Posts by GLTirebiter

12

Giving The Undertaker A Fright!

by snowbird in

this here is a true story, so please don't interrupt me until i'm finished telling it.. way back in the woods in the late of night, a woman died.

her bereaved husband walked 20 miles to get the undertaker.. he and the undertaker returned to the home to remove the body of his wife to the morturary.

too upset to assist with the removal of his wife's body, the husband remained outside in the hearse while neighbors helped the undertaker.. after placing the body in the back of the hearse, the undertaker went back into the house to do the necessary paperwork.

GLTirebiter

Funny story!

I can't help imaging Dan Ackroyd in the "Ghostbusters" hearse playing out this scene.

33

Lies about Suicides in Congregations

by EXMS in

have you ever noticed what the elders say when a depressed person commits suicide?.

i unfortunately knew of two people in my area, one a guy about my age, the other was in his mid 40's that commited suicide.

both times, at their memorials, the elders from stage said that they were home alone and was cleaning their hand gun/ rifle when it accidently fired and killed them.

GLTirebiter

You're welcome, Tal!

33

Lies about Suicides in Congregations

by EXMS in

have you ever noticed what the elders say when a depressed person commits suicide?.

i unfortunately knew of two people in my area, one a guy about my age, the other was in his mid 40's that commited suicide.

both times, at their memorials, the elders from stage said that they were home alone and was cleaning their hand gun/ rifle when it accidently fired and killed them.

GLTirebiter

I know the RCs believe suicides don't go to heaven.

Tal, it's not cut-and dried. We are not capable of knowing what was in the person's heart, if they really knew what they were doing, if an ill-advised attempt to cry for help went too far, etc. Therefore we do not know the eternal fate of a person who commits suicide. The church teaches us to hope for the best and pray for them, as stated in Catechism article 2283:

We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.

When did the WT start allowing brothers to own fire arms?

My Ex's brothers (MS and elder among them) all have arms of various sorts: hunting rifles, shotguns, pistols, black-powder rifles, and hunting bows. Others in the local congregation own arms, target shoot, and hunt. In this part of the country, hunting and target shooting are ordinary parts of life. Not everybody does it, but people here don't think it odd or scary if you do.

OTOH, I'm not aware of any local Witness who has a concealed-carry permit (any adult who passes a background check, safety class, and firing range test can get one). It appears to me there is a distinction between Witnesses owning guns for recreational use vs. self-defense--one of those "conscience matters", perhaps?

7

Math Websites

by d in

jw
friends

does anybody have any free websites to offer for math help.

i can practicing my math in prepartion for the fall semester.

thanks.

GLTirebiter

If you want to start at the top, MIT makes their course materials available on line.

77

Association: Am i being lied to?

by roxanesophia in

i don't hesitate to bring up with the girl i study with, my criticisms of the religion, and one of those is the association.

i keep reading on here that jw's don't make friends outside the cult, and this is what i used as an excuse for stepping further away from being baptized.

she tells me it's not true, and they can have what ever friends they want.

GLTirebiter

You don't need to trust us unbelievers; just read what the Watchtower organization say in their own publications. There is no doubt that they strongly condemn ties outside the organization. This quotation is from The Watchtower, June 15, 1980, page 8:

What It Takes to Keep Separate from the World

Without a doubt, our appreciating just how wicked and corrupt Satan's world is will help us to keep separate from the world. Such appreciation will make it easy for us to obey the command found at Psalm 97:10: "Oh you lovers of Jehovah, hate what is bad." No matter how pleasant, how enticing, wicked things are to the fallen flesh, we must abhor them, even as the apostle commands. (Rom. 12:9) More than that, we want to hate those who willfully show themselves haters of Jehovah, haters of what is good. As David of old expressed it: "Do I not hate those who are intensely hating you, oh Jehovah, and do I not feel a loathing for those revolting against you? With a complete hatred I do hate them. They have become to me real enemies." (Ps. 139:21,22) We hate them, not in the sense of wanting to do them harm but in the sense of avoiding them as we would poison or a poisonous snake, for they can poison us spiritually. That is why we are warned: "Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits."--1 Cor. 15:33

And let it be noted that this staying clean from wicked persons applies not just to persons whom we may happen to meet or be thrown together with in our everyday affairs of life but also to those whom we choose as associates when it comes to entertainment. Remember, we are commanded: "Let fornication and uncleanness of every sort or greediness not even be mentioned among you, just as it befits holy people; neither shameful conduct." (Eph. 5:3, 4) This means we not only avoid making such things be mentioned in our presence, as by watching a TV program or attending a motion picture where such things are the subject of conversation. Instead, let us make it a point to cultivate associations with fully devoted fellow believers, not only at the congregation and in the field activities but also socially. Yes, to keep separate from the world we must watch our associations; on one hand, avoiding bad ones and, on the other hand, being diligent to associate with those who, like us, are no part of the world.

