Posts by nugget

5

How I Feel Today

by LouBelle in

jw
friends

sick to my stomach!

agitated!

angry!

failure to pay or late payment may be a sign that they are in financial difficulties. I would seriously look for alternative employment. This happened to my husband when a company failed to pay him as they went into liquidation. He had no salary at all but couldn't claim benefits as technically he was employed.

I would also let the bank know about the delay in payment and request a formal overdraft to cover the direct debits going out so they don't bounce as this will cost more.

I would also go to your boss and highlight that you will be passing on any bank costs to them if their late payment results in bank charges. Keep it to a statement of the facts and maintain professionalism if at all possible.

24

Help me in my quest to free my sister

by Ed Daly in

jw
friends

hi there everyone, looking for some advice on helping my sister who is studying the bible with a jehovahs witnesses to escape.

shes been studying for over a year now and attends meetings occasionally.

i have been looking for a way to help her for a while now and the answer fell into my lap last week, during her study last week she mentioned that her son was going to a birthday party.

nugget

Your sisters motherly impulse may be the saving of her. The non celebration of birthdays and christmas is a means to separate witnesses from their peers and is particularly damaging to children. I saw my own children increasingly marginalised from their peers because they did not share in any of their key experiences. Birthdays are important for bonding and also for teaching them sharing with others without expectation of receiving.

Be careful how you guage things with your sister though and if she seems to be getting defensive back off a bit

The witnesses supply enough causes of concern for parents:

Non celebration of holidays

Evening meetings

Stern disapline during meetings with no allowance for a child's age of capabilities

The blood issue

Lack of education

emphasis on service and denying of ability

No sports or out of school activities

Social exclusion

64

Julia gets hit with the Shun Gun for the first time...and it really hurts.

by Julia Orwell in

jw
friends

my jw friend of 20 years, the first one i ever met, the one who got me into jwism in the first place, unfriended me from facebook without explanation.

other jws who have unfriended me at least called me names (apostate) and told me they were unfriending me, but they were no loss.

but someone who's been your friend since you were 13...and no explanation...i'd think 20 years- 20 years!

nugget

So sorry we always hope those we care about will be different and yet they so often disappoint.

13

Something better than Xmas

by zound in

jw
friends

saw the title of this recent watchtower and it reminded me of the standard response to b'days and xmas celebrations:.

"we don't limit giftgiving to a specific day, we give gifts all year round!".

did anyone growing up a jw get gifts all year round?.

nugget

I can remember being given gifts very rarely as I was growing up. Certainly in comparison to my schoolmates we did not get regular presents. Everything was very low key and sporadic at best. We had no special present days.

In comparison our children received wrapped gifts on our wedding anniversary and we did look for opportunities to reward them, certainly they did not lack for things they wanted. However now we have Christmas and Birthdays and I try to make them special and memorable with our own family traditions so that when they grow up their childhood memories are rich and colourful.

21

Is Blind Obedience to group of men supported by Scripture?

by nugget in

i have been pondering over the demands made by the governing body for absolute loyalty and unquestioning obedience to their interpretation of scripture.

is this a reasonable request and is it in line with scripture?

alternatively is there in fact a scriptural defence for taking personal responsibility for beliefs and having a questioning attitude when being told what is to be believed.. there are ample scriptural warnings about trusting in men psalm 146 v 3 warns us not to put our trust in nobles or earthly men and galatians 1 v 8 goes even further stating that even if an angel were to preach to us something contrary to the teachings of christ it should be ignored.

nugget

Many of us were the same. I would look for any weakness in the argument or contradiction and focus on that one area whilst ignoring all the valid points they made. Now I love debate and the flow of ideas. I have learnt to respect other people and listen to their point of view properly.

