Posts by compound complex

26

Society demands submission as a 'sacred responsibility'

by yaddayadda in

the society demands submission to them as equal to submission to christ.

nov 1, 2006 watchtower, page 22 of the first study article "do you share jehovah's view of sacred things?

" para 7:

compound complex

Dear Yaddayadda,

Granted, we differ as to our understanding of what "willing submission" entails for each of us personally. And all the more so now, as we enlightened and emancipated ones would not so eagerly obey, and unquestioningly, all we are/were told to do. My former PO was very adamant that "suggestions" from the FDS were as good as God-inspired commands and should not be taken lightly (never off the hook). Many of us did exactly as we were told, even anticipating a submissive demeanor by asking the elders for permission to do thus and so. Often the response was, 'thou shall not....' I cringe now at my former ready acceptance of most everything I heard from the platform, even when it was directed at some poor souls who wound up humiliated and crushed. It is very much like Lady Lee's recent repost on emotional blackmail, resulting in one's becoming, at least potentially, OBSEQUIOUS:

1. excessively willing to serve or obey; overly submissive; servile; toadyish; fawning

2. compliant; devoted; dutiful

Syn.---attentive, yielding, cringing, deferential, slavish

I'm sure that I frequently confused "devoted" and "dutiful" with "overly submissive," though cannot say that I was ever "toadyish." I am not going to look that one up for fear I may have to admit to it. It's going to take a very long time for me to get the balance between "You [FDS>DO>CO>PO>wannabe authority figure] may think without reservation that that is God's will for you and me" and "I disagree and must do what I feel is right." I imagine we're all works in progress.

Yours truly,

CoCo

24

What is the real reason behind the WTS' move out of Brooklyn?

by Lady Lee in

there have been several discussions about the wts and their selling off properties in brooklyn and moving headquarters out of nyc.

the best of... wts finances.

why the wts is selling their assets.

compound complex

Dear Lady Lee,

Two points came to mind while reading your post:

1. My Bethel work overseer (about 35 years ago) mused that the closing-down of Bethel by authorities and resultant persecution would scatter us and further the proclamation of the GN. Somewhat akin to what happened after the death of Stephen. He must have been a preacher at heart as he spoke with zeal and eagerness at such a prospect.

2. Regarding Brenda Upton's court victory over injuries sustained while at Bethel, the Society's lawyer ( a Mr. David ?, I believe ) stated that this victory could set an unfavorable precedent for future litigation against religious groups and drive such out of the City. I believe I read that on WTinfoservice. The story is well-known. Please forgive any slips on details.

I enjoy your stories, Lady Lee, and the keen insight you always provide.

Yours truly,

CoCo

61

the walk of shame

by nonamegiven in

it all starts after you hear "these things we pray through jesus christ, amen".

i gather my books and the kid's books and put them away.

by that time people are walking over to us and talking to my wife and playing with my kids.

compound complex

Dear Nonamegiven,

Condolences and sympathy. So many of us are where you are now or soon will be. Among my friends and family (dubs and non-dubs), there are individuals who show compassion and empathy regardless of what others think or do. A recent post saluting "radical" elders piqued my interest and moved me to quote a story from IN SEARCH OF CHRISTIAN FREEDOM, by Ray Franz, pp.404, 405. Briefly, it concerns Robert Lang from Bethel, who insisted he would help a df'd woman with a carriage-bound baby in a particularly precarious circumstance. The weak and emasculated fellow elders vascillated as to helping her. Rules and regulations notwithstanding, some people will do the right thing, i.e., display a Christ-like attitude and perform the good deed. My point is that the hearts of many may truly go out to you, but for the reasons already given, they cannot OR will not respond to you (haven't many of us learned that we said or did something we had forgotten but was brought to our attention years later by an individual "eternally grateful" to us?). Those shunning you are likely torn apart inside. Maybe they have gone home and cried for you. That may seem little consolation now, yet there is that saying about a man's INSIGHT slowing down his anger. May peace, understanding and love be yours.

Yours truly,

CoCo

31

Emotional Blackmail and JWs

by Lady Lee in

emotional blackmail is a form of controlling one person to gets ones needs met.

a blackmailer may use direct or indirect threats against us to get what they want regardless of our opinions or feelings.

the one great threat is: if you dont behave the way i want you to, i will make your life miserable.

compound complex

Dear Lady Lee,

This is a wonderful, says-it-all post. For those of us who by nature are compliant, people-pleasers---never wishing to cause offense---taking a stand is difficult. A brother whom I knew at Bethel visited my former congregation two years ago and commented at the WT study that there would be times when we would have "to take a stand for the truth in the Truth." I cannot recall his words now, but at the time I felt that his words were truly on the mark. It fills me with remorse that the majority of my family became JW's on my example, following my lead. I'm trying now with non-blackmail methods (it seemed so God-ordained then) to help them. Strangely, those who years ago vehemently resisted my methods of conversion (they were not always so gentle), are very sympathetic and willing to listen to my story of shattered faith and have accepted my apologies as a former JW zealot. Thanx again for an older but still up-to-the-minute post.

Yours truly,

CoCo

31

Persecution Begins on Monday

by compound complex in

dear friends,.

this has been a distressing 48 hours.

i cannot sleep because i do not have freeness of speech.

compound complex

Dear Kate,

I can understand the need to have a fresh start even in creative matters. There was a thread recently asking about our dreams or subconscious connection to the WT. Something to that effect. It conjured up the never-before-realized origins of my art. Since early childhood I held a worshipful view of mountains, chiefly that known as Aztec Ridge in Santa Clara County and Loma Prieta along the spine of said county and Santa Cruz County. The enchanting effect of the rising, forested inclines plus the strangely mesmerizing cover of the old WATCHTOWER combined to set me onto the path of a painter of mystical and magical mountains. Now, and only now, do I realize that the majority of my art of forty-five years is the product of my fascination with the cover of the older magazines ------- foreboding and majestic tower in the foreground and waterfall and mountain in the background. Talk about subliminal influence. So, likewise, am I seeking a new artistic direction. It's time to move on spiritually and artistically.

