larc

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Posts by larc

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  12

  New Truths

  by larc in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am a newcomer and have thoroughly enjoyed the last couple weeks communicating with all of you.. i have generally kept abreast of the new truths, but am not clear on some details.

  for example, as of about 1986, college is now ok, but i think it is supposed to be limited to degrees and subjects that are directly job related.

  what are the written and unwritten rules on this subject?.

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  larc

  Thinker,

  You won't find the demon theory in print, it was part of the oral tradition in the witness culture. I'll give you an example. My wife's mother and father retired to Arizona from Ohio. They bought a piece of furniture in Mexico and later my mother-in-law concluded that it was demonized and got rid of it (Perhaps Mexicans have more demons than we do.) Later, my wife's folks paid for my youngest daught to visit; their purpose was to convert her. She brought along her diary against my wife's advice. I think her diary had some explicit fantasies in it. The devious grandmother went through my daughter's things and read the diary, and concluded that my very sweet, nice daughter was demon possessed. I often thought that this theory was especially peculiar. If a demon wanted to hang around wouldn't it just flit from one thing to another? Why would it leave because the sofa left? If I was a demon, I wouldn't live in a smelly old sofa, I would be sitting next to you watching television and I would channel surf when you left the room. JW's think theories are bad but they sure had one here, and it was a strange one.

  Path,

  I met a young witness male who was a senior in a 5 year college engineering program. so he was an exception to the rule, although, as you point out, there are local variations in what is acceptable.
  
  Dress code: A couple years ago there was a convention in my city. I dropped in, but did not fit in since I had a beard..I would describe the general style of dress at the convention as 1950's Ozzie and Harriet.

  Does the severity of treatment towards those who have left vary over time? My sister didn't talk to me for fifteen years; now she does. Is she breaking the rules?

  Have the funeral services improved any? They used to spend a lot of time on doctrine and almost no time talking about the deceased. They did not realize how offensive this was to non-JW friends and relatives.
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  87

  looking for friends to talk with

  by ctisi in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi all brothers and sisters.

  i am simply looking for friends to talk with over email or icq.

  i am adjusting to living alone after my wife left me and then was disfellowshipped.

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  larc

  Margaret,

  You are in a most difficult situation, if you stay you have to overlook some blatant problems, if you leave, you will lose most of your friends and family. Neither choice is pleasant. You are fortunate to have this forum. When my wife and I went through this process there was no one for us to talk to. I wish you well no matter your choice.

  All organizations, religious and secular, can give benefits and they can also grind you up. Avail yourself of the benefits, but don't let them ruin you. In any case, you don't need an organization to pray and grow spiritually. You are the only one who can decide if the WTBTS helps you more than hurts you.
• 
  12

  New Truths

  by larc in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am a newcomer and have thoroughly enjoyed the last couple weeks communicating with all of you.. i have generally kept abreast of the new truths, but am not clear on some details.

  for example, as of about 1986, college is now ok, but i think it is supposed to be limited to degrees and subjects that are directly job related.

  what are the written and unwritten rules on this subject?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  larc

  I am a newcomer and have thoroughly enjoyed the last couple weeks communicating with all of you.

  I have generally kept abreast of the new truths, but am not clear on some details. For example, as of about 1986, college is now OK, but I think it is supposed to be limited to degrees and subjects that are directly job related. What are the written and unwritten rules on this subject?

  It is now permissible to serve in nonmilitary, government jobs when drafted instead of facing prison. Did this cause resentment for those older ones who had a much tougher standard?

  What are the frorbidden words today? Is "luck" still a bad word, because gambling is of Satan. You used to be able to say things like: "Fortunately, the bank safe missed my head when it fell from the ten story window.", but if you used the word "Luckily" instead of "fortunately" you were spiritually weak. Bulletin Board was a bad term because it was of Catholic origin as in Papal Bull. The apostates used to be called "the evil slave class" which brought as much fear and trembling as the new term, apostate, does.
  Any new bad words?

  Do they still write about demons and does unwritten theory among the rank and file still conain stories about demon infested sofas and how to get rid of the demons?

  Inquiring minds want to know.
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  5

  Double Standards

  by thinker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it seems to me that witnesses and the wtbts live by a number of double standards.

  for example: witnesses are taught that they have a sacred duty to meet and talk to non-believers (field service).

  yet if they meet and talk to a non-believer who happened to be a witness and disassociated themselves they face severe punishment (disfellowship).

