Posts by drewcoul

63

Marital problems - advice (or support) please

by jamesmahon in

completely non-jw related this but value the diversity of experience and viewpoint on this forum.

i am going to sketch this out quick as i can but please ask any questions if the gaps need filling.. as some may know, i have been married for 12 years with two children (8 and 4).

my wife stopped work when the eldest was born and has been a stay at home mum since.

drewcoul

Your key is going to be "Differentiation" for both of you. I am not a therapist, so I am not about to give advice to you, but I see one regularly and he has helped my wife and I in an unbelievable way.

Let me recommend a book: "Family Evaluation" by Murray Bowen, Phd. I also recommend a therapist who uses "Family Systems Therapy." There are several good systems of therapy, but I think Family Systems is the best. It has caused a total paradigm shift in my life and shown me how to help all relationships in my life be healthy and fulfilling.

Best Wishes!

106

Latest convention brochure on,,, the Governing Body

by cedars in

i've finally get my hands on a pdf of one of the two newly released brochures, this one entitled "who are doing jehovah's will today?".

here's a link so you can download your own copy.... http://www66.zippyshare.com/v/98881625/file.html.

predictably, the brochure is extremely vague on key topics.

drewcoul

What letters actually came from the "Older Men" (aka Governing Body)? Ask a JW that question.

Paul wrote the majority of the letters to the congregations that are recorded in the Bible. He clearly wasn't a member of the Governing Body in Jerusalem even if you buy in to the GB concept!!

In fact, Paul wrote both letters to Timothy, to the Corinthians, to the Ephesians, to the Romans, to the Galatians, to the Philippians, to the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to Titus, to Philemon, and the book of Hebrews. He clearly wasn't a member of the Governing Body, yet he wrote the vast majority of letters of direction to the congregations!!!! How do JW's not see this??!!

204

Ultimately it is the child who should stop the abuse according to the GB!

by life is to short in

on page 171 of the "learn from the great teacher" book published in 2003 it shows a picture of a very cute little girl holding a ragged ann doll.

she is sitting on a chair in her bedroom with her hand out toward a man that is coming toward her.. the paragraphs say "so just as jesus needed protection, you also need to be protected from grown-ups-and even from other children-who may try to have sex with you.

usually, these people will pretend to be your friends.

drewcoul

There was nothing wrong with the advice in this article. Nothing. I am kind of glad they did it. It's not a book on sexual abuse and a comprehensive guide to all of the various ways a child can be victimized. Nor is it an exhaustive list of anyone who can abuse a child.

I think its absurd to find fault with it just because it doesn't list every tactic a molester can use or list every person who could be a molester.

97

I think the Society might drop its appeal over the Conti case

by cedars in

i've been giving some thought to the recent development in which the judge has ruled that the society is barred from completing any property transactions until the appeal is over, which could take up to two years or even more.. i've submitted an article to randy at freeminds in which i basically argue that it is no longer in the society's interests to appeal this case.

if i correctly understand the restrictions placed on the society by the judge, then the governing body has far more to lose by appealing than they could conceivably gain.. think about it.... by appealing, they buy themselves time in which to formulate a long-term strategy for dealing with the fallout of this case, but will be barred from liquidating $1 billion in property assets at a time of global economic uncertainty when their donations are dwindling.

there is also no guarantee that their appeal will be upheld.by dropping their appeal, they take a hit and pay $23.8 million but retain the freedom to see through their real estate projects; retain their financial flexibility to respond to dwindling donations, and get to pretend to their followers (as with the un scandal) that it never happened.of course, i am only saying that dropping the appeal would be the only intelligent option for the society, assuming they are aware of how legally precarious their child abuse policies are.

drewcoul

A question for BOTR: My twin bro. Is a successfully faded jw. He's also an attorney. He says he can't answer this question because he doesnt know for sure.
Here's the question: Did the congregation effectively waive priest-pentinant (sic) privilege by giving names to the society and describing details when asking how to proceed?

140

Do You Believe Abortion Is Wrong? Should It Be Against The Law?

by minimus in

jw
friends

what say you?.

drewcoul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPBZ2Q0mY7g

maybe this will work better.

140

Do You Believe Abortion Is Wrong? Should It Be Against The Law?

by minimus in

jw
friends

what say you?.

drewcoul

So, which is civilized and which is barbaric?

