Posts by patio34

if you were a witness for a long time, you probably remember a time when going to the conventions seemed perfectly "normal" to you: it was absolutely "the thing" to sit in a sports arena all day listening to bible talks and counsel from men in suits.. but at some point, did you ever start to feel like you were participating in a cultural relic, so to speak?.

as in, "here it is, the 1990's, and the society is still using fundamentally the same old format they've been using all century long.

patio34

Comment, this is a good thread. It's an interesting point you bring out about never updating their methods.

Seeker, what a concept! Putting the WT and Awake on the net every two weeks. Every newspaper and most magazines do this, so if the WTBS is really wanting to get the message out, why don't they do this??

Wow!

Pat

10

Right to "Sow the Seeds of Doubt"?

by JanH in

jw
friends

from time to time exjws may face the question of whether they should do anything to cause doubts in the minds of their jw family or friends.

many argue that these people are happier where they are, inside the organization, and that becoming an "apostate" would cause too many problems to them.

in other words, perhaps "ignorance is bliss.".

patio34

Thanks JanH,

That was a helpful article I'm printing out for future reference in regards to my two jw sons.

What the author said about appearing to be happy because it's 'ordered' by the Bible was true in my case.

I always enjoy your posts.

Pat

12

A funny thing happened at the book store

by OrangeBlossom in

jw
friends

i recently ordered another copy of "in search of christian freedom" as i got rid of my first one (long story) and since it had been a couple of years since i read it, i decided to get another one.. since i live in a fairly small town, i decided to give a fake name, in case someone worked at the book store that might be a jw.

it was saturday morning (a time when all good little jw's should be in field service) so i felt it safe to go pick up my book.

i walk into the store and headed for the counter but was stopped in my tracks by an elder and his family.

patio34

Hi OrangeBlossom,

The world is full of irony, huh?

Recently, I had just attended my first birthday party at work and towards the end of the day, who stops by my desk AT WORK but an elder and brother headed off to Bethel. They didn't work there, but were hired on contract to do some electrical work!

Was I amazed--and glad the birthday party was over . . .

I also had on my desk a book about self-euthanasia (just out of curiousity). But they didn't see it.

Within a 24-hr period, I ran into SIX jws. Man!

Pat

47

The Tale of the Five Army Officers

by waiting in

jw
friends

the tale of the five officers (2000) .

when ms. k. was slowly raped and murdered by a common thug over the.

course of 1 hour and 55 minutes, in plain sight of five fully-armed.

patio34

Waiting,

Thanks for posting that eloquent teaching fable. It says a lot.

JanH,

Very good and instructive.

One last thought--and I don't mean to be light about this--but maybe it's because the woman didn't scream. And, if she had survived the experience she would have been disfellowshipped.

What a twisted system!

Pat

23

Convention is over! (sigh of relief)

by biblexaminer in

jw
friends

what made me the most ill at the district convention.

the public talk had to be it.

although the drama was a close second.

patio34

Francoise,

I think you're right, they would just form a new group. Isn't that what the so-called Russelites did when Rutherford pulled the coup?

As far as how people feel, at least some of them will feel as I did--that finally there's a good reason to stop (the madness!). I felt full of doubts and disbelief for years, but felt i was wrong. Then when I was convinced it was in fact wrong, i was greatly relieved to get off that merry-go-round!

Pat

8

Latest News You WON'T See in Awake!

by RationalWitness in

jw
friends

among the headlines on yahoo!

this afternoon:.

crime survey shows largest drop ever in 2000.

patio34

RW,

Thanks for the info. I thought the same thing when I saw it today--that'll never get into the WT! They are so selective in their choice of news. It is such a dishonest practice. But i know the jws (the thinking ones) notice this too. I used to notice it quite a bit.

Pat

19

Life without Religion

by edwkey in

jw
friends

like many of you i dedicated many years of my life searching for the "true" faith or religion.. after researching and considering religion i came to the conclusion that there is not such.

i decided to worship god in my own temple.

i hope you find yours.. the force be with you all !!!

patio34

Hi Edwkey,

Wonderful picture and subject line. Welcome!

Pat

36

I Find it all interesting!

by glode in

jw
friends

before i startm let mejust apologizein advance ifmy spacekey doesnt work properly!

!damn keyboard!

anyways, i have been lookingthru theposts here for several weeks, i findmany of theopinions well thought out.

patio34

Hi Glode,

I hope you enjoy your time here at the board. You are sure getting a lot to think about on this one thread!

Marilyn,
Nice to meet you too. Your comment about how jws don't appreciate all the pain df'g causes and assume that the df'd ones had all sinned. That woke me up to how I used to be for the 28 years in the WTBS--and how it's endoctrinated into us. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, it's obvious how wrong it was.

I have left for intellectual reasons as have most of the folks here. Hardly an 'apostate' or more correctly, a heretic.

I really enjoy your posts.

Pat