Where I work, a woman in another department from mines, yet on the same floor, has a Cinnamon allergy. Our floor has been officially declared a No-Cinnamon zone. I thought it was all a joke at first, until she actually swelled up just from the smell of someone's Instant Oatmeal. It's just cinnamon, and thats not something you eat every day so, no biggie. I love cinnamon pop tarts though, so after i get done toasting a pair, I open one of my desk drawers, and break pieces off to keep the smell down. I sit far enough away from her, where its not an issue.
miseryloveselders
JoinedPosts by miseryloveselders
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44
Would YOU Stop Wearing Cologne Or Perfume At A KH If Someone Had Allergies?
by minimus inwe had a few that would start coughing if someone wore a fragrance.
they would make a big deal about anyone wearing cologne and say such ones were not loving and considerate.
some elders would recommend that witnesses should not wear any cologne or perfume, if they loved their brother or sister.
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Congregation "Bible Study" Comments - Week Commencing 25 January 2010
by LUKEWARM in*** lv chap.
16 pp.
183-195 oppose the devil and his crafty acts ***.
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miseryloveselders
IF YOU have been serving Jehovah for decades, you have likely heard numerous baptism talks at our assemblies and conventions. Yet, no matter how often you have been present on such occasions, you likely still feel moved each time you witness the moment that those sitting in the front rows of the auditorium stand up to present themselves for baptism. At that instant, a buzz of excitement ripples through the audience, followed by a burst of heartfelt applause. Tears may well up in your eyes as you look at yet another group of precious individuals who have taken sides with Jehovah. What joy we feel at such times!
I started studying this last night, my meeting is a few nights from now. This lesson is nine paragraphs only, and this paragraph was so ridiculous, that I only made it to paragraph 5. I just couldnt stomach finishing it. When I hear the baptism talks, I try to predict what the speaker will say next. I'm right about 60% of the time. I've heard the outline far too many times to get emotional. Its all been pretty routine. Its as routine to me as the parking attendents sticking out there left hand pointing me to go right. The only time the batismal talk wasnt routine for me, was one of last years Circuit Assemblies, when the speaker asked the batismal candidates to stand, nobody stood which was a first for me. I've never seen that. The following Convention, we had a few that stood, and many were teenagers. Call me jaded, but my first thought was, "I wonder how many will be on reproval or disfelloshipped come this time next year..hmm....." Sorry, I just don't see the joy in any of this any longer.
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J. W. Man charged in 8 rural Virginia shooting deaths
by koolaid-man inhttp://www.twincities.com/ci_14236171?nclick_check=1.
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miseryloveselders
"The devout Jehovah's Witness had changed in recent months, becoming increasingly detached and anxious, friends and colleagues tell the Washington Post. "
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The Rise of the Conscious Class
by truthseeker in"i believe in one god, and no more; and i hope for happiness beyond this life.
i believe the equality of man, and i believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.
but, lest it should be supposed that i believe many other things in addition to these, i shall, in the progress of this work, declare the things i do not believe, and my reasons for not believing them.
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miseryloveselders
This is crazy when you think about. I couldnt have imagined having doubts twenty years ago, I would have lost my mind. Maybe even, offed myself. Somedays now, during a meeting, I look around trying to find the slightest hint of irritation, confusion, or resistance to whatever material is being reviewed. It's a relief seeing the thoughts and experiences people relay here, because for the longest time i thought it was me. It's like being on the elevator and someone farted, and you heard it, you smell it, but everybody else is acting like nothing happened. You start to wonder if you're going crazy as if, "is it me?"
The other thing I like about this "Conscious Class", is many posters here have had time to really sit down and think these things out. Me being newer to this whole apostate thing, it's nice reading the more mature dissenting views as opposed to a whole bunch of emotional rants. The emotional rants, I understand because I know how I get when hurt, or angry. But the mature, logical arguments make it easier to establish my own personal views rather than whats been spoonfed to me for the past thirty years.
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JWs vs. Christ's Witnesses?
by metaspy ini was talking to my dad today, and he asked when the jws changed their name.
i replied "in 1933 or 34, cedar point - they became the jehovah's witnesses" he said "no, when did they change to christ's witnesses?
" i had no reply.. apparently, he had a jw come to his door (from a car group of 5 doing the neighborhood).
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miseryloveselders
probably a JW a little more free spirited than most. If your Dad would have fell for that, I gurantee you it would have been on a Service Meeting part somewhere down the line.
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Should I believe in the Trinity?!
by TTWSYF inhello all, i had some questions regarding the booklet 'should you believe in the trinity?
