Posts by acsot

29

Do You Still Not Do Things That A JW Wouldn't Do?

by minimus in

jw
friends

will you now say when someone sneezes ," bless you!!!"?

or do you feel weird about it?

would you give blood or be uncomfortable, still?

acsot

Teenyuck said: I have used the terms "Borg" and "dubs" with my mother...without even realizing it. I told her she is deaf and/or misunderstood me.

That's hysterical! I'm still officially 'in' but have almost said the same things, particularly when someone is being particularly borg-like as in "it's true because the Society says it's true and if the Society says it's true then it is".

I've had no problem wishing people Happy Birthday or Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukah < sp ? >, in spite of still being exposed to the borg mind-set. It's my way of trying to connect with people after so many years of keeping them at arm's length. And I will raise my glass in a toast, for the same reason.

I gave out candy to the neighbourhood kids at Hallowe'en, again because it was for kids and they were all so cute in their funny home-made costumes (I live in a rather poor neighbourhood).

Don't vote, don't even know how to go about it, getting registered and all that. It's not a priority now but when I know I eventually will vote, maybe even get involved in an election campaign.

I've been giving to charities for years, notwithstanding being a dub, so that hasn't changed.

I'm nervous about spiritism, Ouija boards, Tarot readings, etc. But love reading about Taoism, Buddhism, etc.

And all of the above within about seven months. I guess I was emotionally and mentally ready to leave years ago!

34

Ozzie's Weekend Poll #40

by ozziepost in

jw
friends

we're 40 today!

to mark the occasion, we have a "special request" topic for this weekend's poll.

it comes from onacruse.

acsot

Shutterbug's reply is similar to mine:

My son say the best thing to do is act as if you are possesed !! Bug

I'd pretend I was high on some meds and start babbling, if possibly a bit of drool down one side of my mouth, blink several times like I'm trying to focus on the elders standing there and go on about "I dreamt you were coming! men of lawlessness! Smurfs - smurfs in suits! You can't fool me! please Jehovah make the demons go away! Everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved - get behind me Satan! help! nurse!!!"

102

JW Urban Legends

by Azalo in

jw
friends

did any of you hear any of the urban legends that jw's used to scare people into being deathly afraid of demons?

for example i remeber hearing that a child brough a smurf doll to a meeting and upon hearing the name jehovah uttered it got up and walked out.

got any j-dub urban legends?

acsot

I must live in the middle of Urgan Legend-land. I've heard several Smurf stories (i.e. a JW's kid wakes up during the night to see his Smurf toys dancing around in his room); also about there being blood in ice cream, the story about the sister in service with her "angelic bodyguards" , the dog named Jehovah, and about never ever ever buying anything second-hand because you just never know if the objects are demonized.

In my home town there was a Bible study supposedly suffering from demon possession . I saw one thing happen to her but now I'm not sure if she was suffering from manic-depression or mental illness or something, but man! What stories ran rampant in our hall! It was a small town, not many publishers, so a ripe breeding ground for myths and exaggerations of all types.

Apparently this woman's vacuum cleaner "spoke to her" when she put it out in the garbage; some furniture she had received from her uncle who was a spirit medium wouldn't burn until prayed over by the "super-righteous very-zealous" pioneer couple who studied with her, etc. etc. etc. Every week there were new stories. New attacks by the demons. It was getting down right boring having all those naughty demons around. I mean, the pioneer sister couldn't talk about anything else - ever! They studied with this poor soul for a year and yes, the woman became a dub. A YEAR we had to endure demon talk.

The woman ended up selling her house (!) because the demons were everywhere in it (her whole family was into Ouija boards, reading tea leaves, etc.), and since much of her stuff was given to her by her family members, the pioneer couple, after duly praying about the matter, decided that it was best for her to make a clean break. She ended up in a small apartment, but happy, happy, happy to be serving Jehovah, who smote all those demons and freed her from such enslavement .

20

Spritual Emptyness

by JH in

jw
friends

.

now that you don't practise any kind of religion anymore, do you feel a certain emptyness as far as your spirituality is concerned?.

have we become like animals, without any spirituality?.

acsot

Introspection:

there was a priest praying inside - total silence. This freaked me out, because I had this same mindset of spirituality having to be something full - being an experience junkie you might say. But really, I think this is what the bible calls peace beyond understanding, or 'peace of God that excels all thought' if you go by the NWT

you hit the nail on the head! It now amazes me how the WTS interpretation of spirituality is exactly the opposite of spirituality - what they view as spiritual is actually material of use only if you can see it or touch it (placing books, attending meetings, writing numbers on slips of paper). The "peace of God" that excels all thought" certainly can't be reduced to such tangible, "earthly" things which of course do not indicate any type of spirituality at all. It was another one of those aspects of being a JW that created a great deal of cognitive dissonance.

Finding that place of peace is a challenge when you've had it hammered into your head that it's all about activity and things and meeting quotas, etc. I think that if we can work towards that place of peace, the emptiness transforms itself into real spirituality.

