Posts by bbdodger

19

Body Modification...

by bbdodger in

jw
friends

i love to login to myspace and see if i can find some ex-jws, or active jws from (my) cong., or ones that i knew from other congs.. i came across a profile of someone i knew, who was in the same congregation.

her name isn't particularly common, and there is a resemblance, so i think it's most likely the girl who i went to kh with.. she says she's "atheist", and has a tattoos on her face, piercings, and her profile is decorated with naked women.

gads!

bbdodger

The new "punk" to me is Backstreet Boys *gag* with Mohawks, where's the anger, social and political commentary that the genre was built upon?

A great example of that would be "Lincoln Park". I know, I'm spelling it right ;)

I know they're not considered "punk", but they are definitely the N*Sync of Nu-Metal.

I really hate most new punk, pop punk, it's all so over produced, and slick. I don't agree with all of the politics, but I do agree with the old way, you know, being free without the government! That's another thing that new punk fails to recognize, it seems most of them think that the government should take care of us. Remember GBH? Subhumans? Cradle to grave. But then bands like Green Day and NOFX (whom are the biggest retards EVER) tell all the 15 year olds to vote Democrat. Nevermind, don't wanna start in on that.

I think I have more anger and social commentary than most of those a-holes!

I guess I am not in the category of "punk", it's a silly category (as all categories are silly). I am into indie music of all kinds. I love art and music and that's what inspires me. That's where I'm coming from.

24

Did you ever choke while offering prayer?

by Jourles in

jw
friends

of all the times i was called upon to say prayer, i only remember choking once - but it was such a big choke i totally embarrassed myself for days on end afterwards.

and this one time wasn't even at the kh, it was in a home right before we were going to pre-study the wt.. there were roughly 3 elders, their wives, and some other close friends of mine in the living room.

i'd say there were around 10 of us total.

bbdodger

Tell them you offered a silent prayer. Jehovah reads your mind right?

There's another thing that I have to get over!!! I always feel as if God is watching my every move, and He knows what I'm doing and thinking at all times.

So much leftover crap.

I went through a period when every time a group prayer was being given by someone and my eyes were closed, head bowed, a random thought would go through my mind completely without my control, or so I thought. It was a phrase silently spoken as a shout- "Jesus Christ was a sheep f----r!". It used to concern me and I worried I might say it out loud when I was offering the group prayer. Never did though.

To this day, if I pray, weird random thoughts come into my head... really vile things like the what was in the above quote. When I was a kid, it was because Satan was putting those thoughts into my head, and I had to just ignore them, and realize that Jehovah was stronger. But... it doesn't explain why it still happens.

More left over crap, I guess.

55

Letter that my DFed wife received from her Pioneer Mother

by Hangin_on in

we have been dfed for almost 3.5yrs and have been trying to get back in for 2 yrs and we are getting the runaround.. anyway..... here is the letter my pregnant wife received from her elderess pioneer mother.. .

dear mary,.

i am writing to ask you please do not try to talk to me until you are reinstated.

bbdodger

I want to serve Jehovah but I feel that the people make it so hard

but don't you know, you can serve Jehovah. Jehovah is another name for God, and it's up to you to keep love in your heart for who God really is; Love. Maybe their Jehovah really isn't God. Maybe the best thing for you and your wife to do is to serve God by being the best people you can be, praying regularly, and thanking Him for all the things He has provided and created, and the goodness that He is. JW is just a bunch of men, it's a cult, it really has nothing to do with God himself, and I think that you know that (especially if you're here). It's the PEOPLE who make up the Organization, but it isn't God (even if they try to claim the Faithful and Discreet Slave is directly influenced by God... we all know that's bull).

I know exactly how you feel, because I've been there... I am there, we all are in some capacity. I have family members who haven't spoken to me in 20 years, but write stupid letters, not unlike the one your MIL wrote to you. Next time you get a letter, do what I did... rip it up, and throw it away. It will break your heart to do it, and you will feel the tinge of guilt, but your heart will heal once you realize that God (Jehovah) would never want families to shun one another. That's an idea that has been put forth by men!!!

Just remember, we all got your back!

73

What "Unwritten Rules" Did Your Congregation Have?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i knew of a hall that allowed only white shirted speakers on the platform for sunday public talks!

when a visiting speaker did not wear the official white shirt he was either told that he couldn't give the talk or he could change shirts,as the hall kept a variety of sizes, just in case of an emergency!!!

i don't make this up.

bbdodger

Over time, I have forgotten some of the outrageous rules that they'd guilt us into following. Reading this reminded me that our congregation had the same unwritten rules.

The rule about the 4 door cars is the one that most people don't believe... my Mom never had four dour cars, and got talked to about it on various occasions. Later, she did get a 4 door car... a Pontiac t-1000 (which is exactly like a Chevette). Yeah... now I see there was a method to her madness!

Here's an observation. Our congregations were very much separated by race... sad, but true. The "black" Kingdom Hall was on the "black" side of town, and the "White" Kingdom Hall was on the "White" side of town. I had gone to services at each, but belonged to one of the "white" congregations (as there were 4 congs at the time). The "black" Kingdom Hall seemed A LOT more relaxed about loud ties, facial hair, and most appearance related rules. They were also more relaxed about moral issues, and it seemed that it took a lot more to be disfellowshipped. I am still friends with one of the Brothers from the "black" congregation. He's is a black man. He talks to me! He use to go fishing with my Grandpa (who DIDN'T talk to me). When I see him, I give him a hug. He doesn't go out in field service, and I've never seen him make mention of being a Jehovah's Witness, until he told me about fishing with my Grandpa. He knew who I was, before I even knew who he was.

