acsot

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Posts by acsot

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  98

  Awake Moving To Monthly Publishing

  by Valis in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i just recieved this note from one of our faithful and discreet slaves... keep an eye out for the march 2005 km.

  word is that the awake will only be published once a month starting in january 2006.. sincerely,.

  district overbeer.

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  acsot

  I will keep my ears open as to what my dub "friend" here at work says.
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  30

  First ever posting

  by ddean3673 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok, i've been staring at post after post for hours, done weeks of digging on the web, without speaking to a soul.

  i figure everyone had to start somewhere, so i just decided to throw it out.. i only recently came out of my "lockdown" phase (where you don't even speak about your feelings about "the truth") and have just started looking around.

  i know you guys can see my profile, etc, but i had to post this and just ask for some direction.

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  acsot

  Hi and welcome!

  "Coming out" is pretty overwhelming at first, but very liberating. You are free - free to read what you want, associate with who you, go where you want. One book that I really enjoyed (and was recommended by someone on this board) is "True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements" by Eric Hoffer.

  Though not dealing with JWs or even religion per se, it is extremely helpful in seeing how movements (whether political like Communism or religious like JWs) grow and maintain their hold on people. Even how the leaders of such movements rise to the fore to keep the movement going (I was amazed at how the book seemed to describe the personalities of Russell, Rutherford and Knorr, even though it was Communism that was the focus of the book) (And here we had been led to believe that it was Jehovah's spirit directing these men! )

  Getting an overall view of current events and history (away from Watchtower rhetoric) helps one to realize that the so-called spirit-directed organization is nothing of the sort, and that helps shed the dreaded guilt of "what if the teachings are right after all", "what if it really is the truth and the problem lies only in some of the people".

  What I did after I first left was not read the Bible at all for three months, then one day I started at Genesis. Well, it took all of 15 minutes for it to hit me: "This is a fable, a fairy tale. I can't believe I actually bought into this for so long." Without even going into historical veracity of the human timeline on earth or Bible chronology or anything like that, you could say that my eyes were opened.

  Maybe your path or conclusions will be different, but at least they'll be yours, not a path forced upon you by a bunch of men in Brooklyn.

  Best of luck to you in your journey.
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  36

  Orangefatcats Surgery

  by orangefatcat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  well yesterday i saw the surgeon, with regards to my left hip and because it is so advanced with osteoarthritis and is crumbling the doctor says my surgical date is march the 3rd.

  he said also he may have a cancellation for feburary and i may be able to have that day.

  of march.

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  acsot

  Good luck OFC! Everything will be fine, you'll see.
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  51

  The Gay Elder

  by Mastodon in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just heard from back home (puerto rico), about this elder i know (i was good friends with his daughter), that just got df'd for homosexuality.

  this is how the story goes:

  he was an elder for over 20 years and he even claimed to be of the "annointed class'.

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  acsot

  Orangefatcat: I know exactly who you're talking about, I mean, the CO/DO father, I never met his daughter. Friends of the father told me that she's remarried to an "upstanding brother in the truth. Jehovah blessed her 'cause she was so faithful", blah, blah, blah.

  Small world, ain't it?
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  25

  Please Help the Asian Earthquake Victims!

  by Sirona in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as you know the earthquake has killed an estimated 10,000 people today in asia.

  there are over 1,000,000 people now homeless as a result.. if you can help by donating to charitable organisations such as the red cross and oxfam, please do.

  see if you can donate time to man helplines or help in any other practical way.

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  acsot

  Thanks Sirona, I just logged on now and will try the distance healing. When I left for work this morning they were still mentioning 11,000 dead. Now it's over 23,000??? Those poor people.
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  48

  If you love me, wish me a HAPPY BIRTHDAY

  by LDH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have a picture but i don't know how to post it?!?!?.

  my hubby and daughter bought me great gifts, and the three year old helped me blow out the candles and open the packages.. i am eating dicicco's pizza, my b'day dinner of choice!.

  lisa

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  acsot

  Happy Birthday !!
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  Can we help Utopian Reformist?

  by acsot in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  with all the tragedy ur's been through, i was wondering if we could pull together and help him out a bit, sort of like what was done for vicki boer some time ago.

  i am hoping to send him a "christmas gift" of a bit of money, by way of international money order and if others could do so also then maybe he'll have a few pleasant memories for this season.

  his address is on his post where he updates us with what's been happening.. of course, i could be way behind on this and many of you may have already sent him something, but i was just thinking that a group effort would lift his spirits a tiny bit.. thoughts?

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  acsot

  With all the tragedy UR's been through, I was wondering if we could pull together and help him out a bit, sort of like what was done for Vicki Boer some time ago. I am hoping to send him a "Christmas gift" of a bit of money, by way of international money order and if others could do so also then maybe he'll have a few pleasant memories for this season. His address is on his post where he updates us with what's been happening.

  Of course, I could be way behind on this and many of you may have already sent him something, but I was just thinking that a group effort would lift his spirits a tiny bit.

  Thoughts?
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  57

  I went to the memorial service for Talia Balletti.

  by hubert in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  i sent a pm to one of the forum assistants telling him this, and he said i should post and let everyone know how it went.. i didn't want to do this until mario posted first, because it's about his daughter, not mine.

  but, i know all you wonderful people out there are waiting for some news on the memorial service, and i think mario is too grief stricken to be able to write right now.

  sometimes these things hit you harder after it's all over, because now you have more time to think about it.

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  acsot

  Hubert, I'm so glad you were able to attend the service and support Mario as the board's representative. I lit candles and meditated for Mario and Talia on Sunday afternoon. It means a lot to know that you were there for Mario and Marina.
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  190

  All Secret Santa Paricipants sign in here please!

  by Gadget in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the details of who to send a gift to will be getting pm'd to you all either friday afternoon or saturday morning!

  according to the information i've found online the last posting day for standard parcels is dec 11th for usa and december 15th for the uk/europe, so you should all have plenty of time to select and send a gift, although sending sooner rather than later is prefered.

  can everyone taking part post on this thread what things they like, what their interests are etc so that the person who is buying a gift for you has some idea what to get you.

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  acsot

  I received my gift from Mulan - and I, uh, opened it ... patience has never been a virtue, I mean, the 25th is like never going to arrive.

  Thanks a bunch Mulan - it's perfect. A salsa CD I can practice my dance steps to, and I've never come across this one here in the stores.

  I hope my recipient receives her gift soon, I sent it off last week ....
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  21

  Astronomy vs. Astrology

  by Swan in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have always had a fascination with the universe and the night sky.

  my grandfather bought a telescope on a lark, but soon he and my cousin grew bored with it and it was just taking up space.

  so it was passed on to me.

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  acsot

  In my experience (three different language groups and 30+ years as a dub), I don't recall many dubs who'd get confused about astrology and astronomy. Many had telescopes of their own, or would rent really powerful ones from a couple of places here in the city and then bring some of the younger ones out to the countryside to stargaze, or if there was a lunar eclipse they'd get a group together to watch it.

  I remember an older JW who lived at Watchtower farms and he had a pretty good telescope, he'd set it up and we'd get a look at Saturn's rings, the various constellations, etc. It was super! Wherever there was a solar eclipse that he could get to, that's where he'd travel. He was quite knowledgeable. It was really fun visiting him.

  Of the dubs I know here, most if not all have visited the Planetarium here in town (or at least know about it) with its various exhibits/shows on nebulae, constellations, etc.