Jim_TX

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Posts by Jim_TX

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  5

  Corrupt congregations

  by Insider in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  some feel they do.

  others would categorically deny it.

  what makes them corrupt?

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  Jim_TX

  Ummm... let your fingers do the walking? Use the Yellow Pages?

  Regards,

  Jim TX
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  6

  Story: I get to compete

  by Jim_TX in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  as most know, competition as a jw was a taboo thing.

  i remember growing up - in grade school, and having to turn down many opportunities that may have helped me later in life - opportunities that involved 'competing', or receiving 'recognition'.

  oh, minor things like an invitation to be on the national junior honor society, seniors' honors night, and h.s.

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  Jim_TX

  As most know, competition as a JW was a taboo thing. I remember growing up - in grade school, and having to turn down many opportunities that may have helped me later in life - opportunities that involved 'competing', or receiving 'recognition'. Oh, minor things like an invitation to be on the National Junior Honor Society, Seniors' Honors Night, and H.S. Graduation (I had to pick up my diploma later).

  There were other occasions, but I won't bore you with the details. When I started High School, it was at a school located about a mile from my mom's house. I walked the distance every day - in a short amount of time. One house rule that we had, 'Do not hang around school' after the bell. So, I would make it a point to carry with me any books I needed to take home, and as soon as the last bell rang - I was outta there.

  In the 11th grade, I transferred to another school in the district where they had Radio & TV Shop. This was so I could learn more about what I liked. The school, however, was about 3 miles away from my mom's house. So, this meant that I would need to take the city bus to get there. The buses at that time only ran in 30-minute intervals, and I soon learned that I could almost walk the distance before the next available bus came by - so I saved my 10-cents. -grin-

  Oh. In walking to and from school, my best walking time was about 37-1/2 minutes for the 3 miles. I did my best to trim this time down, but couldn't do it.

  Anyway, in High School, it is required here in the states to take what is known as Physical Education (PE). This involves having to undress in front of a bunch of other guys (or gals - if you're a gal) to change into some gym shorts - and then go and do some physical activity for about 25 or 30 minutes.

  The activities varied - depending on the season. It ranged from football - very popular, to basketball, to volleyball or even baseball.

  I was a geek - and didn't do too well at any sport - and still do not - to this day. Well, at the new school, I tried - I really did. They had us lined up to play volleyball - and I just wasn't that good. They eventually started to 'skip' over my turn, so the good players could be involved.

  This was no fun, so I asked the coach if I could jog around the track. He didn't mind (he was a cool coach), and so that's how I spent my PE time every day. I remember one day, I was attempting to jog the entire 20 or 30 minutes of class time. About half-way into it, one of my buddies came up to me, and was trying to block me - or make me stop - and was asking me 'What're you doin?'. Well, this was a nuisance - as he was in my way - and I was trying to do a non-stop jog - to see if I could. I was literally out on the track swinging my fisted arms at him, and at the same time yelling 'Coach! Make him go away!'. The coach must've been humored by my antics that day - but he did yell at Andrew to tell him to leave me alone - which he did.

  Anyway, I got pretty good at track - unofficially. I wasn't on any track team - it just felt good to run laps. The coach was cool about it too. If there was going to be a track meet that evening, they would run a special piece of equipment over the graveled track, and the coach would just tell me to not mess it and run along the inside of the track. I probably wasn't supposed to be on the track at all... but the coach would let me go on it anyway.

  Well, one day this coach and the coach for the 9th graders made a little side-bet. They each said that their group of kids was better than the other group of kids. To prove it, they decided to hold an impromptu track meet.

  The coach wanted me to run in what they call the '880'. This is 2 laps around a 440 yard track 880 yards is equivalent to a half-mile. I had never competed in any track meets before, but from my past experience, I figured I knew how to handle it. I also figured that I could rationalize it as not necessarily 'competing', but as part of my required PE. -grin-

  I really wanted to see how I did, compared to these other guys. I figured that I would most likely be the slowest - or second-slowest guy on the field, since I have always been lousy at anything I did.

  Well, they lined up about 6 to 8 guys on the starting line. Some were freshmen, others juniors. I was right there with them. I think that the coaches even had a stopwatch on us.

  'Go!' barked the coach - and we took off. Now, from experience, I knew I was not a sprinter - plus, 2 laps was going to be a long way - so when I took off, even though the adrenaline was pumping, I paced myself - and held back. It was hard to do this - and I finally found a slow fella on the track that I just ran alongside for most of the way.

