Posts by PaintedToeNail

31

My observation, the "threefold cord" actually weakens a marriage

by Robert7 in

jw
friends

so my wife and i survived leaving the jw faith together over the course of the last 4 years.

it was a wild ride for our relationship, but thankfully we are stronger than ever.

so looking back, here is my observation about the "threefold cord", at least the jw version of it.. i believe the idea of the threefold cord actually weakens a marriage, keeping it less mature.

PaintedToeNail

I think the thought of a three fold cord being a strengthener in marriage was probably to prevent people from linking up with someone from a totally different religion. Think of the stress to be endured at the time the bible was written, if one worshipped Zeus and the other worshipped Jehovah. They weren't terribly compatible and could cause a lot of problems.

The same is true now, the closer a couple is in their fundamental backgrounds and goals, the more compatible they tend to be.

An excellent example is those of us who are no longer buying into the WTBTS dogma, and who have spouses who are still active. It causes tremendous stress.

That people feel trapped in a miserable marriage while active in the Org. is very true. I was married to a total toad years ago, and felt I couldn't get rid of him, because Jehovah wouldn't approve, plus I wouldn't be able to remarry. He finally ended up getting VD and I didn't. I was so happy! Finally I could get rid of the toad and keep my family and friends and not have to worry about getting DF'd for divorcing him.

The thought of being married to an elder is horrifying to me. The wives are often told 'don't be jealous of Jehovah', which I don't think they are, they are just sick of everyone in the cong. coming before them.

CJ

2

Looking up old friends

by sabastious in

jw
friends

i had this neighbor growing up, his name was butch.

he and his wife lived down the dirt street i grew up on even before i was born.

they were wordly, but they were also my neighbors so i was allowed to have limited association with them.

PaintedToeNail

You should try to find him, he sounds like he was really nice and was a good friend to you. He'd probably love to have you contact him.

CJ

7

Playing the old tapes

by rebel8 in

jw
friends

i was just watching a movie and it had a prison scene with a rat.

my automatic thought was, "oh, i hope there aren't rats when i'm in prison.".

lol!!!

PaintedToeNail

Funny, my spouse and I were just talking about this very thing yesterday. We were little kids before the 1975 hoopla. Everyone was saying that we would all be in prisons, families separated, tortured, starved. It was very, very traumatic for me, and I think it was this constant state of fear that gave me OCD and anxiety and panic episodes. And they say the concept of burning in hell is bad.

CJ

66

Eurozone crisis- the jw's are crowing about it like mad!

by highdose in

jw
friends

over the past few weeks i've been told that the eurozone will go into melt down and that this will be the start of armargeddon because the goverments will then turn on religon to get their money instead.. i have been told that the greek pm almost rejecting the greek bailout plan would lead to armargeddon.

of course much to the jw's disapointment the greek pm resigned and the greeks did accept the bail out.

thus saving the greek banks from collapse and thus the rest of the european banks.. i have been told that italys debt will mean they will plunder the vatican for its wealth!

PaintedToeNail

AnnOMaly-Wow! I thought it was a new article, instead of a nearly forty year old one!

CJ

28

Why do we have to 'prove' anything to God. (This point made at assembly today)

by PaintedToeNail in

the point was made at the assembly today, that we have to 'prove' our love for jehovah to him.

as i sat there, bored, this thought struck me as odd.

since jehovah is supposed to be able to read 'hearts', why do we as humans, have to prove anything to him, since he already knows us down to our kidneys and would know if we loved him or not.

PaintedToeNail

thetrueone-The huge number of animal sacrifices in the OT is staggering to say the least. The scriptures that talk about having to pour out the blood, or sprinkle the blood, always made me wonder if there was a horrid odor of decay at the slaughtering site, and what about the number of flies that would be attracted to gore.

Joliette-You, my dear, are no more crazy than I am at wondering the same exact thing!

popcorn-You are right, so many of the articles do seem to be on the remain desirable vane.

CJ

28

Why do we have to 'prove' anything to God. (This point made at assembly today)

by PaintedToeNail in

the point was made at the assembly today, that we have to 'prove' our love for jehovah to him.

as i sat there, bored, this thought struck me as odd.

since jehovah is supposed to be able to read 'hearts', why do we as humans, have to prove anything to him, since he already knows us down to our kidneys and would know if we loved him or not.

PaintedToeNail

Black Sheep-Funny, I never felt I had a good heart when I was doing all the things one is supposed to do to 'prove' oneself to Jah.

Avocado-The predestination thing has always been troubling. If Jehovah knows what the outcome of a matter is from the beginning, what is the point of trying. It has left my eyes wobbling too.

CJ

44

WT Society Appoints Elders/MS Based on " Functions " Performed - not ....

by flipper in

jw
friends

........... holy spirit or any " fruitages of the spirit " like love, kindness, mildness, meekness , etc.

shown by men considered for elder or ms positions.

qualities or true positive character traits are not that important to the wt society in appointments of these men in jw congregations.. no, the real " qualifications " that a jw man needs to exhibit is being able to report 10 hours a month in knocking on people's doors offering wt and awake magazines !

PaintedToeNail

An uncle of mine (an elder) says "it is all political", boy is he right!

CJ

43

Do You Miss Even A Little Bit Your "Friends" From The "Truth"?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i miss a few but honestly i could count them on one hand after being in the organization for almost 5 decades.

some jws are ok but most, i simply tolerated, due to being an elder..

PaintedToeNail

I would love to say yes, but the reality is I never really had friends at the hall. Oh yeah, they would invite you to their baby showers, wedding showers, weddings, house warmings...always when a gift was required. But no one to go to lunch with, or shopping or something fun.

CJ

28

Why do we have to 'prove' anything to God. (This point made at assembly today)

by PaintedToeNail in

the point was made at the assembly today, that we have to 'prove' our love for jehovah to him.

as i sat there, bored, this thought struck me as odd.

since jehovah is supposed to be able to read 'hearts', why do we as humans, have to prove anything to him, since he already knows us down to our kidneys and would know if we loved him or not.

PaintedToeNail

3M-Yes, it always about doing more, more, more. Nothing is ever enough, not enough time, money, volunteering in someway or other .

R anmac-It was rather agonizing. No, I don't remember the part about Jesus and the teachings of the Pharisees, I did fall asleep sometimes, and was daydreaming at others-trying to get through it the best I could.

MrMonroe-HaHaHa! I know you are commenting in jest, but, at the same time, as humans we do have to prove our love for other humans in a visible manner, be it mowing the lawn or whatever because humans can't read the heart. So your logic makes sense for proving ourselves to others. (By the way, my husband would have listed, sex, sex and more sex as the first thing!)

CJ

28

Why do we have to 'prove' anything to God. (This point made at assembly today)

by PaintedToeNail in

the point was made at the assembly today, that we have to 'prove' our love for jehovah to him.

as i sat there, bored, this thought struck me as odd.

since jehovah is supposed to be able to read 'hearts', why do we as humans, have to prove anything to him, since he already knows us down to our kidneys and would know if we loved him or not.

PaintedToeNail

The point was made at the assembly today, that we have to 'prove' our love for Jehovah to him. As I sat there, bored, this thought struck me as odd. Since Jehovah is supposed to be able to read 'hearts', why do we as humans, have to prove anything to him, since he already knows us down to our kidneys and would know if we loved him or not.

Comments would be appreciated.

CJ