Posts by Jim

25

Why the Memorial?

by professor in

jw
friends

why is it that everyone and his cousin shows up for the memorial?

what is it about this meeting that makes people come out of the woodwork?

is it like going to church on easter and christmas or something?

Jim_TX

I too, have noticed a lot of ex-JWs that will never go to a meeting - but when the Memorial rolls around, they're right there.

I think that people who do that need to re-think something. The JWs are a bit... well, controlling.

I get chills thinking about someday, times will get pretty rough for the WTBTS and they will hold this 'memorial' service. There will be an announcement from the platform that EVERYone will partake of the 'emblems' this time. There will be big burly 'attendants' posted at the doors to prevent anyone from leaving.

Since they all have been pre-conditioned to 'accept' any instructions from their 'governing body', as 'food at the proper time', they will - for the most part, all go along with it. After all... it IS 'new light'.

Of course, you only need to remember a place called Jonestown, and a man named Jim Jones to envision the outcome of such a memorial.

A scary thought.

If anyone reading this still attends the annual memorial service, they seriously need to think about that.

Regards,

Jim TX

10

Im better off

by WildTurkey in

jw
friends

many of us here, are not sure what the future holds, if there is a god, and if so what is his purpose.

i too fall into that category, but i think im better off now because when i was a dub, i always wondered if i was doing enough to get into the new world.

i worried about if my children would make it and if i was taking the lead for my wife and the cong.

Jim_TX

Hey WildTurkey!!!

Yeah, I know how you feel. I think that all of us who are no longer associated with that 'cult' organization are tons happier, too!

The best thing that you can do to a JW - is be happy. This only puzzles them... because you're not supposed to be happy, they are. They know they aren't, but cannot explain you're happiness. It just doesn't 'fit' their programming. So, they mentally shutdown.

Have you ever seen a JW mentally shutdown? *grin*

Another thing that ex-JWs need to realize is that the JW organization no longer has a 'hold' on them or their lives. Whatever decisions you now make are yours.

The only one that you can 'blame' now for your successes - or failures - is yourself - because YOU control your destiny.

Life is good.

Regards,

Jim TX

8

Halloween Costumes

by Jim_TX in

i was at coffee yesterday, and friends i was with started talking about halloween, and costumes.. after a bit, i got this 'revelation'!!

i asked them.... "why not dress up as santa claus on halloween?".

well, you'd have thunk i said that satan wuz jesus!

Jim_TX

Further thinking on this...

At Christmas... Santa Claus sould 'employ' the aid of the Easter Bunny to assist him delivering presents.

Of course, the Easter Bunny would have a tendency to leave the presents outside. In some areas, this would mean that they would be in the snow.

As is the normal case at Easter, some presents may not be found until later in the year, or even the following year. By then, the boxes would be 'melted'. Some presents may never be found.

Or - why not use Halloween Witches on brooms, to deliver presents at Christmas. They may not be able to squeeze down the chimneys, but they know 'spells' and 'potions'... very similar, I think to Santa Claus.

They could also employ Halloween Witches at the local malls, too - if there weren't enuf Santas to go around. I can see it now...

"Come here, little pret-ty! Tell me what you want for Christmas!" *cackle* *cackle* *cackle*

Okay, maybe not the best personality to use at Christmas, but probably more realistic in many ways. *grin*

Regards,

Jim TX

8

Halloween Costumes

by Jim_TX in

i was at coffee yesterday, and friends i was with started talking about halloween, and costumes.. after a bit, i got this 'revelation'!!

i asked them.... "why not dress up as santa claus on halloween?".

well, you'd have thunk i said that satan wuz jesus!

Jim_TX

I was at coffee yesterday, and friends I was with started talking about Halloween, and costumes.

After a bit, I got this 'revelation'!! I asked them...

"Why not dress up as Santa Claus on Halloween?"

Well, you'd have thunk I said that Satan wuz Jesus! They told me "Oh no! You don't want to do that!" after which I got this long lecture about how some poor child would be all confused for life, or some such.

I just thought that it would be a cool idea! I mean... there you are, going from door to door - saying,

"Ho ho ho! Trick or treat!" and if they don't give you candy, well then you - as Santa - are not obliged to bring them gifts in a couple of months. Fair trade, I say!

Or... if you are the host - waiting to give out candy, why not dress up as the Easter Bunny? You could then hand out candy Easter eggs or whatever.

