BonaFide

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Posts by BonaFide

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  5

  Does anyone have any idea what to do?

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a sister called me last night very upset.

  she knows that my family is avoiding me because of my questions and "doubts' about the organiation.

  but we are still sort of friends.

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  BonaFide

  Aude, you have a good memory. It's just sad because she can see all this hypocrisy, but she won't even consider that the Organization may be not all it says it is.

  BF
• 
  5

  Does anyone have any idea what to do?

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a sister called me last night very upset.

  she knows that my family is avoiding me because of my questions and "doubts' about the organiation.

  but we are still sort of friends.

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  BonaFide

  A sister called me last night very upset. She knows that my family is avoiding me because of my questions and "doubts' about the organiation. But we are still sort of friends. She lives with her JW roommate. She has been baptized for six years, she is about 30 yrs old.

  I have told her about some of the inconsistiencies in the publications and policies. She said that JW is Jehovah's Organization and that we shouldn't worry about the details. She also said she will be loyal to the Organization no matter what.

  But last night when she called, she said that yesterday she woke up, went to the meeting, commented, then just came home. She cried, she said she feels so empty and she knows that others don't feel empty. In her congregation there are several second and third generation Witnesses, who seem pretty happy, raising their families in the Truth. She was not raised in the "truth" and she is pretty savvy. She can see through hypocrisy. Almost all in her Hall are families. So since no one invites her anywhere hardly, she gets upset. She takes out the older ones, and those that have limited social skills, but then she has no one.

  But she still sticks with it. She is so depressed all the time, but the more depressed she gets, the more she seems to stick with the organization.

  Frustrating to hear her cry on and on. I wish I could help her. I know the one about "She will leave the organization when she is ready", but until she is ready for that, any other ideas?

  BF
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  8

  How many here have been to Morning Worship at Bethel?

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in bethels throughout the world, morning worship starts at 7 am sharp.

  in new york, there are closed-circuit televisions with a large digital clock display, including the seconds.

  morning worship takes place in the big dining rooms so you are given breakfast after, everyone has an assigned seat.

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  BonaFide

  In Bethels throughout the world, Morning Worship starts at 7 am sharp. In New York, there are closed-circuit televisions with a large digital clock display, including the seconds. Morning Worship takes place in the big dining rooms so you are given breakfast after, everyone has an assigned seat. Exactly at 7:00:00 AM, the Table Head begins morning worship. You are expected to be in your seat, not walking to your seat. If you wake up late, don't bother going downstairs, they don't want anyone interrupting Morning Worship.

  You are also expected to be wearing a tie or at least a nice shirt if you are male, there are only a few that don't wear a tie, and many often wear a suit jacket. The sisters all wear dresses, no pants allowed. You are not supposed to rest your hands on your chin, I got counseled for that. I guess it was in a nice way, but I was told to look more awake.

  Morning Worship is tied in to several dining rooms with about 300 in each one. The closed-circuit TV's are also tied into Wallkill, Patterson, and Canada I think three times per week now.

  Morning Worship is a consideration of the Daily Text, with brothers selected beforehand to give a one-minute comment. Then the conductor gives his comments. It lasts till about 7:15. After a prayer, the food comes. All the tables are set for 10 people, with a Table Head, and a Table Foot, seniority makes the call. It is family style, with everyone taking a portion from the serving dishes. The Table Head decides which way the serving dishes go around the table. Everyone takes a little. If it is all eaten, the Table Head gives the plate back to the waiter, who refills it. No one can speak to the waiter except the Table Head.

  The eating lasts about 15 minutes, then everyone quickly stands for the prayer, then rush off to work.

  That's the arrangement.

  The reality is that you are scared to death at Morning Worship. I have seen grown men who are new to Bethel struggle with napkins, basic table talk, and their food. It is nerve-wracking since there are rules (I mean provisions) about everything. How much you should take onto your plate, how much you should eat, how loud you should talk, how affectionate to your husband or wife you should be, how you should dress, what you should talk about and not talk about. The stress is incredible, although the weird thing is, I viewed it as a great privliege to be there, as only Bethelites and overnight guests can be present at Morning Worship.

  Sometimes there are reports from different countries, or from the Publishing Department about the number of magazines or books made. Sometimes there is a disfellowshipping from Bethel, that is shocking.

  But usually its pretty hard to listen to. I learned to sleep with my eyes open. (That's an old Bethel joke: "What do you learn at Morning Worship? To sleep with your eyes open.")

  Who else here has been to Morning Worship, here in the U.S. or elsewhere? What was it like? Did you enjoy it?

  BF
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  1

  Anyone on this board attend the Special Assembly Day today at Norco, CA?

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just curious.

  .

  bf.

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  BonaFide

  Just curious

  BF
• 
  38

  My brain worked yesterday at the WT study

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so paragraph 11-13 yesterday discussed how lepers in jesus' day were outcasts.

  they were required to call out "leper, leper" so people would stay away from them.

  the next paragraph says that according to rabbinical sources, a religious leader even threw rocks at a leper to keep him away.

