torre

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Posts by torre

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  34

  Some things really ticked me off at the meeting last night...

  by wantarevolution in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ...aside from the snooze fest that was the "bible study", taken by a brother who was 5 minutes late - went 10 minutes over and obiously hadn't prepared shit for the meeting (this is the same brother that "encouraged" me to be 15 minutes early for all meetings to welcome people).

  1) i had the no3 talk, about "christians helping the poor", no source material or anything.

  i played it good, spoke about our duty to be good christians, and charitable to everyone, and how it is a conscience matter as to how we donate our money or charitable deeds.i even used a quote by mother theresa.

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  torre
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  untitled

  by torre in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in my personal reading i came across with this anecdote: .

  it was the beginning of my third year in rome.

  so i was now a senior, getting by in all the languages.

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  torre

  Hi all,

  In my personal reading I came across with this anecdote:

  It was the beginning of my third year in Rome. So I was now a “senior”, getting by in all the languages. Because of my past history I had been entrusted with the post of Nursing Brother for the university- a delicate job that demanded tact and gentle touch.

  There was always someone under treatment: my room double as a surgery, and every day I saw colleagues lining up for injections. Abbots passing through Rome, priests, students: they all came to present their posteriors to the unpitying needle.

  So it was that one day I saw a Swiss student come in. I had already noticed his reticence, reclusiveness almost. He handed me a prescription without a word:

  “Penicillin. 3,000,000 units a day, intra-muscular.”

  Clear enough. I looked up at him, and he burst into sobs. Distraught, racket with choking fits, the poor lad told me his story.

  He had been very young when he entered his snow-girt abbey.

  Never had anyone talked to him about sex there. (I know, I know…) Since his arrival in Rome he had lived as a martyr:

  “It becomes all hard, you understand, and I don’t know how to deal with this thing that burns me between the legs… I’ve talked about it to my confessor here, and all he said to me is: ‘Sublimate, Brother, sublimate!’ But what can I do with ‘it’?”

  The inevitable had happened. Alas for him, he had come across an infected girl. He had not got much pleasure from her, but had contracted syphilis, which for him was a stamp of shame, the end of his world.

  I dried his tears. No, he was not damned; no, his days were not over. He had encountered life, that was all, and had become a man. Of course, I would keep it a complete secret; nobody would know anything. I was holding his life in my hands.

  For ten days I administered massive doses of antibiotics to him, for which he showed low tolerance. To his moral anguish was added real physical pain, of which I must be the only witness. Our injection appointments were also therapy sessions: I soothed him, helped him to see his future, assured him that God condemned him no more than I did.

  He recovered and resumed his academic work. The following year he returned to his abbey in Switzerland. At Christmas I received a box of chocolates, without a message. Afterwards I learnt that the had become Father Master, a well-merited appointment. I, alone, knew that he was sure to be a better novice master than others. His painful adventure evoked respect, not blame.

  (“Prisoner of God” pages 166, 167 by Michel Benoît)

  Michel Benoît, in 1962, entered in the Benedictine Order as a monk. After more than 20 years in the monastic order he left the order and eventually quit from the Catholic Church.

  I wanted to share this because it could had happened in any of the JW Bethel home. The same struggles, do not matter what religion one belong to.

  I remember in 1998 or so, when in the spanish branch the international construction was calling at its end. Some "healthy and spiritual" lads were invited to become a permanent members of the Bethel "family".

  One of them, broke down when appointed. He confess that had been visiting a prostitute on his visits to Madrid. After that, he had to leave Bethel within 24 hours.

  After years, this lad got married and became father. In his case I think his experience from the past in sexual matters would help him to understand the issues of the youth.
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  28

  Spanish JW's Upset Over Bethel Move

  by Gary1914 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  on april 1, 2009 a letter was sent from the governing body of jehovahs witnesses to congregations in spain informing them that the printing, shipping, and storage of watchtower publications would be discontinued at the madrid branch office.

  the letter expressed confidence that the spanish witnesses would, despite the move, continue to generously support the world wide work and ends with an appeal to remain united under the direction of the witness leadership.. at a glance, this story may seem like a non-issue, perhaps, just another example of reorganization and consolidation within a multinational corporation; however, the dissolution of the printing branch has caused considerable hard feelings among some of jehovahs witnesses in spain.

  to understand the reason we must first look at the history behind the branch office and external factors that some feel prompted this abrupt move.. early in their history, jehovahs witnesses began printing their trademark watchtower magazines and associated books and tracts in-house at their bethel headquarters in brooklyn, new york.

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  torre

  As some of you know 70 out of 200 bethelites in Spain got a letter two weeks ago saying that they hadve to be made redandance. 40 of them were lucky and have been sent to the special pioneering work. These ones have been in Bethel for two and three decades, which mean that they are in their fifties and above. Among them is Eduardo Palau, a former member of the Branch Commitee and former Galaadite. He was fired as a member of the Branch Commitee in 1998 when he married with a sister 40 years younger than him at the time. He now is about 78/80 years old. A plain-mind old-timer.

