Thing is, you can prove Pop Tarts exist. The proof is in the toasting.
Lady Zombie
JoinedPosts by Lady Zombie
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37
For the Sisters: Were you ever happy you couldn't have male "privileges"?
by Open mind inwatchtower policies clearly make women second-class citizens.
i don't see it changing anytime soon.
this thread is not about how ridiculous it is that a female is not allowed to hand out mags, territory, books or carry a microphone if a qualified male is present.
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Lady Zombie
What didn't I resent?! Although I never had any desire to take on any responsibility, I was always pissed off that it was 'brother this' and 'brother that.' Women were viewed as inferior, and emotional, i.e. the 'weaker vessel.'
So lemme get this straight. As a female, I am so inferior and weak that I can't do something as simple as count out magazines or carry a microphone pole around?!
Dyslexic Brother Magoo up there can barely speak, but the sister who is extraordinarily well spoken can't read the WT paragraphs?!
Oh, and let's not forget how the Society 'praises' the field service work the women do. 'The women are a large army!' Yeah, JW women are who do the bulk of D2D service but the Society just pats them on the head and then ignores them.
And I always hated the dress code. I hated dresses when I was growing up. I think my mother got some kind of perverse joy in finding me the most scratchy uncomfortable dresses to wear. I didn't think it was fair that the men got to wear pants and not worry about showing leg, or getting a run in a pair of pantyhose, or having the wind blow the dress up and then getting counseled for not being mindful by holding your skirt down. Apparently flashing your thighs because of a strong breeze is considered being immodest.
In the JWs eyes, women can only be submissive, obedient weaklings or Jezebels. They aren't thought of as people.
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JW at my sons school tonight
by Champion inmy son goes to a very competitive and expensive private school in ct. there are two jw families that also go there.
so tonight he had a choir performance.
one of the jws is also in choir.
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Lady Zombie
Sometimes I think it's twisted bragging rights.
"See?! Our son/daughter is very intelligent. He/She earned straight A's all through school. His/Her teachers were just crazy about him/her. They said he/she could attend any college of their choice! But, he/she has decided to do the right thing and become a FULL TIME PIONEER!'
[cue the whole congregation] "Oooo! Ahh! Wonderful! Such a fine example for other young ones!"
{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}
barf!
It's like you get extra points for excelling and then throwing it all away.
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16
The mark of the beast
by Lady Zombie insince the rev book is being studied currently, one particular newish, but 100% believing (i assume) witness expressed her anxiety about revelation 13:16-17.. 16: "and it puts under compulsion all persons, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, that they should give these a mark in their right hand or upon their forehead,..".
17: "and that nobody might be able to buy or sell except a person having the mark, the name of the wild beast or the number of its name.".
anyway, after the book study was over and the chit-chatting started, the sister scooted up to the conductor and asked, .
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Lady Zombie
Ah-ha!
I bet they think that's how they'll catch the fakers. When the GT hits, if you're a "witness" who can still get supplies, that will prove that you're "in the world" and have "received the mark" or you still associate with "worldly people" who are giving you supplies.
Caught!
Of course if you're repentant, truly repentant, you'll give your supplies to the brothers and all may be forgiven.
After all, Jehovah can "read your heart" and will destroy you if you're faking.
But not until taking care of the faithful by causing you to give up your loot, donchaknow!
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16
The mark of the beast
by Lady Zombie insince the rev book is being studied currently, one particular newish, but 100% believing (i assume) witness expressed her anxiety about revelation 13:16-17.. 16: "and it puts under compulsion all persons, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, that they should give these a mark in their right hand or upon their forehead,..".
17: "and that nobody might be able to buy or sell except a person having the mark, the name of the wild beast or the number of its name.".
anyway, after the book study was over and the chit-chatting started, the sister scooted up to the conductor and asked, .
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Lady Zombie
Oh wow! I remember the Finished Mystery book! I was born in 1970 but my folks studied it with me around that time ('75) or a little after.