I hope you will find new and fulfilling, creative outlets, ones that will replace the disturbing ones of the past.

Yours truly,

CoCo

31

Persecution Begins on Monday

by compound complex in

dear friends,.

this has been a distressing 48 hours.

i cannot sleep because i do not have freeness of speech.

compound complex

Dear Kate,

What a lovely poem! You MUST get back to your writing roots and not let anything interfere. My strong advice to those I help is to NEVER throw away anything you create. Composers, for example, have premiered a piece that flopped, only to re-incorporate it into a hit. Of course, success or acceptance by others is only of relative importance. Create, create, create! (No reference to Cedar Point intended!) Tangential to the original thread, yours and other uplifting comments have elevated my spirits. Profuse and sincere thanks!

Creatively yours,

CoCo

16

Blood is Thicker than Water

by Clam in

jw
friends

"blood is thicker than water.

" well technically speaking it is of course, but how do you feel about this saying?

it implies that those people you have a biological link with are somehow "extra special".

compound complex

Dear K&K,

CoCo here, again.

Revision: Permission to quote directly from my book of idioms not GRANTED. I despise repetitive reiterations; they're redundant.

Profusely apologetic,

CoCo

16

Blood is Thicker than Water

by Clam in

jw
friends

"blood is thicker than water.

" well technically speaking it is of course, but how do you feel about this saying?

it implies that those people you have a biological link with are somehow "extra special".

compound complex

Dear Kith and Kin,

Thicker than water is blood ( cliche' ): Your own family members are closer, favored and chosen over those outside the family. "John Warren Dubya prefers to have his children clean offices with him because 'blood is thicker than water.'" Actually, he's cheap and trusts no one.

Permission to quote directly from my book of idioms not permitted; the above is a suitable rendering, IMHO.

Yours truly,

CoCo

47

How Clean is your House?

by morty in

jw
friends

how clean is your house?.

i just love this show.. kim and aggie run into some pretty disturbing homes i must admit.

i am certainly not on the list of the most disgusting homes but, dont have the most organized house on the street..... i like cleanliness in all parts of my home( cat litter empted, dishes cleaned, bathroom area very sanitary, floors cleaned, carpets vacuumed, garbage emptied if full, candles burning, the furniture and carpet deodorized daily, the dog has to be bathed regular, ash trays dumped and cleaned every time i finish smoking in the back room, and finally, the supper dishes must be done before i go to bed... i could not give two sh*ts if the bed did not get made properly, the kids room has dirty laundry on it or all their junk, they dont have their beds made every day, the computer desk has bills/papers lying on it, the cats/dogs food runs out of dish, there is a cob web up in the corner of the living room, ( thats a great decoration for this time of the year anyways...lol) the wires are showing from the t.v and dvd player, there are a few pairs of shoes at the door at not put away on the shoe rack, there is a coat on the back of a chair instead of hung up, and the pillows and blankets are scattered all over the couch for comfort (at night only, not during the day unless it is the weekend).

compound complex

Dear Ascribers to the Maxim "Cleanliness is next to [fill in the blank]":

"I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at the dirt!" --- Mommie D.

As a little boy I'd take a pail of hot, soapy water out to the sidewalk and scrub it. Cement basement walls also got a good washing-down ( not chores conjured up by my parental units ). Turned that compulsion into fun and profit and became a pioneer-janitor. Good clean fun and big bucks! Help people organize their homes, too. Someday I'll tell you about Bette Davis' childhood trauma at the Bigtop upon encountering "visual chaos." Really.

Yours truly,

CoCo

16

Spy vs SpyThe Watchtower Society's 007 Mentality

by The wanderer in

jw
friends

spy vs spythe watchtower society's 007 mentality the organization was naturally a gossiping paradise.

to know everything about your business and personal life.

the most intrusive methods employed in the organization.. laying down your life for your brotherit was amazing to me that more often than not a talk .

compound complex

Dear Discreet Friends,

WEBSTER says that to be discreet means to be careful what one says or does. In Ray Franz's book, IN SEARCH OF CHRISTIAN FREEDOM, in the chapter "The Misuse of Disfellowshiping", he gives two notable examples of remaining silent in cases of "supposed" wrongdoing. One is that of Joseph, Jesus' foster father. Though Mary was pregnant before entering into marriage with him, Joseph felt no obligation to report her to the religious leaders. He proposed 'to divorce her quietly so as to not expose her to public disgrace.' He was "a righteous man."

In Matthew 12 Jesus discusses David and his men eating the sacred bread from the tabernacle, with the priest's approval. Jesus did not condemn this apparent irreverant act. However, regarding Saul's reaction to this activity: "He [Jesus] DID NOT commend the action of Doeg the Edomite who DID promptly report the matter to the head of the nation, Saul, leading to the death sentence for 85 priests and the slaughter of the people in their city. Instead, Jesus used the accounnt as basis for saying to the religious leaders, "If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent." (pages 372, 373)

I urge you to get this book and find and read this chapter, especially regarding Ed Dunlap. He was put out on the street after nearly fifty years of service at Bethel. Family members who helped him were subsequently disfellowshiped. Read all about it on page 358. And there's more.................

Yours truly,

CoCo