11

I have a answer to those on why we are no longer part of the Cult.

by TotallyADD in

jw
friends

since our episode with our oldest son and his wife we know the word is out that we no longer want to be jw.

the other day an elder from fl tried to call us but our fax machine was on during his attempt.

i quess when he heard the fax noise he thought he may have had the wrong number.

nugget

I would say to him that the call seems like entrapment and he would do well to consider Mat 18v6 since it would appear that his own eternal salvation is in danger. He knows that no sin has been committed otherwise he would not be fishing for evidence and stumbling one of 'the sheep is a serious sin. I would say to him I feel deeply sorry for you since my relationship with Jehovah is as solid as ever whilst yours may need some serious repair. Goodbye.

21

Is Blind Obedience to group of men supported by Scripture?

by nugget in

i have been pondering over the demands made by the governing body for absolute loyalty and unquestioning obedience to their interpretation of scripture.

is this a reasonable request and is it in line with scripture?

alternatively is there in fact a scriptural defence for taking personal responsibility for beliefs and having a questioning attitude when being told what is to be believed.. there are ample scriptural warnings about trusting in men psalm 146 v 3 warns us not to put our trust in nobles or earthly men and galatians 1 v 8 goes even further stating that even if an angel were to preach to us something contrary to the teachings of christ it should be ignored.

nugget

Punk of nice it is true that JWs do not listen they merely wait for a gap in the conversation to leap in. Only those who have active doubts will be willing to process the thoughts stated in my post. Itis truly sad that you can only see the religion for what it is when you are outside.

21

Is Blind Obedience to group of men supported by Scripture?

by nugget in

i have been pondering over the demands made by the governing body for absolute loyalty and unquestioning obedience to their interpretation of scripture.

is this a reasonable request and is it in line with scripture?

alternatively is there in fact a scriptural defence for taking personal responsibility for beliefs and having a questioning attitude when being told what is to be believed.. there are ample scriptural warnings about trusting in men psalm 146 v 3 warns us not to put our trust in nobles or earthly men and galatians 1 v 8 goes even further stating that even if an angel were to preach to us something contrary to the teachings of christ it should be ignored.

nugget

amos I fully relate to your experience. When I told my mother that the new member of the GB was the same age as me she turned round and told me he couldn't truly be annointed. I said but mum this man helps make the decisions about what you believe and is your faithful and discreet slave. If you do not follow the doctrine he feels is correct you will be deemed an apostate. Her response was "that's ok Jehovah will sort matters out in his own time."

Arguing with witnesses is mental torture.

21

Is Blind Obedience to group of men supported by Scripture?

by nugget in

i have been pondering over the demands made by the governing body for absolute loyalty and unquestioning obedience to their interpretation of scripture.

is this a reasonable request and is it in line with scripture?

alternatively is there in fact a scriptural defence for taking personal responsibility for beliefs and having a questioning attitude when being told what is to be believed.. there are ample scriptural warnings about trusting in men psalm 146 v 3 warns us not to put our trust in nobles or earthly men and galatians 1 v 8 goes even further stating that even if an angel were to preach to us something contrary to the teachings of christ it should be ignored.

nugget

5go nice and sucinct love it.

42

Can you help me encourage Reopened mind.

by TotallyADD in

jw
friends

as most of you know we got a very angry letter from our oldest son.

it hurt her very much.

i feel so bad for her because he attacked her for what i feel was very unfair.

nugget

When people are dealing with difficult times in their lives they can lash out. Sometimes we lash out at those we love the most because we feel safe doing so knowing that they will love us unconditionally and forgive us when the tantrum is over. It can be easier to look for people to blame rather than make peace with the past and move forward.

You know that you did the best you could. This is an outpouring from your child who is struggling to come to terms with the past but you do not need to be defined by them. Time is a great healer and can lend perspective. When I first met my husband he had a great hatred for his father who had divorced his mother. He was extremely bitter about how his father had behaved. However we did get in touch with him and realised that the past had been distorted and that what my husband believed was not based on truth. They were able to make peace and gain an appreciation and true affection for one another.

Your son will come to his senses and then he will appreciate how lucky he is to have loving parents.