Posts by Eyebrow

71

When and where baptized

by drahcir yarrum in

jw
friends

i thought it might be interesting to see how many here remember where and when they were baptised into the borg.

for some the memory may be too painful, but i'm curious.. me.

it was 1966 in vancouver, bc.

Eyebrow

October 1992, Natick Assembly Hall in Natick, MA!

I still have the towel...my precious "baptismal towel" that I refuse to part with, only because it was part of one of the few serious decision of my life, haahaa...even if it was not the best decision. It is falling apart....probably something a wee bit symbolic about that, eh?

I remember when the assmebly hall down there was fairly new, and it was sooo exciting as a kid to get food tickets and stand in line and get either hot food, or a cold sub. They don't even serve food any more...it is too distracting for the brothers and sisters who volunteer and miss parts of the program. yet, you are discouraged from going to local restaurants to eat...to much worldy association. My mom made me feel guilty about getting a hotdog outside of the Providence Civic Center. But after lugging around a cooler with crappy sandwiches and my little boy, I felt Jehovah would spare his anger if I took him across the street to MickyD's once in a while.

heehee!

8

Sister that is not acceptable!

by LovesDubs in

jw
friends

somebody mentioned getting flack for having get togethers for studying...the society is so damned scared that there will be some mob mentality if more than their proscribed little groups get together for anything other than their proscribed activities.

paranoia much?

it reminded me.... when i was first coming in, the congregation i was in had a boatload of kids...a ton around 8-10 years old.

Eyebrow

ACk!!

I loved the few bible character parties we had. If our congregation made a tiff about it I never knew. As far as bible games went...did anyone ever play Scrabble but with bible words?

Also..what about STOOPS manufacturing??? I swear that if you did not buy the metal time slip holders or bookbags from them you really were not spiritual. And they did have bible games and even bible tapse with songs by sisters.

Thank goodness my mom could never afford to get me that square magazine bag ALL the pioneers had!!!! Or the Bible with the Reasoning with the Scriptures bound right in the back! The pioneers were soooo clicky about that kind of stuff.

40

Hi Again

by tattoogrl333 in

jw
friends

well the elders do not accept me.

i do not fit the mold and nor will i change too.

they asked for a book for me to see the questions answered for baptisim but they wouldn't give it to me because they have to decide if i can join???

Eyebrow

Six of Nine.
Methinks that perhaps I misunderstood your post when I first read it.
I was speaking specifically of differnet religions...not necessarily of "Christianity". I agree with you when no group has the right to deny whether you can be a christian or not...just whether you are a member of their sect/group...ie. JW, Baptist...Mormon...etc. I believe this because no matter what ANY religion claims, they are all private groups.

How can any group feel special if they cannot exclude someone? heeehee

40

Hi Again

by tattoogrl333 in

jw
friends

well the elders do not accept me.

i do not fit the mold and nor will i change too.

they asked for a book for me to see the questions answered for baptisim but they wouldn't give it to me because they have to decide if i can join???

Eyebrow

My question is how is anyone supposed to make an informed decision about getting baptised as a JW if you cannot see the questions first??

SixofNine,

The whole of different religions (just my opinion) is that different groups have different beliefs and rules. If you do not adhear to the beliefs and behaviours of that religion, then why be a part of it?

Again, I do not believe any more that JWs are they only true religion...in fact I do not think there is any group out there that has the right to claim it.

JWs have always been afraid of people that do not look like they step out of the picture of a watchtower or awake! I do think they take it too far...but then again, I left because I do not believe what I once did.

I do not think it is right to deny anyone the right to read that Organization book BECAUSE it has those questions and pertinent info that anyone seriously interested should get to read about. However, based on my own knowledge of JWs, I can understand that after 2.5 months they do not think you are ready to be baptised. This answer would probably be the same if you dressed and looked like a member of the governing body. Despite what many believe, MOST elders do not encourage people to get baptised after only studying a few months, it isn't good to have people jumping into it so quickly.

When I got baptised, it was understood that you had to cover at least two books...it used to be the Liver Forever book and Truth book...then live forever and ack! I cannot think if the name (a blue book I still have somewhere!) and I think now one of them is KNOWLEDGE THAT LEADS TO EVERLASTING LIFE book....

7

Birthday celebrations

by Jools j in

jw
friends

reading thru the birthday wishes for both joel (happy birthday btw) and slayer, i was caught up in mrmoe's remark about it being good to feel no guilt anymore.. will tell us when you first ever celebrated a birthday after your jw experience and what it felt like and how did you do it?

did you feel at all guilty or was it paradisical all the way

Eyebrow

Let's see....I was 27 and my son celebrated his birthday for the first time when he turned 8.