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  larc

  Thinker,

  I like your thinking, but you know that thinking can get you in trouble. It did me. Another double standard: they try to convince people that it is alright for the house holder to read literature that dissagrees with the house holder's religion, but the JW can't do the same. I would like to have a JW study with me. For the first 30 minutes we would study from their book and the next 30 minutes we would study from an apostate book of my choice; don't think they would do it.
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  54

  You might be a JW if...

  by Seven in

  1. social
  2. humour

  * http://www.serve.com/larryi/mightbe.html

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  larc

  I just reread my last posting. I shouldn't use org. for organization, it gives me impure thoughts.
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  54

  You might be a JW if...

  by Seven in

  1. social
  2. humour

  * http://www.serve.com/larryi/mightbe.html

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  larc

  RHW,
  I know how you could help me. We could go into a time warp and engage in mutual warping. I'm experiencing bliss just thinking about it.

  I've started a new org. the NAWM, the National Association of Warped Minds. I'm the President and only member. Just think, RHW, if you joined, my org. would have a 100% increase this year. I'd like to see the JW's top that.
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  54

  You might be a JW if...

  by Seven in

  1. social
  2. humour

  * http://www.serve.com/larryi/mightbe.html

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  larc

  One day a Catholic priest, a Protestant minister and a Jewish rabbi were having lunch together. They got on the subject of when life begins. The priest maintained that life began at the moment of conception. The minister said, "No, you've got it wrong, life begins at the moment of birth" The rabbi protested, "You've both got it wrong, life begins when the dog dies and the kids move out." (older people like this joke: younger people don't.)
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  54

  You might be a JW if...

  by Seven in

  1. social
  2. humour

  * http://www.serve.com/larryi/mightbe.html

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  larc

  RHW,

  Waiting says that you help men..I need all the help I can get, but please don't try to cure to my warped mind ... I've come to enjoy it. Got a book I recommend, A Complete Guide to Guys by Bave Barry. It will give you a new perspective.

  Waiting, you thought the ryhming in my narrative was a bit much? You won't believe what I'm going to tell you next, and this is true so help me gosh (didn't want to swear). Berta Peel's maiden name was Teel. I shouldn't even have brought it up cause you'll never believe me again, but it is a true fact. Frank Teel was my grandfather the only one of the siblings that did not become a JW. I remember one time when Berta visited from California. We all met for lunch, and my grandfather the unbleiver, was the only one who gave Berta money to help her out. Later, the rest of the family talked about this being a gift "from Jehovah". Even though I was a true believer at the time, I resented that comment. It was a gift from my grandfather!

  How do you drive a Unitarian out of your neighborhood? You burn a question mark in their yard.
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  54

  You might be a JW if...

  by Seven in

  1. social
  2. humour

  * http://www.serve.com/larryi/mightbe.html

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  larc

  You might be a JW if:

  you think life insurance is a form of gambling

  you don't put money into an IRA or 401k, because the end will come before you reach retirement age

  memories: years ago I told three of my witness buddies that I was going to college. They all agreed that the end would come before I graduated. I bet them 5 dollars that it wouldn't. If it did come they wouldn't need the money. I had a no loose bet. Well, I went and got a couple degrees just to give them more time to win. By the way, all three of them are grandparents today.
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  54

  You might be a JW if...

  by Seven in

  1. social
  2. humour

  * http://www.serve.com/larryi/mightbe.html

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  larc

  Redhorsewoman..do you have a nickname? that's a long handle to type in each time.

  Sorry, about the 1914 thing. Back in the 1870's I had a long talk with Charles Taze (Russell that is). I said "Charles you're a busy businessman here in Pittsburg, do you relly want to go beyond a home Bible study and start a new religion? It's a huge undertaking and could lead to a lot of stress at home, divorce could result." He listened, but went ahead anyway. In 1879, I asked him if he thought the end of the world would occur in exactly 35 years. He was pretty confident. He showed me the math and it looked pretty scientific.

  Well, time passed, as you know it will, 1914 was a pretty bad year but not as bad as we thought it would be. In the 1920's I had a chat with the Judge (Rutherford, that is). I asked if he was sure that 1935 was the year. He was even more convincing than Charles had been, Joe beein' the lawyerin' type and all. Well, after 1935, I retired from the advice giving business, and got into the joke telling business, both practical and impractical.