Posts by "BadAttitude"Ex-Bethelite

51

Why JWs should soft-pedal the "Divine Name"

by Open mind in

this is prompted by reniaa who claims that one of the things that jws have right is the name jehovah.. you know how if you're trying to convert someone to be a jw, you put your best foot forward and try to keep the controversial stuff that might "stumble" them on the back burner?

(like say, mother's day or when i was a kid, pinatas?

) well, that's how i categorize the whole topic of the divine name.

"BadAttitude"Ex-Bethelite

As long as we're beating dead horses here:

Three people (jgnat, metaspy and snowbird) have been writing about onomatopoeia.

Yes, ABBA is a palindrome. But I don't think it is an onomatopoeia.
Merriam-Webster's on-line dictionary defines it as:

1 : the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it (as buzz, hiss)

Other examples would be pop, pow, bow-wow, boing, and less directly sizzle, barf and my personal favorite: "call Earl."

If ABBA means father, daddy, papa, etc., then to be an onomatopoeia it would have to sound like a father. What does a father sound like? "Father" is too complex a word to be associated with one simple sound, except maybe "No!" :-)

CHANGING SUBJECTS:
As far as the name of the (hypothetical) creator, I know it was a very empowering moment in my exit from the cult when I was finally able after a couple years on the outside to shout at the top of my lungs "F**k Jehovah!" After a few moments of fear of lightning striking, then a few more moments of guilty pleasure (like I had gotten away with stealing a cookie or something), I felt a great wave of peace come over me. I no longer have to live in fear of the Dubs' vengeful sky-father.

Peace out.

16

Forever Young -- Alphaville -- Former anthem -- How embarrasingly sad

by Open mind in

anyone else feel the same way?

.

om

"BadAttitude"Ex-Bethelite

NEONMADMAN:

Yes, Dylan wrote the lyrics. But Joan Baez' voice is so much more beautiful, and Dylan treated her so badly, that I prefer to spend my time and money on her version.

Trivia: The last time I saw her in concert, although her voice is beginning to fade a bit on the high notes, she's still a wonderful entertainer. She does a wonderful spot-on imitation of Dylan that had me ROTFL.

I'm almost done with my 60's and 70's music, but seem to be more into 40's and 50's music now than heading into the 80's. Maybe I'm getting "forever old!"

16

Forever Young -- Alphaville -- Former anthem -- How embarrasingly sad

by Open mind in

anyone else feel the same way?

.

om

"BadAttitude"Ex-Bethelite

I guess I'm the resident old fart in this thread. I jumped on the topic "Forever Young" because I immediately thought of one of my favorite sappy songs of all time: Joan Baez's "Forever Young." Here are the lyrics for anyone under 55 who has never heard it:

May God bless and keep you always,
May your dreams always come true,
May you always do for others
And let others do for you.
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung,
May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous,
May you grow up to be true,
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you.
May you always be courageous,
Stand upright and be strong,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy,
May your feet always be swift,
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift.
May your heart always be joyful,
May your song always be sung,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.

To me, this is an inspiring tune – physical age doesn't matter, it's your attitude and character that count. Staying forever young to me means trying to "build a ladder to the stars," your 'heart always being joyful' and being 'righteous,' 'true' and 'knowing the truth' (NOT the JW truth) no matter what.

Since I'm going to turn 50 in 4 months, I guess I'd better get busy following my own and Joan's advice!

Peace out

9

Beer vs. Jesus

by "BadAttitude"Ex-Bethelite in

i just happened across this old top 10 list someone gave me a few years ago.

you may have been it before, but it always brings a smile to my lips.

meantime, i think i'll go grab a brew!

"BadAttitude"Ex-Bethelite

I just happened across this old Top 10 List someone gave me a few years ago.
You may have been it before, but it always brings a smile to my lips.
Meantime, I think I'll go grab a brew!

BEER vs. JESUS:

THE TOP 10 REASONS WHY BEER IS BETTER THAN JESUS

10. No one will kill you for not drinking Beer.

9. Beer doesn't tell you how to have sex.

8. Beer has never caused a major war.

7. They don't force Beer on minors who can't think for themselves.

6. When you have a Beer, you don't knock on people's doors trying to give it away.

5. Nobody's ever been burned at the stake, hanged or tortured over their brand of beer.

4. You don't have to wait 2000+ years for a second beer.

3. There are laws saying Beer labels can't lie to you.

2. You can prove you have a Beer.

1. If you've devoted your life to Beer, there are groups to help you stop.

35

Damaging property and driveways in Field Service. The good old days.

by Open mind in

just got done reading b_deserter's partial life story and it sent me drifting down memory lane.

this is a long, rambly story, so if you're not in the mood, i'd recommend clicking on another thread.. did you happen to grow up in "god's country?

