I agree with Cameo-d ~ listing the city isn't particularly helpful, but maybe getting more specific about congregations would be. Although people do move congregations, but at least it would be more information than just the city.
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dssynergy
JoinedPosts by dssynergy
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23
child molester reinstated
by EmptyInside ini'm rather sick inside right now.
i just found out the sicko that molested my friend, his daughters, grand-daughter, and others just got reinstated.
he's been disfellowshipped for awhile now.
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dssynergy
Saw a great bumper sticker today: Jesus wants spiritual fruits, not religious nuts!
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Has anyone seen the 4/15/2010 Watchtower with their own eyes?
by HappyGuy ini haven't followed the generation change in the doctrine that closely, just read a few snippets of the overlapping generations doctrine.
i find this hard to believe even for the pathological liars the governing body.. has anyone seen the 4/15/2010 watchtower with their own eyes?.
can anyone validate that the wtbts really is saying this overlapping generation idea the way it is being quoted on the internet in a few places?
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dssynergy
This magazine has long been used by “the faithful and discreet slave” as the primary channel for dispensing increased light. (Matt. 24:45)
It seems to me, that the use of the word "primary" channel would indicate secondary or tertiary channels as well. If that seems to ring true for anyone else, what would these channels be, and has the WTS ever recognized them as such??
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Letter from WT's Haiti Branch Committee re: Society's relief response
by Dogpatch injust got this in, don't know if it was mentioned here yet, but this illustrates how the watchtower views/responds to emergencies.
note the dig on university and "higher education" (especially sad for a poor country like haiti with poorly educated masses).. randy.
it was a terrifying moment for all!
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dssynergy
At my mom's meeting last night, they read a letter about what brothers could do to help those in Haiti. They said, "Put money in contributions for Worldwide Work. If you wish to send larger donations, you may mail to Brooklyn Headquarters. Please do not ear mark it for use in Haiti, so that we may distribute funds where they are needed most."
I can see this as a big push for donations, using this tragedy, to gather more money. If they are really going to use it for Haiti, why would they tell people not to ear mark it? As a non-profit, if money is ear marked to be set aside for a specific purpose, it has to be used for that, and nothing else. Feels sort of swarmy to me.
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Email in circulation
by watson inif so, my apologies for re hashing.
curious what you think.
very sad moments--robin buried a 14 year old sister last night--she .
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dssynergy
oh, brother....University Kills....PLAHEEESE
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Woman Raised Jehovah's Witness awarded Rhodes Scholarship
by slimboyfat insorry if this has been posted already, i don't recall seeing it before.. .
http://www.wave3.com/global/story.asp?s=11554602.
first u of l woman awarded rhodes scholarshipposted:
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A Little sick to my stomach
by dssynergy ini just heard from my family that my little nephew, going to turn 8 soon, just joined the ministry school.
i felt a little sick when i heard.
so starts the panting on the treadmill and the "faith by works" routine that leads to imho, superficial christianity.
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dssynergy
Thanks for the input. If I tell him, at this age, that the Bible doesn't say anything about doing much of what is required by JWs, all Hell would break loose and I would be shunned from my family for sure. The SIL is a real piece of work. Her father is a "partaker", and the whole family has this self-righteous holier than thou additude.
For example, last year at the kids play, the music teacher was complimenting one of the SIL's girls about her singing and dancing skills. My SIL's sister, jumps in with," well we just hope that she grow up to be a minister of God," or some such nonesense. I thought, "OMG, no wonder people think we are brainwashed."
@Mary ~ I am so sorry to hear that. I really hope that isn't the way it goes down for my nephews. He is an innocent, sweet young boy. And I hate to see that used against him.
@Stephen ~ It always did bother me that JWs don't have any sort of outreach to the community other than preaching. I mean, I have done street work, and see those kids on the street. It breaks my heart. But there is no organized outreach to the homeless or less fortunate. Going house to house is fine, IF someone HAS a house. But what if they don't??
Didn't Jesus feed 5,000 before he preached to them? People cannot concentrate on spiritual matters if their basic needs like food, shelter and clothing are not met.
UGH>
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A Little sick to my stomach
by dssynergy ini just heard from my family that my little nephew, going to turn 8 soon, just joined the ministry school.
i felt a little sick when i heard.
so starts the panting on the treadmill and the "faith by works" routine that leads to imho, superficial christianity.