  When it got to the point where there was about a half-lap left to go, I 'flipped the switch', so to speak and started to leave the others behind - as they had used up all their juice the first lap.

  It was cool - I had never in all my life done this - I was actually passing up everybody - coming up on the last one in the pack - a freshman - I came up alongside him - and started to pass. Heck. He started increasing his pace to stay just ahead of me.

  I increased my pace a tad to overcome his increase in pace. Well, as soon as I did - he increased his pace again. This was turning into one of those photo finishes - and I was running outta steam. The best way that I could figure to finish at all was to let him take the lead.

  We crossed the finish line - he was #1 - I was #2. I had beat all the others that had started (well, except for this kid). I felt great - but at the same time - almost sick. I had exhausted myself. I walked around a bit - that was always the coaches' advice - 'Walk it off.'

  They were then going to run a '440' competition. The coach was looking for volunteers - I volunteered, but he said that I had had enough. He was right, but I wanted to run again. Anyway, I only ran once that day, but proved to myself that I could do some things ok.

  After the 'track meet' that day, they tallied up the scores - which they were keeping track of, and guess what? It was a 'tie'. This made me feel better about competing that day - no one won.

  In the final analysis - I didn't run that day, to be better than the other guy - I ran that day to prove to myself that I wasn't such a 'loser', as I had begun to believe. I just knew - deep inside that I could do it. And I did.

  Regards,

  Jim TX
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  36

  Lurker....wants expert assistance (question)

  by refiners fire in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i got a couple of lurkers emailing to me at the moment!.

  anyway.... one of them has a question and we need the input of a boffin like alan f, or jt.. elderly lady, just got df,after 40 years of service, wants to know, now shes df, will the org still take her money that shes bequeathed to them in her will.?.

  does she need to change her will to prevent the org from gettings its clammy claws on her bucks.?.

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  Jim_TX

  Will the WTBTS take a Disfellowshipped individuals' money?

  The answer is short.

  Yes!

  Change the will. Now.

  Hypocracy has nothing to do with it.

  IT's kinda ironic how they use the law of the land to their advantage when it favors them - and ignores it when it goes against them (can we say silent lambs?).

  Actually... thinking about this - one could have some 'fun' iffn they wanted to play with the WTBTS. Flash the will in the face of the local 'elders' - and let them know it will be changed - unless you are 're-instated'. See if they have a 'hearing' to re-consider.

  (Naw - you're better off outta that org.)

  Regards,

  Jim TX
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  7

  Story: My first cats

  by Jim_TX in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it was sufficient for a single person such as myself, and i went about making it livable.. i got me a dog, weasel which i have written about and i then got me a couple of cats.

  this story is about how i acquired my first two cats.. i worked at a company where cats kinda got taken to and left.

  they were kinda wild after a while and other cats were born well, you know how it goes.. there was this one cute little female calico kitten that i would take lunch scraps to and others would also put out little bowls of milk for.. i started trying to get her confidence talking to her and letting her hear my voice.

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  Jim_TX

  When I left home, I moved into a small 3 room cottage. It was sufficient for a single person such as myself, and I went about making it livable.

  I got me a dog, Weasel – which I have written about – and I then got me a couple of cats. This story is about how I acquired my first two cats.

  I worked at a company where cats kinda got ‘taken’ to – and left. They were kinda wild after a while – and other cats were born – well, you know how it goes.

  There was this one cute little female calico kitten – that I would take lunch scraps to – and others would also put out little bowls of milk for.

  I started trying to get her confidence – talking to her – and letting her hear my voice. She didn’t ‘trust’ anyone – and it wasn’t easy, but one day, after work, I was able to get her to come close enough for me to ‘grab’ her – barely. She was inside a culvert-type of pipe that went under the sidewalk. I barely had a grip on her – but finally got her to turn loose – and I was able to re-position my grip to the scruff of her neck. Cats always go 'kitten-mode' when you git them there.

  I got her to my car, a 1971 VW beetle, and drove home with her. She was a small thing, and was able to adapt rather quickly to her new home. My neighbor, seeing that I had a new cat – also expressed a desire to have one. I told him – ‘No problem’, as there were an abundance of cats where I worked – and I would soon be able to bring home another one.

  I had been watching an orange tomcat that I had seen outside. And began to get his ‘confidence’ – talking to him each day. He wanted to be friends… but was just a bit nervous – and wild.