' i should mention that i'm a catholic and my brother is a jw baptised some 15-20 years ago.
since he found 'the truth' he had been quite vocal regarding the manyu, many false teachings of the catholic church.
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miseryloveselders
Where's Stephen at or Perry? Although I can't remember if Perry believes in the Trinity, I know Stephen does though. A thread with Trinity in the title, he's usually here faster than Reggie Bush.
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To those who were born in
by poopsiecakes inwhile you were a witness, did you ever play the what if game?
i would occasionally sit with my friends and wed bandy the ideas around...if we werent born in would we be interested if someone knocked at our door...would we want to go to college...would we be promiscuous.... it was interesting to hear the responses and i think about that now.
one thing i always knew was that if someone knocked at my door a) chances are i wouldnt answer and b) although i would be polite, i would not have any interest whatsoever.
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miseryloveselders
Good question. When I see other religious types, I've often thought of them as strange. Growing up in this, I can't tell whether or not thats due to looking at them as part of Babylon the Great my entire life, or if it's because I'm more secular in nature and hence view zealots with suspicion. Lately I'm leaning toward the latter. The picture of Fred Franz with the red flannel and holding a bible in one hand comes to mind. If he approached me, I would without even hearing what he has to say, tel him, I'm not interested. When I've talked to some people in my Hall, and worked with them in FS, sometimes I cringe at how they present themselves and their message. They scare me to some degree. If one of them knocked on my door, I'd probably tell them mark me on the DNC list.
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Any Ideas on the Next "Big Thing" that Will Bring the Watchtower Down?
by jamiebowers ini received this via a face book pm from the group christian witness fellowship:.
also near the end of the show, richard rawe says "something extra big" is about to happen that will take watchtower "down," something bigger even than their pedophile scandal and the u.n. connections scandal put together.
he says he can't spill the beans yet, but the something is definitely coming.
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miseryloveselders
Another Ray Franz type incident would be catastrophic in this age of media and the internet. Back then, his book caused some shockwaves I imagine. I was a kid then, so I don't remember what happened. People my age still in, and younger have never heard of Ray Franz. I don't believe most JWs could name you five members on the GB or who the President of the WTS is. Some couldnt even tell you who the Service Overseer or Secretary is in their own congregations.
But, if a charasmatic dissident in NY decided to make a play, it would be huge. There'd be no way to keep something like that quiet without collateral damage. That collateral damage would turn into more disillusioned and eventual x-JWs. All because of the spread of information via the Web, and I'm sure if Time Magazine had articles on Franz in the 80's, some major media would cover a modern dissident.
A major core teaching could cause some problems. I don't mean a "this generation" either, as previous posters mentioned, most JWs couldnt explain the past two or three interpretations of "this generation." It's really not that important to the average JW. No, it'd have to be something that would put more pressure on current JWs to make them break, or something so outragous that even Corky would know somethings not right.
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miseryloveselders
Choosing life, you raised a couple of questions that made me log on. I wondered the same about why the dramatics when executing divine judgement? Thinking about the examples in the Bible, you've got raining fireballs, global flooding (which He promised never to do again, so that's out), the earth opening up and swallowing people, allowing one savage nation to conquer another nation, rivers crashing down on persuing armies,etc.. It's all a bit dramatic. You mean to tell me theres no off switch for humans? If an appliance isn't working, I pull the plug on it. No need to take a mallet and whack it several times to prove a point.
You also mentioned the materialistic hope Witnesses hold. I think that comes from what they (myself included) give up in their lives now. It makes me think of 1 Cor 15:19, "if only in this life we have hoped in Christ, we are of most men to be pitied." Hardcore JWs have given up so much, possibly wasted so much of their lives, that now they feel as if they're owed something. Does that make sense?
The destruction of 6 Billion leaves me unsettled at times too. I work in a office building, and I've got a great view of the city. I look out at it sometimes, and I find it hard to imagine that it's all going to be destroyed. It just doesnt make sense to me.
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Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 1-17-10 WT Study (PLACE IN CONGREGATION)
by blondie in(romans 12:4-8; 1 corinthians 12:12-28; ephesians 4:15, 16; colossians 2:19).
8:34,35.. comments.
4:15.. comments.
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miseryloveselders
Thanks Blondie..
Jeff I agree, this is a particulary disturbing lesson. Matter fact, this is by far, to me anyway, the worst article I've ever read. I'm glad I studied it ahead of time, because if I had only read it during the meeting today, I would have laughed or snickered during the meeting. I got all of that out of my system last night.
