again..please do not ask for a pdf scan as the only copies i have are the interbranch electronic copies from the us branch to our local branch.. .
november 3, 2009 .
to all bodies of elders .
Well this would explain the 3 phone calls I got in the months of December and January. I guess everyone else just figured I was beyond hope.
Ohhh a Bible Study- quite tempting!! It would be a challenge to see how long it would take before I could see a "deer in the headlights" look in my "teacher's" eyes. (No- just stay the course- keep head low and avoid the DF)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yptrya2-ihg.
englewood hospital to train military, others in bloodless surgery techniquesfriday, january 29, 2010 .
last updated: saturday january 30, 2010, 12:07 amby mary jo laytonthe recordstaff writerenglewood hospital and medical center will receive nearly $4.7 million in federal funding to train military and civilian physicians in bloodless surgery and other medical procedures, rep. steve rothman and hospital officials announced friday.. the hospitals institute for patient blood management & bloodless medicine and surgery has treated 50,000 patients and trained nearly 100 physicians, both military and civilian from the u.s. and internationally.
Although I like what Englewood does- but their shameless advertising of bloodless surgery has 2 problems:
this is a complex question, and i just want to get a discussion started on the message of jehovah's witnesses and how it relates to their adventist roots, and esp calvinism.. bear with me, i will try to be concise.. we all know that while jehovah's witnesses like to deny adventist roots, that it is clear that according to them, the man jesus selected to get the whole thing started, c t russell, was heavily influenced by adventist ideas, esp the (adventist) idea that has really never left them; the idea that somehow, a time date or period can be inferred from the bible if you read certain scriptures through an adventist lens.
(thus, the 2520 years, 7 gentile times, etc.).
so while this is relatively well known, there is a concept that jehovah's witnesses teach against, yet practice.
I also thought a little about the Calvinist influence on JW's. It seems to me that the concept of the "elect" has strongly influenced JW thought. JW's acknowledge that you can sin, fall, turn your back on God (like all of us terrible apostates)- so there really cannot be real "predestination" - but they still carry that notion that they were selected, elected, out of all the religions on the planet to be the one voice of God. That seems to me to be Calvinistic. This sense that the JW's are priviledged above all others to have the true and only understanding of the Bible- even calling their way of belief- "the truth". The anointed (144,000) are ordained by God- selected, to be kings and priests- no merit system whatsoever- you are just chosen- no one knows why or how- just by Gods divine will you are somehow the only ones.
Seems different from Catholicism or other protestant denominations idea that all men receive "grace" from God. That all are his children and deserving of mercy.
Just a few theological thoughts- no disrespect meant xjw4evr.
My personal beliefs are better expressed by this quote: We are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further. – Richard Dawkins
ok before i start i know my mum was um "special" and had some, well...... bizzare training ideas.. .
i was one of 7 kids, dad didnt help much coz he was sick, so my mum was left to run the 'ship' and she did it with an iron fist.. .
we were never late for a meeting we sat, parents and 2 kids in one row the other 5 in row in front.
This is an amazing and harrowing thread. Of course we knew about the wooden spoon- mostly used on the youngest family members. The belt, etc. I really think someone should put together a compilation of these stories for a book or website. This abuse should be highlighted and shown to the world. I have tremendous guilt over insisting that my 3 year old sit quietly in the book study. I spanked him- but without spoons, or cords or anything else. (Still I shudder) Thank god we got out when he was about 7. We have enjoyed being semi normal since then.
Thanks for the courage everyone had to talk about this. So sad.
review comments will be in red or headed by comments.
"--john 13:34,35.. comments.
fellow believers.. comments.
Only JW's could figure out a way to use a discussion about love to enact some new regulations- cell phone use, ipod use, etc.
honestly, i can't remember if i told some of this already, so if i repeat myself, please allow me this.
i am practicing for old age..... it is now 6 years since i got the "long form" application for gilead, with over 120 questions to answer.
5 years since i got my notice that we were selected to attend the 119th class of gilead from april-september 2005.. prior to this, i really wanted to be a co. i won't belabor the point about my ex jw wife wanting to go overseas, but suffice to say, her goal won out over my goal.
Don't apologize- the word "duped" says it all. It doesn't have any reflection on your personality or inner strengh or anything else. Your on a board where we all know that.
Did you ever experience the feeling where you were encouraging someone about how great Gilead is and how it is such a great goal to have- and you realized that you were lying and that it is really pretty miserable. I experienced that several times as a Bethelite. Telling some kid- "Yeah come to Bethel you'll have so much fun- it is so great!" and meanwhile thinking- yeah- if you consider poverty and lonliness fun!! The org has a way of majorly mind-f'ing you.
I cant really identify with the foreign country stuff- but your stories about morning worship- so true!
Also- did you notice the incredible level of "Stepford wives" shallowness among most bethelites?? I visited some time after I left and was shocked about how separated from reality the whole place is.
what is the reason for being incorporated in two states and why is the pa corp. two words (watch tower) and the ny corp. one word (watchtower)?
thanks.
My understanding was that the NY corporation was originally a way for Russell to make sure his wife (who was getting divorced from him) could not get any of the assets in the corporation (that they had built together.) The modern explanation is as AT Jeff states above- but in the book "The Four Presidents" it seems to insinuate that the move was actually just a move to hide assets.
i have been meaning to bring this up for a long time.. sometimes, i think we (former jw's) who are very rightly concerned about all the lies of the governing body have some great ideas about how to expose jehovah's witnesses.. some of us have very passionate and distinct ideas.
not a few of us have websites with our own personalities evident.. i don't wish this to get personal.
even if i disagree with some presentations or rhetoric of some, i know that it is sincere.
Personally, the free minds website and Ray Franz books were the most powerful items I came across. I think everyone will be touched in a different way and so there is a need for every possible type of publicity. I think there can never be enough websites, discussion groups, books, articles, comments on newpaper pages about witnesses, blogs, facebook postings, etc. In marketing we say you have to touch someone 7 times to make your point. So the more stuff that is out there- the better.
Obviously, you have to be very careful not to trigger the defense mechanisms of JWs- so common sense, facts and non-adversarial methods are usually more effective. It is also helpful if people come across apostate information when they are not looking for it- which is why I say commenting on news media websites when they have an article about JWs is a great idea. JWs circulate links to these articles all the time.
PS- ATJ- we know people in common- PM me sometime and I'll elaborate.
just a memory.
when i was growing up- i was in the school band- played the trumpet.
our band marched in 2 parades a year- thanksgiving day and st. patricks day.
Just a memory. When I was growing up- I was in the school band- played the trumpet. Our band marched in 2 parades a year- Thanksgiving day and St. Patricks day. The rule was that any kid who didn't march had to write a 10 page book report instead. So guess what I did??
Every spring and every fall I spent a few days in the library and did a 10 page book report. No marching in pagan holiday parades for this good little JW boy.
No wonder I quit band in the 7th grade!!
hiya guys and gals.
im not trying to be self-righteous but i want to understand the thought process of someone who knows the origins of christmas, but starts celebrating it (putting up christmas tree, exchanging wrapped gifts; repeating merry christmas to everyone they see in the month of december)??
it seems very silly to me (imo) after knowing how and why christmas was created (to cater to pagans sun worship and convert to christianity)!!
and Happy Festivus
for the rest of us.
