Posts by Fleshybirdfodder

39

Meditation, letting the demons in

by free2beme in

jw
friends

i remember asking an elder once, "what do you think about meditation?

" he responded that we should not relax and open our minds, as opening our minds can let demons in.

i thought that seemed like a odd response, and looked it up in the watchtower, and sure enough he gave the societies views on meditation.

Fleshybirdfodder

I always thought the meditation ban was quite ridiculous. They base it on that stupid cryptic scripture about someone sweeping their mind clean and evil spirits coming back and finding even more room to toss brain cells around like confetti, or whatever demons do when they possess someone. I can't remember the exact scripture off the top of my head, but I remember flipping through another Christian publication (can't remember the denomination), and they quoted the same scripture and made suggestions for "alternative acceptable ways" for a Christian to relax. What a joke.

FBF

21

How do the JW's stay encouraged and persevere?

by JH in

what keeps them going and going week after week?.

is it fear of being destroyed?.

fear of missing out on paradise?.

Fleshybirdfodder

I agree that fear is the prime motivator. But there are others who are comfortable with that way of life. A lot of witnesses have it pretty easy. One friend of mine was an M.S. because his father was an elder. He went out in service maybe 20 minutes on a good month. He counted his time because he had a daughter and assumed she was reading her "My Book of Bible Stories" while he watched hockey games. He never had to graduate school, never had to look for a job, place to live... all that was taken care of by the congregation. Had no bloody idea about the contents of the Bible and didn't really care. He was raised in it and the thought of leaving it or doing any extra research was completely remote to him. He admitted to me once that he didn't even really believe it, but it's just "what you do". I think there are many like him out there. Not to pat ourselves on the back, but I feel that most JWD posters are very intelligent and courageous people that just weren't content to sit and be fed the same line of B.S. week after week. A lot of dubs are just lazy; intellectually and otherwise.

FBF

47

microphone duty

by praiseband in

ok, for those of us non-, and never before-jw's, will someone please explain what the big deal is about having responsibility for microphones is all about?

we do use microphones in our church, but ....i mean whoever is in charge of any technology that day sets up microphones.

it could be anyone in the church, male or female, young or old, the pastor, the janitor.

Fleshybirdfodder

Our mics were on huge heavy booms as well. You'd get some windbag sitting in the middle of the row that would cover Adam to Armageddon in one comment and not hold the mic because her arms are too busy doing emphatic gestures so your arm would start shaking and you'd get a kink in your back. Over all I didn't mind doing the mics because it gave me an excuse to sit at the back, make faces at my friends if they had a part on the platform, and ogle the hot pioneer sisters in low cut blouses.

FBF

41

Do you still call it "the truth"?

by True North in

jw
friends

do you find youself still calling it "the truth" even though you are an ex-jw?

for instance, in one posting i just read, the poster wrote "when i was in the truth..." .

not a big deal, perhaps, but really not such a good thing either as it's a habitual holdover from the program of mental conditioning we were subject to.

Fleshybirdfodder

I'm pretty anal about it. I will never use that term again, knowingly.

FBF

18

What did you think of the CO's bi-annual visit?

by JH in

did you think it was a "show", when just about everyone showed up at the kingdom hall when he showed up that week?.

did you go out in the service that week more than usual, just to do like the others who were giving a show?.

the moment the co's week was over, the attendance always came back down to normal..

Fleshybirdfodder

Regardless of how "cool" any particular C.O. was, it always turned out to be a butt kissing event. My family always fought with other families in the cong to have the C.O. stay with us and I will always remember those ridiculous prayers and special dinners. It always illustrated to me the "keeping up with the Joneses" attitude of the whole organization.

FBF

29

Anyone have ever seen a ghost (spirit)?

by Nicolas in

jw
friends

when i was going at the kingdom hall with my father (i was very young), it happened from time to time that the subject of spirits entered in the conversation.

then at this point, it seemed that everyone had their own little story to tell about the spirits of the devils.. .

personnally, i'm always skeptic about these things and i won't believe it until i see it.

Fleshybirdfodder

I experienced what I was sure was a spirit trying to choke me at night. I was told it was the demons by the elders. I did some research online and realised that it is a very common disorder called sleep paralysis. There are many things we may see day to day that we personally can't explain. As soon as I see a peer reviewed study confirming conclusively the existence of such entities, and not just anecdotal evidence (no disrespect to anyone posting), I'll believe.

FBF

11

Did you ever get in trouble for....

by Fleshybirdfodder in

jw
friends

reading the bible during the watchtower study when you should have been "paying attention"?

as a kid i constantly got repremanded for that.

guess even then i'd rather find out for myself.

Fleshybirdfodder

Reading the Bible during the Watchtower study when you should have been "paying attention"? As a kid I constantly got repremanded for that. Guess even then I'd rather find out for myself. Any other things you got trouble for that didn't fit in with WT conformity?

FBF

22

What are your favorite bible bloopers ?

by 5go in

my favorite is the scripture matthew 27:9 jesus remembers the scripture correct but misatributes it to jeremiah.. it's at zechariah 11:12. all bibles have this mistake in it.

it's funny the nwt crossnotes it to zechariah and leaves the text alone so much for a better translation.

what yours favorite blooper ?.

Fleshybirdfodder

No one think unicorns exist or existed.

Or dinosaurs, at least the kind that Adam wasn't able to ride around on a saddle. My favourite Bible Blooper was when Christ argued that it would be impossible for him to expel demons under Be'elzebub's power, for how could a divided kingdom stand? Yet upon his return many will perform powerful works and expel demons in his name, yet without his backing. I guess, like many statements in the bible, this predates the concept of logic.

FBF

90

Name Some JW "Double Standards"

by minimus in

jw
friends

here's one: you can't give blood but you can take a blood fraction (which someone else has to give).

Fleshybirdfodder

Wow Mary... took the words right outta my mouth!!!

FBF

18

Did you really avoid eating food with possible blood in it?

by JH in

jw
friends

when i joined in the mid 80's, many jw's really read the label to make sure there were no blood by products in the food.. then a few years later, they didn't make a fuss about that anymore.. i guess that today, jw's eat just about anything..

Fleshybirdfodder

I remember at school we had hotdog day, and I had to bring my "society endorsed" brand of hotdog in a thermos filled with hot water. It was kind of lukewarm and green and bloated when I pulled it out, and the kids laughed at me, but at least I wasn't making Jehovah angry.

FBF