i have been on this site many times and i didn't decide to post anything until this past weekend.
(july 18,19,&20) i wanted to share with all of you what happened this weekend.. i was my little sister's wedding.
the one who ran away from home at age 16 and the judge gave me custody.
Welcome Laylaluv!!! What a strong person you are - remarkable!!
I told her that God was love and I didn't need three elders telling me I was forgiven for my sins. I also told her that if I needed three elders to tell me I was forgiven, then Jesus should have never sacrificed his life for our sins.
I am using this in a letter if you don't mind - so simple & yet so powerful a statement!
i have noticed that when the ladies post pictures of "hunks" these guys have no body hair.
when i was a gymnast many of the guys would cut their hair real short and shave their chests and stomachs and oil them to get a better, more defined look.
i always thought chest hair was "manly" so i never did it.
I vote for body hair - as long as it isn't "excessive"!
But, a man with smooth skin also "feels" more sensation when being - well whatever.
Whatever floats your boat - my only requirement is that I'm in love
would you agree?
or do you think that statement is just an "emotional outcry" by some unbalanced apostate?
and even if it was an emotional outcry, does that mean its wrong?.
You make many an excellent point Brummie - but this could be said of many religions.
In fact, how many wars have been fought over religion? How many millions have died during the Catholic Inquisition (?)? How many religions still don't allow ANY medical intervention - but base all their hopes on God's intervention? How many countries STILL persecute, torture & murder based on "religion"?
Religion as an entirety is responsible for loss of countless numbers of lives. The JW's, although they have unusual means of doing it, are definitely no less blood guilty. But really, in the broader scheme of things, its hard to find them "more" guilty (at least imho).
But, I have to say, put the way you did, I'd have no problem putting the entire lot on trial. But, here in the good ole U.S.A., they have a right to believe as they choose.
has anyone noticed that jws who appear to be higher up on the 'socio-economic' ladder get special treatment at the kh?
no matter how many khs i've visited, i've noticed that jws who are not well off socially/financially/physically are treated with less respect/dignity than those with a business of their own, or just a higher quality of life.
i've been to many 'gatherings' where jws filter themselves out according to race or socio-economic standing.
I can attest to this as well. When we moved to an VERY affluent area (we moved in with grandma to help take care of her - her house was over 100 years old - and then these "mansions" sprang up around us).
Anyways, we were dirt poor. My mother had 4 children at the time (2 more to come later) and an unbelieving mate. We were shunned pretty much from day one. Not a single elder or elder's wife took interest in my mother, even when she worked SOOOOO damn hard to be as good a witness as she could - ALWAYS out in service, ALWAYS attending all the meetings. Wasn't good enough. At the time, a couple of the elder's wives like to arrange "get togethers" for all the JW children - our family was NEVER invited. I did befriend a couple of elder daughters eventually, and they would allow me to tag along with them even though I wasn't invited. Oh how wonderful those experiences were!!! But, the way the adults treated our family - it just further instilled a sense of unworthiness in me, a feeling that was so deeply ingrained that I grapple today. In fact, even after I had begun auxiliary pioneering at 15, one of the most snobbish elder wife actually told my friends that she thought I was spiritually "weak", and they should avoid associating with me (and here I was counseling at least 1 of them who was heading down a wrong path). Still makes me sad when I think about it.
It is human nature for sure - but you are right - in God's "true" organization, this behavior would be hardly noticeable - just another indicator of a false religion.
i was just talking to my niece the other day - she's the daughter to my jw sister.
she was telling me about what she believes.
she got talking about birthdays etc, so i told her my point of view.
P.S. If it helps him any, tell him there are ex-elders here, ex-bethelites, ex-pioneers and we even have alot of resources in an ex-governing body member. That might make him understand that we aren't all "demonized" by Satan's world. And tell him that a very high percentage here never turned their back on God - just on false religion.
i was just talking to my niece the other day - she's the daughter to my jw sister.
she was telling me about what she believes.
she got talking about birthdays etc, so i told her my point of view.
