mikepence

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Posts by mikepence

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  34

  ex-JW Community Not An Activist Community?

  by mikepence in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  please see http://xjwnews.com/article.php?sid=29&mode=thread&order=0 and add your thoughts in the comments section, or here.

  reproduced here for your convenience:.

  mike's corner: ex-jw community not an activist community?.

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  mikepence

  Ok, my head is spinning.

  Larc, I think I get your point, and I am not devaluing the import of the actions of individuals. However, the co-operative efforts of the few will beat the pants off of the cacaphony of the many. We are talking about a basic concept here, right?

  Do I really need to point out that a group of people focused on a common goal, a sports team, a symphony orchestra, insert a million other examples here, can acheive what is otherwise simply not possible?

  That is my point. I am not looking to necessarily lead such an effort, but to point to the obvious need. A focused, organized group can affect change that millions of disharmonious voices simply cannot. Is this such a difficult concept? Am I not communicating effectively?

  XJW User Submitted News & Views at http://xjwnews.com
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  34

  ex-JW Community Not An Activist Community?

  by mikepence in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  please see http://xjwnews.com/article.php?sid=29&mode=thread&order=0 and add your thoughts in the comments section, or here.

  reproduced here for your convenience:.

  mike's corner: ex-jw community not an activist community?.

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  mikepence

  Andi,

  You yourself admit you have an agenda to promote. We have to get past that? Says who? What's there to get past?

  Everyone has an agenda. If someone claims they have no agenda, then their agenda begins with not being honest with themselves, or you. When I say We have to get past that my meaning was that if we are to get past our inability to work together in unity, we have to realize that we all may have serious baggage with terms like "organization" and "unity", and understandably so. If we are to present a unified front, we have to get past that. You may choose to think of yourself as part of that "we" or not.

  Level of committment to what? Your agenda?

  I thought the language was pretty plain here. I said:

  I am coming to try to come to terms with the entire community's level of commitment. It appears to be lots of bitching, lots of commiserating and peer support (I feel your pain) but no action or unity.

  By this, I meant that I am trying to understand if the level of commitment of the community extends beyond mere griping and solitary acts of resistance. Your ad hominem attack, making this about me and my agenda seems inappropriate to me. I have said clearly that:

  This is not about me, it is not about money, it is not about this one call to action. It is about the much broader issue of how much the whole community REALLY wants to affect some change. Which, unfortunatley seems to be not at all.

  You further said:

  My point is that not everyone has your agenda. Not everyone wants your agenda. To say that it's unfortunate that we don't stand up behind you and get more organized isn't unfortunate to those of us that have a different agenda.

  Understood and accepted. If you feel you are doing enough for the ex-JW cause, that is great. I just wonder if you are being honest with yourself based on the passion in your replies.

  Peace,
  Mike

  XJW User Submitted News & Views at http://xjwnews.com
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  34

  ex-JW Community Not An Activist Community?

  by mikepence in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  please see http://xjwnews.com/article.php?sid=29&mode=thread&order=0 and add your thoughts in the comments section, or here.

  reproduced here for your convenience:.

  mike's corner: ex-jw community not an activist community?.

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  mikepence

  Andi,

  What are you believing about yourself that you are choosing to take this personally?

  I said:

  The issue is bigger than this one example. I am coming to try to come to terms with the entire community's level of commitment. It appears to be lots of bitching, lots of commiserating and peer support (I feel your pain) but no action or unity.

  If that is the way it is, fine. I look on this as an educational process. It just seems a shame that we can't organize and get behind something. We could be much more effective.

  I love and respect you and Joel and everyone who has supported and helped other ex-JW's like myself through the very painful process of separartion form our abusive Mother. If commiseration and support are what you are here for, fine! I am not belittling that. Peer support is wonderful.

  I am not trying to "make" anyone feel anything. I am trying to promote an agenda, an agenda of unity and organization. Dirty words, I know, but we have to get past that. That is what I am encouraging.

  You, my dear, are taking this as a personal attack, when it is not. So, again, I invite you to examine what it is that you are choosing to believe about yourself that would cause you to think in that direction.

  Peace and Love,
  Mike Pence

  XJW User Submitted News & Views at http://xjwnews.com
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  34

  ex-JW Community Not An Activist Community?

  by mikepence in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  please see http://xjwnews.com/article.php?sid=29&mode=thread&order=0 and add your thoughts in the comments section, or here.

  reproduced here for your convenience:.

  mike's corner: ex-jw community not an activist community?.

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  mikepence

  I think that I explained what I would like to do, in this story, http://xjwnews.com/article.php?sid=25&mode=thread&order=0.

  Over 280 people have taken the time to read this idea. One has acted on it.

  The issue is bigger than this one example. I am coming to try to come to terms with the entire community's level of commitment. It appears to be lots of bitching, lots of commiserating and peer support (I feel your pain) but no action or unity.

