Posts by DesirousOfChange

Agreed. And this applies not only to socioeconomic problems, but also to one's entire faith. As leavingwt once told me, "Do you really think you are that priviliged to be 'chosen' or do you think your religion has more to do with WHERE you are born?"

That is an eye-opening thought. If God is DRAWING those with favorable hearts to him, why so few with good hearts in Asia, India, Middle East compared with USA, Europe, Guadaloupe (isn't that where JWs are 1 to 30 in general population? GOOD HEARTS THERE!!) etc.

4

Farmville :)

by LouBelle in

jw
friends

right so i know that some of you are fans of the game and play.

i am one of those people that play, i'm not too "gunho" about it but i enjoy the escapism.

what is it about the game that hooks you?.

DesirousOfChange

I've stoped playing. Nugget will be on a higher level than me now - but I don't care.

I thought maybe it was because of the new warnings against social networking.

40

THE FLOOD - What's Jehovah's problem now?

by sizemik in

this question has been bugging me for a while now .

since the last thread on the biblical flood.. it's like this .

.. immediately prior to the flood, jehovah had deemed the earth full of badness, totally wicked and "ruined" .

DesirousOfChange

I would offer that the "official" explanation would be that sufficient time had not elapsed to satisfy the challenge that mankind was not able to govern on their own (without God's input). That would take another 4,000+ years. Or, that it was not a fair test for mankind due to the control of the materialized demons.

That however brings up another question (all this assuming you BELIEVE the flood was a "historical" fact): How fair of a test has it been on mankind when he has always had the unfair disadvantage of being influenced by demonic forces--either literally with the materialized demons, or by the fact that Satan & his demons were "cast down" to Earth. WASN'T THAT a damn dirty move?

Cleanse the heavens, but toss the evil forces to the vicinity of the Earth? Wasn't there some other desolate planet in a system far, far away to send them??

77

According to WT 8/11: YOU MIGHT BE MENTALLY IMBALANCED IF YOU PROFESS TO BE ANOINTED!!!

by JustHuman14 in

according to the august 2011 watchtower magazine:.

memorial partakers.

this is the number of baptized individuals who partake of the emblems at the memorial worldwide.

DesirousOfChange

Because of a family member's diagnosis, I have read much material on this illness. Consider the last line quoted here of symptoms:

[quote]"BIPOLAR DEPRESSION

What is bipolar depression?Bipolar depression is the depressed phase of the disorder, which is also known as "manic-depressive" disease. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes people to switch from feeling overly happy and joyful (or irritable) to feeling very sad. Because of the highs and the lows -- or two poles of mood -- the condition is referred to as "bipolar." In between episodes of mood swings, a person may experience normal moods.

The word "manic" describes the periods when the person feels overly excited and confident. These feelings can quickly turn to confusion, irritability, anger, and even rage. The word "depressive" describes the periods when the person feels very sad or depressed. Because the symptoms are similar, sometimes people with bipolar depression are incorrectly diagnosed as having major depression.

Most individuals with bipolar disorder spend more time in depressed phases than in manic phases.

SymptomsThe dramatic and rapidly changing mood swings from highs to lows do not follow a set pattern, and depression does not always follow manic phases. A person may also experience the same mood state several times before suddenly experiencing the opposite mood. Mood swings can happen over a period of weeks, months, and sometimes even years.

The severity of the depressive and manic phases can differ from person to person, and in the same person at different times.

Symptoms of mania ("The highs"):

Excessive happiness, hopefulness, and excitement
Sudden changes from being joyful to being irritable, angry, and hostile
Restlessness
Rapid speech and poor concentration
Increased energy and less need for sleep
High sex drive
Tendency to make grand and unattainable plans
Tendency to show poor judgment, such as deciding to quit a job
Drug and alcohol abuse
Increased impulsivity

Some patients can become psychotic, seeing and hearing things that aren't there and holding false beliefs from which they cannot be swayed. In some instances they see themselves as having superhuman skills and powers, or think they are god-like. [end of quote]

As a JW, what is more "god-like" than having the "heavenly calling"?

26

Parroting in the meetings

by dgp in

in the one meeting i attended, i noticed that some witnesses were creative in the answers they gave to the questions, while others were simply repeating what the magazine said.

i remember that, at the time, i thought the creative ones were also the smart ones, while the others were lazy, and that no doubt the creative ones would rank higher in the watchtower.. well, i think i have changed my mind.

it seems to me that those parroting the questions are, in a way, the smart ones.

DesirousOfChange

The parroting coments anoyed me. We just read that! you want to repeat it again?!

But then conductor commends commentor for their very infomative comment (as though they had miraculously said something meaningful of their own!)

9

Society's claim of "Peace and Security" fulfilled by George Bush Sr.

by RubaDub in

i recall about 25 years ago that at the district assembly, it was mentioned that the fulfillment of the declaration of "peace and security" was made by president george bush (sr.).

was this just a verbal thing or was there anything written in any of the publications about it at that time?.

rub a dub.

DesirousOfChange

I recall one year that the United Nations declared the Year of Peace -- seems like it was 1981 or 1982.

Anyone?

33

Do the Harold Campings of the world make witnesses question their own beliefs?

by dgp in

now that harold camping has been proven wrong again, er, the rapture is taking place at another date because he is an imperfect man, one question that comes to my mind is whether this kind of fiascos ever make active jehovah's witness connect the dots and realize they have been deceived as well.. also, i wonder if active witnesses ever get to think that if unbelievers were right about not believing camping, maybe they are also right about something else?

perhaps relying on reason is not that misguided after all?.

i would love to see your opinions on this.. .

DesirousOfChange

I think there is probably a segment of JWs that do question their own "end times" beliefs because of people like Camping. It is bound to cause a thinking person to actually....think.

I believe the only ones that it causes to think are the ones who have already been doing some thinking on their own.....thinking about the fact that it's 97 years since 1914......thinking that it's 37 years since 1975.......etc etc

I don't think it's ever one big sudden awakening......it's many little things adding up.......

62

What Did You Not Do Because You Were A Jehovah's Witness That You Wanted To Do?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i didn't go to college and of course, "higher education" was never recommended.

still, i never felt terribly deprived because of not going further in my education.. yet, i did wish that i could've had "normal" aka "worldly friends".

i wish that as witnesses, we could've been better integrated with other people.

DesirousOfChange

(one might opine that Lost Generation may have escaped the Watchtower, but he's still delusional).

Or at least bi-sexual.

He wanted to "do": Jerry, Jordan, & John

45

How was dating as Jehovah Witness?

by Pitchess Co-Gen in

looking back i'm glad i didn't marry my ex..

DesirousOfChange

If it gets more serious they can start going out in field service together.

We had a recent CO condemn "Field Service Dating". That's a NO-NO!