Mattieu

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Posts by Mattieu

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  14

  The Watchtower Is Never "Really" Wrong

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  no matter what they say, they're never really wrong.

  misstatements serve a purpose!

  they always reinvent their words or simply deny ever teaching certain things.. the witnesses are not a humble group of christians.

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  Mattieu

  They always turn “being wrong” into:

  “We are being lovingly readjusted by Jehovah’s hand. Surely brothers, another indication that Jehovah is indeed using this organisation to dispense loving truths to his chosen people in these last days.....”

  “Some of you brothers may have interpreted material from our publications and formed opinions or dates in regards to the period of time we are living in or in relation to the fulfilment of Bible prophecies concerning the times in which we are living in. We are wisely encouraged not to run ahead of Jehovah’s organisation or to delve into the deeper spiritual things of God’s Word. Is it not wise then brothers, to patiently wait upon Jehovah to discern these matters in a time frame that Jehovah deem fit to do so through his loving earthly organisation, which has been accurate and truthful in these matter.....”

  Mattieu.........
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  322

  God and Suffering

  by AK - Jeff in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a few weeks back, in the midst of the haiti tragedy, much discussion took place in cyberland about the tolerance [or indeed the insistence on] suffering by a loving god.

  the furor over haiti has settled a bit [as unfortunately most tragedy is wont to do far too quickly in the human mind], but this persistent matter continues to chew at my subconscience.

  today i came across this:.

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  Mattieu

  Hi Jeff,

  I was at a cemetery yesterday visiting the gravesite of my younger brother and as I always do, I look at the thousands of plots/graves/tombstones (particularly those who died at a young age like my brother) and just ask why....

  After 40 years of knowing so called truths and promises regarding resurrection and of why God allows suffering to continue, I just cannot equate the reasoning’s of what I was taught as a child with how I feel now as an adult.

  As a softie (I tear up during soppy/heartbreak movies, though hide it so as not to be a wus), I can’t look at some of the news stories in regards to natural disasters and the effects on people, especially little kids, without tearing up.

  I’m no spiritual/theological academic and I wish I knew why God does permit so much suffering, because all the spin put out by the wtb$ does not add up to me. If I knew, it would at least stop me asking “why?” every time I visit my little brother.

  Mattieu....
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  60

  "Youth book" said 97% of teenagers Masturbate...but none of them are Witnesses! Is this unrealistic?

  by Witness 007 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  "youth" book and "young people ask" admitts that 97% boys and 92% of girls masturbate but of course none of the holy decent witness teenagers would ever do such a thing and earn jehovahs anger!

  how realistic is this?

  97% of the world have t.v's or a telephone!

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  Mattieu

  I must have missed reading that quote, pages were stuck together............

  Mattieu
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  2

  I called the elders today, they are meeting tonite about my husband

  by tiffy0212 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  today i found my husbands patient advocate card, and guess what my name is not on it.

  it has been filled out by all of the elders.

  took a copy for myself, and left him a note to let him know that i had a copy.

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  Mattieu

  Hi Tiffy, hope it all works out and that you are ok.....

  Mattieu
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  35

  A question about marriage in the organization

  by dgp in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this post was motivated by another thread, namely.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/188552/1/onereason-for-a-gentleman-fader-to-stay-reasonably-associated.

  this thread makes reference to the fact that a 40 something brother has a real chance with twenty-something and less sisters.

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  Mattieu

  Hi dgp, I would love to post a local experience, just don’t have the time right now. Though will start a new thread with the scandal soon.

  Mattieu
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  Super Bowl Party Downunder

  by Mattieu in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok, so its monday 10:30am and we should be working, but its hot 34c today (93f) and the super bowl is on tv!!

  so, our company is having an informal super bowl party.

  i have just returned from the supermarket with enough party supplies to last the next few hours.. so if anyone else is in melbourne (aus not fl) then pm me and i will give you the address!.

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  Mattieu

  Ok, so its Monday 10:30am and we should be working, but it’s hot 34C today (93F) and the Super Bowl is on TV!! So, our company is having an informal Super Bowl party. I have just returned from the supermarket with enough party supplies to last the next few hours.

  So if anyone else is in Melbourne (AUS not FL) then PM me and I will give you the address!

  Enjoy and go the Saints!

  (kick off now)

  Mattieu.
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  12

  Obsessiveness: "Do Not Calls"

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the organization couldn't exist without a huge dose of encouraged ocd in its membership.

  (that's obsessive-compulsive disorder, to you sane people).

  consider the practice of "do not calls".. many congregations have their territories marked with "do not calls" - people who have explicitly demanded that jehovah's witnesses not show up at their door.

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  Mattieu

  Hi Metatron, I was the territory servant for at least 6 years and had the entire list of DNC for our territory of some 50+ maps. Not once during that time did any elder approach me for that list as not one had the balls to go out knocking despite a c/o requesting it be done.

  Mattieu...
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  6

  Its wise not to be judgemental!

  by acolytes in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have noticed that some posters can sometimes become critical of how another posted has behaved .

  i believe this critisisam is oftern based on a lack of knowledge of what is acceptable behaviour of the poster in the country they are from.

  (ie in a poster could say i remember doing blah blah blah and a poster from an other land can take offence).

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  Mattieu

  Hi Acolytes, I am being off topic, but your post reminded me of the Swedish couple who immigrated to our congo here in Australia. Their command of the English language wasn’t too good and didn’t realise that saying “shit” here in Australia was a swear or “cuss” word! One of the elders finally took him aside after he said it during the concluding prayer at the book study one night!

  True story, not some fabled JW story passed on, I was there and still remind him of it!

  Mattieu.
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  52

  What happened to your marriage after you stopped believing?

  by JerkhovahsWitless in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i know some posters here went through or are going through some painful things right now because of no longer believing when they have a husband / wife that still does.

  others were able to free the minds of their spouse.

  i'm assuming the latter is a lot more rare.. anyone that wishes to share their story, please do.. i'm looking to pass the info on to someone who doesn't totally believe, but may marry a jw.

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  Mattieu

  We have our up and down days, at the moment we cannot discuss anything spiritual as it doesn’t end too good. I was a “born in” (late 60’s) and she came to know the “truth” as a teenager and cannot accept the damage that the ever-changing truths and understanding have done to my immediate family.

  I can throw as many wtbts publications in front of her exposing the hypocrisy of it all, some days I seem to get through, and then some days she is their biggest defender......

  Mattieu

  PS – Been married 20 years

  PSS - Looking forward to the day she is awake fully
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  51

  JW Tall Tales

  by lancelink in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  recently i was cleaning my bookcase and found an old book that i enjoyed as a child.

  it had stories in it such as paul bunyan, pecos bill, and john henry.

  while these stories are fictional, i enjoyed them because they were entertaining, and easy to understand.. fast forward to the late 70's when i was a teenager sitting at the ca hall in janesville wisconsin.. the speaker was explaining the great sacrifice god made in sending his son down to earth to die for all mankind.

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  Mattieu

  Hi Lancelink, that illustration was used so many times here in Australia as well. It got the response the speaker wanted, the emotionally fragile would cry, those who sadly had lost a child in death (my mom) would cry as it brought back a lot of painful memories and the rest of the hall would become solemn and depressed. I used to hate that illustration. What about the one back in the early 80’s when supposedly the top level government heads from Communist China toured the Brooklyn printing facilities, saw a copy of the my book of bible stories, took a copy and demanded more so that every child in primary school back in China could have one! Our old City overseer was the best at fabricating stories as he went along! Mattieu.