Jankyn

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Posts by Jankyn

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  38

  Card of Encouragement From Long-time JW Reeks of Despair

  by Seeker4 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i happened to see a card a few minutes ago from a jw i grew up with to another jw that we grew up with.

  all of us are in our 50s now, and we've known each other since we were early teens.. the sister who wrote the card has pioneered for decades.

  she's married, but decided to never have kids.

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  Jankyn

  Yep. That would describe all the family I've got in. One of my cousins is about to become a grandmother for the first time, and would you believe it, she actually said that old crap about how "it's not a good time to have a baby, with the end so near"?

  They were saying that crap when she was born 50 years ago!

  She's spent her whole life waiting instead of living. And now she won't even enjoy her grandchild, because "the end is coming." Watch...twenty years from now, that kid will be df'd for some normal kid thing, and she won't speak to him/her. And it will be part of the trials of "this old system."

  ARRRGH!

  Jankyn
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  32

  Are the experiences of unbaptised born-ins of less importance?

  by mrsjones5 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  are you saying that the experiences of unbaptised born-ins are of less importance than baptised born-ins and baptised walkins?.

  yes thats what i'm saying.....oh boy.

  wow, well tijkmo, i respect that youre brave for saying so and that's where that ends.

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  Jankyn

  
  Well, as an unbaptized born-in with a lengthy family history of involvement with the JWs, I don't think my experience is less relevant to any discussion of Jehovah's Witnesses.

  No, I didn't choose to be a JW. If anything, that gives me both an insider's view of the doctrines and practices I was raised with, and also a sceptic's view, since obviously I challenged those doctrines and practices.

  It also means that I had *NO* outside support when I refused to be baptized and eventually left. All my family were still JWs, and they put up a united front to show "Jehovah's loving discipline."

  As in Nicolau's story, I was shunned by many members of the congregation and some members of my family. Even though I was never baptized, because I'd participated and been "above the age of reason" (yep, I stayed in the ministry school to keep the heat off until I was 16), I've been viewed as apostate by many. And some in the congregation still believe that I was disfellowshipped, even though I was never baptized. You know how JWs are; once they're convinced, they won't be troubled by little things like facts.

  And it means that I had *NO* experience with what a normal life is like when I left. I had to learn all the basics on my own.

  It also means that, not only do I have a difficult time dealing with people who were never JWs or don't understand why it's such a big deal to me (and no, it's *NOT* the same thing as being a former Catholic!), and on top of that, I take crap from *some* other ex-JWs who think my experience is somehow less relevant because I was forced into a cult as a child.

  Jeez.

  Jankyn
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  20

  Our new house guest

  by Billygoat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this weekend mozz and i went out of town to visit some of his family.

  this morning on our way back home, we decided to meet some of them at a little truck stop restaurant to have breakfast.

  we got there and noticed this little dog outside of the front door.

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  Jankyn

  Squirt gun. That'll get his attention off the cats. Also gets the cats' attention off the plants. I like it because the water's an uncomfortable surprise, but it doesn't hurt them. Plus, I get to practice my aim.

  I'd say that Boxer and American Staffordshire Bull Terrier would make a good combination. They really mix the AmStaff with other bull terriers to get a so-called "pit bull." AmStaffs tend to me very loyal and loving, but do get aggressive when their people are threatened. This is not a bad thing at all. Boxers are also surprisingly affectionate, and tend to be very sturdy dogs.

  Frankly, Bo looks like a lover, not a fighter.

  Jankyn
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  18

  anniversary of JFK assassination

  by desbah in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is for all the ex-jw's on that dreadful day..... do you remember where you were when jfk was shot in dallas, tx?

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  Jankyn

  I was not quite four years old, and we were on our way to the assembly. I remember the radio was on, and my dad actually pulled the car over (this was before he was df'd).

  At the assembly, I was frightened by the number of witnesses who thought Armageddon was coming any minute. I also remember that my dad and some of the other young brothers spent every break gathered around our car listening to the radio.

  Jankyn
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  10

  Al-Qaeda: the revenge of Abel?

  by Narkissos in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a silly idea occurred to me the other day, as i was listening to the news.

  the "new islamist terrorism," as has been repeated countless times, is very difficult to control because of its unprecedented structure: it is not based anywhere -- no headquarters, no fixed residence, no country.

  bin laden and his gang conspicuously live as nomads.