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  BonaFide

  Thanks for info purplesofa, I think that the WT is saying though that many people of that time were hateful towards lepers, whereas reality was that they didnt want to contract the disease, right or wrong, that was why they avoided lepers. Unless the WT is right, and the people hated lepers because they were sick, not because of fear of transmission.
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  38

  My brain worked yesterday at the WT study

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so paragraph 11-13 yesterday discussed how lepers in jesus' day were outcasts.

  they were required to call out "leper, leper" so people would stay away from them.

  the next paragraph says that according to rabbinical sources, a religious leader even threw rocks at a leper to keep him away.

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  BonaFide

  My comment yesterday was

  "The people of that time weren't bad, they just were afraid of contracting leprosy. Jesus did not have that fear, as he would not contract leprosy. But he did heal the man out of love, and he showed him dignity."

  So I tried to make it fit, but the conductor still looked pretty mad.

  BF
• 
  38

  My brain worked yesterday at the WT study

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so paragraph 11-13 yesterday discussed how lepers in jesus' day were outcasts.

  they were required to call out "leper, leper" so people would stay away from them.

  the next paragraph says that according to rabbinical sources, a religious leader even threw rocks at a leper to keep him away.

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  BonaFide

  So paragraph 11-13 yesterday discussed how lepers in Jesus' day were outcasts. They were required to call out "leper, leper" so people would stay away from them. The next paragraph says that according to rabbinical sources, a religious leader even threw rocks at a leper to keep him away. Then the next paragraph says that Jesus actually touched the man, showing him "dignity." and then healed him. The paragraph says that shows how loving Jesus is.

  I gave literally hundreds of talks all my life where I included that experience. And I used to talk about how people were so unkind, and Jesus so loving. I taught that at Pioneer School.

  Yesterday sitting at the meeting I realized that the reason the people didnt want the lepers to be near them was because they knew it would spread to them. They weren't bad people. Jesus didn't have to worry about that because he wouldn't be adversely affected.

  It's so obvious to me now, but I never thought that before. Of course Jesus could touch the man.

  When I commented that during the study, the conductor looked at me like I was Satan.

  BF
• 
  127

  I am scared for my life. Problems with punks.

  by SnakesInTheTower in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i have been having problems with the renters that moved in next door.

  the last 3 months have been a living hell.

  i have an ongoing complaint with the slumlord that owns the property and the city is taking him to court for derelict vehicles next week (which i anonymously complained about, but i am sure i am being blamed for).

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  BonaFide

  Those of us that have lived in foreign countries, developing countries, learned about different cultures, and not about just the food. My guess is that AwakenedAtGilead wlll agree with me on this one. In some cultures, it is not a big deal to kill someone. When I was in my assignment, I remember so many times seeing people shot and killed over nothing. I remember a German woman who had a store in the country I was in. Very unusual, not many foreigners there in that country. But she had a nice chain of stores. A young man stole from her, and she had him arrested. He got out on bail and then went into her store and shot her in the head. They showed her body on the News. (In those countries, the television news does not censor, and they don't cover the bodies with a sheet.)

  People are giving you advice about getting a gun. How can you GUARANTEE that you will perfectly use that gun when he comes onto your property again? Or you take a martial arts class and then he pulls out a gun? How do you know he is not on drugs, is not mentally ill, or both?

  What about his friends? What if you beat him up good, then what? Or you kill him, and then you have to go to court and fight for what you did. Do you really want to go through that? Will you be able to justify that your life was in danger? His family and friends will come after you, and you will be freaking out for a long time, no matter what happens. Or worse.

  If that man had grown up to parents that taught him to respect others, he would not be like this. But apparently he was not raised that way. He enjoys tormenting people, and may go farther than that if given the chance.

  What is it worth to you, Snakes? It is not fun to be humiliated, I have been in that situation with a gun to my head, or a knife in my side many times. And other times I was just threatened. The locals taught me how to deal with it. They said, "When they pull a gun or knife on you, or threaten you, then ask them what dance they want you to do. Ask them if they want you to sing a song. In other words, keep it light, and give them what they want. Your life is more important."

  My friend had a gun pulled on him once also, they asked for his car keys. He laughed and he said, "Ok, you got me, I wasnt paying attention. Here are the keys." They left. Later that same man was arrested for murder.

  Your life is not a movie, don't dramatize it. Be smart.

  Don't do it Snakes, don't fall into the trap. You will pay for it worse than you think. It's not worth it.

  BF
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  30

  Aren't we as a group smart enough to bring the whole thing down?"

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i realize that i was stuck believing in jw almost all my life.

  and that each person has to see the light for themselves.. but it was partly the hypocrisy, partly the internet, partly my brother, ex-jw, and partly thinking on my own that did it.. there are smart enough people on the board, is there anything we can do to bring the whole jw thing down?.

  there must me some way, some thing, we can do.

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  BonaFide

  I realize that I was stuck believing in JW almost all my life. And that each person has to see the light for themselves.

  But it was partly the hypocrisy, partly the Internet, partly my brother, ex-JW, and partly thinking on my own that did it.

  There are smart enough people on the board, is there anything we can do to bring the whole JW thing down?

  There must me some way, some thing, we can do. If there really is only 12 men in Brooklyn, and a few in the Writing Department, and they make so many mistakes and glaring errors, shouldn't we be able to figure out a way to bring it all down?

  BF
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  44

  How many here still giving talks at the meetings?

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have a talk tonight.

  anyone else still giving talks or parts?.

  bf.

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  BonaFide

  I have a talk tonight. Anyone else still giving talks or parts?

  BF