I mean, I think that it's high-time that we economize on these here holidays!

Of course... these are words from an ex-JW... and I may need help.

Thoughts?

WildTurkey? I always value your input... although, those 'pick-up lines' didn't seem to work too well (said while rubbing NPY slapped face).

Regards,

Jim TX

22

The Dreaded Elder Visit

by Big Tex in

jw
friends

i just need to get this off my chest.

my wife, nina, received a visit tonight from her book study conductor and his wife.

now she's made every meeting since i stopped going 14 years ago.

Jim_TX

cruzanheart and Big_Tex,

Sorry to hear about your little one. Glad he is doing better. I find it amazing what little ones go through sometimes.

WildTurkey is right. Do NOT let any of those 'elders' visit you when your husband is not home. Plus, take it from me - a fellow ex-JW (driftee) who remembers that they came over several times to visit my wife (a JW - now ex-wife). I ALWAYS stood in the background - giving them stares, making them a tad nervous - they usually didn't stay too long to talk to her. (Making people nervous is my Trademark move.)

Whatever you do - don't take any crap from them.

Regards,

Jim TX

P.S. Having that info on the known sex-offender is a really good card to be 'holding'. Sorta like a royal flush in poker.

18

Lowest Person On The Earth

by LuckyLucy in

jw
friends

i just want to apoligise to everyone that i have offended here.i recently posted something that really upset someone and i feel like the lowest person on the earth.this person has such a huge heart that he/she forgave me.i have so much to learn on how to treat people.. i am going to take some.

time off for awhile.. maybe it's best if i don't come back here..

Jim_TX

Cassi,

Thank you for 'quoting' another ones' posts in your reply. She is known to delete/change her posts to make herself look good later.

Regards,

Jim TX

22

Fear of the New World

by WildTurkey in

jw
friends

i always had a fear as an active jw, that i would not like life in the new world that i would not like to be perfect.

to never make a mistake, that would mean you would never get to kiss and make up.

i would never get to watch a real football game, and porn would be completely out of the question.

Jim_TX

WildTurkey,

I know where you are coming from. Yes, it is reminiscent of the older Star Trek series, where Jim Kirk would stumble onto a world where they had achieved 'total perfection' - only to play with the visiting cultures - like Jim Kirk and the others. (Not to mention the 'brianiac' looks of the individuals who only used their brains.)

Of course, if - while still a JW - one verbally questioned this 'total perfection' concept, one would get the all-encompassing "Wait on Jehovah." answer, usually followed by the perpetual grin and the glassy eyed stare.

Nope - not for me, either.

The other side of the coin - rebellion. I remember being told about those that didn't 'fit' into that paradise - and would just 'disappear' if they disagreed with the rules and regulations (well, they weren't called that, but that is what they amount to).

You would be standing around and say, "Where's Jim?" to which someone would reply, "He didn't obey God's laws."

Kinda scary to live in a culture like that - similar to the former Soviet Union, or Nazi Germany.

Regards,

Jim TX

63

Cancer

by Sirona in

jw
friends

you might think i'm being picky here, please dont take this the wrong way.

the thing is, i'm stuggling with my health at the moment and am going in hospital to see if my cancer has spread.. heres my gripe: some people (noone on this board) say to me, over and over, that they know someone who had skin cancer and they're fine now....how they can just remove the mole and everything is fine.

well for the purposes of educating people:.

Jim_TX

Sirona,

No cancer - skin, or otherwise - is minor. I have been exposed to folks that have had cancers. It ain't a nice 'disease'.

My older sister died from cancer - not skin cancer - in '97.

My mom has had 1 or 2 cancers - one she 'removed' herself, using a natural herbal remedy way back in the mid 70's. (All I remember was that it was on the back of her hand, and she used a remedy that included something from apricot pits that is supposed to help kill cancer. The mess that finally came off/out of her hand was mushroom shaped and ugly.)

The American Cancer Society is a joke - don't get me started on them.

I wish you well with your doctors' visit.