Gah! Revelations......sheesh.
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16
The mark of the beast
by Lady Zombie insince the rev book is being studied currently, one particular newish, but 100% believing (i assume) witness expressed her anxiety about revelation 13:16-17.. 16: "and it puts under compulsion all persons, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, that they should give these a mark in their right hand or upon their forehead,..".
17: "and that nobody might be able to buy or sell except a person having the mark, the name of the wild beast or the number of its name.".
anyway, after the book study was over and the chit-chatting started, the sister scooted up to the conductor and asked, .
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Lady Zombie
Since the Rev book is being studied currently, one particular newish, but 100% believing (I assume) witness expressed her anxiety about Revelation 13:16-17.
16: "And it puts under compulsion all persons, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, that they should give these a mark in their right hand or upon their forehead,.."
17: "and that nobody might be able to buy or sell except a person having the mark, the name of the wild beast or the number of its name."
Anyway, after the book study was over and the chit-chatting started, the sister scooted up to the conductor and asked,
Her: Does this mean that us witnesses [sic] won't be able to buy food n' stuff? Since as witnesses we won't have the mark?
Him: Well, we don't know exactly how it will happen, but somehow the world will learn to identify their own.
Her: But won't we starve if we can't buy food?
Him: I wouldn't let yourself become unduly worried. Jehovah will provide for us!
Her: Well, do you think it would be a good idea to slowly start storing up supplies? Like rice and canned goods and water?
Him: The Society will let us know if we should start doing that. So far, nothing has been said.
Her: But.....
Him: Hey, relax a little, Sister! Jehovah knows what he's doing.
Her: ....Ok.
It was amusing and sad all at the same time. On the one hand, she was trying to think but on the other hand, her thinking stopped at what the elder and the society said.
It seems reasonable; these two verses say that not only will the mark of the beast be given to people and that one cannot do business in the world without having it, but it doesn't say what it will look like, if it is even going to be visible, why on the right hand or forehead, and how will others be able to tell. The sister therefore became concerned and asked some legitimate questions and was basically told to have faith. I couldn't tell if she gave up upon hearing the stock 'have faith' answer or if her question was answered to her satisfaction.
I remember the Y2K hysteria. I heard of a few witnesses who stock piled some water, food, batteries, gas, etc. Then when nothing happened, they kind of looked around sheepishly. Some made a joke out of it, "Hee hee! Serves me right for being impatient with Jehovah!" I think they did that to "chastise" themselves before the elders got around to it.
I'm always fascinated watching interactions like this.
On a Rev tangent though, I remember growing up and being scared shitless at Revelations. Birds eating rotting corpses, bowls of anger poured out on the Earth, fire raining down from the heavens, and other ghastly things. I also remember the blank, smiling faces around me soaking it all in with relish. 'What the hell is wrong with everyone?!' I thought. I lost many night's sleep over Revelations as a child. I get angry when I see a young child sitting quietly with fear in his/her eyes when Revelations is being discussed.
When you think about it, exposing children to the book of Revelations is a sadistic thing to do.
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52
Hello everyone! New here. Born into it....ugh.
by Lady Zombie inwhere to start?.
i thought about typing out a nutshelled life history but changed my mind.
suffice it to say, i was born into "the truth," attempted suicide at 14, "lost my faith" at this time, beat into submission into carrying on as usual, endured a horrible marriage and equally horrible divorce, and am more or less still in it (appearances only!
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Lady Zombie
I am so happy to hear you made something of yourself and went to school. I gave up every dream I had and now at 30 have nothing. I am still having a hard time with it and I am very angry. I just got out 2 months ago. I am trying to cope. This board does help!
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It's never too late to go back and get an education! I know it seems like it but it isn't. Try starting slow, like taking one class, and see how it goes.
Plus, getting an education provides a great opportunity to meet new people and it will also help you cope!
