Could not locate the exact quote in my stack of stuff, but at 3:00 a.m., this is pretty close:
There are lies,
Damn lies,
And statistics.
--- Mark Twain (?)
Well, it's the thought that counts; corrections welcomed!
CoCo
compound complex
JoinedPosts by compound complex
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37
Jehovah's Witnesses- Ever Increasing Religion 1,069,530 American Publishers
by Joker10 inthere are 1,069,530 publishers in america.
notice the growth spurt at the beginning of 2006. the last month of the service year shows an increase of 2.3%.
this year and/or next year may very well show jehovah's witnesses as the fastest growing religion in america once again.. .
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MY WITNESS FRIEND DIED
by Mary infurther to this topic i started a few weeks ago: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/124404/1.ashx i just found out that she died the other night.
we hadn't been close in a number of years, due to me becoming inactive, but i remember alot of the good times too.
she was older than me and offered to study with me when i was 14, which led to my getting baptized.. i remember that she tried for several years to get pregnant, and how happy she was when she finally conceived.
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compound complex
Dear Mary,
I'm very sorry you lost a friend. You are remembering the good times. When a DFd friend's JW dad had a memorial at the KH, she was treated very kindly and respectfully. She never found out why she was DFd. I believe it was because she defended her husband against elder harrassment. Both DFd. She is my hero cuz so many other sisters love that "absolute spiritual endangerment" loophole the Society so lovingly provides. My precious friend refused to turn on her husband. I know you will give a good "witness" Mary!
Love,
CoCo
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Posting elders names involved in your dismissal
by Tyrone van leyen ini have been reluctant to post my bio because when i wrote it, i was angry.
it's not that bad although a little long.
the one thing thats stopping me is i have posted their names on it.
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compound complex
Dear Tyrone,
Feel your pain, man. I hope you can locate Gary B's words of wisdom on how to deal with anger - it had something to do with letting more - then more - time pass before venting. Prevents you from acting rashly and harming yourself and others. His comments were fairly recent.
CoCo
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What words of comfort can you give to an ex-witness who is very depressed?
by Warlock inthere is someone who posts on this board who is very depressed.
life can throw you curves and it can be hard enough without the excess baggage of having been a witness.. can you please help her with some kind words?.
warlock.
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compound complex
Dear Warlock's Friend,
I don't know if we've ever "talked," but ditto all the above. My reply to several depressed souls was that, if it got better for me [worst case scenario], it can get better for you. Illness - physical and mental, no money, beaten up by elders, abandonment, etc. I guess my underlying belief in God's goodness and care got me through. Finally, all sorts of love and comfort and MONEY came through, and can you believe this - much of it through "worldly" and DFd ones! Go figure. DO NOT GIVE UP! After some 5 decades of misery, I am truly happy - mostly a result of the perspective and love from JWD. DO NOT GIVE UP! Blessings and peace to you,
Love,
CoCo
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It finally happened!
by Bstndance inbrief history: my mom found that i have a myspace (forbidden sin) and that i was a member of this group (bigger forbidden sin) so she stopped talking to me for 3 weeks.
today she finally calls all crying and said she spoke with the elders and they feel she should stop talking to me.
i told her i'm very happy she's crying because she knows she's making the wrong decision.
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compound complex
Dear Bstndance,
Sorry for you grief - I can relate to so much of what you say though my situation was not identical. I say "was not" because the turmoil has passed and peace now prevails. My relating what happened [details won't be mentioned] is not meant to be judgmental nor advising you what to do.
I was about to be defrauded financially and my reputation ruined. This over several years. The elders made matters worse through the application of WT policy, which advocates conditional love and the notion that your existence is "absolute spiritual endangerment" to all. I was in hiding, in exile. When my righteous indignation to right the wrongs actually backfired on me - certain unexpected situations prevented me from doing what I thought was "right" - I reverted to something I'd really never done before. I turned the other cheek. I fed the enemy. I blessed the one cursing me. Honest. As a JW, I was used to being God's tool to bring all erring ones to justice, if you get my drift. Pretty self-righteous and arrogant, but really sincere!