  This is the beggining of the end for many as the Branch is going to be around 50 members.
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  Spanish bethel

  by Newborn in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  maybe it's old news...but does the spanish bethel have to close down??

  i've heard some rumors.. thanks.

  n.

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  torre

  What I have heard from insiders is that they want to sell the whole property. Obviously, the best option would be to sell it as a whole. Due to the additions in the late 90s the property became quite big, for that reason they also would be interested in sell it divided in smaller portions, which would make easier to find buyers. At the same time they wouldn't mind to move their offices to a smaller place somewhere near Madrid. The main idea is that only oficces are going to remain. But at the moment nobody knows anything, including even the Branch Commite. Restless time for Bethelites in Spain.

  I can feel it coming in the air ...tonight, oh lord, oh lord....
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  3

  Channel C

  by torre in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  anyone of ou know what's happened with the forum channel c?

  i haven't been able to see the web site anymore.

  i miss comments from many of the guys who post there..

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  torre

  LeavingWT,

  Thank you very much, I got it.
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  3

  Channel C

  by torre in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  anyone of ou know what's happened with the forum channel c?

  i haven't been able to see the web site anymore.

  i miss comments from many of the guys who post there..

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  torre

  Anyone of ou know what's happened with the forum Channel C? I haven't been able to see the web site anymore. I miss comments from many of the guys who post there.
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  57

  What are you reading right now?

  by keyser soze in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm reading the trial, by franz kafka.

  pretty interesting read so far, though i'm only about 90 pages into it.

  it's about a man who is arrested, but no one will tell him what he's been charged with, or give him any information at all.

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  torre

  Hi all,

  I'm readin "Disputed truth"(memoirs ll) is the second part of Hans Kung Biography. Is rather interesting. Goes from year 68 to 80s just when his credentials for teaching as a catholic teologist are withdrawn by the Vatican Congregationfor the Doctrine of the Faith. ( Old Inquisition).

  On the other hand your post remind me a post I received yesterday from a friend telling me that the CO had asked them in the visit to his congregation in his meeting with the elders, whether they were conducting a family's study, what day it is and which WT publication are they using. All of them lied very well. I hope the same thing is not happening in this subject here.

  Regards
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  13

  Hello everyone

  by torre in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  firs af all, i would like to introduce myself to this board.

  i have never been in an english board before.. i was born in a jw home.

  that was in 1965 in spain.

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  torre

  Hi room 215

  As it has been posted on this board a letter a letter dated on 1st April 2009 was sent to all congregations informing that the GB decision was that the Spanish Branch was no longer printing. The letter was written in a way that everything was going to be the same as it used to be. For that reason , the majority of the brother outside are unaware of the consequences of that decision.

  When the letter was read in the congregations around Madrid in which there are Bethelites there were some of them crying. What they have been told is that the Bethel "family" is going to be reduced considerably. As many of you know, the spanish branch was enlarged and dedicated in 1998, being able to accomodate more than 600 workers. Although, they are 200 and never have been more than 250 members.

  Since 1998, all these properties have been empty. It cost a lot of money. Apart of that, social security have to be paid for all the full time workers such as Esp. Pioneers, CO, DO and Bethelites since 2003. This is because two former Bethelites went to the authorities in an effort to improve the conditions of the WT workers. In this regarding the Branch commitee sent a letter to the congregations saying that the GB agreed with the authorities the social security but that is just a lie.

  People here think that in the next few month at least 60 will be sent home. We will see.

  More information for all of those who speak spanish can be found in this blog:http: www.johnhenrykurtz.blogspot.com/
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  13

  Hello everyone

  by torre in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  firs af all, i would like to introduce myself to this board.

  i have never been in an english board before.. i was born in a jw home.

  that was in 1965 in spain.

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  torre

  Hi all,

  Firs af all, I would like to introduce myself to this board. I have never been in an English board before.

  I was born in a JW home. That was in 1965 in Spain. As a JW I was very concerned about it. I got baptized at 16 and a few years later I become pioneer. I spent ten years in Bethel in the spanish Branch. I got very good memories from that time (there are some bad as well). I used to listen to the people's stories from the USA headquarters that the Coordinator at that time (John Kurtz) used to tell us. Specially related with GB members. Is my pleasure to read most of your posts here.

  I'd like to apologise because of my English, I will try to do my best.
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  33

  Images of the new publication releases plus preface to new book...

  by drew sagan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  picked these up off the net.

  didn't see them here so i thought i would post.. i really like the back cover to the new book, showing pictures of a car from the 30's with "jehovah's witnesses" on the side.

  the pic of the guy in prison is beyond lame.. .

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  torre

  The old timer preachers seems to be Jaracz and Jack Barr.