basically, i was forced into it.
believe me, baptism was the last thing i wanted to do.
but i was already in my early twenties, and the rank and file were like why don't you get baptised!
I was 17 and felt it was the right thing to do. From my whole family (a total of 7 incl. inlaws), I was the ONLY one who got baptized because I wanted to. The other 7 all did a few months later, because 1. the others did, 2. pressured to. They never even went out in the field service until after they were baptized.
LINDA
perhaps this is just a local issue, but i'd like to share this quick experience with you.. i, like i thought any person could have, had a close friend of the opposite sex.
now she and i were good friends before i even entered into a courtship with my ex-fiancee.
at first, she didn't like the idea of me having a female friend, but then she thought about it and said she had no problem with it, as long as certain boundaries were held......fair enough.
Older ones can? Not really, I think due to their age & experiences in life, they know how to operate to notmake people think something. But overall, for any age it can be an issue. It's a touchy situation anyway. My experience is, to have such a relationship, the other half, your signifcant other, needs to be a part of this friendship too. Interference from her family, is always the worse for the other person (you), but a support for the one feeling threatened, (her).
In the future, always take your partner's feelings into consideration. If she has outside male friends and it doesn't bother you, it should then go both ways. Put yourself in her shoes and think about how you would feel. Discuss it thoroughly and make sure all are in agreement.
Regarding the congregation, I personally think it's none of their business, unless someone get's hurt, but then again, nothing should be the cong. business at all. It's a personal issue period.
Good luck!
LINDA
the weird thing is - i almost can't recall what i once believed about the fds and gb ["faithful and discreet slave" and "governing body"], who they in fact were, and how they came to their conclusions and 'revelations'.. come to think of it, i think that was because i was conditioned to not ever question them, because to question them would be to question the organization, and to question the organization was to question jesus and jehovah.. but i've been trying to 'dig into' my brain to see if i can remember how i as an active jw saw them:.
- i believed them to be inspired, just not in the same 'degree' (?
) as the biblical writers were.
I never even thought about them, whoever they were. Like most JW's I'm sure, I just considered them some brothers in NY who knew something I didn't know, and were obligated to spread the news that they learned. I never thought about their sources of info, was just flattered in hearing the latest news, the latest updates, anything that made me think the end was even closer. So brainwashed.
LINDA
Besides "PG" black tea? I LOVE..... the "Apple Cinnamon" from Stash and I do like "Constant Comment" too.
LINDA
an elder was killed in a hit-and-run incident near the kingdom hall, either before or after door-to-door work.. http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/essex/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1191559961217180.xml&coll=1 (type jehovah in the search box).
man is killed in hit-and-run in newarkat least three suspects escape on foot from stolen vehicle after crashfriday, october 05, 2007 .
by barry carterstar-ledger staffsimon priester jr., a jehovah's witness, may have been getting ready to canvass a newark neighborhood yesterday morning when a stolen car with three people in it struck and killed him as he was getting out of his vehicle.
Bummer He's at least one more who now knows what's the real truth. I bet he is in heaven now. Amen!
http://www.biertijd.com/mediaplayer/?itemid=3076.
its about 5 min long...watch it through to the end.... good for a good laugh .
snakesinthetower (of the "rarely using both new topics today" sheep .
what talent. That's cool
LINDA
do you remember the person who baptized you?
did they have holy spirit?
or did you just line up at an assembly?
TO: Sarah Smiles
Was it Holy Spirit? I don't know what else it could have been.
LINDA
i have been doing a lot of religious research and one of my favorite storys seems to be a retelling of an older story.
it seeme that the story of jesus is predated by the story of horus the egyptian sun diety, the similarities between the two are remarkable and i found it casts a shadow on some of the more beloved belirfs of this country.
i find it a little disturbing that so many people i know put so much faith in religion.
I know one thing about him, he died and was resurrected also. Weird.
LINDA
why are we not all getting together as a group and get back at the borg for what they have done to us?
"there is strength in numbers" and definitely enough of us.
we have all suffered in similar ways, some more than others.
Thanks for all your opinions and facts. I had no idea someone else already posted such a question in the past, and wouldn't doubt it either.
They'll get their reward in time. The more the dirt get's out from the washing and the increase exodus of members, means less $$$$ in their pockets too.
LINDA
why are we not all getting together as a group and get back at the borg for what they have done to us?
"there is strength in numbers" and definitely enough of us.
we have all suffered in similar ways, some more than others.
To: Gopher:
True, but what "Journey-on" mentioned makes sense too. We were threatened, in the sense that if we didn't do it we would be DF and lose our everlasting life. We hardly had a choice due to the control.
I'm out of here (work)....homeward bound BYEEEE!
LINDA