Some of my favorites.............
16. And what joy and satisfaction we experience because we have a place in the congregation. I have a place in the congregation. One of the places that they encourage born-in-males to reach out towards. What's it left me? See my screen name. Yeah, I'm real happy. Anybody who gets to really know intimate details of ones in a congregation will discover that at least half if not more people are miserable trying to handle this hamster wheel of a life.
3. One way to find our place in the congregation and give evidence that we treasure it is to cooperate fully with "the faithful and discreet slave" and its representative Governing Body. (Read Matthew 24:45-47.) They never miss an oppurtunity to remind you who's in charge do they? Or to remind you that you are a belonging. Sit Ubu sit, good dog. It's sickening.
4. We are wise also to consider how the choices we make in personal matters affect our ministry and other people, both inside and outside the congregation.--Read 2 Corinthians 6:3, 4. This is the exact reason I don't get too close to people inside the Hall any longer. You cant make everyone happy, all the time. You know I've never had to worry about offending a worldly person with my choices. You know why? Because they don't care. They're not that petty.
5. That spirit can cause us to think that we do not need guidance from Jehovah's organization. By word or action, may we never challenge the channel of communication that Jehovah is using today. (Num. 16: 1-3) On the contrary, we should cherish our privilege to cooperate with the slave class. When did Jehovah, Yahweh, YHVH, etc., ever explicitely state this was His organization? As Blondie stated, organization is a word not found in the Bible. Nor is there any word like it in the Bible. There's that "slave class" reference again. Don't you monkies, excuse me, you belongings ever get ta thinkin youz can make decisions without our input, cuz we're da ones feeding ya. Da only ones feeding youz. Youz monkies got dat, errr belongings.
8. An illustration of two young fleshly sisters highlights another factor that comes into play in determining the place we will occupy in the congregation. Both graduate from high school. They have the same circumstances. Their parents have done their best to encourage both of them to reach out for the regular pioneer service after graduation. After graduating, one enters the pioneer service, whereas the other begins working secularly full-time. What made the difference? It was desire. In the end, each did what she wanted to do. Is that not true with most of us? We need to think seriously about what we would like to do in God's service. Can we increase the share we are having in it, even if that means adjusting our circumstances?--2 Cor. 9:7. Wow. During the review of this paragraph I scanned the audience to see if anybody else had a odd look on their face. A couple commenters including the conductor made the point that this paragraph isnt condemning one's choice. However you know and I know it is. Notice they didnt include the spiritual activity of the sister who chose secular work. No mention of her ministry, or meeting attendance, participation, personal study, etc.. No, her entire life consists of working with worldly folks full time. In my experience, the ones working full time may only have the national average in regards to hours in field service, but often their 10 hours is more meaningful than the 70 hours the Pioneers spend wasting gas money for a title that is nowhere to be found in the Bible.
11. With 289,678 individuals baptized worldwide during the 2008 service year, there is clearly a great need for brothers to take the lead. How should a brother respond to this need? Only 289, 678 baptized? All those hours preaching, and that's all that came in? An argument can be made that a significant portion of those baptized were minors being emotionally blackmailed into getting dipped. The gravity of the situation doesn't dawn on them until they become thinking adults. At that point they realize they're a...............belonging. As mentioned earlier I reached out. I look forward to the day I can resign, and never look back.
15 At times, it may be difficult for an unmarried sister to find her place in the congregation. One sister who has experienced this stated: "A life of singleness can occasionally be a lonely one." When asked how she copes with the situation, she said: "Prayer and study help me to find my place again. I study about how Jehovah views me. Then I reach out to try to be helpful to others in the congregation. This helps me to get my mind off myself." Her attitude is honorable. Her interest in others is honorable as well. Unfortunately, this story probably is a fabrication. There's several single sisters in the Hall I attend, and a few are mentally unstable, a couple others are Pioneers of the arrogant type (who wear floral dresses with shoulder pads and white stockings in 80 degree weather), and the others are upper middle aged women with illegitmate children. I'm no prophet, but I don't see any of them getting married any time soon. I'm single by the way, and would like to get married but due to that pesky 1 Cor 7:39, I can only date and marry another JW. I can't date a Christian. Only a True Christian a la JW.
9. What if we simply lack motivation to do more in Jehovah's service and are inclined to coast along in the congregation? This is laughable. Coast along? Wow. The JW culture of judging is detrimental enough already, now we have a new word to use for the lukewarm......coasters.
This lesson is why every day my decision is becoming easier and easier to make. I just can't believe my parents fell for this.