  Well, one day, I again stayed after work – and was able to get close enough to nab this half-grown tomcat. He set to bellerin’ and fortunately didn’t scratch me – and I got him by his scruff of the neck and put him into my VW. I was a bit nervous about this one, since he was a bit bigger than the little female that I had previously gotten.

  Well, he was also scared, and disappeared under my seat cushion. (I kinda moved my legs forward – just in case he tried to take a swipe at me from under my seat.)

  Anyway – I wasn’t too sure where he was – until he let out one of them forlorn cat cries – kinda deep and pitiful – like he was about to die, and didn’t want to. I reassured him by talking to him that he was going to a new home, and he would like it there – and there were lots of things to do there… the usual small talk in a soft reassuring voice.

  His response? 'Mrrrooooowwwwrrr!!!' He wasn’t convinced. The drive wasn’t that long – only about 15 minutes to get home – but it musta seemed like a lifetime to this poor tomcat.

  When I got home, I opened the car door and went to let my neighbor know that I had gotten him a cat. He wanted to know ‘where’, and I pointed towards the car. Neither of us were ‘brave’ enough to even try to get the cat outta my car, and while we were talking about it, the tomcat bolted from my car. Well, THAT was solved.

  Yup – he disappeared. I didn’t see him for about a week, but David – my neighbor, said that he had been hearing the tomcat in the attic. I finally caught sight of him on top of my cottage rooftop, and talked to him – and got some dry cat food and threw it up there for him to eat.

  He was a beautiful cat. He was bright orange – with a ‘target’ of stripes on his side. Eventually, he friendly-upped, and came down off the roof. He and I got along fine. He was a low-maintenance cat – only needing the normal attention and petting. I named him ‘Tom’. Not very original, but he knew his name.

  The other cat, I named ‘Spot’. For yall that watched Saturday Night Live – in the late 70’s, you may remember the ‘Mr. Bill Show’… it was a claymation type of show – with this poor clay dog that belonged to Mr. Bill. All sorts of terrible things happened to these two… Mr. Sluggo was a bully. Anyway – I named the female Spot, after the dog on this show.

  Being a bachelor, I didn’t have too much furniture – and the furniture that I did have, well… it weren’t much – mainly cast-away stuff, or crates and such.

  I didn’t have a table in the kitchen, and so mainly ate my supper off of the floor. I was trying to get meat into my diet, and was getting these tins of sardines – with jalapeno peppers in them. I liked these sardines, and the peppers gave the sardines a good flavor. I never ate the jalapenos though… you had to be crazy to do that.

  I would let Tom in before supper, and he would notice my ‘table’ on the floor and head for it. I would say ‘No Tom!’, and he would freeze in his tracks, then retreat to the living room and turn his back to me and lay down. He was a good cat. (I couldn’t let Spot in prior to supper – as she didn’t ‘respect’ my kitchen table – and she would be in my lap – or face – trying to eat my sardines.)

  I would eat my supper – sardines and saltine crackers, and then leave the juice and pepper in the bottom of the tin. I would say, “Ok Tom.”, and he would know that was his signal to come get his share. He would come in and lick the sardine juice outta the tin – but leave the pepper. When he was through, he would sit there licking his lips, and clean his face with his paws.

  I would then open the back door, and say “Ok Spot – come on it.” She would charge in and skid to a stop at the tin – and start chomping down that pepper. I would watch Tom – as he observed Spot… and I swear, I could almost see him shaking his head in dis-belief at her.

  Tom was a really good cat. I miss him. One day, I came home and David let me know that a few days prior – he had found Tom dead in a barrel we had outside. I asked what he did with him, as I was gonna go bury him – and David told me he had thrown him into the aqueduct (that’s sorta like a river). That made me mad. David had no sense when it came to respect for dead animals.

  As for Spot – she lived to be a ripe old age. She wasn’t too smart though. I remember backing my VW into the yard, one time. I wasn’t a reckless person, and drove slow - but she – somehow – got under my back tire. I heard my car roll over her body. I just knew I had killed her. Well, she took off running and disappeared. Later, I found out that she had aborted her kittens – but she was all right. Well… almost. She was kinda tetched in the haid after that. I don’t remember if she ever had another litter after that either.

  It was kinda funny too. David never liked Tom as much as I did. He had wanted a ‘kitten’ like Spot. Well, we just sorta unofficially ‘traded’ animals. Spot spent a lot of time over at Davids’, and Tom spent a lot of time over at my place.

  In fact David even commented how that Tom and I were a lot alike. Kinda loners.