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dssynergy
I just heard from my family that my little nephew, going to turn 8 soon, just joined the ministry school. I felt a little sick when I heard. So starts the panting on the treadmill and the "faith by works" routine that leads to IMHO, superficial christianity.
Anyway, I guess they have to "interview" people now when they join the ministry school. Here's how it went:
Elder: "Why do you want to joint the TMS?"
Nephew: Because I want to live in Paradise.
Elder: Ok, so do we celebrate birthdays or Christmas?
Nephew: No, I don't celebrate birthdays. Besides, I don't really like chocolate.
Elder: What about vanilla?
[cue cheesey laughter]
So it went. On the one hand, I think, well, it will be good training in public speaking. On the other hand I just cringe. His dad is sort of out to lunch and leaves everything to the step mother who is a self-righteous crazy extreamist who (my nephew has said) tells him that his mother isn't really a JW because she doesn't go to meeting; and neither is his dad because he struggles with meetings too.
Then he looks at me with big crocodile tears and says "I don't want my dad to diiiiee." All I can say to him is that it is not her place to say who is a witness and who is not, and that God reads our hearts.
I guess at this point I am just sensitive because I know that my whole life I silently questioned what I was taught and then got baptised under peer pressure from my family. Now, I am old enough to start dismantling things, and really taking a look. I just hate to see him go down the same road I did. And I hope, that I can, in some small way, encourage him to really think his decisions through and encourage him to wait until he is older to make a dedication ~ if that is what he chooses to do.
I guess this is part of the pain of the conscious class of JW. We are "in" and "out" at the same time. He is the reason I stick around. I wish I didn't love the kid so damn much, it would make walking away so much easier. But it is too late, and I can't help myself. He is just one of the best little people I know, and I can't imagine walking away knowing what I am leaving him to sort out alone.
Any words of Wisdom from the Peanut Gallery are very much appreciated.
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Sign In If Not Bitter... Pretty Please!
by Doubtfully Yours ini have a few discomforts with the wbts, but it's mostly my own attitude, not that i'm bitter towards the religion.. if you're anouther 'not bitter' soul, please give me a shout out.. dy .
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dssynergy
I am not bitter. I feel a lot of compassion for the fact that people feel compelled to be so dogmatic. I see people living their lives out of fear and guilt, and I think that comes from insecurity and not being willing to really face things as they are. I am currently dismantling my personal beliefs, and sorting out what I do or do not think, and I am doing it alone for the most part. I don't feel bitter or angry or resentful. I think the majority of the rank and file have good motives, and are trying to do their best. I do question and have doubt about the motives of the leadership, including the elders. I think if there was more transparency that the changes in doctrine would be better tolerated.
I'm glad for this thread. I understand people feeling bitter or angry, for a time. But I think that it is not productive to get stuck there. And I do tire of reading threads that are generally disrespectful of people who still are involved with or believe what JW's teach. It is to some degree, still a matter of faith. And if someone chooses that, then we need to practice respect and compassion for them as much as we would like them to do for us.
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Two mounting proofs for Armageddon in 2034
by slimboyfat inas mentioned by narkissos a couple months ago, doubting bro yesterday, and no doubt others.
is this where they are headed?
i say "evidently" it is.
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dssynergy
WT 15th Sept. 1998, pg 10 para, 10-13.
"It is easy for the established churched of Christendom and other people to criticize JWs because their publications have, at times, stated that certain things could take place on 'certain dates'..........True, some expectations that appeared to be backed up by Bible chronology did not materializee at the anticipated time. But is it not preferrable to make some mistakes because of 'over-eagerness' to see God's purposes accomplished then to be spiritually asleep as to the fulfillment of Bible prophecy ."
ok, so here is MY gripe. How come they can't just say "we've done more research, we think we were mistaken. Here is our best guess at this point in time...blah blah blah." Why do they have to go from one extreme to another? Can't they take the middle ground? It doesn't have to be either/or. Either you are "over-eagar" OR you are "spiritually asleep."
How about just being aware, alert, ready? How about, we live productive, simple lives with good christian character, while being fully aware that this system is temporary and being willing and ready to do what we need to do when the time comes??
Is it just me, or do they swing from one extreme to another?
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