Posts by whitman

Well...since you asked....I'm really struggling with trying to adapt to having a disability. I'm really tired, I hardly sleep at all because of the pain. It appears that my physical condition is deteriorating.... the loss of sensation in my left hand has now 'spread' through my whole left arm....it's numb but it also hurts....like really bad pins and needles...it's very weird, and frankly, it's freaking me out. I'm struggling with intense anxiety attacks...and yes - I am appropriately medicated but I think the meds need tweaking slightly. I have no idea how I am going to complete my doctoral thesis before my candidature expires. I've had a falling out with my mum about borg issues...it's the first time since I left ten years ago....and it couldn't come at a worse time. I really need my mum. I need everyone actually, just to function...I need a fair amount of support. Yeah, I miss my mum.

I am distracting myself by re-organising and categorising my vinyl collection, am conducting experiments to see which pencil works best with my spirographs...listening to loads of music, watching Happy Tree Friends on youtube, learning about Australian legislative procedure by reading the HANSARD documents online, re-filling my pez dispenser far too frequently, I have spying on the cat to figure out what her secret mission is...it seems to have something to do with the bathtub..but everytime I catch her she looks very embarrassed and coy...then she runs upstairs and pretends to be interested in something else. Anytime a telemarketer calls I see how long I can keep them on the line without buying anything, I've been playing Frogger on facebook but all the colour and shiny bits that beep get me too excited....I'm too accustomed to academic texts which do not move, are not colourful and do not beep. I've been reading an article by Steve Nimis on the academic practice of footnoting - it's quite funny. So that's about it. Thanks for asking mr. Flipper.

What about you Mr Flipper? How's life treating you?

42

So, someone clue me in.

by Blasty in

jw
friends

alright, so i'm reading on this site, and i'm not 100% sure what it's about.

it appears to be a bunch of former jw people bashing everything they can get their hands on in relation to jw's.. .

i was brought up as a jw, but when i got older and started to think for myself, i began to realize that i didn't agree with their teachings.

whitman

Hi Blasty, welcome aboard. As everyone else has already said, there are very wide ranging beliefs and scepticisms held by the people on this forum. What might be of some assistance to you is the chance to discuss some of the issues you might face since your some of your family are still active. Glad you are here.

19

Donnie Darko an appropriate JW movie

by tsunami_rid3r in

jw
friends

is too demonized??

?

whitman

I love Donnie Darko. Perhaps I have a thing for giant rabbits though because I also really like 'Harvey' with Jimmy Stewart.

9

sleep deprivation.

by iamthewolf5562 in

jw
friends

does anyone here have or have had a problem sleeping at night?.

you can take a wild guess as to what i may have to attribute to this.... .

when i try to sleep ar night.... mind thinks and wanders to all sorts of terrible things that could be happening to me at anytime.

whitman

I sympathise. I only sleep in fifteen or twenty minute bursts, but I am waking up from physical pain. I've tried loads of things....camomile tea, milk, honey, milk and honey - the list goes on. I try to follow the basic guidelines for 'sleep hygiene' which might be of some help to you. If you do a quick search on the net for sleep hygiene you may be able to pick up a few tips. I find turning the lights down low about an hour or so before I plan on going to bed helps, so does switching off the t.v and no reading - that's me though, I tend to overthink when I read - I switch to music instead. Also, if you are home during the day and you feel tired it is a good idea to try and sleep then. Sometimes we have to re-think the idea of how we should be sleeping. I can no longer think of sleep as happening as an eight hour event. I sleep whenever I can, even if it is only 15 or 20 minutes - at least it's better than no sleep. Hope that's of some help.

40

The smell

by John Doe in

jw
friends

of a late spring rainshower on a fresh cut hay field reminds me of my childhood.

how about you?

whitman

My odour-evoked memories arise from string - brown string, and mulberry leaves.

34

The Efficacy of JWs Shunning (Your experiences and analysis)

by JW_Researcher in

im doing a bit of research for an academic paper on shunning and am interested in your response to any or all of these questions.. please think back to when you were a jw (if necessary) or to other jws you knew.. 1) does shunning work?

(for example, does it bring sinners to their senses?

does it keep the congregation clean?

whitman

In my experience I have observed that there is indeed a certain 'glee' or enjoyment experienced by the wider congregation when someone from within their own midst is disfellowshipped. Upon reflection I think that the reason for the joy is that the act of disfellowshipping represents, in a more outwardly and physical sense, of the way in which God is able to see within a person's heart, or see what goes on behind closed doors. In day to day witness lives, I don't think that they really do 'witness' the physicality of their God. Yes, they may look at nature and associate it with the workings of God, but to have a disfellowshipping takes that knowledge to a whole new level - it is evidence, or proof that God is indeed all-seeing and all-knowing. Something tangible.

31

parenting a transgendered teen

by chickpea in

deep breath here....... my baby... nearly 15!...

has disclosed in the last several months .

that, altho born to us a girl, he needs to be a boy... we have had.

whitman

Oh chickpea... I don't know you....I don't know how it is for you...but nevertheless....Go you!! I've spoken to people who have had similiar experiences, I've read some studies and watched a fair amount of footage following the developments in young people's lives who find themselves in the wrong body. The one thing that remains a constant in all of their stories is that as long as the family stays together in love and support...well, things work out eventually.... as long as you have the foundations right, the rest follows in time. Stay strong and allow yourself to draw strength from your child and his courage. Go you!!

35

Purple Triangle

by Wordly Andre in

jw
friends

i was watching a documentry last week and it was about concentration camps, i was not paying much attention because i was on my computer at the same time, however they were talking about the different badges of shame that were put on the prisoners shirts.

when they got to the purple triangle it was said that, that meant the prisoner was a religious fanatics, now growing up the jw's always said that the purple triangle was for jw's, i am not saying they were not in the camps but, there were other religous groups that the members were taken by the nazi's because of their religious beliefs not just the jw's.

not too long ago i was talking to a jw about this same topic, he said the purple triangle was only for jw's and went on about the abuse and killings suffered because the nazi's targeted jw's.

whitman

Good morning folks...I'm a little bleary eyed so I'm not sure whether this has already been mentioned, but there was a JW video around in the 80's called 'The Purple Triangle'. I don't remember watching it myself but I know my grandmother had a copy at one stage and they were being passed around between congregations. Perhaps my grandmother still has her copy....not sure.