otherwise entitled: smoking - a cautionary tale.
i have a gift, a talent for getting myself locked into or out of places.
ever since i was small i have managed to get myself locked in most host's lavatories and unable to quite mistress the ability to unlock the door.. today i surpassed myself.
I am gullible. Hence, I became a JW.
When people appear to be "together," they can often get over on me. Often I can't really tell who is the crazy person until it is too late. My therapist says my radar is bad because of my family. They were so twisted that twisted people seem normal to me.
Every day that I don't fall for something stupid is a miracle. I'm getting better, but I have to reserve judgment on most things for a good bit.
Now don't you all take advantage of me!
SandraC
according to the wbts, common sense is quite uncommon in today's world.
http://www.watchtower.org/e/20050515a/article_01.htm.
they then go on to give 3 simple steps to obtaining it:.
Einstein said, "Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age 18."
My mother, a dub in her declining years, told me that common sense could not be learned. She asserted that she had it and that I didn't and that I had "book sense" only. However, I will point out that my life was no more screwed up than hers, and mine was improving while hers was getting worse.
My observation is that when people start talking a lot about "common sense" and claim that others don't have it, if one looks a little closer, he or she will find that the blabberer, most of the time, is a person who has little in the way of skill, education, knowledge or achievement.
I hope your observations and experiences of those who claim to possess "common sense" are better than my own.
Regards,
SandraC
i remember when 911 happened on the world trade center, a lot of people that were inactive or disfellowshipped starting showing up at the kingdom hall.
there was a lot of gossip about how a few people were confessing to the elders about sins committed inthe past.
it seems as though people were thinking it was armageddon time.
I gather that you are referring to American JW's. People in some parts of the world deal with terrorism and other horrors every day. American JW's were shaken because this tragedy happened on their soil. Most of them are probably re-addicted to their comfy lifestyle now and are again apathetic about the realities of life in places where people don't have it so good.
Regards,
SandraC
the categories are.
1: best overall poster .
2: best supporting poster.
There are no absolute answers, but here is what I came up with from what I recall:
1. Blondie
2. Gopher
3. Leolaia
4. Dagney's post with the recording of his JC meeting
5. R.F. and mentalclearness
I added some categories:
Funniest: Nathan Natas
Kindest: mouthy
weirdest: Isn't it OBVES?
neverdubs: jgnat and MJ
Honorable Mention: everyone else.
Regards and Merry Christmas!
SandraC
although i don't know this as a fact, i suspect that the wts is negotiating some pretty lucrative rebates from these hotels (which of course the rank and file jw pays) because they can guarantee a full house at $xxx per night.
this came from last year's thread about the rooming department km insert, and will almost certainly apply this year.
but, when the watchtower society negotiates with hotels, they are not having difficulties negotiating just for the price that you, the attendee, pay.
Does the WTS still find private homes for JW's to stay in the way they did in the '50's thru '70's? A sister from my old cong stayed in a luxury accommodation in a private home (much nicer than any hotel) in Asheville, NC, found by WTS canvassers.
I would open my home to a JW who came to town for an assembly.
police attack protesters with mace, tazers to keep them out of city hall: .
council to vote on demolishing 5000 affordable homes .
thursday december 19, 2007 .
We do have rights to be racist, sexist, elitist, or anything else. However, we do not have the right to justify violent and anti-social acts because of our views.
As an individual who comes from a background of poverty, I resent having everyone painted with the same brush. A lot of poor people try to be good citizens and improve their prospects. It's not as easy as it sounds regardless of living in a society with opportunity abounding.
Regards,
SandraC
well, towards the end of 2007, my life is really basically very good !
i have a lot to be thankful for, a wonderful wife , great son , a good place to live in the mountains , and great animals on our property , a peaceful life .
just one big void still there in my life , my jw daughters have frozen me out of their lives .
You have your work cut out for you. Results may or may not come, and may come later rather than sooner. Regardless of using Hassan's advice, the best thing you can do is to let your daughters know that you love them whether they are JW's or not, whether they have red hair or blue hair, whether they use a manual toothbrush or a sonic one, etc. You get the point.
Acceptance and patience work wonders, but don't necessarily work fast. Deep down, the young ladies probably know already that you are really the parent they would have to come to if they had a real problem. My daughter did, and that is why she is closer to me than to her JW parent. She is not a JW anymore either.
Best wishes. Don't give up.
Regards,
SandraC
this is the title of a new awake!
magazine.
(jan or feb 2008, not sure which).
The wording does make it seem as if the Bible could be in favor of violence against women. Of course, the Bible (in certain parts) does advocate a lot of violence against a lot of people. But that title is a marketing faux pas, imo2.
How about violence against babies? The WT doesn't seem to have any issues with that. But babies don't have the ability to take to the streets, write a manifesto or otherwise stick up for themselves.
The WT, imo, does advocate violence against women or anyone else who is vulnerable and appears in any way to disagree with their power structure. As they and Rush Limbaugh could tell you, it pays to be on the side of the more powerful and more likely to win.
Regards,
SandraC
i started this as a reaction to the cheetos thread.. had a bag of kettle chips salt & fresh ground pepper hand cooked potato chips.. i thought they were outrageously good!.
.
We have some chips locally called with "Dirty" in the name. These are really good.
Sometimes I make my own chips by thinly slicing Russett potatoes and flash frying them in hot vegetable oil. When I was in Hawaii, I made chips from tarot root. Everyone loved them.
Ever seeking tasty ways to pack on even more pounds,
SandraC
the christian science monitor reported today that 20% of the population in guatemala is converting to pentecostalism.
with a population near 13,000,000,that would mean a membership of 2.6 million people.. how do pentecostals convert so many people?
what are their preaching methods?.
Pentecostals seem to have a special appeal to impoverished and/or oppressed people, IMHO.
In the hills of east Tennessee where I spent my earliest years, both of my grandfathers were country preachers. People were drawn to their churches (shacks in the woods) because of the spirit, evidences of holy spirit, and purity and authenticity of the worshippers. Pentecostals are into self-sacrifice and sincerity of heart, at least the ones I knew. Having a real, authentic experience with the holy spirit was their focus. Yes, it produces loud shouting and strange-looking gyrations, but it's a release from the sorrows of endless labor and want.
Because Pentecostals, for the most part, are true believers, they share their faith with everyone by example if not directly.
Regards,
SandraC