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Are You a Closet Apostate Weenie?
by Farkel inyou count 10 hours per month but havn't even mentioned your beliefs to a non-dub in years.. you underline your study articles at random and write fake notes in the margins.. you smoke joints to get through meetings, field service and assemblies.. you're secretly banging an elder's wife.. you stuff monopoly money in the contribution box.. you keep your eyes open during prayer and giggle.. when everyone else says "amen" at the end of a prayer, you whisper "what bullshit.".
you have a copy of crisis of conscience in a box buried in your back yard.. you play with an ouija board and watch smurf cartoons when no one is around.. you think "thriller" was the great music video ever made.. you read comic books in the kingdom hall bathroom during meetings.
when questioned about your long time spent in the bathroom, you whisper "i'm constipated.
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Lady Zombie
You count 10 hours per month but havn't even mentioned your beliefs to a non-dub in years. ~Yes~
You underline your study articles at random and write fake notes in the margins. ~Doesn't everyone?~
You smoke joints to get through meetings, field service and assemblies. ~I do shots~
You stuff Monopoly money in the contribution box. ~No, but that's where I get rid of pennies~
You keep your eyes open during prayer and giggle. ~I keep them open and roll 'em around~
When everyone else says "Amen" at the end of a prayer, you whisper "what bullshit." ~Amongst other things~
You have a copy of Crisis of Conscience in a box buried in your back yard. ~Naw. I keep it in my underwear drawer. If it's ever found, I can then point my finger and ask "WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN MY UNDERWEAR DRAWER?!?!?!?"
You think "Thriller" was the great music video ever made. ~Don't know about the greatest, but I watched it about 1,000 times and learned the dance steps. Vincent Price's rap was definitely awesomeness!~
You read comic books in the Kingdom Hall bathroom during meetings. When questioned about your long time spent in the bathroom, you whisper "I'm constipated. I've been constipated my whole life." ~I text my "worldly friends" whilst sitting on the toilet~
You cannot sing "From House to House" without throwing up, so you don't. ~I can barely sing any of them without retching.~
You never missed drawing a moustache and glasses on the picture of the featured dub in the Watchtower "Life Story" articles. Never. ~Devil horns~
If a teenager, you are obsessed with drawing pictures of your Kingdom Hall being blown up by an atom bomb. You also draw gory pictures of your elders and CO being dismembered with a chain saw. ~How'd you know?!~~
You hide you cigarettes in your socks. ~Other places~
You despise the attention the pretty, single, faithful pioneer sister is always getting, so you put a handful of condoms in her purse and whisper to an elder that you thought you saw a pack of cigarettes in there. ~Never have, but what fun!~
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52
Hello everyone! New here. Born into it....ugh.
by Lady Zombie inwhere to start?.
i thought about typing out a nutshelled life history but changed my mind.
suffice it to say, i was born into "the truth," attempted suicide at 14, "lost my faith" at this time, beat into submission into carrying on as usual, endured a horrible marriage and equally horrible divorce, and am more or less still in it (appearances only!
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Lady Zombie
No, I don't live at home. But nonetheless, I still feel that because I'm an only child and live in the same town, go to the same congregation, etc., that the Elders would look unfavorably on my father. It's that whole unspoken rules thing the JWs have got going. You know what I mean.
Sure they would say he wasn't responsible, but you and I both know that the Elders would suddenly start treating him differently if his only offspring turned out to be an agnostic Humanist with a college education
Speaking of. Although the Society couldn't outright forbid me to go to college, my father received a ton of flak for allowing me to go. And this was way before he decided to seek becoming an Elder.
The JWs are Orwellian in nature. If you've read 1984, you know what I mean.
In 1984, party members were technically free to do anything they wished, but in reality, they weren't. Anything other than Party interests were thoughtcrime.
Hence why I believe my father's chances in becoming an elder would be ruined if I ever came out of the closet.