13

How JW's Spend Their Time

by jgnat in

march 9 wt study,

remain in my word page 8, february 1, 2003 watchtower, can you be happy and secure in your work?

(direct wt quotes in red.

acsot

Sigh... well I guess I'll get back on topic (although I did check out that overwintering geraniums link jgnat - thanks!).

I remember when I first took a university class at night, smugly thinking to myself that this would be easy, I mean, didn't the WTS always tells us that we already had the equivalent of a university education just by reading those silly magazines? Well, just imagine my surprise (heavy sarcasm voice) when all these 20-somethings were talking about this reference work and that web-site and on and on and on and I'm going "Oh my God! What the h&ll are they talking about?" Let me tell you, those little Awake articles are pretty vacuous compared with even entry-level university students' papers.

(sphere: yeah, last year I had so many green tomatoes I couldn't give them away, there are still bags of the frozen things in my freezer. I'm so sick of tomatoes I couldn't look at another plant - in my garden - for a long while still.)

13

How JW's Spend Their Time

by jgnat in

march 9 wt study,

remain in my word page 8, february 1, 2003 watchtower, can you be happy and secure in your work?

(direct wt quotes in red.

acsot

jgnat: sorry but this is another gardening post! Your back yard looks like mine! I mean the fence, the width of the plot, and of course, now, the g&&damn snow! Thanks for the link re the geraniums. You can e-mail me at [email protected]. When I figure out how to use my scanner I'll post pics of my garden (if it looks half-decent this spring )

48

To MOUTHY: On-line Grandmother Appreciation Weekend

by RAYZORBLADE in

jw
friends

ok...i think it's long overdue, don't you agree?

our beloved on-line grandmother (adopted by some of us) deserves a little on-line appreciation.

mouthy: (grace) this thread will be one dedicated to you.

acsot

To Mouthy:

A Psalm of Life
What The Heart Of The Young Man Said To The Psalmist. (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) Tell me not, in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream! -- For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem. Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul. Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Is our destined end or way; But to act, that each to-morrow Find us farther than to-day. Art is long, and Time is fleeting, And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave. In the world's broad field of battle, In the bivouac of Life, Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife! Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act, -- act in the living Present! Heart within, and God o'erhead! Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time; Footprints, that perhaps another, Sailing o'er life's solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again. Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait. ***************************************************** Mouthy: Having the courage to exit the JWs when you did, makes you our "hero in the strife! " Doing so at the time of your life that you did, inspires us as you leave "footprints on the sands of time". You've let us know that "We can make our lives sublime,"

Thank you.

13

How JW's Spend Their Time

by jgnat in

march 9 wt study,

remain in my word page 8, february 1, 2003 watchtower, can you be happy and secure in your work?

(direct wt quotes in red.

acsot

maybe I should post under "gardening tips" or whatever, but this year is my first garden (I just bought my house last summer). I put in some geraniums during the summer, and they did fine, but when I brought them in they shrivelled up and I thought they had died. What do you do with them, keep watering them over the winter? I also want to put in some begonias - they need partial shade, right? Sigh, so much to do ... so little time ... just imagine how frustrating it would be if I was wandering around trying to sell magazines during the weekends!

13

How JW's Spend Their Time

by jgnat in

march 9 wt study,

remain in my word page 8, february 1, 2003 watchtower, can you be happy and secure in your work?

(direct wt quotes in red.

acsot

hey there jgnat! I'm still attending meetings (about 1 per week, if that) in order to take my elderly mother. It's more of a social activity for her, and she's been seeing the "light" about this cult recently. Anyway, in response to what you wrote:

Wouldn’t it be lovely if society members had enough time to could focus their energies on thorough independent study of Bible topics, in context?

during a meeting last week, when I wasn't planning my grocery menu or the layout of my flower garden (if spring ever arrives in this part of the country), I would occasionally re-focus on the subject at hand. Now, my interest in what is said from the platform is practically non-existent right now, so I don't remember the verse being quoted. I looked it up, then started reading it in context. From the beginning of the chapter to the end. The JW was of course making some sort of application to what JWs should be doing nowadays, what they should be avoiding, etc. The whole 'shame-based' form of worship they are so expert at promoting. It took me all of maybe one minute (the time it took me to read the chapter) to understand that there was no way in h&ll they could apply that scripture in that way - it was about Jews still feeling the need for animal sacrifices and following the Law, and how they had to get over that way of thinking, since Jesus released us from those types of works. It was actually the opposite of what the WTS emphasized.

Amazing what happens when one puts one's brain into gear.

51

Should I let my kids visit my JW parents?

by NAPPY ROOTS in

jw
friends

i have a dilema.

my parents are still active jw.

last year they told me they had to limit their association with me.

acsot

Blondie to the rescue! Use their own publications on them - you are the parent and you decide what's right for your children. They will take every opportunity to "witness" to your kids, thinking it is their obligation and that the eternal well-being of their grandchildren is at stake. Is that what you want?

Teach them yourself about Jesus' love (if you still believe in it) and let them see how JWs don't practice what they preach. Kids are smart - they'll see through any deception. Best of luck to you.