So sorry about your missing family member. I know it must be very difficult to deal with, never knowing where they are at and if they are safe or even alive. My condolences to you and your family.
PHG
i am at such a loss for words, i have stared at this screen for about an hour not knowing how to address this.
i feel for the family of this young woman and any way you slice it, closure or no closure, it is the same.
i will however say that the said missing person had just went through a disfellowshipping and divorce, and there was a dispute over property.
So sorry about your missing family member. I know it must be very difficult to deal with, never knowing where they are at and if they are safe or even alive. My condolences to you and your family.
PHG
should i try to dissuade my daughter from being baptized?
she doesn't seem to be in hurry.
all her " friends " are already baptized, some since early childhood which is ridiculous in my opinion.
I agree with the others, I would discourge her from getting baptized. The examples of how old you need to be to make a commitment to marriage and the age Jesus was when he was baptized are both good examples to use when discussing it with her. I was baptized at the age of 11, I wish someone would have talked me out of it. I never allowed my two children to be baptized even thought I took a lot of flack for it from other sisters. I never lost them when I decided to leave the borg.
PHG
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Randy, what kind of hospital were you at? At our hospital we do not dispense ativan that liberally nor do we confine you to your bed. We encourage our patients to walk in the hall and we ask about what type of diet or food that they want to eat. We always ask patients if there is anything that may impact their care such as you not being able to tolerate wheat products. We also do not stay in our patient's rooms 24/7. We orient our patients to the room and how to get an outside telephone line. I am sorry you had such a horrible experience at the hospital. I cannot imagine anyone being treated like that. You should conplain to the Hospital Administrator. Our hospital contacts patients after they leave the hospital to get their opinion of their care. I am glad you are better now.Like you, I don't like taking drugs because they have too may side effects. I also agree that each person know their own bodies and what they can tolerate. I hope you continue to heal.
PHG
in the 10/15 watchtower study edition on pg.
12 is the article " what kind of spirit do you show ?
" right away this article starts drawing the line of demarcation in the sand between who has the right to make decisions within jehovah's witnesses and who does not have the right to do so.
Hey, Elephant, I quoted a scripture, Rev 1:16 re: "He had seven stars in his right hand." How in the HELL does the WTS get that these stars represent the Elders? There if no evidence to support that assertion. I used to hear from householders that JWs just pulled scripture out of the Bible and applied it without any evidece of it's application to the point being made. I didn't believe them when they said that. Now I see they were correct. What's your answer to that question?
in the 10/15 watchtower study edition on pg.
12 is the article " what kind of spirit do you show ?
" right away this article starts drawing the line of demarcation in the sand between who has the right to make decisions within jehovah's witnesses and who does not have the right to do so.
Flipper, great analysis of the article. I also noticed how, on page 14, p. 8 they assert that "Jesus is pictured in the Bible as having 'in his right hand seven stars.' The 'stars' represent the anointed overseers and, by extension, all the overseerers in the congregations. Jesus can direct the 'stars' in his hand in any way he feels appropriate." So again it is "wait on Jehovah/Jesus." And all this is asserted without any proof. What proof is there that these "stars" represent these elders? There in no indication in Rev. that this is the case. They just say something and the sheep, r/f , are required to accept what they say. They are so arrogant and self-serving that it is sickening. Talk about total control! Don't presume to demand justice or accountably from the Elders. Just take your punishment, reproof and keep your mouth shut! Thanks for pointing out the article for us.
okay, i don't know lots of people that were df'd, but of all the times i've encountered df people when i was a dub, they actually blanked me!
it was always something that i had fixed in my mind that the jws had dead wrong, even when i was an uber dub.
i remember several times when i used to arrive late at meetings, and i'd make a point of getting eye contact with the poor dub at the back sitting on the naughty step.
I never shunned df'd ones. I admit, I never went out of my way to acknowledge them. When my jw uncle died and my uber jw sister shunned our younger brother,who had come to the funeral, we got into an argument about it. My jw sister has always been so arroggant and self-righteous. I just could not ever shun my brother, even if I had gotten into trouble about. Shunning is just so heartless.
in my immediate family only my dad was never a jw.
my brother was the first to leave when he was 15, i left some twenty years later.
my mum always was and still is the hardcore jw 'hub' of the family and she also brought in her sister and nephew.. now here's the thing.
I hate to say it, but the best thing to do, if your cousins don't want to hear anything against JWs, is to let it go. You will be the one blamed for the break-up of the family if something happens. As long as you can stay out of the borg without being df'd, I say do it. I have always liked the saying "Discretion is the better part of valor." If they bring things up, you can comment or have your say but believe me, being ostracized from the family is not fun. In the end, you must do what you can live with, just remember there are consequences to being blunt about your beliefs. You, apparently love them and want to be able to continue your relationship with them, so be careful of rocking the boat so much you are thrown overboard.
PHG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhhsyyvi-5k.
i can't embed this but just copy and paste into the browser..
Enjoyed the video. I guess the WTS is viewing those of us who have left the borg as "otherness," not part of them so we don't count. I know my jw cousin told a family relative that " I was not family, that I was nothing," even though we are first cousins. I guess at least I am considered "otherness" by my family.
PHG
i've been giving some thought recently to what's going on in the minds of the individual governing body members, and what makes them tick.
the process of listening to their talks for my "getting to know you" youtube video series, though draining, has been very enlightening.
i now feel i know some of their individual personalities a little better than i did previously.. then there has been the tumultuous events of 2012. it's been interesting to note the way the governing body has responded to some of these issues, and how in most cases their responses have been woefully inadequate or even counter-productive as regards their long-term interests.. for example:.
DON"T underestimate the wtower's capacity of influence and tactics ...don't understimate the 'oath' that MANY have made to keep this entity stable at any cost...so that its piece of this world's puzzle is well in place...
Elephant, if the GB is the FDS "whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season...[and whose lord has] set him over all that he has" (Matt 24:45,47,The World English Bible) why would they have to resort to "influence and tactics" to keep the "household" in check, would the household not stay loyal without the use of "tactics" seeing that the FDS would be looking out for their interests and keeping them fed?
As a JW, I don't recall taking an "oath.. to keep this entity stable at any cost." Plus, if they have been appointed to that position by Jesus, is it not the responsibility of Jesus to "keep this entity stable at any cost" and not that of the "household" (whomever they may now be)?" Your comments don't hold water or make any sense to.
PHG
i've never written on this site.
i've been inactive for about 6 years and glad i'm out.. i'm in my late 40's.
so about 2 years ago, i go on facebook and looked up this brother i use to like when i was in my 20's he was a bethelite.
Welcome to JWN, JetSetter. I agree with others that you should cut your losses and run. The drugs he's on may change his personality and that's not safe for you.
Take care of yourself.
PHG