eyeslice

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Posts by eyeslice

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  1

  My avatar - now here's someone with no time for religion - who am I?

  by eyeslice in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  and the answer is ....

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  eyeslice

  And the answer is ....
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  Is your life behind or ahead of you?

  by eyeslice in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  mrs eyeslice and i have a very close friend in the "truth" who has recently had a torrid time breaking up with her non-jw husband.

  she has been very emotionally drained and down just lately, feeling she has nothing ahead of her.

  but come on, she is only 38 years old, is a very attractive lady and has most of her adult life ahead of her.

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  eyeslice

  Mrs Eyeslice and I have a very close friend in the "truth" who has recently had a torrid time breaking up with her non-JW husband. She has been very emotionally drained and down just lately, feeling she has nothing ahead of her. But come on, she is only 38 years old, is a very attractive lady and has most of her adult life ahead of her.

  An incident from my Sunday morning run brought this out to me.
  
  I was out running (jogging really) on Sunday morning when I caught up with an old guy also out for a run. I joggled along side him for a bit, and told me a bit about himself. He is 83 years old, runs 3 miles every day (with 5 miles on Sundays). He's ran for years and for his age is extremely fit for his age, both mentally and physically. So I got to thinking, here is a guy who is approximately 31 years older than me. 31 years ago, I was 20 years old, and my adult life was only just beginning. I wasn't married at the time, hadn't got kids (who are nearly grown up). Looking back, I have done so much since then. Now, if I am lucky enough to have another 31 years of good health and fortune ahead of me, my life isn't yet half over!
  
  So, for those of you who have struggled in the "truth", have struggled to leave, and now struggle on the outside, don't despair - I am sure that most of you guys have proverbial glasses that are well over half full.
  
  Eyeslice
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  18

  Disfellowshipping and Shunning- is it scriptual?

  by MonkeyPrincess in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  tonight my sister told me our dad had mentioned that when you do not associate yourself with a disfellowshipped person, relative or not, you are honoring god and following the bible's guidlines.

  i asked my sister if she knew where in the bible it states that.

  she said she did not know, but knows that its in there, and knows that it relates something to that affect.

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  eyeslice

  He gave us the illustration of the Prodigal Son. The father ran to meet his son half way.

  Swan - good point. There was a Watchtower article end of 1998/early 1999 which I enjoyed when I was 'in' and serving as an elder. I thought at the time it might be leading to a softening of attitudes towards errant ones. I was wrong.
  

  Eyeslice
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  46

  What RULES Do Jehovah's Witnesses Enforce Upon Their Members???

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  jws love to say they are a "free" people.

  they are not enslaved by man made rules and regulations like other religions....how would you refute that idea?

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  eyeslice

  Never question anything!

  Eyeslice
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  54

  What's Your Biggest Disappointment In Life??

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does it have to do with having been a witness?

  the fact that you missed out in something??

  what?

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  eyeslice

  Not making a bigger contribution to society

  Mine too - plus the disappointment of finding out that years of effort on behalf of the WTBTS counted for nothing when the knives are out for you.
  
  Eyeslice
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  12

  shepherding call

  by stillajwexelder in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  got a vist from two elders the other night - i lied (sorry guys) i told them what they wanted to hear - that is to say - the organization is wonderful

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  eyeslice

  stillajwexelder - That's the line I take too.

  The problem is that the more prominent in the local congregation/circuit you were, the longer you are regarded in their eyes as "one of Jehovah's Witnesses". That means if you show signs of apostacy you will become a judicial committee case. I am going for the long fade, whereby eventual I will be considered no longer under the authority of the congregation and can become a little more outspoken.
  
  Eyeslice
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  92

  A religion with nothing to Celebrate

  by eyeslice in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  how sad that the witnesses have nothing to celebrate.

  the more i think about it since i stopped going to the meetings, the more i feel that spirituality and religion are about opportunities to give thanks and to celebrate life with family and friends.

  christenings or name giving ceremonies celebrate the gift of a new life to a family.

