Paralipomenon

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Posts by Paralipomenon

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  21

  A former "Bethelite" JW's friend of mine wants to "Disassociate".

  by booker-t in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a friend of mine that was at bethel when the "change" came out about the "generation of 1914" in 1995 wants to "disassociate" himself but is terrified that his family especially his mother(who is of the annoited) will totally shun him.

  his whole family are jw's his uncle an elder, his sisters pioneers, etc; any advice i could give him?

  i know what it is like since my mom has been a devout jw's since 1967.

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  Paralipomenon

  You can't have courage to take a stand to disassociate yourself while lacking the courage to handle the reactions of the family.
  
  It's all in.
  
  More often than not, making a direct stand of disassociating oneself will usually provoke a stronger shunning from family members. That is why fading is recommended, though in the end the result is likely to be the same due to the "faith" of his family.
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  38

  Do you still feel guilty, not going to the memorial?

  by JH in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the first time i missed the memorial, i was sick and couldn't go, and felt guilty because that meeting was so important.. then another year, i missed again, this time i wasn't sick.

  i still felt guilty, because i still believed in the religion to a certain extent.

  i didn't go because i didn't want to go back to the meetings, and feel trapped once more.. maybe some feel guilty that they aren't doing anything for the memorial or easter, depending which religion you think is right, because after all jesus did say to remember him..

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  Paralipomenon

  I still attend to support my wife. In fact I feel quite annoyed with attending. But one day a year that I swallow my own pride at the request of my wife is something I can handle.
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  6

  Help needed with a drawing

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  for the past few weeks, i have been developing a picture i have called "authority model".

  i would appreciate any constructive comments and criticisms that will help me produce a picture that is both accurate and meaningful.

  it can be viewed at .

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  Paralipomenon

  Sorry, thought of an additional point, with the light source occurring from above the tower, it can give the mental image that they are receiving light from "above". You may find more power in making the light source come from the tower itself, symbolizing lack of divine support.
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  6

  Help needed with a drawing

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  for the past few weeks, i have been developing a picture i have called "authority model".

  i would appreciate any constructive comments and criticisms that will help me produce a picture that is both accurate and meaningful.

  it can be viewed at .

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  Paralipomenon

  Very good, but it looks like you drew it once, then did a mirror copy to the other side.
  
  If you're striving for a realistic look, you'll have to factor in a light source for the shading on both hands. In the current form the light source appears to be radiating from above the top of the watchtower, but the shadowing doesn't reflect in the metallic portions of the keys.
  
  If the light source is above the hands, then the top of keys would be bright and the lower part would be shadowed.
  
  As for the overall impact of the picture, the mirror use of the same image "key" dilutes the presence of power. Using one hand with more than one key (keyS to the kingdom, plural) would have a greater mental impact then the other hand can hold something else like crushed laurels or something symbolic.
  
  Finally, so much detail went into the arms, that the remaining box points look out of place. This draws attention to the picture foremost and makes reading the text a bit cumbersome. Perhaps draw more detail to the boxes as stones in a state of crumbling or something equally as detailed that will draw the readers eyes to the boxes after they look at the picture. This will affirm in the reader's mind that the teachings listed are shaky, but yet the watchtower remains in tact, untouchable.
  
  Perhaps play around with the font as well to create a more demanding visual.
  
  I like the idea and you have a great talent as an artist, I hope you don't view my opinions as critical as I am very impressed with how it looks.
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  15

  Is it wrong to hope that a loved one will die?

  by Paralipomenon in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i received a call last night that my grandmother had a stroke.

  my first thought was "finally".

  i know how awful that sounds, but her health has been deteriorating for years.

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  Paralipomenon

  I received a call last night that my grandmother had a stroke. My first thought was "finally".
  
  I know how awful that sounds, but her health has been deteriorating for years. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's several years ago and has been in a constant decline.
  
  Last summer I went to visit her and I really wish I hadn't. She had been a very strong willed woman that while wasn't very warm, played an integral part in our growing up. When I walked into her room she looked like she recognized me, but it quickly became apparent that she thought I was my father.
  
  She had pictures up around her room and so we brought them to her and she enjoyed the visit with the people in her pictures. Her mind and demeanor seem to be that of a little girl. After we left the only positive point was that we brought a happy day to a woman that I remember being my grandmother.
  
  This year she will be turning 93.
  
  She was such a proud and composed woman, she would have hated to see her mind degenerate to this point. I can't help thinking that I should feel guilty for hoping that is her final call. It kind of disturbs me that I don't.
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  25

  Can a brother buy his way eldership ?

  by KAYTEE in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  can brothers buy their way to stardom (eldership) .

  have you known anyone who got to being an elder because of his financial status or by having a broker working for him.. i knew a brother who had been out of the borg for many years, who on his return purchased a carpet for the kingdom hall.. this must have prompted the elders to see his spiritual qualities, because soon after he progressed up the so called ladder, to arrive at a "glorious elder".. have you come across this sort of thing?.

  kt.