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  Jankyn

  I think that's a very interesting metaphor. You should develop it a bit more fully; it would make an interesting op-ed piece about the conflict between societies/ideologies.

  Leolalia's idea about the Dinah story would help, too.

  It made me think of the section in the James Michener novel The Source where the nomadic "Habiru" people who worshipped El-Shaddai (Michener's passage is, in many ways, a re-telling of the Dinah story) tried to live side-by-side with the town of Makor, and ended up killing them all to preserve their religion.

  Jankyn
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  19

  4 year birthday ????

  by mouthy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am still here wow!!

  !

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  Jankyn

  Happy anniversary, Mouthy!

  May there be many more to come.

  Jankyn
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  22

  New here - question about roommate getting baptized

  by oppgirl63 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been lurking on different ex-jw boards for a few years now and this is my first post to this board.. .

  i am a 42 yr old gay female who has a roommate who is studying to be baptized.

  we are not romantically involved.

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  Jankyn

  Hi, Oppgirl.

  Well, the info you dropped in the last post changes everything, because basically that means she's living with an ex-lover. And they won't tolerate that if they find out about it. And if it comes out later--after she's baptized--they'll likely disfellowship her for lying about it.

  The assumption would be that, because you were once lovers, your relationship is still immoral and has the potential to become sexual again at any time. They'd feel the same way if she were living with an ex-boyfriend or ex-husband. And, whether she sees herself as gay or not, they're going to assume she is and that she'll have to be watched for those "tendencies." Trust me, I've been there.

  Before you get the idea that I agree with them, let me say upfront that I'm gay as well, and the JWs do nothing but make a person feel guilty about being who they are. Your "friend" has a good thing going--an attentive partner who takes care of her (and yes, you are partners, even if you're not having sex). The trouble is that she's misrepresented your relationship to the JWs, and they're not going to be okay with it in any way, shape or form.

  At some point, she's going to have to choose between you and the religion. And not to be hard on you, but I'd prepare for the worst.

  Welcome to the board. We're here for you.

  Jankyn
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  17

  I don't bump into witnesses anymore...............

  by JH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i remember years ago, i couldn't pass a day or two without seeing a witness someplace, either walking or in their cars going door to door or just traveling to the hall.

  often i'd see them at the grocery store or at the bank.. but it's been months now since i've seen a witness.

  gee it's fun not to run into them anymore.

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  Jankyn

  I went a long time without running into any, but since I've been in Sacramento (last five years), they're all over the place. Doing street work on the K Street mall, out in service in Midtown, handing out old WTs and Awakes to homeless people.

  Just this Saturday, I ran into a woman studying with another at the Bread Store on J at 18th. They had taken over a table and were having muffins and coffee while going over this week's WT and using a large-print NWT to look up scriptures.

  I was in too good a mood to spoil, so I just got my sandwich and left.

  BTW, any Sacramentans on the board, the Bread Store has great sandwiches at a reasonable price and they bake all their bread on-site.

  Jankyn, loves that bread-baking smell class
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  36

  blondie

  by IP_SEC in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  blondie you prolly get tired of hearing this but thanks so much for your labor of love.

  i dont get the mags anymore, but im glad to be able to keep up with what's being said in the wt through your weekly comments on the wt study.. i would think it might get tiresome to wade through the bs in the articles week after week.

  im sure it takes a lot of your time to research, then type your post.

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  Jankyn

  Yay, Blondie!

  I started out reading her commentaries on the WT studies because it helped me be prepared for what I was going to have dished at me whenever I talk to my mom and aunt.

  Then I read them for their scintilatting rhetorical analysis. Fact is, if you use Blondie's method, you can sort fact from BS in just about any sort of discourse.

  Lately, though, something strange has been happening. When I read Blondie's comparisons of JW doctrine to what the Bible really says, I find myself pondering what it all really means to me. The question "What would Jesus do?" is less a joke and more a point of departure for spiritual reflection. Hmmm...wonder if I'm in danger of becoming a Christian?

  Best,

  Jankyn
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  6

  Family splits over sons’ military service;

  by Bryan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  were truly neutral.

  as you know, we are jehovahs witnesses and are neutral as to the political and military affairs of the world.

  they also embrace political neutrality.

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  Jankyn

  Big discussion on this story over at Democratic Underground (obviously, a web site for lefties):

  http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1903590#1907071

  I suspect BJW is a JW, which makes me think he's on his way oooout...since DU is such a political site.

  And I use the same name there.

  Jankyn