Its considered gambling. Also, depending on your congregation entering free sweepstakes is also considered gambling.
shopaholic
JoinedPosts by shopaholic
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94
What Was The Very First Thing That Came Across Your Eyes That Lead You Down The Road To Doubt?
by Yizuman inany of you remember what was exactly the first thing that crossed your eyeballs to lead you into doubting the wts?.
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shopaholic
1995 generation change
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shopaholic
Hi Berean,
Did you have to write a letter or sign anything when you got baptized? Why do you need to write a letter to leave? The end result is the same regardless if you DA or are DF'd...you are treated as if you are disfellowshipped. If you simply walk away, you at least stand a chance of your family continuing to communicate with you.
You are probably feeling the need for closure. If it is closure that you need, then start living your life, right now. Take the class you couldn't take because it was on a meeting night. Go out with co-workers for happy hour. Send someone a birthday present. Buy yourself a birthday present. Take your cruise and make new friends. You may find that you will feel differently in a few months.
Everyone's situation and tolerance level is different, so do what you think is best for you. Whatever you decide, the sun is still going to rise in the morning.
Shop
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shopaholic
For the record, yes, black people do sunbathe. They also wear sunblock, they tan and they even sunburn. Its a great way to even out your skintone for skimpy summer outfits, a great source and vitamin and it just feels good.
Personally, I love the "golden" tone it gives my skin. Sometimes even black people can use a little "color".
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Witness 007 returns to wife and meetings..I give up! Sorry no choice!
by Witness 007 inmy wife's been having mental problems since hurting her back at work...we split for 8 weeks {her doing} then she rings me and says she "can't cope and is lonely" so i return {the drama continues} she seems more stable, sleeping all night...what a change!
her mood had become alittle more stable.
she found a part time job, and has not been dragged off by security like her last job...much improved though she dropped 10 kilos in weight.
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shopaholic
Why would you not want to live an authentic life? Are you actually willing to live the rest of your life participating in an organization/activity that you know is an utter waste of time?
When it comes down to it, its your life and your its your choice to make.
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Why do bible thumpers have to immagine a God who test.
by jaguarbass ini get this daily email from a bible thumping friend of mine this was part of todays topic.. sometimes we wonder, "why do we have to go through these trials & breakings, lord?
" well, there are some things the lord can't reveal to you in advance because you're not yet ready.
he's got to let you go through some testings without your even knowing what the future holds, to see if you can take it, to see how loyal you are, to see how strong you are, to see how faithful you are, to see if you will be willing to do whatever he asks!
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shopaholic
As JWs, we were taught that God does not test he simply allows one to be tested. According to the book of James in Bible, such adversities and challenges will make us more faithful and stronger in the end if let such test run their course.
Well, that just doesn't make any sense. If I knew someone was going to harm you or was out to "get" you and did nothing, just watched and simply told you "I could stop this but I will not as you may learn something", what type of friend\sister\aunt\cousin\coworker\person would I be? According to the bible, I would be just like God.
So if you ever find yourself in a JC meeting, for whatever reason, simply let the elders know that Satan was testing you and in obedience with James 1:2-4 you had to let it run its course.
If a JW ever asks to borrow money, tell them no as their situation may be a test that they need to endure so that their faith will be more complete.
If a JW calls and says they miss seeing you at the meetings...I think you get my point.
See...anyone can twist the scriptures.
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What do you consider to be the prime friend-making years
by truthseeker ini would definitely say that the prime friend-making years are at school and college.
after that it slows down dramatically.. for those that were born into the truth and left the organization, it is infinitely harder to find and keep friends.
the loss of all jw social contacts leaves just the workplace as a starting point, and if you happen to work for yourself you don't even have that.. that's why i value this forum because having left the jws i have met a couple of people on here who i have met in person - we all share a common experience.. it takes courage and a willingness to seek out new friends, wherever they may be..
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shopaholic
I agree with Simon.
You have to just put yourself out there. Did you ever informal witness to folks? If so, do the same now but only about yourself or something that you have in common with others.
Its very scary at first because you may feel that everyone is out to lead you into a life of "sodom and gomorrah". Then you realize that most people are quite decent and that JWs don't have the monopoly on morality...which is often important if you were raised a JW.
It just takes time...
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Is your former life as a JW like an itch that won't go away?
by truthseeker inhaving been in the organization for some 30 years and only having been inactive for the best part of a year, it's hard to forget my past, as much as i hated it.. i wish i had never been a dub.
it's left a permanent stain on my life.. i'm having to start a completely new life and it's hard to know where to start.
i know i have it in me, but sometimes things hold me back.
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shopaholic
Yes, sometimes it feels that way but not so much these days. It takes time to develop a life outside the JW-world. As you begin to establish friendships you realize just how abnormal your JW upbringing actually was even when conversing about normal topics.
Also, every journey is different. Personally, I feel like I've made great strides but it took me almost two years to get to this point. It gets easier once you start making friends outside the org but don't rush it...that's one reason people self-destruct.
The itch lessens with time.
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Is DISFELLOWSHIPPING being phased out?
by african GB Member ini have an elder friend who is 'open-minded', so to say...he tells me what gets discussed at elder meetings, even though he does'nt give too much detail.. he says that they were instructed by the society not to hurry df'ing publishers, that they should try to reproof (1 timothy 3: 16,17) a sinner,,..that they should be a little considerate bearingf in mind that we are living in critical times of the end.. .
personally i know a few publishers(baptized or not) who now have children out of wedlock, and they were just "marked" or had privileges taken away..... the reason given is: "they realised that they have sinned, and they are fully repented, they gave enough evidence to jc that they want to be known as jw's".
now my question is : are they slowly doing away with the df'ing doctrine?.
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shopaholic
african GB,
This is not a new directive given to elders. This has been the society's stance for almost 10 years now. Disfellowshipping is to be the last resort and only the case when someone is defiantely unrepentent.
That is why you will see chronic adulters and fornicators not get disfellowshipped but publicly reproved. First-time offenders are often privately reproved. These folks, although not DF'd, are mostly shunned by the congregation. I actually know a few folks that asked to be DF'd because it would make their conscience feel better. Two were reinstated just a few months after being DF'd.
Nothing new here folks....same 'ol craziness.
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shopaholic
Nope...the witnesses are not here to provide social services as I was told many times. If people want help they needed to come into accurate knowledge and get baptized if they want to be helped as I was told many times. Just plain crazy.....