As his birthday came up, I gave him the choice of whether he wanted to celebrate it or not. He told me it felt a bit wierd, but overall very nice.

5

Spreading False Rumors

by KSJordan in

jw
friends

i remember when i was a child we had dogs.

anyway, this "annointed" person spread this rumor that we were sleeping with the dogs and worshipping their pictures.

i have also read in the awake that the wtbs frowns on pet ownership.

Eyebrow

I know lots of JWs with lots of pets...and never heard that it was discouraged. Only that the 'cost was counted' and tbat no one took on too much responsibility, be it pets, career or kids.

Maybe that person was one of the alzhiemic annointed.

40

Hi Again

by tattoogrl333 in

jw
friends

well the elders do not accept me.

i do not fit the mold and nor will i change too.

they asked for a book for me to see the questions answered for baptisim but they wouldn't give it to me because they have to decide if i can join???

Eyebrow

Oh yesseriiiiii bob!

I think you are speaking of the Organization Book as it is referred too. God forbid anyone sees that before the elders think they are ready!!!

This book has all the questions in it, and some information about the organization of the congregation. There is nothing very secretive in it, I often wonder why they require approval before someone gets it.

As far as denying people who want to join....they may think that you are not yet serious if you still have pink hair and body piercings. There is nothing that can be done about the tatoos, but you can remove piercings and color your hair. I am not saying that these are the reasons...but it could be a start.

I never had a problem with any group denying someone to join per se, that is what defines a group. I would not be upset because they won't let you have the book; however, I would look at it as an opportunity to really examine WHY you want to be baptised as one of JWs.

I am curious as to how long you have been studying and attending meetings. Did you grow up in and around the faith...or are you a newly interested one that has been studying for a short time, say 6 months or a year? If you decide to become a witness, that is your choice, but please take your time to make sure that this is what you really believe and really want. This is an incredible life change. It will affect your relationship with everyone you know, especially nonJWs.

Please keep us updated on how your study conductor answers you. I am curious.

8

Are there books you still keep?

by Eyebrow in

i have found that the following books are still of interest and use to me, although i have 'walked away' from jw:.

1. greatest man whoever lived.

a lot of nice general info about jesus' life that is easy to read.

Eyebrow

I have found that the following books are still of interest and use to me, although I have 'walked away' from JW:

1. Greatest Man Whoever Lived
a lot of nice general info about Jesus' life that is easy to read

2. Mankind's Search for God
this was the first book I had read that covers (albeit lightly) other religions. I learned how so many are similiar, and it piqued my interest in learning more about them.

3. The Great Teacher Book
a great book with to use to show how kids can apply bible lessons in their own life. Again, I don't agree anymore with all the lessons, but still a nice read book geared to be read out loud.

4. My Book Of Bible Stories
Easy to understand book that takes kids through the bible chronologically. Again, there are a few stories that many nonJWs may object too, but overall, it gives a really good overview of characters in the bible.

I have kept most of my books....partly because I am a packrat, and partly out of nostalgia. I chucked my back issues, but kept the bound volumes, cordances, bibles, etc.

What have you kept?

29

Best urban legends, you heard in the org?

by Nicolas in

jw
friends

personnally, i heard a lot of urban legends about the presence of a devil in a house.

it was always the same kind of story about a devil who lived in a house and then the jw arrive and they pray jehovah and suddendly, the demon go away...

Eyebrow

Here is a personal one...

While I was studying to get baptised, I was having trouble with depression and mood swings. The sister asked if I had anything demonic in my apartment. I thought really, really hard, thinking that this may be the answer. Finally, I came up with a short story I had written a few years before that had a brief Satan cameo in it. Convinced that was what was causing the problems, we decided I should get rid of it.

Of course, I thought it was the right thing to do at the time. I also was convinced that I should destroy my Grateful Dead tape collection and other tapes that the society deemed inappropriate. (I made this decision on my own.)

I am still kicking myself in the head for throwing away the story and the tapes.

60

Psalm 50: JEHOVAH'S JUDICIAL RULINGS

by You Know in

jw
friends

the 50th psalm is one of jehovah's as-of-yet-unrevealed judicial decisions that will become operative upon his people during the tribulation.

the following is a brief overview of the chapter.. "the divine one, god, jehovah, has himself spoken,.

and he proceeds to call the earth.

Eyebrow

Oooh...one more thing..

I do enjoy when those that are JWs post and debate...but YOU KNOW, are you being hypocritical when you say that we should obey those taking the lead? The fact that you are reading and posting to this very board (filled, as you claim with apostates) is doing just the opposite.

In fact, if you were to go to the elders in your congregation and say, 'look how many I have reached, brothers, on this board alone!' do you think you will be praised?

I certainly hope you are not counting this as field service time!
(Tsk, Tsk, TSK!)