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  eyeslice

  That the JWs are basically dead in their souls is shown by how most JWs sing today at their meetings -- no soul, no life, just a deadpan mouthing of the written words accompanied by uninspiring music. I went to an evangelical church some months ago, and the enthusiasm with which they sang their songs to Jesus was such a contrast with the soullessness of the JWs.

  AlanF - couldn't agree more. I sometimes have a little dig at my wife (still attends) about the singing compared to the obvious joy and enthusiasm of gospel music. When in and an elder myself, I often thought that I would take my guitar along one Sunday and open with a bit of live music (rather than the pre-record paino boring stuff).

  I think the main reason why holidays and "special days" are renounced is because it creates a delusion of time, much in the same way that casinos do not have clocks on the walls.

  Preston - very interesting - I'd never thought about it that way but an excellent thought.
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  18

  Disfellowshipping and Shunning- is it scriptual?

  by MonkeyPrincess in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  tonight my sister told me our dad had mentioned that when you do not associate yourself with a disfellowshipped person, relative or not, you are honoring god and following the bible's guidlines.

  i asked my sister if she knew where in the bible it states that.

  she said she did not know, but knows that its in there, and knows that it relates something to that affect.

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  eyeslice

  The only support they have is in 1Cor.5.
  "The Message", which is also on the site that I've linked to, puts it in an interesting way.

  It's not uncommon for the WTS to have a major doctrine based on a single verse, or a patchwork of unrelated texts.

  LittleToe is right. I have had this debate as an elder and since I stepped down and left. The incident of 1 Cor 5 was not a 'judicial commitee' affair .... the note associating instruction was given by one man Paul. His words can be interpreted as "if this person wants to go that way then we have nothing to do with them". This is not how disfellowshipping by judicail committee works. Also, Paul was quick to tell the congregation 'not to discourage this individual' as soon as he wanted to come back to the flock. Again, no judicial committee.

  Additionally, the account in Matthew is sometimes cited as example of disfellowshipping - 'let him be as one of the Nations' .... etc. But again this was not a judicial committe approach. Yes the incident was to be taken to the older men but the situation had to do with personal differences. The rift that could result was between the two individuals - nowhere did Jesus say the Older men were to treat the offendng party as one of the Nations.

  Eyeslice
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  14

  Careers in the Organisation?

  by eyeslice in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  careers in the organization?

  how often have you heard young ones encouraged to make the truth their career?

  but what careers?

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  eyeslice

  On a personal note, I gave up the only thing that I wanted to do in life ever since I was about 4 years old (I got accepted into med school but turned it down in favour of a career in the truth). In many respects I was successful in the truth, respected elder, etc.

  But when a relatively minor incident with my kids arose (i.e. non-disfellowshipping), I was hounded off the BOEs. I protested at the time and said if I were a lawyer, a teacher or a doctor, would the relatively minor indescretions of my kids affect my professional standing? But, obviously what goes for the world, does not count in the 'truth'.

  Eyeslice
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  92

  A religion with nothing to Celebrate

  by eyeslice in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  how sad that the witnesses have nothing to celebrate.

  the more i think about it since i stopped going to the meetings, the more i feel that spirituality and religion are about opportunities to give thanks and to celebrate life with family and friends.

  christenings or name giving ceremonies celebrate the gift of a new life to a family.

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  eyeslice

  Christmas , not for everybody is it just a p.... up and cynical collection of the gifts... I now understand how it keeps distant relatives in touch, how it draws together the ties of differing generations , and that for many it really is a celebration of the birth of Christ

  Christenings, not a meaningless ritual but a thanksgiving to god for a new life. and the undertaking by godparents to look out for the child if anything should befall the parents

  All celebrations are a part of the social fabric of a community , but of course the dubs reject that community .

  Bluesbrother - you've exactly summed the point of this thread. Mankind since time in memorial has used rituals and celebrations as milestones in life. Missing out on these has been one of my deeepest regrets about being 'in the truth'. Which is why I let my kids join in school activites including sports and proms, etc. I feel i missed out on a lot personally.

  Eyeslice