it's christmas eve and i feel like any other day of the year.
i might drink a beer or two or might go to bed at 9pm like any other day.. to me, the days that lead up to christmas is way more exciting than the actual day.. maybe i feel this way because i'm alone..... .
Hey JH,
Right now its not a big deal. Just enjoying some wine, listening to carols (i think they are very nice and i've always liked them) and making my list for the new year. However, next year I plan to have networked enough to host a christmas/winter dinner.
we all know the kingdom melody, keep your eyes on the prize.
do you think the witnesses place too much emphasis on the prize?
why go out in field service?
I would hope that I'm wrong, that there are hordes of Witnesses doing their service in the spirit of love - but that would seem to show too much care for "the world", to preach or whatever because it makes the world a better place. We all know only God can make the world a better place, so why evern try? Isn't WRONG to try to make the world a better place?
There are some who preach and really want to make the world a better place. However, if you are one of those people you are quickly reminded that you are out to preach and not be part of a social or community outreach program.
i will be paying off all my cards by next week (around 2500).
have you had a difficult time paying those bills this year?
This has to be the "cheekiest" thread ever on JWD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One never asks someone about their finances!
Changeling,
I thought the same thing when I saw this thread.
I have always believed that there is life on other planets. I've also though it quite ridiculous to believe its just us. I am interested to see whats in files that will be released by the Brits.
i've been reading various posts and i notice that fading is often advised by others who have done so or wish they had done so.
why is this better than being df'd?
i'm assuming it's because your family will not shun you if you are merely da'd ?
Its not necessarily better to fade, it just depends on your situation. DA'd and DF'd are the same thing, except when you DA you send official notice that you are no longer a JW, when you are DF'd the org decides that you are no longer a JW due to some type of wrongdoing. You can consider a fade like slipping out the back door or quietly dropping off the radar but it basically means you are inactive in every since - no field service, no meetings, nothing. People usually fade because they have JW family and do not want to be shunned.
Honestly, I have considered DA'ing myself and cutting all ties with the JWs but most of my immediately family are JWs. Also, I eventually realized that I shouldn't marry or date a DA'd or DF'd person because I would still end up being shunned...LOL...isn't life a real trip.
as you know this movie was banned for jws.
any faithful witness would not watched a non-jw bible movie (even though they do it all the time but that's a different subject.
) i watched it this pass week over a couple of days.
I think "banned" is a poor and deceptive word choice.
Let me clarify. As a regular pioneer or MS in my area you could not watch any of the movies I mentioned or any R-rated movie and remain a regular pioneer or MS, including Schlinder's List. So although we were "discouraged" from watching such movies, in my area it translated to their being "banned" for witnesses. This is what I heard I plenty of at regular pioneer mtgs during the COs visit. Please remember that various WTBS principles translate differently depending on your CO and/or congregation. Some of you obviously attended more liberal congregations.
I attended an assembly where the DO said from the platform that witnesses should not see "Meet the Parents". That did not surprise because at the pioneer meeting before hand it was mentioned that privileges would be taken away from pioneer, MS or Elder if it was found out that they saw the movie. I saw it about 2 years later at a friends house that lives in another state. Her and husband were like "have you seen this movie? its hilarious". I responded "I thought we were not suppose to watch this movie." As it turned out they did not get the warning at their assembly or pioneer meeting. So I guess this goes back to the thread about peoples conscience allowing them to make different decisions. I watched the movie because it was only PG-13...I thought it was so funny I went out and bought it but made sure it was never out front with the other DVDs in my home.
Also, it didn't matter how educational a movie was if it was rated-R, it was a no-no in my area. Movies were mentioned by name from the platform in my area. What can I say, I towed the line...although after awhile I realized it was just someone's personal opinion.
i'd like you all to tell me 2 or 3 things:.
1- were you raised a witness or not?.
2-if you were, was your family very "theocratic" or not so much?.
1. Yes
2. Very Theocratic yet balanced
(my dad was never a jw so we did sports, school clubs and stuff but I always in the ministry, pioneering, etc).
3. Agnostic
merry christmas all forum members!.
what do you remember as your favorite childhood christmas, whether your family was in or out?
mine was all my cousins coming to visit over the holidays, and a big turkey dinner.
Although my parents have plenty of pics of my as a baby and toddler during Christmas I only remember the last Christmas before my mom was baptized. I was 5 years old. Me and my sister stayed up all night peeking through our bedroom door waiting for Santa. My dad would tell us that Santa wouldn't come if we didn't go to sleep. We ignored our father and kept on the lookout. Then we heard bells...sleigh-bells...we went running to the window looking for Santa since we didn't see the presents. Me and my sister started to cry because we thought he went to every house but ours. Then our dad told us that it wasn't too late and Santa would come back if we went to sleep. This time we listened. We awoke to a ton of presents under the tree. We went to wake our parents up to tell them that we had been good girls after all. I remember my mom cooked a huge breakfast and later in the day we went outside and made snow angels and a HUGE snowman. That was the last time I ever celebrated Christmas.
Okay...now I want to cry...I was robbed of Christmas!!!
although i don't know this as a fact, i suspect that the wts is negotiating some pretty lucrative rebates from these hotels (which of course the rank and file jw pays) because they can guarantee a full house at $xxx per night.
this came from last year's thread about the rooming department km insert, and will almost certainly apply this year.
but, when the watchtower society negotiates with hotels, they are not having difficulties negotiating just for the price that you, the attendee, pay.
For some reason, I'm find this thread to be quite hilarious. Anyway, in my experience you got better deals and better quality accommodations if you found your own hotel instead of staying at a hotel on the list. One year, the list only consisted of motels. When those filled up, people started making arrangements to stay in peoples home. The folks that made arrangements at the better hotels were highly criticized for not waiting on the org to make arrangements for us. I'm so glad those days are over.
most times i end up drinking alone listening to the neighbours party, and watching the clock tick by {my wife wen't to bed at 11 pm}...one time a witness friend of mine came over since we had "nothing better to do.
" a few naughty witnesses go into the city to watch the fireworks...which of course is frowned upon.
did you secretly celibrate in your own way?
I never went to a NYE's party. When I was younger, my family stayed up late and watched the balldrop. We cheered and sang the songs and everything. When I was in my late teens and early 20's, a group of us would go see fireworks. After that I was typically at home on a three way call with friends while we each drank our favorite wine waiting for time to flip into the new year. How sad is that? About two years ago, I tried to get a group together to go out to dinner on NYE and they wouldn't even do that. Last NYE, I was a couple of months into my fade and probably cried all night about my pathetic life...LOL...I've come a loooong way since then.
This year, I'm going to a NYE party!!! It will be my first!
Also, I have NEVER been able to properly explain why JWs don't celebrate the new year other than they don't want to be like everyone else.
