Sorry

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Posts by Sorry

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  44

  Thoughts on African Americans and Slavery

  by Simon in

  1. social
  2. current

  let's start by saying that slavery is of course a terrible thing, one of the worst crimes imaginable, and that "slavery" rarely implies good treatment, anything noble or defensible.

  nowadays, even god doesn't escape judgement from our enlightened views with passages about slavery in the bible usually glossed over because they are shameful.. but not all slavery was equal.. because of the media, movie industry, racial tensions in the us regularly shown on the news and our taught history, i think most people's knowledge and idea of slavery is that of the north atlantic slave trade where white people took africans to work in cotton fields.

  this idea is probably also re-enforced because the largest group of descendents of slaves we see today are african americans (usually in the us or places they subsequently migrated to).. but it's incomplete.. it's only when you look into it more that you discover that there was much more to the slave trade than that, otherwise it would have been just called "the slave trade" and not "the north atlantic slave trade".. some 12.5 million slaves were taken from africa to the us with just under 11 million surviving the trip so it obviously took a terrible toll immediately, even before any maltreatment once they landed in the americas where conditions and treatment were truly awful.

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  Sorry

  In history lessons I always had two types of teachers: ones who made it seem that slavery only dealt with Africans, and they were quite apologetic for it. Then I had the others who made a point to say that "blacks weren't the only slaves, plenty of white European people were slaves too". I found both methods of approaching the subject problematic for different reasons, but being AA myself, I found myself in a tough spot. I'm not one for promoting skewed data or focusing on one aspect of an issue, but if I were to bring up the fact that other races were enslaved to my peers, I'd be accused of "downplaying" the struggles our ancestors lived through during slavery.

  I think the NAST is focused on so heavily because, like Simon said, the large amount of descendants of African-American slaves. Also because the huge affect it had on our country socially, politically and economically for hundreds of years afterwards, some of which can be seen today.
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  13

  First time back in a KH in 8 months

  by Normalfulla in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  so... one of my employees is a miserable servant and was giving the pt and invited me to come knowing full well i was faded out, i go along cos i respect him and thought why not, i must admit i was a little nervous headed back there (a neighboring hall not my old one) i saw alot of familiar faces and some old friends who were aware of my fade, all so pleased to see me at a meeting again and i can sum up how i felt about the experience like this.. .

  have you ever been to a party and been the only sober person there and are totally aware of the ridiculous things said and going on?

  that's what it felt like except the party would have been more fun of course,... all these good people, drunk off their heads on wt propaganda and false hopes, the irony was the talk was titled "does your life have meaning?".

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  Sorry

  Only sober person at a party? Pretty much me in high school. Majority of my friends were older, and since I was oh so responsible, they usually called me out to be the designated driver. The things that were said and done had me bewildered, but it was also kinda funny.

  At least those parties had me entertained. Being the only "woke" person at the meetings is just...sad, boring and frustrating.
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  46

  Mom died, How and When I found out

  by 3rdgen in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hi friends,.

  it's been awhile since i've been talkative.

  thought i'd give you an account of my latest family dysfunction.. a brief backstory is that i am an only child whose parents were born in jw's.

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  Sorry

  3rdgen, I'm so sorry. I wish I could find you, hug you and prepare you some chocolate chip cookies, cake and warm milk.

  I don't know every detail of your relationship or about your mom, but it sounds like she would've been a nasty person with or without the negative influeneces on the WTBTS (although it probably exacerbated her issues). I can't imagine no matter how demented you are, you'd never resort to flinging feces at your own DAUGHTER.

  I hope your relationship with your own girl improves, I can tell you are twice the mom yours was.

  Hugs, Kisses and Cookies-Sorry.
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  12

  Charitable works are not the foremost consideration of Christians

  by Lostandfound in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  remember that from the sermon outline booklet for field service use.. my question would be, has wt or witnesses performed any charitable works, even as a secondary condition.. i know of none, maybe you do..

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  Sorry

  I asked that very question once (when my family started taking the truth seriously). The Elder just smiled at little me and said "Why, we do the most important, sacred charity work of them all: preaching the good news! Please remind your daddy to turn in his time."

  I have to laugh, looking back at it.
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  5

  Did Anyone Else Have a Non JW Relative That They Celebrated Christmas With?

  by Sorry in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  as strict as my parents are, this was an area i had (still do) leeway with.

  my mother's side of the family are non witnesses, and since we rarely have opportunities to see each other, my parents let me and my siblings see them during christmas break.

  our aunts and uncles spoil us silly with gifts.