It ended up that fair and honest friends and family (JWs and non-JWs) came to my aid, and legally I came out all right. It's not that I wanted them to take sides, but they saw the injustice and essentially overturned the effects of the wrongs done me. To this day I find it hard to believe how it all turned out to my benefit. My point is that Jesus did speak up when needed, but knew when to turn the other cheek. We never seem to get it right. You love your mom; she's suffering, and maybe a lot of it is her fault - but blame much of her grief on WT flogging. I do feel YOUR pain though - BELIEVE ME! I wish you peace, love, and an end to this emotional roller coaster ride.
Love,
CoCo
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Little Christs
by mrsjones5 inlast sunday at church to pastor said "christian" means little christ and to be a christian means to be christlike, that you got christ in you, you're a little christ.
this same pastor met with my husband yesterday morning and they touched on this same topic and also talked a little on the jws.
hubby comes back to me and asks who the jws believe christ is.
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compound complex
Hello Mrs. Jones,
Good day and hope you are well. I just had that very conversation yesterday with a friend. Another friend and I needed a little time to persuade first friend that Christ is NOT the mediator for GC, per the WT. He was absolutely incredulous. Amazing how so many I've spoken to do not know this. I went on to explain that I felt deprived of a true understanding of who Jesus really is and what my relationship to him should be. My two friends and I are 40-plus years each JWs (or XJWs). I feel this is one of the worst things that Rutherford taught and the WT refuses to correct - the two class system. Many thanx for bringing this up!
Denied a relationship with Christ,
CoCo
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Comments You Will Not Hear at the 12-10-06 WT Study (SACRED THINGS)
by blondie inthis article will consider five things that are holy to all of god's servants.
(b) how do we hold jehovah's name as something holy?.
(matthew 20:28; hebrews 9: 14) we therefore hold jesus' blood as something sacred, "precious.
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compound complex
Dear Blondie,
I remember the people of good will - my Bible teacher may have referred to me as one - I cannot recall for sure. The term was used often, even after its expiration date. Her parents were of the anointed, but I don't know if it meant only unbaptized ones or those baptized ones not of the anointed.
RE: OTWO's comment on paragraph #7 - two friends told me today that they walked out of the WT study during #7. They are very loyal to Jehovah and were insensed by the FDS's demand for subservience to them and the elders. My friends are very aware of what's going on - they listen to me - but they still want to attend meetings. I do hope that will change.
Thanx for your hard work on a non-delightful matter,
CoCo
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Terms that JW's don't use
by JH inoften i hear people say, "have you accepted christ"?
have you made him your personal savior?.
have you developped a personal relationship with jesus?.
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compound complex
RE: "What I really wanted to say..."
correction - "Were you aware...." - sorry, old and tired poofreaders do splip up.
CoCo
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It Never Ends
by Undecided ini had to put my dog to sleep today.
she was 12 years old and got beyound help last night.
it was sad.. my daughter and the dog, coco.. ken p..
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compound complex
Dear Undecided,
Condolences to you and yours. My Ginger and Jeffrey died, but since I didn't have custody of them, I had to learn of their passing from family. I can relate to loosing a CoCo - I did a double-take when I first read your post. Peace and healing to you.
So Sorry!
CoCo
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Terms that JW's don't use
by JH inoften i hear people say, "have you accepted christ"?
have you made him your personal savior?.
have you developped a personal relationship with jesus?.
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compound complex
What I really wanted to say, but I'd be taken into the back room if I did...
Where you aware that Papal Bulls spawned Bulletin Boards? That's why JWs say Information Board to distance ourselves from roamin' cattle.
Where you aware that some years ago we referred to our field service arrangements as the Rendezvous? Because of RVs link to immoral assignations, it was soon changed back to the theocratic, non-spicy term. Many years ago it was called, I believe, Contact Point. Use RV today and you'll get lotsa' stares.
JW's whom I know have no problem with euphemisms for the "F" word. If it starts with "F", I know what they're really trying to say.
Jehovah, by the way, is NOT jealous of Jesus. Randy said so.
Cheers, Good Luck, Golly, GeeWhiz, God Bless You [I can't spell Gesundheit]. etc.
CoCo of the Cleansed Speech