the lower requirements of the wt has been brought up from time to time.
i thought i would summarize the ones i know of.
1. conventions used to be one week and go from early morning til late at night.
I'm sorry, but these folks who are so wrapped up in their working their way to salvation need to "Buy a dog, Name it "Life" and then they'll have them."
I remember when they changed to the "no smoke break" Sunday meeting. Sheesh, it was almost unbearable. They also used to have a prayer between the meetings instead of just a song.
Anyway, there ya go.
CoonDawg
where are you guys!.
noidea and myself are having a small apostafest and we're trying to get ahold of some of our old ex-j.w.
friends!.
Tink...Noi didn't tell me who you were. She said she has some family down in Smyrna. That's where I would be attending, were I going to KH. I'm a trucker and CoonDawg is my CB handle, so I just figured that for continuity's sake, I'd just keep with it. I do lurk at a JW site, but I use a different handle so I won't get reported on. I am technically still in "good standing" and my wife still goes to the KH sometimes, but she doesn't hassle me about not going. I think it would be cool to meet some others. I have met one couple from Tim Campbell's board, but they are the only other Ex-dubs i've met in person.
Anyhow...when you get a particular date/time...I'll see what I can do. I work Tues-Sat...so I kind of have to work around that.
My email and msn is on my profile. I'd look forward to hearing further from you.
CoonDawg
where are you guys!.
noidea and myself are having a small apostafest and we're trying to get ahold of some of our old ex-j.w.
friends!.
When & where you thinking of having this? I'm in the area and spoke to noidea last night about it.
I'm interested in the details.
CoonDawg
i have another question re a bible topic.
i know some of you don't believe what it says, but just to get your opinion would be helpful.. ok, so in genisis.....the angels see the beautiful women of earth and get hot under the collar and proceed to come down and have sexual relations with these women.. now, some time before this happened, two silly individuals in their naivity, listen to a dumbarse snake and to tell you the truth if i was a new human and a snake spoke to me, i'd take pretty much what he says as gospel....cos that just doesn't happen.....or i'd be having a psychotic episode.
so they go and disobey god and what do they get for punishment....kicked out of home and left to fend for themselves without food, shelter, health, happiness or they father's love...all for disobeying him over a silly apple (i know this is to do with the 'sovereignty' issue, why he needs to prove himself i'll never know).
Robert Heinlein, in a work of fiction, proposed an answer to your question. He posed that possibly God is all powerfull to us, yet perhaps he is subject to someone yet far superior to him. Possibly this is some kind of sick sadistic experiment set up for humans to fail merely for the amusement of a power freak. Yes, blasphemous as it sounds...anything is possible.
Just some random thoughts...
CoonDawg
P.S. It was "Job, A Comedy of Justice" a real read! One of my fave's.
.
in another thread i posted the following thought, but i wanted to post this for everyone to see and give their input.. the argument that 'truth' never changes holds no water.
according to random house webster's dictionary, 'truth' is defined as follows,"conformity with fact or reality".. the word 'conform' is defined as,"to bring into agreement".. if 'truth' never changes, then how can something taught in science that is considered to be 'exact', later be corrected by 'conforming with fact or reality so as to bring into agreement'?
1 a
archaic
: FIDELITY, CONSTANCY
b
: sincerity in action, character, and utterance
2 a (1) : the state of being the case : FACT (2) : the body of real things, events, and facts : ACTUALITY (3) often capitalized
: a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality b
: a judgment, proposition, or idea that is true or accepted as true <truths of thermodynamics> c
: the body of true statements and propositions
3 a
: the property (as of a statement) of being in accord with fact or reality b
chiefly British
: TRUE 2 c
: fidelity to an original or to a standard
4
capitalized, Christian Science
: GOD
- in truth
: in accordance with fact : ACTUALLY
I think that whatever definition you want to pick...this is from Webster's ...would seem to put down the idea of truth changing. Truth in and of itself is supposed to be constant. Even the Dubs profess this to be so, they claim that it's only the finer procedural points upon which new light is constantly being shed.
Anyhow, just some random thoughts...
CoonDawg
i always hear at least two stories a year about someone i know who's left the "truth" goes back despite the trauma surrounding their departure.
this morning i heard yet another story.
a few years ago and elder's wife in my former uk congregation abruptly left the organization, surprising everyone and getting a big df in the process.
Okay, I'm going to answer a question with a question...Why do victims of abuse go back to their abusive relationships? Just because a relationship isn't a healthy one does not necesarily mean that one doesn't strive to be back in the embrace of those who would beat them down.
Most who are attracted to such organizations have something missing in their lives, those who separate from this organization and stay away, usually find a new way to fill this void. Those who can't find an alternative wind up striving to be back in the fold, until the next time, when perhaps they may be more successfull at finding an alternative.
Just some random thoughts...
CoonDawg
.
eerily satisfying.... http://www.urban75.com/mag/bubble.html
"Ticking away...the moments that make up a dull day
Pissing away the hours in an off hand way" Floyd...
that's what that link reminded me of. LOL
Ernie
what song do you put on when you're sad?
is there a certain song that never fails to tear you up and why?.
what do you listen to when you're in a good mood?
When I'm feeling down, I have to have some old time twang.
I love some old Hank Williams or Merle Haggard.
Tim McGraw's song "I Don't Know Why They Say Grown Men Don't Cry" always has this burly guy misty eyed.
the part where he's putting his little girl to bed and she says "Daddy, I haven't had my story yet"
it always gets me because i miss my daughter and think of that special bond between dad & daughter.
For feel good songs...I love my old truckin' songs...old Red Sovine, and Jay Dudley, Jerry Reed. Those get me goin' good.
For my rebel mood, it's hard to beat Limp Bizkit's "Break Stuff" or anything from Kid Rock.
Ernie
i know i'll get a lot of flack from this,but witnesses are good folks.and your average witness is concerned about you,non-witness.i've been there and i almost became one.my ex did become one.
it's not what they are taught by the watchtower,it's how one is taught.if one was what a witness was taught there wouldn't be any witnesses.it's how one is taught.most of the witnesses always told me,if you have any questions there's a book by the society that will answer your question.
(s)the watchtower is persistent.well so was i.the more books i read that the watchtower wrote,the more questions i had.and i,always,made sure i stayed on the topic.they never did.they always avoided my questions.and they are real good at that.
I subscribe to what my wife (a semi-active JW) says...Religion is an elitist concept. I have met a few Good people who are JW's over the course of my life. But, I think that, by and large, many are manipulated into being untrue to themselves. Many times, those attracted are those that are looking for some kind of fulfillment because they are not happy with themselves.
My mother asked me to judge a religion on "if everyone were believing the same way as (insert organization name) what would the world be like?" I told her that she wasn't scoring any points with me on that line of reasoning. Just like anywhere else, there will be the little dictators and power hungry ones, there will be theives, adulterers, etc. etc. My wife even has a problem with when the society pretty much comes out and says that they and their members are "better" than everyone else. I have a news flash for all of them...those elders put their pants on one leg at a time, just like everyone else.
Just a few random thoughts...
Ernie
i know i asked this absolutely yonks back, then by the name of celtic, but with so many newcomers here i thought no harm but to ask once again.. how many artists do we have here or working in art related fields including film, music, theatre, environment, gardening, sculpture, graphic design, illustration, fine art, photograpy etc etc?.
what hobbies do you have?
how do you see your future artistic horizons opening up?
My penchant is Photography. I dabble in amateur photograph and take every opportunity to photograph unusual and interesting things. I find it liberating to explore this as an artistic outlet.
