i began riding motorcycles in my early teens.
my 1979 honda xl500s became my best friend.
i had a few teenage neighbors and school friends that rode too.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and pics.
Nice bike HappyDad. Glad you made it without serious injuries.
It's crazy how controlling the religion can be in different ways. Especially how local congregation elders can run with and add to restrictions.
Keep the pictures coming.
i began riding motorcycles in my early teens.
my 1979 honda xl500s became my best friend.
i had a few teenage neighbors and school friends that rode too.
I began riding motorcycles in my early teens. My 1979 Honda XL500s became my best friend. I had a few teenage neighbors and school friends that rode too. Other than winter, whenever we could, we'd be off somewhere on our bikes.
Then came the double life leading JW girlfriend my senior year. I still rode my motorcycle, but ... I had a girlfriend! Everything else faded into the background.
.... Skipping the snare into the cult portion ...
When studying to become a JW, my instructor convinced me that riding a motorcycle wasn't in harmony with being a friend of God. Motorcycle riding is dangerous. You are willingly risking your life in a way that isn't necessary, showing Jehovah that you really don't have a deep appreciation for the gift of life and the value he put on it by offering his son.
So ... I sold my motorcycles.
Over the years I would meet different brothers that had street bikes and dirt bikes. In my mind of course, they must be spiritually weak.
I remember one year at a convention in Green Bay, WI (go Packers), there was a missionary sister visiting and giving her experience serving in South America. The main thing I remember was that her form of transportation was a motorcycle. A MOTORCYCLE! Certainly she wasn't spiritually weak! What a conforming idiot I was! Of course, as time goes on you learn that, different areas, different congregations, have their own personalities and rules.
Point is ... Finally! Last year I bought myself a motorcycle.
Suzuki Boulevard M50.
I love my motorcycle. My JW wife won't go for a ride with me. Not even around the block. That's okay, I really don't want her to.
Yesterday I installed a windshield and I'm about to set out on a small ride and enjoy the scenery.
so are individual witnesses being told to prepare bread and have wine on hand for the zoom memorial?
are they saying it’s “vital” or is it just a “suggestion?” .
She is pioneering at present and has a pressure band on her hand from all the letter writing. I offered to print stuff up for her, however, with handwriting one can count time.. so sad.
Chezdale, perhaps this will help your wife get her time without wearing herself out for the corporation. There are gray areas for the creative among the faithful.
A long time pioneer/elder friend of mine from a past life used to do a lot of letter writing. His conscience allowed him to be creative with his time counting. He would write a letter, retype it in Word Perfect (dos version ... It was a few years ago) ... Amount of time to compose one letter, multiplied by the number of copies made, plus additional time to personalize each, address envelopes, plus hand delivery of letters to post office and placed into the hands of the postal employee. He never had a problem keeping his hours up.
Jehovah must have approved.
so are individual witnesses being told to prepare bread and have wine on hand for the zoom memorial?
are they saying it’s “vital” or is it just a “suggestion?” .
There is a bag on my counter that has "Memorial Bread & Wine" written on it. I don't know who made it, I haven't tried the dried crackers, but the wine doesn't taste good at all, in my opinion.
so what is this weeks watchtower trash about.
wife is in cult mode and trying to see if there is a link.. thanks.
I decided to check this out too and here are the answers that I came up with to the paragraphs.
Study Article 43
Jehovah Is Directing His Organization
1 - Baptism is an expression of willingness to serve with an eartly organization. (What is Jehovah's earthly organization? Governing Body? Watchtower?)
3 - Love moved Jehovah to give his Son a ransom for all ... even though given for "all", the only ones to benefit are those that listen to and respond to the preaching of the Jehovah's Witness organization, "God's Organization", faith in the ransom sacrifice is not sufficient, one must also ally themselves with the earthly organization.
6 - One of the challenges of Jesus' disciples was that they did not have publications like those provided by Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, Inc..
7 - Modern times. Beginning in 1881? Direction largely through God's spirit-inspired Word exclusively explained through the publications of [God's self-appointed earthly] organization.
Watchtower 1881 referenced. Is it okay for Jehovah's Witnesses to reference such old literature? If rank and file do, they will be asked why and where they got the information. 1919 booklet also referenced.
8 - Tools used by "God's (self-proclaimed earthly) Organization"
9 - [Jehovah] wants the [Watchtower Bible and Tract Society's] Kingdom message to be available to all.
With a view to reaching more [hard to reach] people, Jehovah’s [self-proclaimed earthly] organization was moved to consider various forms of public witnessing.
2001,the Governing Body approved the use of literature carts and other displays in France and later in other places as well. The results were positive. In 2011 a pilot program was started in the United States
10 - To improve in your ministry you can take full advantage of the training Jehovah provides at [Jehovah's Witness] meetings. Work regularly with your field service group.
11 - Watchtower inserts the term "governing body" in the paragraph as if it is a biblical term and a "governing body" existed in the first century Christian congregation.
12 - Modern times. (as far back as 1895 - 125 years ago ... modern times?) Again an old Watchtower from 1895 is referenced. What about the other teachings from 1895? Is it okay for the JW to read this old literature? Who decides what was accurate?
13 - You should ask yourself:
Do I promote unity and peace in the congregation?
