Making batch of popcorn in anticipation.
Wishing you success, whatever your version of that may be.
om
Open mind
JoinedPosts by Open mind
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23
Two elders are coming to visit at my invitation.
by Wasanelder Once inthe elders have been spreading lies about me to jw friends and they are panicked.
they don't know what to make of it.
i've never given them reason to doubt my faithfulness or to make them think i talk against the organization.
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31
The Wine Thread.
by Open mind inif you enjoy a glass of vino now and then, tell us what you like and how your tastes got to where they are now.
wine snobs & non-snobs alike welcome!.
my intro to the world of wine was my jw parents buying a huge screw-top bottle of paul masson or gallo red or white, having half a glass, and sticking it out on the back porch thinking that wine stayed good like that.
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Open mind
If you enjoy a glass of vino now and then, tell us what you like and how your tastes got to where they are now. Wine snobs & non-snobs alike welcome!
(Simon? Any chance of getting a wine glass into these emoticons?)
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My intro to the world of wine was my JW parents buying a huge screw-top bottle of Paul Masson or Gallo red or white, having half a glass, and sticking it out on the back porch thinking that wine stayed good like that. When I became a teen, they'd let us have a teeny-tiny glass of it. One sip of this red wine vinegar made me think I didn't like wine.
Fast forward a few years. Moved to Calipornea, and I actually enjoyed Bartles & Jaymes wine coolers and white zinfandel now and then. Although beer was my preferred drink.
Fast forward a few more years to getting married. My wife and I originally liked big oakey, buttery Chardonnay and smooth, mellow Merlot mainly from California. Kind of like a coffee drinker getting started out on big sweet Cafe Mochas. Our snobbery evolved as we worked our way around to most other varietals and now we can't stand big oak or butter in a Chardonnay.
We were probably pretty insufferable wine snobs for a couple years there but last week I knew my wife had come back down to earth. We had a big dinner party with all non-JWs in attendance. My wife made a special purchase of 7-Up so one of her best friends could make her own "wine cooler" out of a really good Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.(For the non-wine drinkers out there, that's like a serious beer afficianado going back to Bud Light.)
Cheers!!
om
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51
State your "epiphany moment " for leaving the WT
by caliber ini have found some powerful reinforcements when people have stated their " epiphany moment "... please share some.. my turning pointing began when i was badly hurt by a person i had always viewed as a literal brother.
i realized that if his.
love was conditional.... if it was the case with him , then how about those i had less affection for and trust in ?.
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Open mind
Roughly 4 or 5 years ago giving a Service Meeting talk all about reinforcing how great the Shunning Arrangement is. I included my own experience of how hard it's been shunning my DFed brother all these years, but how it's really for the best.
Got lots of kudos, hugs and handshakes afterwards.
Then I woke up.
om
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We Give/Gave Up So Much Over This Thing
by OnTheWayOut ini think of a reporter that breaks a huge story about some corruption in the government who won't reveal his source of information.
the government uses anti-terrorist laws against that reporter to try to force him to speak.
the laws are designed to protect the people and are used in a warped way to protect the government and allow it to hide it's corruption.
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Open mind
"I will grant that I wouldn't want to be alone with some of you ...OTWO"
I hear Midwesterners become positively insane at elevations higher than 5,000 feet.
Great thread Jerry. Hope to give you a big ol' ex-JW hug someday.
om
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23
What % of your Congregation is Pioneering in April?
by Open mind inour family is part of the 32% unappreciative spiritual loser class.
not regular or auxiliary.. .
our congo has 51% aux pioneering in april.. .
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Open mind
@ moshe: "WOW-Looks like there will be a lot of JWs fighting for a spot on the sidewalk in front of the 7-11 convenient stores at 9:30 AM tomorrow- maybe I can help them start their time with a good kick in the shins debate."
I'm curious moshe, what % of the local JWs do you think recognize you on sight? If you try to engage in conversation with those who recognize you, do they leave their coveted 7-11 turf?
@ freddo: LMAO. That was excellent. Any journalism class would tell you there were about ten too many "thrilling opportunities" in there, but the Theocratic Ministry School would probably give you kudos for repetition.
om
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What % of your Congregation is Pioneering in April?
by Open mind inour family is part of the 32% unappreciative spiritual loser class.
not regular or auxiliary.. .
our congo has 51% aux pioneering in april.. .
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Open mind
Anyone pick up on a subtle "spirit of competition" between neighboring congregations?
I have. It's kind of funny to watch because on the one hand, stirring up competition may be somewhat effective. OTOH, competition is a JW no-no.
om
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What % of your Congregation is Pioneering in April?
by Open mind inour family is part of the 32% unappreciative spiritual loser class.
not regular or auxiliary.. .
our congo has 51% aux pioneering in april.. .
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Open mind
yknot!!: Good to hear from you! While you're crawling around in book bags, how about another dive into an Elder Bag for some more "Food at the Proper Time"?
sir82: "the program has been such a smashing suuccess that the only logical thing to do is shut it down." LOL.
I think the 30-hour April Aux Pioneer "Special Offer" is an interesting sociology experiment. I can see some similarities between it and the "Company Potlucks" we have at work. When they are frequent, everybody looks around, sees it's no big deal and hardly anyone participates. When they're only once a year, the percentages go way up. (Along with the e-coli & salmonella exposures.)
om
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23
What % of your Congregation is Pioneering in April?
by Open mind inour family is part of the 32% unappreciative spiritual loser class.
not regular or auxiliary.. .
our congo has 51% aux pioneering in april.. .
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Open mind
Our family is part of the 32% Unappreciative Spiritual Loser Class.
Not Regular or Auxiliary.
Our Congo has 51% Aux Pioneering in April.
And 17% are Regular Pioneers.
How about your neck of the woods?
om
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Are You Going To the Memorial?
by headisspinning ini can't see myself not attending.
i would feel horrible not to go.
i don't know where i'm going to land and if i had to look back and think i didn't go... well, i would feel awful..
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Open mind
Flaky Catholics have to go to Christmas & Easter Mass.
Flaky semi-faded JWs only have to go to Memorial.
To not attend the Memorial is a major non-verbal giving "the finger" to this organization. If it gives my hard-core elderly JW parents a bit of peace thinking that my wife and kids might actually make it into the land of eternal lion-petting, I'm willing to attend.
om
p.s. (But not without my Smart Phone!)
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Do you miss a place to connect with others?
by zarco instartfragment.
after fading away a couple of years ago and going through the stages of transition away from the wts anger, disappointment with them and with myself for staying so long and now disgust at their harmful doctrine i no longer think of myself as an ex-witness.. recently i have had a longing to check out other groups.. i recently went to a buddhist meditation but the religious symbols didnt feel right to me.
the people were warm, welcoming and genuinely interested in me.
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Open mind
Sounds like Cheers!
"Where everybody knows your n-a-a-a-me."
Seriously though, the UUs have always been at the top of my (very short) list of groups to check out.
Maybe I'll fly over to the Chatham Islands one of these days and join you.
om