140

Do You Believe Abortion Is Wrong? Should It Be Against The Law?

by minimus in

jw
friends

what say you?.

drewcoul

Seriously? Read up on the history of birth control and abortion. Rich women have had it available to them for eons. Do you not understand the difference between civilization and barbarism?

The above was posted by Beks on the thread about Obama tweaking his stance on contraception and the Catholic Church. The topic steered into abortion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPBZ2Q0mY7g&NR=1&feature=fvwp&oref=http%3A%2F%2Fs.ytimg.com%2Fyt%2Fswfbin%2Fwatch_as3-vflHGsDou.swf

Beks and others who agree with her: Does this not seem barbaric to you, or is it civilized.

182

"Get out of the bleachers and into the game"... Memorial 2012 demonstration.

by koolaid-man in

jw
friends

now is a good time to start making preparations for the memorial night demonstration at your kingdom hall thursday, april 5, 2012, after sundown.. close to 20 million people will attend this annual global witness event including active witnesses, relatives and friends of witnesses, bible studies,return visits and still attached former witnesses.

the evils of the watchtower org.have to be exposed and this is an ideal time to do it.. many around the world have been adversely affected by their association with jehovah's witnesses and you can be an instrumental force by standing tall and courageously exposing the watchtower organization.. there is no better way to let the watchtower know your revulsion than to broadcast and present your view by standing fearlessly, demonstrating in front of a kingdom hall.. i am fully aware that a handful of the internet therapists who post on this forum will not agree with this method of unmasking the watchtower.. those intolerant, contemptuous critics who will comment on this thread making harsh judgements and finding fault with those who protest are perhaps deep-down wishing they had the backbone to stop hiding in cyber-space, step away from their computer and "get out of the bleachers and into the game" .

lets make this a global event!......

drewcoul

Let me add: Rick, protesting and demonstrations are your opinion of "Getting in the game," not necessarily anyone else's.

182

"Get out of the bleachers and into the game"... Memorial 2012 demonstration.

by koolaid-man in

jw
friends

now is a good time to start making preparations for the memorial night demonstration at your kingdom hall thursday, april 5, 2012, after sundown.. close to 20 million people will attend this annual global witness event including active witnesses, relatives and friends of witnesses, bible studies,return visits and still attached former witnesses.

the evils of the watchtower org.have to be exposed and this is an ideal time to do it.. many around the world have been adversely affected by their association with jehovah's witnesses and you can be an instrumental force by standing tall and courageously exposing the watchtower organization.. there is no better way to let the watchtower know your revulsion than to broadcast and present your view by standing fearlessly, demonstrating in front of a kingdom hall.. i am fully aware that a handful of the internet therapists who post on this forum will not agree with this method of unmasking the watchtower.. those intolerant, contemptuous critics who will comment on this thread making harsh judgements and finding fault with those who protest are perhaps deep-down wishing they had the backbone to stop hiding in cyber-space, step away from their computer and "get out of the bleachers and into the game" .

lets make this a global event!......

drewcoul

The implication of the OP is that if you do not set up protest signs and actively demonstrate at your local KH, you are not "in the game." This couldn't be farther from the truth.

I have effectively reasoned with my ex-wife and her elder husband (now a former elder). I have gotten my son see the hypocrisy in the organization. Guess what, that's 3 people I've helped and I have made zero signs! I have held zero demonstrations, and I would think this gives me a higher percentage than any disruption of someone else's worship.

It may not be illegal in the US to demonstrate at a religious gathering, but in my opinion it is reprehensible!

23

How many of you worked for "Trim-line" or "Auto-Trim-Design"?

by drewcoul in

i remember a lot of witnesses working throughout the country for trim-line when i was younger.

i think it was started by a jw at the time.

i worked for the trim-line in indiana when i was younger.

drewcoul

I remember hearing stories of annual business meetings where they would open with a kingdom song and prayer (and kaiboshed when the JW bigwigs got wind of it) - any truth to those rumors?

Now that you mention it, I think I remember hearing that too. I'm not sure there is any truth to it or not. Trim-line was bought by 3M and later dissolved. That's when my employer (Max Stutz) started Auto-Trim Design. It may have been the ATD meetings that were opened with song and prayer, but I'm not sure either way.