Regards,

Jin TX

2

Joke: You know you are living in 2002 when...

by Jim_TX in

you know you work in the 21st century (and you'd better get a life) when.... 21. cleaning up the dining area means getting the fast food bags out of the back seat of your car.. 20. your reason for not staying in touch with family is that they do not have email addresses.

conversely, the only way you keep in touch with your family is by email.. 19. keeping up with sports entails adding espn's homepage to your bookmarks.. 18. you have a "to do list" that includes entries for lunch and bathroom breaks and they are the only ones that get crossed off.. 17. you have actually faxed your christmas list to your parents.. 16. pick up lines now include a reference to liquid assets and capital gains.. 15. you consider 2nd day air delivery painfully slow.. 14. you assume any question about whether to valet park or not is rhetorical.. 13. you refer to your dining room table as the flat filing cabinet.. 12. your idea of being organized is multiple colored post-it notes.. 11. your grocery list has been on your refrigerator so long some of the products don't even exist anymore (who else remembers tang?)..

10. you lecture the neighborhood kids selling lemonade on ways to improve their process.. 9. you get all excited when it's saturday so you can wear sweats to work.. 8. you refer to the tomatoes grown in your garden as deliverables.. 7. you find you really need powerpoint to explain what you do for a living.. 6. you normally eat out of vending machines and at the most expensive restaurant in town within the same week.. 5. you think that "progressing an action plan" and "calendarizing a project" are acceptable english phrases.. 4. you know the people at the airport hotels better than your next door neighbors.. 3. you ask your friends to "think out of the box" when making friday night plans.. 2. you think einstein would have been more effective had he put his ideas into a matrix.. 1. you think a "half-day" means leaving at 5 o'clock..

Jim_TX

You know you work in the 21st century (and you'd better get a life) when...

21. Cleaning up the dining area means getting the fast food bags out of the back seat of your car.

20. Your reason for not staying in touch with family is that they do not have email addresses. Conversely, the only way you keep in touch with your family is by email.

19. Keeping up with sports entails adding ESPN's homepage to your bookmarks.

18. You have a "to do list" that includes entries for lunch and bathroom breaks and they are the only ones that get crossed off.

17. You have actually faxed your Christmas list to your parents.

16. Pick up lines now include a reference to liquid assets and capital gains.

15. You consider 2nd day air delivery painfully slow.

14. You assume any question about whether to valet park or not is rhetorical.

13. You refer to your dining room table as the flat filing cabinet.

12. Your idea of being organized is multiple colored post-it notes.

11. Your grocery list has been on your refrigerator so long some of the products don't even exist anymore (who else remembers Tang?).

10. You lecture the neighborhood kids selling lemonade on ways to improve their process.

9. You get all excited when it's Saturday so you can wear sweats to work.

8. You refer to the tomatoes grown in your garden as deliverables.

7. You find you really need PowerPoint to explain what you do for a living.

6. You normally eat out of vending machines and at the most expensive restaurant in town within the same week.

5. You think that "progressing an action plan" and "calendarizing a project" are acceptable English phrases.

4. You know the people at the airport hotels better than your next door neighbors.

3. You ask your friends to "think out of the box" when making Friday night plans.

2. You think Einstein would have been more effective had he put his ideas into a matrix.

1. You think a "half-day" means leaving at 5 o'clock.

22

New Tract-Youths What Will You Do With Your Life

by Scarlet in

i was wondering if any of you have read this tract that was given out at the district convention .. i found in this tract they are pushing the fulltime ministry more than ever before.

they in so many words say if you are not a fulltime minister you are not serving god.

it stated that youths today should not strive for academic success.

Jim_TX

I think it will be interesting to sit and watch to see how 'effective' the latest 'pioneer or die' tactics will be.

The times have changed - people are no longer isolated like they may have been in previous years.

Cell phones, television, radio, newspapers and yes, last but certainly not least - the internet - today link people together worldwide like never before.

It is getting more and more difficult to keep people 'in the dark' and only use a 'light' (that supposedly keeps getting brighter?) to show the 'flock' the way to some promised 'everlasting life' rubbish.

People who do go to college - learn to think independently (unless their major is tennis).

When they graduate - or even if they drop out of college - usually, they are armed with the mental abilities to THINK!

This does not work too well in a religious cult where one needs to mindlessly follow whatever they are told to do by the GB.

Just my .02 worth.

Jim TX

P.S. A related thought... you can see how up to date some organizations are by how long it takes them to bring current events to print. Does it still take over 6 months for any current news items to make it to print in the 'Awake!' or other publication that the WTBTS puts out?

Most newspapers and other magazines that want to survive have adapted and are able to put current events out in their publications rather quickly.

Jim_TX

Posts by Jim_TX