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  Sorry

  As strict as my parents are, this was an area I had (still do) leeway with. My mother's side of the family are non Witnesses, and since we rarely have opportunities to see each other, my parents let me and my siblings see them during Christmas break. Our Aunts and Uncles spoil us silly with gifts. At first, our parents would go off about it, but as years have gone by, they've adopted a sort of "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Once we're back by New Year's, they simply ignore our new things. That's why I don't really have much of a chip on my shoulder about Christmas.

  I was just wondering if anyone else gets a lucky break, since it's Christmas. And since I never get to say this: Merry Christmas Everyone!
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  14

  If gossiping was a D.Fing offence how many in your congro would be D.Fed?

  by karter in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there goes at least half the elders wife's alot of the publishers.

  karter.

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  Sorry

  Everyone. The gossip mill at our cong is downright vicious. I always found it ironic that even though the WT made an entire chapter in their books about the dangers of gossip, it's still so rampant. One of my good friends faded years ago, and she told me one of the biggest reasons she left was because the rumors made her and her parents social pariahs. People always say go to a different KH, but all of them to a degree have the same problem.
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  42

  I feel really, really sorry for those born into the Jehovah's Witness religion

  by jambon1 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  some facts that make the difference between you and me:.

  1 - as a person raised by non jw family, my parents have never loved me based on conditions set out by a group of old men who they don't even know.

  how does it feel to know that you are in the unique situation where your parents brought you into the world and said 'i'll show love to you.

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  Sorry

  Yup. When I was little I thought everything was good (even though I never volunteered my religion to anyone, do maybe my subconscious was trying to tell me something). The older I got, the more I realized just how effed up the teachings were. Once I fully explained to a teacher what we believed (paradise Earth, heavenly kingdom in 1914, the generation, why we suffer), she flat out told me that was stupid and everything sounded so cultish. I wish I listened to her and hadn't got so defensive ("we're not a cult!"). She tried to help me realize that not celebrating holidays, not making friends at school, constantly having to study and preach, and being forced to "take a stand" and alienating ourselves was not normal at all.

  Being a witness child is very macabre: Ecclesiastes 7:1 "the day of death is better than the day of birth." You can't celebrate birthdays or make any friends because they'll be dead due to not believing what you believe, and they'll be better off. They're the ones causing the wicked and bad things that happen in this world. And if you dare disagree, you'll share the same fate.

  Very effed up. I made it a personal goal that no matter how much pressure I receive from my family, I'm never raising my potential children in this religion. They deserve a better childhood than me.
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  31

  Welcome to all the Newbies in the last six months

  by smiddy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i think all of us on this forum would like to welcome all the newbies that have joined in the last six months or so ,if i`m not mistaken there seems to be an influx lately.. elders , ms ,and sisters.

  speak up and make a comment , are you happy you came here ?.

  we`d love to here from you.. smiddy.

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  Sorry

  Thanks Smiddy! Hello everyone! I'll just take this chance to formally introduce myself.

  I am 18 and currently baptised. I had my doubts, and my parents told me I should only do it when I'm ready. However, they kept applying pressure on me and asking me why I don't do enough and when am I finally going to take the truth seriously. So, I just decided to get dipped. After a whole year of shoving my thoughts down, I couldn't ignore it any longer and decided to do research. I stumbled across jwfacts.com and the rest is history. After learning TTATT, I began dating a great guy. He's helped me battle my depression and my suicidal thoughts, but he can't do as much as he'd like due to my strict, diehard JW parents.

  I have plans to save money, get a car, and move out. Then move to a different area and start my fade (which wont be easy since my parents will try to get their way in the process). I am currently at university obtaining my bachelor's in Marketing, my area has a huge demand for them (being a JW prepared me for at least one thing in life lol).

  Any questions or comments, just pm me. I love everyone!
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  54

  Survey: Are you Agnostic or Atheist or Christian?

  by Iamallcool in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am agnostic.

  i will count how many agnostics, atheists and christians that are reading this forum regularly.

  please answer my question.

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  Sorry

  At this time I'm my life, I'm agnostic. But I always have my mind open.
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  35

  Question for those that have been Disfellowshiped for apostasy VS succesfully fading

  by NikL in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there are quite a few here who have been disfellowshipped for apostasy.. then there are those that have successfully faded.. why the different outcome?

  are the ones that got df more out spoken?

  or does the discrepancy lie with the elders?.

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  Sorry

  My best friend's uncle started his fade 10 years ago. He just stopped attending meetings all together. The elders were on him for a good year and a half, but he wouldn't even give them an inch. He always made excuses and used the same "If I need anything, you'd be the first one I'd call." Then he claimed he had super long hours at work (which wasn't a lie) and was depressed. After a while,they just gave up. His family doesn't shun him at all, but the rumor mill at the congregation made him a social pariah.