Posts by Blithe Freshman

21

Chronic illness....how do you deal with it now?

by wantstoleave in

for many jw's i know personally, who suffer from chronic illness, the hope of 'the new system' is what they look forward to.

you know, being able to throw the cane away, lose the wheelchair, see again etc.. now that you're out of the organisation, how do you deal with chronic illness?

if you suffer with an affliction, disease, impairment, how has your hope changed?

Blithe Freshman

I accept the limits imposed on me by my illness, carefully choose to spend my time, energy on what is most important to me.

I tried to do this as a witness, it was a constant struggle between what others thought I should be doing & I did.

Except for my closest friends & family , people don't know I have a chronic illness. There is not a judgement on me just because I don't do something. I am excepted for who I am, I don't need to make excuses.

I have a postive outlook about my illness now.

I realize there are many people who live their lives & never stop to choose what they want & just go with the flow.

My illness caused me to make choices earlier in life than I think I would have had I been full of good health.

I am healthier now because I take better care of myself. My mental health improved when I left the org. too.

BF

3

looking for an old post- early archaeolgical support for worship to Christ?

by carla in

a friend is looking for the following, anybody remember?.

do you remember some time ago, [i think it could have been as far back as two years ago] there was an article on jwn which showed archaeological support for early worship rendered to christ?

from what i remember it refered to the excavation in judea of the first or second century where an early christian church was unearthed.

Blithe Freshman

Don't know that article but would like to see it.

This one is interesting.

http://www.leaderu.com/theology/burialcave.html

BF

87

Do you know your personality type?

by bluecanary in

jw
friends

what is your myers-briggs personality type?

if you're unfamiliar with it, you can take a test here: http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp.

be warned that the test can be wildly inaccurate.

Blithe Freshman

INFJ, too! Always have been, taken the test many times for over 15 years.

BF

23

I was baptised today!!!

by Blithe Freshman in

jw
friends

i just want to share my happiness !.

the church i've been attending had scheduled last sunday for baptisms.

i was out of town for my family reunion & very disapointed over having to wait.

Blithe Freshman

Thank you for your congrats!

6of9- "out of the frying pan, into the too-hot-for-good-health-but-prolly-won't-kill-ya sauna."

I must disagree, nothing to hinder or harm from my experiences. My mental/emotional health has never been better!

BF

23

I was baptised today!!!

by Blithe Freshman in

jw
friends

i just want to share my happiness !.

the church i've been attending had scheduled last sunday for baptisms.

i was out of town for my family reunion & very disapointed over having to wait.

Blithe Freshman

Hi,

I just want to share my happiness !

The church I've been attending had scheduled last Sunday for baptisms. I was out of town for my family reunion & very disapointed over having to wait. But they were rained out & so after hearing the announcement in church this morning that today was the day, I approached our pastor to be dunked . Had a quick conversation with him after the service, made a few phone calls & hurried home to grab my swim suit & towel. My husband & three of my children came to watch! Afterwards we all enjoyed a picnic & swim party. 9 others were baptised today , one,who is also a former JW , I met last fall at the Witnesses for Jesus Convention.We were both able to give a testimony of the changes in our lives and difference between what we were doing today & our JW baptisms.

Blithe Freshman

39

Typically How Much $$$ Do You Spend Going Out To Eat Each Week?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i don't cook so i usually eat one meal a day out.

i pobably spend a couple of hundred a week with food an d drink.

what about choo?.

Blithe Freshman

30-50 dollars, depends how many I'm feeding, 2-4 times a month.

We have started going to or getting takeout from the local church & firehall dinners.

Better food, meet new & old friends, supports charity and I get a break from the kitchen on a busy weekend.

BF

50

Was There a Fictional Work Helped You Realize the Truth About the (T)ruth?

by BabaYaga in

the pen really can be mightier than the sword, and even fiction often carries much weight and powerful messages.. did you read a book or watch a movie that made you think?

did an "entertaining" work plant a seed of doubt?.

the first one i can remember making a definate comparison to the witnesses in my mind was ray bradbury's martian chronicles.

Blithe Freshman

Clan of the Cave Bear, and it's descriptions of shunning, why & how. I was particularly struck by how Ayla thought that a person shunned ( treated as dead) would loose all will to live. I began to see the young people in the cong although disfellowshipped had weak moments after their disfellowshipping they took a downward spiral & got into much more trouble. Being treated as dead they too lost their will to live & started dangerous behaviors that could kill them.

There is also a lot about the Clans inability to learn/think for themselves over something new, just doing what they have always done etc. Shunning was also rare & done when the clan was in great fear from their superstitions or they had a bad leader. Good leaders helped each individual be a productive member of the group & valued everyone so there were not the sort of problems that ended in shunning. Everyone new to shun someone was to invite their death & life was too precious to risk anyones life over indescretions or disagreements.

BF

50

Was There a Fictional Work Helped You Realize the Truth About the (T)ruth?

by BabaYaga in

the pen really can be mightier than the sword, and even fiction often carries much weight and powerful messages.. did you read a book or watch a movie that made you think?

did an "entertaining" work plant a seed of doubt?.

the first one i can remember making a definate comparison to the witnesses in my mind was ray bradbury's martian chronicles.

Blithe Freshman

Reading "Watership Down" with my children. All the warrens were like different ways the congregation acted.I identified with the little rabbit that could sense something wrong, but couldn't put a name to it till he escaped.

BF

8

I saw JWs yesterday...

by Jim_TX in

not too surprising, since it was sunday.. it started early though... at the local restaurant/coffee shop where i go on the weekends.

i usually sit at the counter, and drink coffee and look over my trade journals and scribble notes on my latest projects.. while there, a couple came in and sat at the counter.

i know that they are jws (in the past, they used to bring in their 'text' and read it there), and know that they must have a 10am meeting.

Blithe Freshman

Thanks for the answers. I was DF'd but never told this at the time or remember it from a meeting. I remember thinking for awhile I needed to not greet people. But then began to think it was the JW's who are instructed to not greet & there was no prohabition on my behavior. I was releaved to be "No Longer One Of JW's" & not wanting to get back.

BF

8

I saw JWs yesterday...

by Jim_TX in

not too surprising, since it was sunday.. it started early though... at the local restaurant/coffee shop where i go on the weekends.

i usually sit at the counter, and drink coffee and look over my trade journals and scribble notes on my latest projects.. while there, a couple came in and sat at the counter.

i know that they are jws (in the past, they used to bring in their 'text' and read it there), and know that they must have a 10am meeting.

Blithe Freshman

quietlyleaving:

same here. I saw JWs yesterday too, at the convention, and was reminded of the isolating practice wherein a disfellowshipped JW must inform the person who greets him , that he is disfellowshipped.

How is this taught? I don't remember anyone actually teaching this.

BF