Years ago, there were also two young African American J.Ws I use to work with, and they were always canoodling in the corners when no one was watching. I had no idea they were JWs, until one of them brought "My Book of Bible Stories" to work. They were both in their teens at the time, and made no secret of their relationship. It didn't seem that anyone really cared. I honestly don't think that it would be the same if they had been members of the "white" congregation.

Silly stuff.

19

Body Modification...

by bbdodger in

jw
friends

i love to login to myspace and see if i can find some ex-jws, or active jws from (my) cong., or ones that i knew from other congs.. i came across a profile of someone i knew, who was in the same congregation.

her name isn't particularly common, and there is a resemblance, so i think it's most likely the girl who i went to kh with.. she says she's "atheist", and has a tattoos on her face, piercings, and her profile is decorated with naked women.

gads!

bbdodger

I've always been outwardly different, even when I was a little kid, I had a very unique (read; goofy) style. I wore a purple beret everyday in the 3rd grade, and got in trouble because I refused to take it off in Gym. :O

But, more so, I've always felt different on the inside too. Not only among JWs did I feel I had little in common with, but everyone else too. It wasn't until I found out in my teens that there were people who I had a lot in common with (politics weren't a determining factor at the time), and it happened to be the people who were different on the outside.

Nowadays, it's so common to see "punk" looking people, it really means nothing to me anymore. I suppose they just assume I'm on the fashion bandwagon, but the truth is that I've paved the way for a lot of these kids, got made fun of, made my own clothing, never once thinking that it would be so readily available in the future. F--- you, Hot Topic!

What is popular now is what I got thrown into lockers for fifteen years ago. I wonder what happens fifteen years from now?

31

As A Witness, What Were Your Aspirations?

by minimus in

jw
friends

having been raised a witness, i was taught to never refuse an assignment.

view everything as a "privilege from jehovah".

so naturally, wanting to be an elder was very important to me and to my family.

bbdodger

underneath all of that my aspiration was to die. Since death covered our sins, and I was a Jehovah's witness and did 'everything' I was supposed to do that I would probably be resurrected in the new system and not have to suffer anymore inside of myself.

Sad, but too true. I was always told that once you died, you would blink, and instantly wake up in paradise . That seemed like a good plan. Better than having to go through all the crap involved in being a JW, and better than having to go through Armageddon.

31

As A Witness, What Were Your Aspirations?

by minimus in

jw
friends

having been raised a witness, i was taught to never refuse an assignment.

view everything as a "privilege from jehovah".

so naturally, wanting to be an elder was very important to me and to my family.

bbdodger

I was going to be in the art department at Bethel.

Ha! That's what I wanted to do... do illustrations for publications. What a thankless job. There are some very talented people working at WTBTS.

24

Did you ever choke while offering prayer?

by Jourles in

jw
friends

of all the times i was called upon to say prayer, i only remember choking once - but it was such a big choke i totally embarrassed myself for days on end afterwards.

and this one time wasn't even at the kh, it was in a home right before we were going to pre-study the wt.. there were roughly 3 elders, their wives, and some other close friends of mine in the living room.

i'd say there were around 10 of us total.

bbdodger

Any women get called on to pray at book study, or the meeting before field service? What did you use to cover your head in the presence of men??? I remember a couple of times when women had to offer prayer, but I cannot remember the scenario in which it happened.

18

SO ADMIT; SCALE OF 1:10, TEMPTED TO DRINK THE WINE AT MEMORIAL??

by shell69 in

wasnt tempted myself during the acutal ceremonies; however: the sister whose husband used to supply the wine for the memorial in the 70's; well her son's would be round the back of the khell after the memorial supping it!!!

they were only about 12/13!!!.

always wanted a sipp myself after the annual ordeal but was scared mum and dad would find out.. shell.

bbdodger

My family would always make me feel better by telling me that as JWs, "we celebrated the memorial". So, at least there was something to celebrate. It was always passed over me, so I didn't get to smell the wine until I was much older.

The bread, Manna (spelling?) unleavened bread... it intrigued me when I was a kid, but now I'm pretty sure it was just pita bread. Right?

33

Mixed Race Couples - WTS literature

by TheListener in

jw
friends

has anyone ever seen a mixed race couple shown in paradise in the wts literature?.

i haven't.

i've seen pictures of modern day mixed race couples but never ever in paradise..

bbdodger

My wife told me thatif I ever shaved off the beard (very short), she would leave me. Well I shaved it once many years ago and she phoned her mother and cried on the phone for 15 minutes. (she never saw me without it). So I guess I can never be a Witness. I suppose Jesus could not be one either. Is that a contradiction, and who cares. Sort of like the arguement that Jesus was tied to a pole instead of a cross.

I was just saying in another thread that in the book "Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained" (maybe I have the title wrong), the pictures depicting Jesus, nailed to the "stake" show him free of any kind of facial hair. Do you think that was to curb any confusion toward the JW ideal, that beards are unacceptable?
When I was younger, I never accepted those pictures as Jesus, because the beard WAS Jesus!!!