Am I obedient to [the self-appointed Governing Body, Watchtower representatives, elders]?
Can others depend on me, especially if I have responsibilities in the congregation?
Am I punctual, helpful, and eager to serve?
By improving in these areas, other Jehovah's Witnesses will love and value you more.
14 - According to Colossians 1:9, 10, God educated people in the first century by means of the Spirit.
15 - I haven't seen Isaiah 2:2,3 fulfilled. However, The Watchtower Organization wants you to parrot answers that they have provided in the paragraph. They refer to "in the final part of the days" ... what is this referring to? The time since 1895? 1914? 1925? 1941? 1975? 1984-1995? 2020?
Paragraph refers to "the faithful and discreet slave" this term has changed in meaning throughout Watchtower history. Does [God's self-proclaimed earthly] organization have the definition correct currently? The paragraph links being instructed by God with the teaching devices put out by this group as though they are channeling God. This is why you are not allowed to question what the organization teaches even though they have often taught things that are later considered false. They refer to it as a refinement, light getting brighter, but only they can pick from old literature and decide what can still be quoted as true.
16 - To grow spiritually, you must continue to consume the teachings of the Bible AND from God's [one and only self-proclaimed earthly] organization, [The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, JW.ORG, the Governing Body].
17 - You can show that you faithfully support Jehovah’s [self-proclaimed one and only earthly,] organization [soon to be the only organization left on earth], by:
Working with them to proclaim the message that they channel from God to everyone you meet.
By being obedient and promoting unity in the congregation by not questioning anything that is put forth by the leaders.
By studying publications provided by the organization as spiritual food they channel from God.
If you are loyal and serve with God's [self-proclaimed earthly] organization, you don't have to be afraid as Satan's world comes to its end [very soon].
i miss listening and dancing to live music on a weekend night.. i miss going into a crowded mall store to window shop.. i miss going out into public and not having to wear a mask.. i miss seeing people freely mingle on a busy street or sidewalk.. what a difference a year makes!.
I miss ....
Sex on the beach.
Sex in the camper.
Sex at the restaurant
Sex at the B&B.
Sex at my house.
Sex at someone else's house.
Sex.
Hmmm ... There seems to be a pattern here.
That's pretty much it.
thanks petra and atlantis for sending the latest letter regarding the watchtowers plan for a worldwide campaign in november this year.
i am wondering what they are planning to achieve from this campaign, particularly their focus on sending the watchtower 2020 no.
2, titled "what is god's kingdom" to politicians, governments (and tribal leaders) around the world.. it would appear that this is their answer to governments who have put them in the spot light for their bad policies, particularly their handling of child abuse.
Lies, excites the base, makes some inactive wonder if "this is it" and they go back, it will accomplish for a short term the intended result to cause buzz and renewal for the flock.
It will be interesting to see if it has a negative effect on the government entities it is targeted at for reasons already mentioned. If there is any kind of uproar, no matter how slight, just more fuel to excite the flock.
14 years ago, this one had me thinking things will probably wrap up soon, I was out in service with an elder that was retiring at 62 years so he could pioneer full time again. I asked him why he didn't wait until 65 so he could get a larger Social Security check. He said this system would probably not last that long. HAHAHA! I think about that every time I see his wife selling junk on Facebook. Sad.
the final talk of the saturday afternoon online convention is given by lett, sporting a creepy looking combover, which for some reason, looks creepier than normal.
he talks about how those resurrected will need to come into line with a new moral code otherwise they will be destroyed.
he uses an example of gay people having to turn away from their inclinations even though they may feel that they are perfectly acceptable.. this demonstrates that the gb feel that being gay is a taught behaviour rather than an imperfect unnatural desire, otherwise they would be growing out of that desire as they develop towards perfection, as they teach.
My dad died recently. After nearly ten minutes he was resurrected by doctors. He still looks the same, health is the same. I guess his sin remains.
the final talk of the saturday afternoon online convention is given by lett, sporting a creepy looking combover, which for some reason, looks creepier than normal.
he talks about how those resurrected will need to come into line with a new moral code otherwise they will be destroyed.
he uses an example of gay people having to turn away from their inclinations even though they may feel that they are perfectly acceptable.. this demonstrates that the gb feel that being gay is a taught behaviour rather than an imperfect unnatural desire, otherwise they would be growing out of that desire as they develop towards perfection, as they teach.
In thought that death was the payment to offset sin. Penalty paid with death, sin gone, resurrection a free gift because of Jesus sacrifice. Why would one be resurrected as imperfect, sinful? Makes no sense.
and this isn't a cult?
just saw my wife put on her name tag for the zoom assembly.... what the what?
i thought these things werent even live.
She's still in, if you were too, you'd possibly be sitting right next to her with your name tag on. It's a cult, yes, but you only see that now that you're on the outside looking in. She hasn't changed, you have, and that makes it difficult for both of you. As you know, I'm in a similar boat. I went home today and found my wife sitting at the kitchen table, watching the convention, taking notes. WTF?! You got your mind out, she hasn't, and she feels alone. She lost her spiritual head. She feels alone. If she doesn't wake up, she just goes deeper. She believes the end will come at any time. She may never wake up from it and you might not ever be able to reconcile that. It's a difficult path for both of you. No easy answers.
