Posts by mpatrick

he was told not to expect certain things that have a pagan background such as rice-tossing or the bride throwing a corset to the virgins unmarried girls at the reception.. but somehow wedding rings are allowed at jw weddings!.

any idea why?.

mpatrick

Here is a thread about the pagan origins of Weddings that I posted on www.beliefnet.org

I loved sharing this with my JW mother when she told me she would NEVER participate in anything that originated from Pagan traditions...I think it was at least a whole week before she mentioned the next JW wedding she was going to be helping her friend with.

19

Holiday Crafts

by VeniceIT in

jw
friends

i've noticed that this is the first holiday season for many here on the board.

that means there's gonna be some pretty sad xmas trees this year .

so my question is does anyone have any great holiday craft ideas????

mpatrick

We started a tradition of making construction paper rings...it's easy for little hands and it adds alot to the tree!

You could have a Christmas tree decorating party and ask everyone to bring an ornament...it makes for a inexpensive gift, and the memories will last a lifetime!

Merry Christmas!..umm, I mean Happy Halloween!

19

Ray and Bill

by larc in

jw
friends

i would not have posted this, but the subject just doesn't go away.

i would like to comment on the differences in the two men.

first of all, they come from different eras.

mpatrick

I don't post here on a regular basis, nor do I read every post...but I do come here and lurk quite often and read a few post that sound interesting. To say the least, this topic has spiked my interest. Though I have never met Ray Franz in person, I have only heard incredibly nice things about him and I know that he has helped more people than we could ever know get out of the Organization. I think he has used his knowledge and talents well in helping others.

I am sure everyone that post here on a regular basis believes that this topic has been beat into the ground, but I personally am glad that I can come here and read different perspectives and that I have had the opportunity to read post by both Ray and Bill. I believe that Bill is doing a valuable job in exposing the Society's stand on the "two eye-witnesses" rule and child molestation...but after meeting him and reading emails and comments made by Bill, it is quite evident to me that Bill's motives are not entirely just about "silentlambs" issues. I have personally heard Bill make comments about bringing the Society down, and I believe that has become a major vendetta of his. (Not that I blame him, I would like to see the Society brought down too.) But, I don't think mixing the causes is good for "silentlambs". I think it should remain seperate from other issues and that if Bill is going to speak out for all the "silentlambs", then he needs to stick to that issue and that issue only, especially given the sensitive nature of the problem...afterall, we don't want to victimize the victims.

Anyway, that is my feelings on the matter. I am glad I have a place such as this one where I can voice my personal opinions and I think everyone should have that right. If others feel this has been beaten into the ground, then just move onto other post (it's as easy as that). I will continue to lurk and reply when I feel the urge...in the meantime I will continue lurking and reading the many different opinions...it helps me look at things from many different perspectives.

Michelle

16

We see things the way we want to see them

by kenpodragon in

jw
friends

the other night i was at my in-laws house for dinner.

they are both jehovah's witnesses and try every now and then to plant some thoughts in our heads to get us concerned.

this night was no exception, with small words and phrases popping up through the evening.

mpatrick

Kenpodragon,

Your post reminded me of one of my favorite quotes...

"we do not see the world as it is, we see the world as we are. . ." Anais Nin

This quote was a real eye opener for me and how I view the world now and how I viewed it as a JW.

32

So depressed...(world conditions)

by DanTheMan in

today was one of the hardest days i've had yet since leaving jw.

i was barely able to work, and i have a knot in my stomach.. i look at the world situation and i feel so hopeless and helpless.

knowing there are millions of people outside of the u.s. that, if you were to put a button in front of them that had a label below it that said "kill every man woman and child in the u.s.a." that they wouldn't even hesitate to press it.. i wonder where it will end.

mpatrick

Dan, Here is an email I received from a friend that I want to share with you...

I Believe ...

She is 92 years old, petite, well poised, and proud. She is fully dressed
each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed, and her
makeup perfectly applied, in spite of the fact she is legally blind. Today
she has moved to a nursing home. Her husband of 70 years recently passed
away, making this move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home where
I am employed, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready.

As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual
description of her tiny room, including the eyelet curtains that had been
hung on her window.

"I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just
been presented with a new puppy.

"Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room ... just wait," I said.

Then she spoke these words that I will never forget: "That does not have
anything to do with it," she gently replied.

"Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room
or not, does not depend on how the furniture is arranged. It is how I
arrange my mind. I have already decided to love it. It is a decision I make
every morning when I wake up. I have a choice. I can spend the day in bed
recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer
work, or I can get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do work.

Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I will focus on the new day
and all of the happy memories I have stored away ... just for this time in
my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you have
already put in. I believe that our background and circumstances may have
influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe - that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you
every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I believe that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them
to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I believe that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest
distance. Same goes for true love.

I believe that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may
be the last time you see them.

I believe that you can keep going, long after you can't.

I believe that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I believe that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it
needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I believe that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the
best time.

I believe that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down,
will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but
that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I believe that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've
had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays
you've celebrated.

I believe that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes
you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop
for your grief.

I believe that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't
love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I believe that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could
change your life forever.

I believe that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something
totally different.

I believe that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who
don't even know you.

I believe that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend
cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I believe that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I believe that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too
soon.

Cheer up! You have friends and family that truly care about you! Thank you for coming to my Birthday Party!!! It made me so happy to have you show up! Please remember you are new to this xJW thing...just like it takes time to become indoctrinated...it also takes time to become undoctrinated. Also remember, if you think about things that are depressing, you will be depressed...likewise if you think about happy things, you will be happy. You need to make a concentrated effort to only think about things that you love and enjoy and in time those things will just come to you naturally..Life is what you choose to make it!

Blessings,

Michelle

11

hey its my birthday also

by orbison11 in

jw
friends

woohoo.

its my birthday also:).

orbi

mpatrick

Happy Birthday! It's my Birthday toooooo!!!

13

Why this is such a great site!...

by SpannerintheWorks in

jw
friends

where else can you go to ask 6000+ people their view on things?

at the push of a button?

and to top it all, almost all of these people ( like me ) have been affected by the wbts in some way!.

mpatrick

I love this site because I can usually find out what is going on in the Organization before my JW mom does!

80

Larc's weekend survey

by larc in

jw
friends

could you please take a few minutes to answer the following questions:.

1. your age.

2. how long were you a witness.

mpatrick

Could you please take a few minutes to answer the following questions:

1. your age 35 on the 21st of October, but I tell everyone 30

2. how long were you a Witness approximately 20 years

3. how long have you been out of the religion. 6 years

4. which of the following symptoms did you experience as a witness.

4a. depression

4b. low self esteem

4c. anxiety

4d. psychosis

5. Today, which of those symptoms do you have? low self esteem

6. Today, how would you rate your overall degree of happiness 1. much less happy than as a JW 2. somewhat less happy 3. just as happy 4. somewhat more happy 5. much more happy.