Joe Grundy

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Posts by Joe Grundy

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  166

  Watchtower's New "Toy Story" - What Parents Need To Know

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i've uploaded a new blog article that addresses the latest dvd release at the current district convention, namely "become jehovah's friend!

  " - the tale of young caleb and his brush with divine wrath over a plastic toy wizard.

  a link to the article, which includes the youtube samples of the production, is below:.

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  Joe Grundy

  Unusually for me, I drafted a long post regarding this but lost it when my net connection failed - and I don't have any plastic toy wizards (or smurfs) in the house!

  In summary, I agree with the comments above about this horrific propaganda, designed IMHO to control the parents as much as the child. I could envision this household as being the setting for domestic abuse as well.

  Cedars: great job! More power to your elbow.

  A thought strikes me, inspired by Think's comment at the top of this page. From what I observe in the UK at present there seems to be quite a movement in education circles to enlighten teachers as to parental, home, cultural and other influences on children which may affect their learning capabilities. Just an idea, but might it be worth making the relevant authorities aware of this DVD? I'd suggest sending it to Michael Gove (UK Minister for Education). I'm happy to do it if you wish, and I could also forward it to my local MP with whom I have a connection.
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  19

  My GE Water Kettle just died after few years. RIP

  by Iamallcool in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my ge water kettle just died after few years.

  rip.

  they do not sell ge water kettle anymore.

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  Joe Grundy

  After many years of being 'conned' by advertising into buying expensive kitchen appliances I came to the conclusion that it was a better choice to buy cheap and replace as necessary.

  My current kettle (1.7 litre, auto, cordless), 4-slice toaster, filter coffee maker and 'healthy contact grill' each cost less than £5 (just!) and are going strong after two years. All came with a 12 month warranty.
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  11

  Report: Texas Executed Innocent Man

  by Bangalore in

  1. social
  2. current

  report: texas executed innocent man.. http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2012/05/15/carlos_deluna_columbia_law_professor_james_liebman_details_wrongful_execution_.html?wpisrc=obinsite.

  bangalore.

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  Joe Grundy

  This is news??

  Only in the same sense that 'dog bites man' is 'news'.
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  28

  Is your 3-day Watchtower Emergency Kit all ready?

  by FatFreek 2005 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  have i missed something by not browsing each and every posting here?.

  up till very recently, my two sons (one a jw and one, a non-jw) lived in the same community.

  the never-baptized son decided to move to a different u.s. state and within a few miles of my home i'm a df'd person as of 33 years ago.

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  Joe Grundy

  No offence is intended here, but am I the only one who notices a correlation between 'Doomsday/Armageddon' cults and a more general propensity amongst US residents to prepare for catastrophic events? I appreciate that the US is more prone to natural disasters than the UK, but I can't help noticing that in general terms there seems to a much greater interest in the US in 'survivalist' issues.

  Maybe it's a throwback to the 'pioneer' mindset (in the worldly not JW sense) enhanced by TV/movies, the existence of isolationist 'militias' ever on the keen look-out for those famous 'black helicopters' sent to enforce the 'new world order', or whatever, but I can't help wondering whether there is a partly-ingrained 'circle the wagons' or 'Remember the Alamo' mentality (real or perceived) that fueled the instigation of 'Doomsday' cults and keeps them going.

  (I post as someone in the UK who wryly observes the queues in 24 hour supermarkets on Christmas Eve. One would think that the end of the world had been announced rather than just the mundane fact that some (not all) shops will be closed the next day!).
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  11

  Awake 7/2012: YPA – Are we just friends — or more? pt.2 (with running snarkiness)

  by corpusdei in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  original article here.

  more snark here.

  young people ask - are we just friendsor more?

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  Joe Grundy

  I never was a JW, I am a worldly atheist. Very much enjoyed the humour of the OP - but there is a sad message underlying it. Is it any wonder that there are so many dysfunctional relationships (as evidenced by so many posts here) when this is the sort of 'advice' being given. It is pure, controlling, crap.

  When my daughter was 17, she discussed with her mother that the time had come in her relationship that she wanted to sleep with her boyfriend (she was living at home at the time). Her mum and I went out for dinner and stayed at a hotel so she ccould have the house to herself so that what is an intense experience in any girl's life could be as good as possible (rather than fiddling around in the back of a car or whatever).

  No, her relationship did not last - but there were no regrets, just good memories.
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  47

  How Will They Keep JW Youths In?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  is it possible for today's youths to remain in the religion?.

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  Joe Grundy

  I'm not, and never have been, a dub - but I was brought up in a fundie sect/denomination (PB) and they had the same problem.

