JAVA

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Posts by JAVA

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  25

  Art, Worship and the JWs

  by Sirona in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was reading the thread about "worldy churches" and it made me think about how the jws have a hatred of certain types of worship.. they hate anything "traditional" and state that it is corrupted (pagan).

  they hate going into churches because they see religious symbolism like crosses, altars, candles and chalices.

  big ornate churches are not beautiful to them, they are a symbol of satan.

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  JAVA

  Thinking about this topic again; it seems the more fundamental a religious group, the less likely they?ll use ritual and religious art in their services. Does anyone know an exception to this observation?
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  25

  Art, Worship and the JWs

  by Sirona in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was reading the thread about "worldy churches" and it made me think about how the jws have a hatred of certain types of worship.. they hate anything "traditional" and state that it is corrupted (pagan).

  they hate going into churches because they see religious symbolism like crosses, altars, candles and chalices.

  big ornate churches are not beautiful to them, they are a symbol of satan.

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  JAVA

  I take part in ritualistic type worship. I do this because I enjoy the symbolism, the beauty and the way I'm "part of" worship, rather than sitting and listening to a sermon in silence.

  
  
  A few years after de-Towering I attended a Unitarian Church. Many of their members came from a Catholic background, and this issue came up from time to time. Unitarian services lack ritualistic to a large part except for lighting a chalice at the beginning of the service. The former Catholics missed that part of the service, but don?t miss the dogma that goes with it.
  
  I enjoy some ritualistic bells and smoke, but it's difficult finding that without church dogma.
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  19

  Patriotism And All That..

  by Englishman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've noticed that ex dubbies tend to become quite patriotic once they've left the witnesses.

  actually, scrub the patriotic, i mean very patriotic!.

  it's odd really..we don't give much credence to king or country whilst we're in the dubby brigade, yet once we're out, we seem to become a bunch of flag waving scallywags with the best of them.. i wonder if we're using patriotism as a replacement for the loss of a controlling influence that we feel when we leave the witnesses?

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  JAVA

  Good topic, Englishman ? especially for a guy wearing a crown. :-)
  
  I don?t like the term ?patriotism? because I associate it with flag-waving citizens who haven?t put much thought into whatever the latest cause happens to be. The folks going around saying, it?s my party or country right or wrong is a real turnoff.
  
  However, I believe it?s important to become involved in political issues beyond voting. Maybe this is a replacement for the loss of control I felt when I was a JW. Now when I get pissed off about a political issue, I feel entitled to voice my concerns because I?ve researched, sometimes worked for an issue, and voted. I don?t consider this ?Nationalistic patriotism,? but being a citizen interested in global affairs.
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  35

  Trying again...

  by CeriseRose in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm sitting here with great trepidation at being here.

  i logged in yesterday, compelled by i don't know what...maybe to see who was around, or what everyone had been up to.

  i hadn't logged in since i left back in november (december?).

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  JAVA

  I'm going to put less pressure on myself and this place to be something that it can't (shouldn't?) be. And try to enjoy it for what it is.

  
  
  Welcome back!
  
  It?s not that unusual to take a break from the forum, and take a peek again after a few months. I've done that, and many others have, too. It?s also easy to feel that your not being heard. With the numbers posting, and a new thread started every few minutes?it?s a wonder anyone feels they?re being heard. :-) Just enjoy and post when you want, and don't sweat the small stuff because it?s all small stuff.
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  59

  We picketed the Memorial, What a blast !!!

  by Junction-Guy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is my first chance to post here since last thursday, so here it is.

  amanda and i arrived at approximately 5:45 pm, and parked in the walmart parking lot.

  amanda bought a folding chair and something to eat, as she just got off work.. we walked across the street to the kingdom hall and stood on the shoulder of the road.

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  JAVA

  Dave & Amanda -- Way to Go! It's fun reading about your field service experience; thanks for sharing. I, too, look forward to seeing the pictures.
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  9

  Poor Quality Psychiatrist At Bethel??? Would they ever tell GB Members they

  by frankiespeakin in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  poor quality psychiatrist at bethel???.

  would they ever tell gb members they are are delusional for thinking they are god's sole channel on earth??

  that's what these guys need isn't it a psychiatrist that is both skillful and brave enough to tell the gb and other higher ups that they are suffering from dellusions of being god's channel of communication.

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  JAVA

  I?m amazed they had a psychiatrist at Bethel in the first place, even one lacking competence. In the US, a psychiatrist is usually a doctor like a M.D. or D.O. that is trained in the treatment of people with psychiatric disorders. I guess when EVERYONE is in the insane place of Bethel , only the normal would stand out as needing help.
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  28

  Would you want to go back to that 'illusion and fantasy'?

  by Gill in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi all, and especially scoobysnax as i was just reading your post.. i saw a bit of the news yesterday and the archbishop of canterbury was giving a sermon.

  the newscaster said that he was warning about the world's obsession with youth.

  i'm not so sure that's what he was saying though.. he said, or words to this effect, that he felt pity for those who believed that they would never grow old, suffer illness and death in this life, and 'god help them' because of the illusion that they were living under.. i don't think he was talking about youth.

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  JAVA

  JWs in particular are living in an illusionist paradise and pay the price for it with their sadly pressured and miserable life. Would any one want to go back to that?

  
  
  "Living forever" is a fools game in which the player loses by dying. Ater exiting the Tower it took awhile for the fact to sink in that I was going to grow old (well I'm already old) and die. As others have stated, I wouldn't want to go back into that WT fantasy for anything. When you think about it, have you ever seen a group that looks as sad as JWs going door-to-door? Even when they think they are going to live forever, they're down in the dumps.
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  22

  What to say when your asked, "How was your memorial?" or, "Did you go?"

  by cab1000 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  you are fading, and dont want your friends / family from out of town to know that you no longer want to be a jw.

  they may know that you are not going to all the meetings, or not.

  but since the biggest deal to them has been the memorial, they expect that you went.. we did not go.

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  JAVA

  You could say, "The WINE was very dry, and the BREAD had no flavor." :-) However, I agree with several others; just tell them you were ill. Don't view it as lying, but as "theocratic warfare."
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  18

  Courtesy and Respect - a plea:

  by Every_Day_Joe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the other day i had an experience that made me want to seek out more information about the jehovah?s witnesses, and this forum was one of the first things i found on the internet.

  i apologize, in advance, if this is not the proper place for this:.

  i am posting this as a plea to the jehovah?s witnesses to please stop harassing the general public.

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  JAVA

  ** "...a common practice among the Jehovah?s Witnesses was to bring along a mentally handicapped person, in order to get sympathy ..." ** I wonder if walking slowly from one door to the next, and standing at an unanswered door for 5 minutes is viewed by others as being MENTALLY HANDICAPPED? I never thought of that before, but Everyday Joe's comment makes one wonder . . .
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  3

  Chomping on a Chocolate Cross

  by JAVA in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i saw this article off the ap wire service this morning, and thought some on the forum might enjoy the read:

  "kansas city, mo.

  (ap) ?

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  JAVA

  Welcome to the forum, Apathy. I see several new ones posting, it's good to see. Maybe some chocolate-covered pretzels could do for the "stakes." :-) I wonder if the Witnesses would go for a chocolate-covered Watchtower?