So, lets look at how the non-Witness world is portrayed here. Remember, use of emotionally strong words ("loaded language") and an us vs. them mentality denying any middle ground ("false dichotomy") are two logical fallacies often employed as emotional persuasion by high-control groups.

"wicked and corrupt"
"Satan's world"
"we must abhor them"
"haters of what is good"
"we hate them"
"a poisonous snake"
"poison us spiritually"
"bad associations" ("associations" is indeed what this article is about--they will try to talk their way around that!)
"wicked persons...those whom we choose as associates" (see above)
"shameful conduct"
"cultivate associations with fully devoted fellow believers" (only Witnesses qualify)
"and also socially" (in every part of your life, stick with the Witnesses)
"keep separate from the world"
"watch our associations"
"avoiding the bad ones"
"diligent to associate with those, who like us..."
"no part of the world"

Also, please check the bible references in their full context, using the translation of your choice.

"Deceitfully they invoke your name; your foes swear faithless oaths." Psalm 139:20

48

Today is my brithday and I feel depressed.

by TotallyADD in

jw
friends

woke up next to my wonderful wife after getting up she make me a great breakfast and for dinner tonight grilled steak and a brithday cake she made.

so why am i depressed?

could it be my children will not call me today to wish me a happy brithday.

GLTirebiter

First:

Happy Birthday, ADD!

Yes, I know the feeling too. At least you have your dear wife taking care of you today, and that's a great gift!

64

Devotional to the Bridegroom - Christ

by ixthis in

scripture.

awake!

GLTirebiter

A reading for the Sunday after Ascension Day (Acts 1:6-11)

When they had gathered together they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He answered them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven."

51

I need support please

by AwSnap in

jw
friends

for the most part, i am able to understand how my family treats me.

i was a jw for 20 years...since birth.

i used to shun people.

GLTirebiter

AwSnap, congratulations to you, mother-to-be!

It's strange that that the mother-to-be has to be the sane one in this drama. But when dealing with a high-control group, "strange" behavior is nothing unusual.

Like other posters, I suspect your sister is doing what she can despite being the up-and-coming MS's wife. Even making the quilt was an act of defiance for her, not to mention that making it took many hours of painstaking work (my Ex is a quilter, so I appreciate the work involved for even an infant-size quilt). Keep it, so your child can grow up knowing that Aunty does care, even if she's not allowed to show it as much as others do. Also, it reinforces your sister's real-self personality, instead of the group-imposed personality that denies normal family affection to outsiders and expects a bad response from you, confirming their "apostate" stereotype.

For your child's sake, try to appreciate the good your sister did and try to forgive the wrongs. Let the events bring out the best from you, rather than a pay-back. Think of it as practice for those many "good example" moments that come with parenthood!

3

advice for grandson who wants to be emancipated from JW Dad

by tradewinds in

jw
friends

i just learned that my 12 yr old grandson who resides in in.

wants no more visitation with his dad who is a jw.

he can't take going to the kingdom hall and other jw activities.

GLTirebiter

What your daughter-in-law can do legally depends on the wording of the divorce and custody decree and upon the state laws. As Rebel8 said, that's something requiring professional legal advice, and also on her ability to undertake a court case (both financially and emotionally, another custody hearing would be a taxing endeavor).

Outside of going to court, she needs to tell him that your grandson does not want to attend the meetings, do field service, etc. Use some psychology: tell him that forcing the grandson to go when he doesn't want to be there will only increase the boy's dislike for the Kingdom Hall. Be assertive, but not confrontational. And put it in writing, so he can't deny it (in case it does end up in court).

I wish there was a sure quick fix, but in a battle of wills that's seldom the case. Tell her to be firm, and don't give up: that's exactly what they hope she will do!

21

Are Jehovah's Witnesses Chrsitians?

by TimothyT in

despite being a jw for 20 years, this has just flashed up into my mind?.

of course jesus is important in the lives of jw's, but they worship jehovah!.

hence, are they christians or jehovians?.

GLTirebiter

Do they do what Christ said to do? Matthew 29 quotes Jesus saying

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

No, they don't do that.

They baptize in the name of the Watchtower Society, not the Christian triune Godhead.
They don't teach followers to do all things whatsoever that Jesus commanded (see "love your enemy", "judge not", etc.).
They teach that Jesus was not "with us always", but that he came back (invisibly) in 1874--no, make that 1914--after 1800 years with no true Christian organization on earth.