

what is it supposed to feel like?

Joe Grundy

This is a serious comment. It will sound preachy, sorry.

I have been a smoker for too many years. Nicotine is an addictive drug with many negative side effects and no positive ones. It is always a bad idea to start smoking. If I could stop, I would.

In the context of JWN, if you leave the dubs and want to do something to rebel, go and find a prostitute instead. More enjoyable, non-addictive and (if you're careful), much safer. And cheaper in the long run.

40

What finally pushed you over the edge?

by keyser soze in

was there one issue or incident, final straw, so-to-speak, that made you leave once and for all?

i know there was for me.. i had been having doubts for years, and had stopped believing it was the truth.

but i labored on as a jw, in part because of my family, and in part because i had invested so much of myself in it.

Joe Grundy

' I was out this Sunday picking sticks up out of the backyard to tidy up a bit '

Sundays are OK. Friday sunset to Saturday sunset is the really dangerous time! (Tongue in cheek, honestly!)

10

Why do Witnesses think the world is so bad? Here's another reason

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

i know the fact that the publications say the world is bad, and the beginning of so many public talks.

and the introductions in the field ministry.. but here is something i have been thinking about.. jw's are not exposed to people from all walks of life.

growing up in the truth, most of the bro's in my hall worked in construction, cleaning, office workers, or ups.

Joe Grundy

One thing that strikes me is that AFAIK JW is an extremely prescriptive religion/organisation, in that even those matters that are not laid down in writing are attempted to be influenced by custom or a 'guiding word'. It also sees itself as a global religion and that the laws/principles of it's god transcend those of governments. I know that there have been examples of those conflicts in the past.

Here's an example. Having sex with under-age minors is bad. An easy statement to agree with. But ... what is under-age? In the UK the age of consent is 16. In France 15. In the US I believe it varies from state to state with the minimum age for marriage being as low as 13 (NH or somewhere?). So if my son was 18 and bedded a 15 year old girl he would be a sex offender in UK, a lucky guy in France, and anything between one and the other in US depending on where he was.

This is a bit philosophical for 7:45 am local time but I think about these things in my idle moments (good and bad I mean, not potentially under-age sex). I was for a long time in a job that made me very judgemental and legalistic in my opinions. Since I retired I see things in a much broader perspective and I suspect that 'retirement' for me may not be so much different from 'leaving the organisation' for ex-JWs.