Be Wise
I would strongly suggest your brother also come aboard here, and get a fresh perspective on this entire situation. His depression is well founded - we've all been there. I don't know how long he has been disfellowshipped - but it sounds as if he has never come to peace with his decision. Sometimes (such as in my case - 16 years of living with my own doubts & guilt after being df'd) - information is all it takes to take a fresh look at life, realize that one has been involved with a CULT (yes cult) - and be able to take a more "objective" look at their own spirituality. When they find they put their entire heart & soul into something that was WRONG - it gives them a chance to release their pain and guilt. I had a VERY similar conversation with my own brother. He had been out of the "troof" for 4 years longer than I, but he had never come to grips with it, just figured he wasn't good enough and lived with his own self-loathing for 2 decades. When I was finally able to show him all the "truth about the truth" - he says for the first time in 20+ years, he was able to fall to sleep without feeling a sense of sadness & panic so to speak - afraid he would wake up to Armaggedon.
The questions he must have - questions that he was too scared probably to ask "of the world" - and demons he must have endured while struggling with all of this alone - tell him there are MANY who have walked this path. There is an end to his torment, if he wishes to find the way.
It sounds as if you as well are beginning what can be a very painful time. Counseling is an extremely valuable tool, and you would be wise to utilize this source. If you can, try to find one that specializes in "cults" - because although you may not find JW's one, they are definitely a "high control group" that keeps its members in line by guilt & fear.
(((Be Wise))) - you just keep on posting - and get your brother's butt over here - tell him we are here to help!
i haven't posted in a long time, but i did say i'd pop in every once in a while if i had something of significance to say.
well i thought this was significant enough to share.. a few weeks ago in a moment of altruism i had my hair tested for the "locks of love" program, which is a hair donation program for chemotherapy patients who have lost their hair.
today i received a letter stating that my hair meets all the requirements for donation.
At first I was gonna say
NOOOOOOOOOOO
But then I saw why - what a great guy you are!
norwegians 'are the dirty men and women of europe'
norway is home to some of europe's dirtiest people, according to a survey.. the study found seven per cent of people in norway changed their underwear only once a week.. the survey, conducted by ac nielsen for norwegian underwear maker dovre, asked 1,000 norwegians between the ages of 20 and 60 how often their changed their underwear.. some people admitted to changing them even less often than once a week.
more than a third said they wore the same underwear for two days or more, aftenposten reported.. people between 41 and 50 were the least likely to change their underwear regularly, while people with partners were found to change their underwear less often than single people.. the survey showed 11% of norwegians change their underwear two to three times a week, 18% change four to six times a week and 58% change daily
Well, I have to point out, Norway is still considered the best place to live in the entire world.
Perhaps since they also have the largest percentage of smokers - just perhaps they don't mind the not changing of the underwear!
my questions are (besides the obvious): who is going to take the rap eventually for these heretofore unsolved florida murders?
whose innocent lives may yet rot in jail while this now baptized perpetrator goes free to share in field service and attend meetings?
whose victims' families are hoping in vain that this baptized felon gets caught while he is being shielded from "secular" prosecution?
Sorry reporter - my eyesight hasn't been so good as of late - didn't see that sentence - so my theory holds correct.
This still does not invalidate the clergy confidentiality situation however.
But it is sad that they gave no recommendation to strongly encourage this man to turn himself in & give "Ceasers things to Ceaser" - I can't believe this.
And that they are more worried about him smoking dope after being baptized - unbelievable.
My sincerest apologies Reporter.
(i did put this post on the other thread, but it is so far back on the thread i thought i would post it on it's own, too.
i showed page 170 and 171 of this book to a therapist i know to get her opinion.
i did not ask if i could quote her on the internet, so i will not give her name.
Perhaps someone should make sure the WBTS is made aware of this inappropriate material, and how it might damage a child?
The more I thought about this material, the angrier I got. I remember how it felt - the guilt, the shame, the self-abhorrence....for them not to mention even 1x that its NOT the childs fault is disgusting, then to go so far to imply that it might make them do immoral things is just over the top.