  I haven’t ever seen another cat like Tom. Like many animals I have had – he was one-of-a-kind.

  Regards,

  Jim_TX
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  15

  After 3 years the JWs are at my door

  by Lady Lee in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  who would have thunk?.

  well two little old ladies came knocking at my door, watchtowers in hand and their little sheets of paper.. well i asked them point blank if they had seen the show and one of them had and proudly told me that she had not only seen it but taped it.

  i suggested that the other go to watch it and she said she would.. gutsy little ladies i love them.

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  Jim_TX

  Lady Lee,

  You are truly a nice person - and you did very well with these two ladies that called on you.

  I hope they continue to think - and don't get 'shut-up' by the local 'elders'.

  Take care.

  Regards,

  Jim TX
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  13

  Erica's Dateline interview

  by TweetieBird in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  others on this board have mentioned that the jw's have dismissed erica's interview as "lies" because she wore a cross.

  i didn't even notice the cross as i was busy concentrating on what she was saying.

  however, in dubville, one must quickly discredit what a perceived opposer is saying or doing.

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  Jim_TX

  Ummm... that is what I was wondering.

  I seem to recall that they were denouncing the Internet - and I thought that they were cautioning the JWs against using it.

  Now, if I understand correctly, they are promoting their web site?

  Hmmm... so, let's see if I have this straight.

  Using the Internet is bad.

  But... if you are going to get on the Internet... here's our web site address.

  Got it! I understand now. (An example of circular logic?)

  Regards,

  Jim TX
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  5

  Any single ex-jw's in Georgia? (seriously!)

  by Bendrr in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  ok, ok, i know it's a pretty cheesy title for a post.. i just had to ask.

  hey who knows, right?.

  honestly, i have no choice but to look.

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  Jim_TX

  Yeah... I wuz gonna go to Australia this entire month... but decided not to.

  Didn't have a place to stay. (girlfriend dumped me in April)

  Wuz gonna be in the Adelaide, SA area... know a bit about that area.

  I don't think I want to do any other LDR's fer a while.

  Regards,

  Jim TX

  * LDR = Long Distance Relationship
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  17

  New WTS Rules for elders & Child Abusers

  by Cappuccino OC in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  per my uncle who is an elder:.

  anyone who has a criminal record can't have any privileges from now on per the wts.. my conclusions:.

  so what about the child molesters who have abused children who have been disfellowshiped, pardoned, or who have sincerely repented of their wrongdoingsbut the authorities were not notified?.

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  Jim_TX

  Your comments about the 'new light' make me laugh.

  Ummm... you ever look at a candle just before it is extinguished?

  It kinda flickers - maybe getting brighter - and then dimmer - and then brighter... oops! It just went out - and now you're in the dark!

  Regards,

  Jim_TX
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  11

  Who was right? Satan or Jehovah?

  by professor in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  satan is called the "father of the lie" because he told the very first lie to eve.. in the beginning, god told adam to go nuts and eat all the fruit except the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden.

  he said "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.

  so then fast forward, eve was created and she's hanging out by the tree, talking to the serpent (satan) and satan says: "you will not die.

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  Jim_TX

  Wellllllll... in my opinion, analyzing the 'account' in Genesis is like trying to analyze a children's story - like Hansel and Gretel.

  There are far too few 'details' and 'facts' to be able to get a good 'feel' for whut wuz goin on in this 'tale'.

  One can postulate all day long - and still come up with... well, there ain't enuf 'details'.

  As for the 'snake'... ya know - in Westerns, there's always someone referred to as a "Yellow bellied sap sucker, an' a lyin' snake!"

  So - who's to say that it wasn't just another person (human or not) standing there - and not a literal snake?

  Ya gotta 'member that these Genesis 'fables' are just that. Fables. They were written fer early Christians - to throw the 'fear of god' into them.

  Evidently it is still working in some religious circles.

  Regards,

  Jim TX
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  27

  To my friends, some reflections...........

  by JPandelo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have had a week to reflect on my life and was thinking about what i have seen, what i am going through, and where i am going.

  i know many of you here experience unbelievable pain, suffering, anger, depression, and disbelief.

  i have lived with these myself.

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  Jim_TX

  Justin,

  Good, well thought words. I wish you - and your family - well.

  I know that these are very difficult times for you and your family - hang in there - they will pass - and you will be able to look back at these days - and be able to pass on words of wisdom to others (as you are now doing).

  In all you do, though - be ready to help those that need help, and not just in a 'religious' way.

  Regards,

  Jim TX