Know what I mean?
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52
Hello everyone! New here. Born into it....ugh.
by Lady Zombie inwhere to start?.
i thought about typing out a nutshelled life history but changed my mind.
suffice it to say, i was born into "the truth," attempted suicide at 14, "lost my faith" at this time, beat into submission into carrying on as usual, endured a horrible marriage and equally horrible divorce, and am more or less still in it (appearances only!
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Lady Zombie
Where to start?
I thought about typing out a nutshelled life history but changed my mind. I'll do that later. Suffice it to say, I was born into "The Truth," attempted suicide at 14, "lost my faith" at this time, beat into submission into carrying on as usual, endured a horrible marriage and equally horrible divorce, and am more or less still in it (appearances only!) for the sake of my parents (both also born into it). I'll be 38 (ugh) in June.
My father, after this many years, has decided he wants to be an elder. My philosophy is this; both my parents were born into this religion and it is all they have ever known (or want to know for that matter). I know my mother who is the very definition of neurotic would completely collapse if she didn't have the JWs. My father, the more reasonable and moderate of the two, is a simple man who is completely satisfied with the religion and has no desire to ever do anything different. Anyway point is, who am I to deny him his goal? If I left "the truth," he himself would cease seeking becoming an Elder, but also if his only daughter left "the truth," I'm sure he would be disqualified anyway.
So, I guess that means I'll have to keep up appearances for their sake. They're not angels by any means though. My mother was physically, emotionally, and psychologically abusive to me when I was young. My father was very harsh emotionally and psychologically to me as a child. I attempted suicide and spent a month in a psychiatric ward. My mother told the staff that I was psychotic and wanted to murder her and my father in their sleep. Of course back in the 80's, the hospital staff believed them and I was locked up for a month. Once I got out, the very next day was a meeting and believe me, they made me go, with a forced smile on my face, and act like nothing was wrong.
Oddly enough, I have always been a wild card where the JWs are concerned. My parents allowed me to seek a higher education. I have 2 Bachelor's and 1 Master's degree! They didn't have a problem with it because of my skill in deception. How I did it was...
1) I purposely laughed, scoffed, and made fun of evolution and bragged how I gave my science professors WT literature about creation.
2) Told them about the hopelessness people in "the world" showed.
3) Told them I couldn't wait to graduate to get away from "the world" but didn't want to drop out since I was "almost done."
and so on. I guess it worked. I always half expected to meet Satan in my college classrooms but oddly enough, I didn't ever see him there.
Truth of the matter now is, I'm strongly agnostic (some say I'm atheist). I'm sorry but I love reason and science too much to throw them away for willful ignorance. It boggles the mind how anyone with even a rudimentary education can discount hard scientific fact for religious "faith." These hominid skulls that are pulled out of the Earth cannot be denied! But again, that is another thread for the future.
My sincere apologies to the Still-Christians (my term) who may read this. Unlike many other agnostics/atheists, I respect your beliefs and I will not make fun of you nor will I attempt to change your beliefs. Belief change must occur with the particular individual alone.
But still I must say; Richard Dawkins and Carl Sagan are the bomb-biggety, baby! Those two have probably been the most influential to me in freeing my mind. I also secretly (of course) hold membership in my local Humanist organization where we have intellectual *gasp gasp* freethinking discussions about science, philosophy, existance/nonexistance of god, responsibility to the planet, and so on.
But....back to my original purpose for popping up and saying howdy. Since I am still keeping up appearances for my parents sake, I must find ways to keep my sanity. This board will help me I'm sure. For years I have lived without religious beliefs, but silenty and alone. I didn't ever want to risk being caught because of the possible consequences for my folks. DFing me would be fine, but it would kill my parents and make their standing in their congregation suffer greatly.
Funny huh? I'm an adult woman but the Elders would still hold them ultimately responsible for my DFing. Only the JWs.
Anyway, this is me. Hi!