Posts by joeshmoe

32

The Compulsion to Confess

by refiners fire in

jw
friends

i have been a compulsive confessor.

do you think its a dub thing?

ive been to elders numerous times about things.

joeshmoe

Shame on all of you who didn't immediately confess all. How can the congregation gossip get started if you don't tell the elders, and thus the elders wives, what you've done?

38

Tell me what you did on the doors?

by ballistic in

jw
friends

me and my pioneer partner used to play a game while going door to door (we were obviously bored).

in our rural territory, we had a lot of time between doors to make things up, so various games evolved.

just about the naughtiest was to give your partner a word which they had to use at all costs in their presentation.. this started out as 'kingdom' and 'jesus' but soon became 'tractor', 'dog' and then even 'honda 250' and so on.

joeshmoe

My old pioneer partner and I would each 'talk' until we gave a good presentation (not just a wimpy "we'll try you at a better time and by the way, here's a tract"). So of course, after each door where one of us talked with someone, an argument on the way back down the driveway would ensue as to whether or not enough of a presentation was given to make the door "count". We got into some pretty heated ones!!

And you better believe that we each felt like we'd earned that break when we it wasn't our turn. We would stand back there behind the other and wouldn't speak up for anything! Having trouble remembering a scripture? Ha Ha. This householder is insane? Ha Ha! This lady knows the bible better than you and is shredding you? HA HA!!

I remember thinking to myself that I'd love to help out, but dammit, I'm on my break over here!

-Joe

11

How many of you were bethelites?

by writerpen in

jw
friends

i've been posting here since february now, and i'm just beginning to get familiar with alot of the posters.

i've learned that i cannot rely on the profile picture, since they change often.

so, now i focus on the screen name.. anyway, in an effort to be more aware of some of you, how many served at bethel fulltime, and what was it like?

joeshmoe

I'm with SpiderMonkey on this one. I worked in the bindery for 5+ years ('94 - '01) and loved life at Bethel when compared to 'normal' witness life. Very spoiled and surrounded (for the most part) with real people who didn't put up a self-righteous front -- we'd curse, drink, and skip meetings and service when we felt like it. Sure, we were careful to look good when overseers or elders were looking, but that was really the extent of it.

It's interesting though, that only a few months after I left there and returned to a 'normal' life, I could see just how messed up witness life was. I think I too grew up a little at Bethel. Enough to make my own decisions about right and wrong and not to worship some council of old men who meet every wednesday morning in secret. No thanks.

5

Martian Life, again

by metatron in

jw
friends

a study released by nasa concludes that tiny magnetic artifacts.

in the martian meteorite could only have made by bacteria.. it's life on (in) mars again.

metatron.

joeshmoe

Oh boy! Another opportunity for NASA scientists to overstate themselves and then retreat!

I'm not saying they're wrong, I just wish they'd find a little more consensus before they blow the trumpets.

53

Who are animal lovers here??????

by LyinEyes in

jw
friends

and no i don't mean the man, the poster animal!!!!!!!!!!!!!

although he is loveable............... i love animals, i have two dogs, a black lab named snoopy and a pug, named pug.

sometimes we call him pig, or dig, or mama's little baby.

joeshmoe

I love big, ugly, dumb dogs. They're great!

I'm sure this says alot about me.

22

Do You Like This Place?

by ISP in

jw
friends

there are criticisms from time to time......like er....fluff!

not enough wt/jw attacking stuff.

(yawn) i don't quite see it that way.

joeshmoe

It's a great place to see what neat-o pic I&P is going to put up next too!

Thanks for all the great visuals you always post!

95

Englishman's BBQ Pics

by Simon in

jw
friends

ok, until i check with everyone who is in them whether they are ok for their picture to be posted i will stick to 'safe' ones (ie.

people who have already posted their pics or said it was ok):.

mark aka celtic / invisible and englishman.. .

joeshmoe

Wow, thanks for getting these up so quick Simon! I'm outta town for the next couple days so today's pics are the only way I'll be able to visit the BBQ vicariously for a while. So keep 'em coming everyone (selfish little snot aren't I).

13

Let the dead bury their own dead

by Hmmm in

jw
friends

my (non-jw) grandmother is visiting from the southwest this week.

the usual family get-togethers are planned.

my ms younger brother was complaining to me about how unreasonable our (jw) mother is being.

joeshmoe

Like many JWs, he has a blind spot where his religion is concerned, and just can't see how unbalanced and unnatural his viewpoint is.

Thanks for reminding me of this Hmmm.

Sometimes I get the same way with my family, but then I remember that I was just as dumb and frankly even more die-hard when I was a witness.

It's a difficult balance, becuase I do want to hold them responsible for their own actions, but at the same time, i find it hard to hold it against them as long as they are being blinded by the WT. It's just a tough spot to be in and you have my sympathies.

9