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  Paralipomenon

  Not outright, but most wealthy members will "wine and dine" the elders in the congregation. This buys them into the 'elite club'. When appointments come around they like to promote friends.
• 
  62

  update on my divorce situation

  by depressed in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i'm shocked!

  if you remember my experience, in a nutshell, basically my ex-bethelite ex pioneer husband cheated on me with an older "worldly woman" from his job and left me suddenly.

  i had no idea that we had trouble with our marriage, however, when i discovered the love letters from the other woman, he moved out, and a week after that, i received divorce papers.

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  Paralipomenon

  Depressed,
  
  Odrade may not have sugar coated the advice at all, but it was still sound. Here is a quote to ponder:
  
  “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” ~Confucius
  
  Essentially he hurt you and you are doing your best to try to hurt him back. He is not longer with you, so you are trying to attack him via the only means you have left to influence in his life, his religion.
  
  Being angry and upset are natural. Obsessing over exposing his two-faced dealings only allows him to continue to influence your life.
  
  The path to healing will only begin when you drop the hatred. Say it takes another year for you to finally expose him and you are triumphant. That is a full year that you denied yourself happiness. You will not find comfort in getting revenge, you can either realize that now, or after you waste more time attempting it.
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  65

  Poll: Are You For Protests & Marches Against The Witnesses?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  do you support such marches around kingdom halls?

  would you personally hold a sign up to protest the watchtower society??

  do you believe this is ultimately effective to get jehovah's witnesses out of the organization??

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  Paralipomenon

  Picketing a random Sunday meeting by dubs would yield little results, but holding a rally on something like the memorial might serve as a nice deterrent to all the bible studies that visit.
  
  When they are being "courted" by witnesses they are being sold fanciful tales of everlasting life and happiness. If they go to the memorial and see "apostates" exposing the real nature, I'm sure their recruitment would go down.
  
  Especially since the study can just hop on the internet and check it out for themselves.
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  50

  Taking One for the Team

  by Perry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the wts has figured out that if you bring jesus out once a year, and create a "showy display", then the rank and file will be sufficiently convinced that the jw's hold jesus as a central figure in their beliefs.

  to anyone else, it can immediately be seen for what it is.

  a publicity stunt.

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  Paralipomenon

  Actually Perry, you are assuming that because I am arguing religious theory, that I'm a religious person. You are quite incorrect. I merely enjoy religious debates. Every theory needs a critic to challenge it's merit. If you don't mind me being a critic, I shall continue to examine your theory. But please don't think I'm trying to justify my own beliefs here so personal jabs will be extremely useless in goading me. =)
  
  Back to the topic:
  
  How would you say Genesis 3:22 fits into your theory?
  "And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.""
  
  In what way did we become like God and what means were available to man to redeem himself? (as evidenced by the tree of life)
  If we were capable of self redemption, why would God try to hide that from mankind?
  
  Also, are you basing your beliefs on the bible account, or on your own interpretation of God?
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  50

  Taking One for the Team

  by Perry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the wts has figured out that if you bring jesus out once a year, and create a "showy display", then the rank and file will be sufficiently convinced that the jw's hold jesus as a central figure in their beliefs.

  to anyone else, it can immediately be seen for what it is.

  a publicity stunt.

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  Paralipomenon

  So if the tree was there to flush out the deception of Satan, wouldn't that make God an empowerer of evil?
  
  If Satan was having wicked thoughts but had no means to carry them out then he was still righteous. But by providing the means for Satan to sin, God was enabling Satan to become evil.
  
  Paralleled to the Butter/better knife story. God explained that the kitchen knife is bad then went and put it on the child's desk to see if the child had actually understood the lesson.
  
  Hell, to run away on the tangent with the story, after the child picks up the knife and cuts himself, the teacher comes back in and hacks off all the child's limbs. "That's what you get for not listening to me! You and all your children will not have hands or legs until you learn to hold a knife properly"
  
  "but teacher" the child cries, "how can I learn without any hands or feet?"
  
  "Long after you're dead, I'll send my son. He'll have hands and will be able to show you that he can hold a knife without cutting himself"
  
  "Isn't your son an adult" sobs the child "surely he already knows how to use a knife"
  
  "Yes he is and adult, and knows how to use a knife. But the limbless masses will be jealous and hack off his hands and feet and so the curse will be broken"
  
  "Teacher?" the child asks "after your son loses his hands, my children will grow hands again?"
  
  "Oh no" the teacher laughs "at that point you will have spiritual hands. When you fumble with knives after that you will know that my son was able to use one and you couldn't. That knowledge will comfort you"
  
  I like my story. It's closer to the bible account.