  One of the things that worries sects most (IME) is the 'danger' (as they perceive it) that there are not enough potential mates (or partners, call it what you will) within the sect ('Organisation' I suppose in JW speak) and youngsters/teens/young adults will follow their hormones out of the religion. IME when I was a post-pubescent male teenager a pretty girl with the promise or possibility of carnal knowledge to whatever extent won out over theology or the fear of eternal damnation any day. And I wasn't alone - I remember one young lady telling me that her greatest fear was being 'sent back unopened'. I don't think that those basic feelings have changed much.

  It has been said many times but I think it's worth repeating. The greatest influence that pulls people (not just teens) away from WTBTS and other controlling cults is access to the internet, social media, FB, Twitter, etc. One doesn't even need a computer now - a (free) mobile phone on a £15/month contract gives all the access needed.

  I suspect that it won't be long before the only 'JW Youths' (isn't 'youths' such a clumsy and pejorative term?!) still 'in' will be the socially or otherwise challenged.

  No offence intended.
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  46

  How Did/Has the WTBTS Affected Your Social Skills?

  by ABibleStudent in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  good or bad?

  how did/has the wtbts affected your social skills, social development, and/or how you interact with other people?

  i have many questions about different social skills that i will ask either after other people post to this thread or to keep this thread active.

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  Joe Grundy

  I'm not and never have been a dub. I hope that my views won't cause offence - none is intended - and they probably apply equally to most 'committed' fundies.

  I have experienced many times conversations with JWs where initially they come across as confident, informed and knowledgeable conversationalists. But inevitably at some point one can almost see the eyes glaze over and they go into 'robot' mode when rational discussion (and the ability to reason and accept, or at least consider, alternative points of view or be open-minded as to evidence) ceases.

  In RL, IME people can have an open discussion however different their views and however heated it may get, at the conclusion they can agree to differ and may even concede that the other may have raised some points worthy of consideration. Without exception, my conversations with dubs have concluded with them (metaphorically) putting their fingers in their ears and singing 'la la la la, can't hear you' which is the equivalent of 'if I close my eyes you can't see me'.

  I appreciate that this is only one area of 'social skills'. My take on the question posed in OP is that while WTBTS training MAY enhance a dub's capability to make an initial approach for conversation the actual 'social skills' to continue to a 'normal' conversation are severely limited by the 'programming' inherent in that same WTBTS training.

  No offence intended.
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  6

  Worth Watching - And a JW Twist!

  by Joe Grundy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  about the only (uk) tv show i find worth watching is 'new tricks' - a drama series about three retired detectives re-employed to work on old cold-cases.

  (it probably resonates with me because i am an old retired detective and can identify with each of the three in different ways).. .

  i have just watched an episode with a jw twist and i can thoroughly recommend it.. .

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  Joe Grundy

  This was broadcast some time ago. BBC iplayer is only available for 7 days after broadcast and (I understand) is only available via UK based ISPs for copyright reasons. This is why, I suspect, it's on Youtube under n.t.e. for 'fan purposes only'.

  Catch it while you can.
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  6

  Worth Watching - And a JW Twist!

  by Joe Grundy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  about the only (uk) tv show i find worth watching is 'new tricks' - a drama series about three retired detectives re-employed to work on old cold-cases.

  (it probably resonates with me because i am an old retired detective and can identify with each of the three in different ways).. .

  i have just watched an episode with a jw twist and i can thoroughly recommend it.. .

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  Joe Grundy

  Hi Rob, and greetings from a wet West Wales.

  This epi was particulalry interesting to me as I thought I recognised a (mock-up) WT mag early on! Won't give away more as don't want to spoil it. IMHE, of all the 'police' drama stuff this one gets closer to reality than most.

  Cheers.
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  6

  Worth Watching - And a JW Twist!

  by Joe Grundy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  about the only (uk) tv show i find worth watching is 'new tricks' - a drama series about three retired detectives re-employed to work on old cold-cases.

  (it probably resonates with me because i am an old retired detective and can identify with each of the three in different ways).. .

  i have just watched an episode with a jw twist and i can thoroughly recommend it.. .

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  Joe Grundy

  About the only (UK) TV show I find worth watching is 'New Tricks' - a drama series about three retired detectives re-employed to work on old cold-cases. (It probably resonates with me because I am an old retired detective and can identify with each of the three in different ways).

  I have just watched an episode with a JW twist and I can thoroughly recommend it.

  I can't do links, but you need to go to Youtube, search 'n.t.e.38 part 1'. It's in six parts (total nearly an hour).

  Hope you enjoy.