" you know, a rural or semi-rural part of the country that is far superior morally to the "sin den" i moved to, california?

"BadAttitude"Ex-Bethelite

You all just reminded me of my favorite rural tragicomedy. Five of us were wedged into a Toyota Corona. Pio bro and sis in the front, 3 of us auxiliary types in the back. As we pulled down a long driveway, a big collie dog came out barking and yapping and snapping at the tires. The pio bro slowed down but relentlessly kept heading for the sheep target. As we neared the house, the faithful protector collie got too close to the car and pio bro and Corona ran over Lassie! Oops! Now pio bro is about to get sick from hurting Lassie. Pio wife is yelling at pio bro and crying. Lassie is wailing and yelping. Woman of the house and her teenage son come out to see what the fuss is about. WOTH doesn't drive, and teen can't go to vet alone. Problem is, though, that the Corona is already filled with 5 witlesses trying to save the lives of the householders (sorry if we kill some pets along the road to salvation). So the brilliant solution was to drive all the way back to town and possible salvation for the dog, about ten miles or so, with the teenager holding pain-wracked Lassie in his arms in the TRUNK of the Corona! Imagine the scene: the ashen driver wants to die from guilt and pain, his wife loudly crying, yelling, etc. The boy in the trunk with Lassie gets repeatedly hit on the head by the bouncing trunk lid as we maneuver the bumpy and twisty rural roads. As horrible as this sounds, we 3 auxiliary types in the back seat, stuck between the tragicomedy in the trunk and the crying in the front, got our funny bones in a knot and couldn't stop laughing. We couldn't even look at each other without bursting out. It was terrible for all involved -- especially poor Lassie. Years later, I've forgotten whether or not the dog survived. Somehow I do remember, though, that the pioneer's paying for the vet bills wasn't enough to make Lassie's family decide to become witlesses.

56

If you ain't a PIONEER, You ain't SH**!!!

by Open mind in

my loyal-dub wife had a wonderful morning knocking on empty homes earlier this week.

last night she confided in me with an observation.

she has noticed what she perceives to be a "pioneer clique" in our congregation.

"BadAttitude"Ex-Bethelite

"Hmmmm....... Maybe I'll start a thread someday entitled "How to go out with a Bang!"
I'm sure there are plenty on JWD."

I left fairly quietly. But this one time (not at band camp) I couldn't resist messing with them a bit. I was putting up lawn signs for a political campaign, and so I stuck one in the lawn of a kingdumb hall. The hall is on a busy street and the sign stayed up for a day or so before disappearing.

I guess the devil made me do it!

119

Great Books Thread

by Open mind in

what are the top 5 books you would either recommend and/or have had the greatest influence on you?

(if you only want to mention one or two that's fine as well.).

if you feel like it, please briefly tell us why.

"BadAttitude"Ex-Bethelite

Okay, I've been skulking and lurking about for a couple of months. It's finally time to take the plunge and say something. This good-book thread looks like a pretty nonthreatening place to start. The ones I'm listing here are those that have helped me in my journey out of the tower into the light. Anne Rice - Memnoch the Devil. This one turns the whole idea of Biblical good and evil on its head. Eric Hoffer - The True Believer. Shows that mind control and blind faith are more about the personality type than about the actual doctrine proferred. Elaine Pagels - Adam, Eve and the Serpent. By a professor of theology, this one shows how Christianity's ideas of good and bad, especially around sex, came to be formed. Shows how (Saint) Augustine, a sex addict felt guilty and caused Christianity to view the human condition as mostly sinful and corrupt, needing redemption and correction, and how he won out against the other faction who viewed people as basically good. Alfred J. Ayers - Language, Truth and Logic (1946 edition). After 2 years of "dangerous worldly" philosophy classes in college, this guy finally made more sense to me than anyone. His philosophy, called "logical positivism," keeps things really simple, and doesn't lose me in the clouds like some philosophers, or piss me off with hard-and-fast rules like some others. Alice Walker - The Color Purple. The struggle to escape from oppression as a woman and as a black held many parallels for me in my escape from JW oppression. Andrew Tobias - The Best Little Boy in the World. This guy did what I did - tried to be perfect in every other way, since he felt himself basically flawed due to being gay. Leroy Aarons - Prayers for Bobby: A Mother's Coming to Terms with the Suicide of Her Gay Son. Even if I weren't gay, it is fascinating to get inside this amazing woman's head as she goes from rabid fundamentalist to raving pro-humanist while coming to terms with how a god could create a beautiful son and then allow him to kill himself. I dare anyone to read this one without crying! Finally, on a lighter note: Sam McBratney - Guess How Much I Love You. This is supposed to be a cute children's book. But the delightful drawings of the Little and Big Nut Brown Hares are irresistible, and their sweet lines like "I love you right up to the moon and back" can't help but bring a smile to your face. Peace out.