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Welcome! Haven't read your book, but it is on the to do list.
To upload a picture. What you need to do is upload it to a picture sharing website ... such as flickr.com or photobucket.com ... and then provide the image link with the insert/edit image icon above the box you use to enter your text. It is just below the "Font family" box.
this is the exchange of text messages i had with my super spiritual brother.
it is sad... it is pathetic... it has helped me realize that i have no connection to these people anymore.
i feel free today.
@confusedandalone .... here is a strange suggestion .... arrange your own judicial meeting .... invite the elder from the liquor store, the elder that asked you to hire the laid off bethelite and the laid off bethelite who I think you said was also serving as an elder. :) force their hand
this is the exchange of text messages i had with my super spiritual brother.
it is sad... it is pathetic... it has helped me realize that i have no connection to these people anymore.
i feel free today.
confusedandalone ... if $10k is not a burden to you, why not give it to him, let him know it is a gift, not from Jehovah, but from their son. Make sure they get rid of credit cards and that you can't bail them out again because of bad financial decisions on their part. If it is something that is possible for you, it will be good for you, leave no bad feelings expecting part of their meager social security every month, and will reap fiery coals on your brother and parents. If they insist it is Jehovah that is using you, so what, you know better.
he/she had no problem talking to adam and eve ,though they were sinners in his/her sight .throughout the hebrew sriptures, ot, he /she had no problem communicating with fallen man ,imperfect humans , to dictate his will to his subjects by means of prophets , male and female ,according to the bible , the old testament ,the hebrew scriptures , god communicated not once ,not twice ,not even thrice ,but dozens of times during the first 4000 years of human history according to the bible.. why has this god been so silent these past 2000 years ,when their have been atrocities above the scale of anything that has ever been seen these past 6000 years of human existence .. oh you may say that the atrocities were not committed by god they were committed by man.
fair enough .but god intervened in human affairs in such smaller infringements.
with prophets or so the bible says.. the so called apostacy after the last of the apostles , the influence of satan in the world ,( or was that after 1914 ,) and the 2000 year gap when christ was supposed to return ,never mind about all the crap that went before it .. the fact remains we have never heard from god ,any god, or even" a " god, with either his/her approval or disapproval of events good or bad these past 2000 years... smiddy.
Jesus was willing to give a doubting Thomas physical proof, why should it be any different for those who struggle with faith today?
Sure, in John 20:29 Jesus says "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed", still, Thomas required physical proof and he wasn't cast away as faithless, he was given proof.
trieste, italy - icsa conference - july 6, 2013. both roberto di stefano and steve hassan were speakers at the conference.
you can see the hassan interview on his website.
here's the link:http://freedomofmind.com/media/video.php?id=59.
Thanks Barbara!
Great video.
does anyone have a good scan of the latest edition of "shining as illuminators in the world"?
(2004 or later).
This was from a link provided by user Yknot two years ago, it still works.
we all remember this passage vividly: from there elisha went up to bethel.
while he was on his way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him.
"go up baldhead," they shouted, "go up baldhead!
When it comes to getting the accurate understanding of the Old Testament, I now look to the wisdom of a Jew.
no mention of them being mentally diseased or using "lies" to deceive god's people, just that they are out to attract followers for themselves!.
p.s.
i was cringing at the thought of sitting for 3 1/2 hours for the afternoon session but fortunately my one kid got sick!!
More evidence that the Organization is nothing but full of stale hot air, reactionary and defensive, no trail blazing truths.
having this spiritual division between my wife and i over the years has been very draining in many ways.
so much so that i find myself more and more hating everything having to do with the wtbts especially when i just see watchtower literature.
i've kind of always felt that way but it's getting worst.
Focus on your 12 and 15 year old. Make sure you are building in them the tools to counteract the behind your back indoctrination that your older son has been drawn in with. Make non-witness life fun for them. Teach them realities of life because the JW is empasizing everything that is bad or going wrong and using JW teaching as the only thing good and the only solution.
You need some help to switch yourself to positive thoughts and actions, you have been on the down side for a few years now about all of this. It's no doubt taking a toll on you and if your kids see this, only feeds into the JW indoctrination that dad needs "The Truth".
Have you tried approaching your wife with interest in her religion? Have her explain things to you. See if you can get her to research things that you don't understand. You of course have to be able to do this in a way that is genuine and doesn't attack. Have you read Hassan's books yet? If not, and you are serious about not being the victim of Watchtower abuses, you need to get it and educate yourself on how to counteract the cult influence. It isn't an overnight process, it is in most cases a long process requiring patience.
You don't really need the first book by Hassan, in my opinion, although very helpful, it would probably do your wife more good because it shows the similarities between Hassan's experience and how JW's work without ever mentioning JW's.
His second book, recently updated, is more about helping those who are in cult-like groups.
Take control. Learn how to get on the offense in this situation. Your family is worth saving I'm sure.
no mention of them being mentally diseased or using "lies" to deceive god's people, just that they are out to attract followers for themselves!.
p.s.
i was cringing at the thought of sitting for 3 1/2 hours for the afternoon session but fortunately my one kid got sick!!
Was the convention in the U.S.?
If so, and they did send out new manuscripts, I wonder what goes through the speakers mind with the last minute changes.