  If that is the way it is, fine. I look on this as an educational process. It just seems a shame that we can't organize and get behind something. We could be much more effective.

  This is not about me, it is not about money, it is not about this one call to action. It is about the much broader issue of how much the whole community REALLY wants to affect some change. Which, unfortunatley seems to be not at all.

  Peace,
  Mike

  XJW User Submitted News & Views at http://xjwnews.com
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  13

  I'm going out on a limb here.

  by JeffT in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok i'm going to put this out there so all of you can support me by making me keep working.. i'm writing a novel based very loosely on my association with the witnesses.

  right now i've got about 175 pages of a planned 300 done.

  i keep letting other things get the way of my writing, and i've been semi-stuck for awhile.

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  mikepence

  If you are looking for some critique, send me what you have.

  XJW User Submitted News & Views at http://xjwnews.com
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  34

  ex-JW Community Not An Activist Community?

  by mikepence in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  please see http://xjwnews.com/article.php?sid=29&mode=thread&order=0 and add your thoughts in the comments section, or here.

  reproduced here for your convenience:.

  mike's corner: ex-jw community not an activist community?.

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  mikepence

  Please see http://xjwnews.com/article.php?sid=29&mode=thread&order=0 and add your thoughts in the Comments section, or here. Reproduced here for your convenience:

  Mike's Corner: ex-JW Community Not An Activist Community?
  by Mike Pence

  10 days after issuing a Call to Action, only one person has stepped forward to donate $10 toward a professional press release exposing the Watchtower UN Scandal to the US media as a whole. What does this mean?

  For me, it has meant a lot of soul searching and contemplation. I am not bashing the community here, just making some observations about the nature of this community that are news to me. Like anything else, this is a reason to learn and say, "What is this for?"

  The ex-JW community is a very social, and very emotionally supportive community. But, when this or other calls to action are taken, few respond. Do ex-JW's not believe that united action by them could make a bigger difference, could shine a brighter llight on the abuses of power of our abusive Mother? Is the ex-JW community primarily about the egos of a few web savvy apostates like myself, and otherwise just a big social club?

  What would it take to get some serious activism going on here? Would anything make that happen? Apparently, the CCJW partnering with Satan's UN, arguably the biggest scandal in their history, was not enough to get the ex-JW community to unite and take some action, not just here, but in any way.

  Is ex-JW united action possible? Is it not desirable?

  XJW User Submitted News & Views at http://xjwnews.com
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  5

  I'm having a conversation with you, how long ....

  by Celtic in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does it take for our sharing in communication, to enter the realms of the metaphysical?

  which fields within the metaphysical do you enjoy searching in further knowledge and insight of?.

  do you enjoy conversations that overlap spirituality with science and physics, quamtum material, human consciousness etc etc etc?.

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  mikepence

  Celtic,

  Sounds like you need to get the book that I just bought and am thoroughly enjoying, The Flight from Science and Reason, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0801856760.

  Peace,
  Mike

  XJW User Submitted News & Views at http://xjwnews.com
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  26

  Why prayer and Does it work?

  by Undecided in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  why i began thinking on prayer was the request from my spanish neighbour to my wife.

  they requested that she come down and pray for his/her child who has been sick.

  my wife believes in prayer and says she knows it works.

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  mikepence

  Prayer is not as reliable as spreadig fairy dust and dancing in circles.

  XJW User Submitted News & Views at http://xjwnews.com
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  12

  What Do You Enjoy Learning About?

  by Celtic in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what subject matters most interest you, what do you enjoy learning about and what does this subject matter do for you?.

  what subjects ideally would you love to have knowledge of most and why?.

  onen hag oll.

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  mikepence

  Everything!

  Lately, I have been reading about the evolution of human intelligence, and violence among primates. I have lots more reading in the sciences planned.

  I also am enjoying reading great American authors that I have not read before. I have read tons by Ed Abbey, and am currently reading his biography (I went hiking with the author on his book tour a few weeks back), and Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow. I am working my way through Salon.com's book on Contemporary American authors.

  I am also reading books on home schooling and unschooling and the wife and I are considering opening up our house to candle making classes for kids and adults.

  At this point, I am in about 3 books at a time and loving it!

  Mike

  XJW User Submitted News & Views at http://xjwnews.com
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  25

  What do you think of IT ? (Ginger)

  by Simon in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  have you seen the ginger / it scooter thingy?.

  i think it looks pretty cool!.

  the site is: http://www.segway.com/.

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  mikepence

  In places like NYC this will be big. I hope it serves to reduce the pollution.

  Of course, now that people won't even have to walk a few blocks to the deli on their lunch break, fitness clubs will be busier than ever.

  Imagine the contradiction: You ride your personal electric mobility device to a fitness club in order to walk a few miles on a treadmill!

  Mike

  XJW User Submitted News & Views at http://xjwnews.com