Discovering that you really can be the captain of your life is one of life's greatest discoveries.
Being the captain of your life can lead to your greatest acheivements.
likeabird
JoinedPosts by likeabird
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5
If you are pondering leaving....
by snare&racket inwiser men have lived and died than those ignorant dictators of brooklyn, for those that are pondering the courage required to cease the so called life as subjects to their whim, consider the words of someone far more inspirational than self appointed men hiding from real life dictating to millions how to live.... .
out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole, i thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul.. in the fell clutch of circumstance i have not winced nor cried aloud.
under the bludgeonings of chance my head is bloody, but unbowed.. beyond this place of wrath and tears looms but the horror of the shade, and yet the menace of the years finds and shall find me unafraid.. it matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, i am the master of my fate, i am the captain of my soul.. .
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27
One thing that's good about being a witnessi
by dothemath ini went to the mall recently .....omg!
glad i don't have to go through all the craziness over christmas shopping..
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likeabird
No that's not a good thing about being a witness.
As many comments show Christmas doesn't have to be about verspending or spending a lot. It doesn't have to mean fighting the Christmas crowds (online shopping doesn't get too crowded ;-)
It's about spending time with people you like being with or sharing with people that might be less fortunate. It's about breaking delicious bread over hearty conversations.
Quite simply it's an amazing bright social arrangement that brings people together at what would otherwise be the darkest time of the year (at least for those of us shivering away up here in the very dark northern hemisphere).
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likeabird
Well done you! Really, really pleased for you!
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41
What do you want for Christmas?
by Hortensia init's ok to share your xmas wishes here -- none of us is going to buy you anything, anyway!.
i have a list of books on my wishlist at amazon, some about critical thinking, some about knitting, some about yurok indian basketry.
i wouldn't mind getting any of those.
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likeabird
I'll join your fluff thread! Is it pink fluff? I'm sometimes told that's what my head is full of!
I love books, delicious cakes that light you up inside, and homemade gifts that say I thought of you. Pretty much the things that money can't buy.
I've pretty much got books sorted. Going to libraries is pretty much like Christmas to me. I have some great ones just nearby. I can get up to 40 books at each! And keep them for over six months! Need I say more?
Continuing on the topic, I already got myself a Christmas present. Some bogwood and some stones. Haha! I told you my head was full of fluff! I'm making a miniature biotope water garden in my office. I'm looking at it now, hoping the plants will grow. It's very relaxing.
Put me down for dessert for your turkey dinner! (That is my christmas wish)
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22
Are Jehovah's Witnesses Psycopaths?
by stuckinarut2 ini have been thinking that jws display an organizationally officially promoted form of thinking that makes them psycopaths!.
what i mean is, any person who enjoyed reading and leaning about past gruesome deaths, or who justified such things as being normal or acceptable would be deemed to be dangerous to society...a psychopath.
(by this i am refferring to the content of the bible of course).
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likeabird
Rebel 8 is correct.
JWs are completely brainwashed.
I also spoke to some historians specialising in the Nazi concentration camps. They explained that contrary to what we would expect, only a small percentage of the SS were actual psychopaths. The majority had been recruted and indoctrinated and brainwashed into believing they were doing what was whatever we know it wasn't. National furvor, intense social and nationalistic pressure.
I think a better example representing the JW mentality is that of the debated monkey experiment (illustrated below). The JW lies and psychopathic fantasies have been passed on from generation to generation, expanded on, developed and repeated so many times that everyone just nods their heads in agreement. They are not given a chance to think or question as this is systematically given negative reinforcement, not only by the elders but also by fellow monkeys. If you try to step out of line or try to move forward you are pushed back. This can create something called learned helplessness, whereby you don't even try as you see failure before you even begin.
This results in what we see today. A large organisation of head nodders and people who dare not think or question. They nod their head to and propulgate teachings and beliefs that in reality are unimaginably cruel. This has been going on for so long that we cannot always know who is 'in on the lies' and still accepting and promoting them.
This website is also full testimony to the fact that we can 'be cured' or as I would rather term 'break free' from this ongoing vicious circle of a cruel belief system. There is hope. There is a way out.
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53
How did your family react when you made it known that you did not want to be a JW anymore?
by Yondaime inplease share your experiences..
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likeabird
I never told them. I didn't want them to go through the pain of shunning.
It didn't make the slightest difference. They totally shun me. They never even contacted me to check if they had a valid reason to shun me.
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15
My difficulties in writing academic essays, contrasted with the same difficulties by NK elites
by fulltimestudent ini struggle to write good academic essays.
i'm never happy with the result of my labours.
i've had a few hds, but still feel they lack something.. for some months, i have been pondering why i have this problem, and the realisation is becoming clear that my problem is the result of having my brain washed clean by jesus for 40 years (my period of enslavement to the wt cause).
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likeabird
For some months, I have been pondering why I have this problem, and the realisation is becoming clear that my problem is the result of having my brain washed clean by Jesus for 40 years (my period of enslavement to the WT cause).
I beg to differ on this. Academic essays are not easy for anyone to write, regardless of their background. I'm still learning the ropes, but at the beginning it surprised me the number of people who have trouble with it. I think it's definitely a universal problem.
For me, having been deceived for so many years, it meant that when I woke up I checked all the facts in minute detail. I use the same level of scrutiny for my academic work.
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24
I just had fun giving a talk!
by OneEyedJoe inso, unfortunately, i'm still on the tms and had a talk tonight (in front of a co, no less) and the talk was on the subject of adultery.
in the source material there's reference to "spiritual adultery" i.e.
idolotry or when israel had alliances with pagan nations.
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likeabird
Hmmm... "Fun" and "giving a talk" don't seem meant for the same sentence! Lol!
My last talk or possibly talks while still in yet awake were definitely prepared in less than ten minutes. I also made sure to add some special "A" sauce to them!
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10
VISIBILITY
by LostGeneration inbreakfast of champions mentioned this on the elder appointment thread and it struck a chord with me.. is this term big in bethel?
obviously nothing in my bible says a thing about being 'seen' in serve-us or in other jw activities, but a long time bethelite went off on a visibility tirade that i remember distinctly during special servants/elders meeting when i was in.
i remember at the time thinking that the big j-dog in the heavens sees everything, so why the big fuss over the rank and file seeing us do stuff for the big j-dog?.
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likeabird
It's all about appearances.
All show and no substance.
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27
Elder Appointments
by MaybeSo indoing some research as to what qualifications someone needs to meet to become an elder, i came up with one conclusion: it's who you know and is very subjective.. funny thing is too, if you searc the wt online library there are not recent articles that describe and outline the requirements.
which makes me think that there were too many requirements and as we all know, it is based now on how close you are with the current co and not necessarily on being a model jw in the congo.
so the borg decided to leave it up all to the co and not tell the rest what to look for on these appointed men.. you could do your hours, be early to the meetings, be prepared, keep your car and house clean, family in good reputation, etc but if you are in the circle then you can forget it.
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likeabird
From my experience:
Nepotism often plays a role.
Also they look for people who like to suck up to people or just go along with things without making waves.
I saw first hand some excellent brothers who truly wanted to serve as an elder to be able to help those suffering and truly serve the bro's and sis's. They pioneered, served where there was a need, thoroughly prepared all their meetings as well as study all the publications on developing the right qualities, commented well at all the meetings, etc, etc. Their downfall? They wouldn't put up with BS.
