Ranch

Joined

• started 6 topics
• posted 50 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Ranch

• 
  10

  Been outta a hell of a long time and still bummed

  by Mindchild in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  sometimes i do a lot of thinking.. yeah, i know that is dangerous.

  regardless, at times it seems that even though ive been out of the borg for a little over two decades now, gone through expensive therapy, had a long term relationship once with another ex-dub and spent 8 years in college, i still find my personal thinking effected in some negative ways by my being raised a jw.. for instance, i have a really difficult, if not impossible time, ever finding a community where i feel i belong.

  ive lived everywhere from san francisco to cocoa beach on the opposite coast and no matter where i live, i feel like im an alien from another culture.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranch

  Everyone,
  I just want to say that this thread is me.
  Why do I say that?
  Well I go through periods of feeling like an alien.Don't fit in with witnesses and don't have a clue how to fit in with the rest of the world.
  All of the suggestions found here have been helpful to me and will be for others too.
  This is a process that takes time.
• 
  18

  Preparing for Armageddon!

  by Mindchild in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what was the silliest thing you ever did to prepare for armageddon?.

  way back when in my pioneering days, when we were out in service we would often talk about what to do when the great tribulation came along.

  one of my pioneering buddies told me that he was so sure the gt was around the corner that he went and buried some food for the bros and sis to eat when we fled to the hills.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranch

  Mindchild,

  I was very young during the seventies (4-13yrs old) when they were telling all those scary persecution stories.
  All this was very traumatizing to me and as a child I felt pretty helpless.
  I needed to feel some kind of control over all this.
  I remember hearing all these stories of how they would take away all our literature and bibles.
  There were miracle stories and examples of sneaky ways Jw'S would get a magazine baked into a cake in prison etc..Or how literature was hidden somewhere and when the authorities searched they were blinded by Jah because they couldn't see the hidden literature when right in front of their eyes!

  So I hid Bibles when I was in my early teens.
  I had complete confidence that Jah would bless me because of this act of faith.

  I thought he could work through me.
  I hid one inside a recliner, taped one behind a drawer in a piece of furniture and I buried one in a Ziploc bag in the yard.
  I figured they wouldn't find them all.

  Those persecution stories used to scare me so bad at the meetings when I was around 4-5 I used to pretend I had my own angel sitting in the empty chair beside me. I would be protected.
  I was such a good little cult member!

  Your story about the socks is hilarious!!I like Moxy, want to know what you were gonna do with them and also about how old were you?
  Oh, I almost forgot, How do you make exploding socks?
• 
  23

  Vasectomy

  by Stephanus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i understand the tower frowns upon vasectomy as a contraceptive method.

  does it outright ban it?

  how would they treat a new convert who has already had one, before he studied with the dubs?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranch

  Blondie,
  Your idea will work and I'm sure some are doing that.

  A sad thing though is for those who hang on every word the WT says.
  Examples I know of are ones that were so excited when it became a conscience matter that they ran out and got Vasectomies and Tubeligations and because JWs are so bored they basically advertised this to the congregation or word spread from one person to another for the same reason.
  Then WT changes their minds again!!

  How do you think those poor people felt knowing that the only thing most every one remembers is that you had a” Vasectomy “ or a “Tubeligation” and are so quick to look down on others they don’t care when you had it done?

  It was never supposed to be a well known fact anyway so if a power mongering elder wanted to turn on you whether a fellow elder of regular publisher its now “open season” At the very least they could cause much stress and anguish over this until it was sifted through.

  This doesn’t even take into account those who never say a word but privately have you branded as lacking spiritually in some way.
• 
  23

  Vasectomy

  by Stephanus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i understand the tower frowns upon vasectomy as a contraceptive method.

  does it outright ban it?

  how would they treat a new convert who has already had one, before he studied with the dubs?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranch

  When the society strongly suggests something you do it
  and if the society writes about certian conduct in a negitive way and you do it anyway you have a "bad attitude" and are not "spiritually mature"
• 
  23

  Vasectomy

  by Stephanus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i understand the tower frowns upon vasectomy as a contraceptive method.

  does it outright ban it?

  how would they treat a new convert who has already had one, before he studied with the dubs?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranch

  *** g96 10/8 14 Who Should Decide Family Size? ***
  In the case of sterilization, such as by a vasectomy, the decision is one of personal conscience, since this is not directly mentioned in the Bible. “Each one will carry his own load.” (Galatians 6:5) And as there are various methods of birth control, medical guidance can help a couple decide whether they wish to employ a particular one or not.

  Steph,
  Before 96 it was a no no!
  After 96 it was a conscience matter!
  in 99 it's a no no again!
  This drove me crazy and was one more proof to me that they didn't have God's spirit.
  I told by mom that I was sick ot this! It's non of their business anyway and I could make a more stable decision for myself on this issue.
  She said she was worried about me because I sounded like an Apostate.

  If a person had it done before getting babtized it would be looked at like any other sin a person commited when wordly.

  Privledges are EVERYTHING to most witnesses it's your entire reputation on the line.
  Also witnesses use things like this in a selfrightious way to wield power and look down on others.
• 
  6

  3 more drones being assimilated tomorrow

  by Dan B in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  unfortunately my 3 nieces are getting baptized tomorrow.

  my dad called me to tell me how proud he was of his grandchildren.

  i felt a sick feeling come over me, followed by rising anger.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranch

  Dan,

  I am sorry to hear of the assimilation of more of your family members.
  I know it makes you cring.It would upset me too.

  LOL,You talking about putting that book out and hoping they look at it out of couriosity gave me JW flashbacks.We used to do that with JW literature.

  Hey, it's worth a try and you never know they may stumble upon something that acts like a seed and grows into something bigger over time.
  Wow, I still sound like a witness too talking about seeds!
• 
  11

  What Is Your "TRUE " JWD Personality?

  by Ranchette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a lot of us have gotten a kick out of those online personality tests.. we have also seen threads started from time to time that ask the question, why are you here?.

  it would be good from time to time to ask our some questions and do some self-analization.. now we have a tool we can use to see if we are being honest with others and ourselves.. click on members at the top of the page and check on your self from time to time.. are we a positive influence or a negative one?.

  if you think your not interested or dont care thats fine but dont be shocked when your past history comes and bites you on the ass.. i am glad to have this tool now so i can self regulate myself and can also use it to find out if a person is being honest,or basically up to no good.. i think we will see a little of every thing here.. some types i notice without even looking are,.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranch

  Hi there Lark,

  I am so glad you seem to know your self so well.
  I bet your right about if I were to meet you in person

  Anyway ,I still think there are those who don't.
  At least that's what I would like to think.
  Surely people wouldn't act bad on pourpose.
  Would they?

  Oh well this was probably one of my dorkier ideas anyway.I mean wanting people to get along better and all.
  LOL,What was I thinking anyway.
  How boring and peaceful that would be!

  Everyone,
  Forget my suggestion and resume normal behavior
• 
  16

  watchtower and awake??

  by NoLongerAjw in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  is there any way to get a subscription to the magazines with out having to go to the hall??

  i would like to see what kinda stuff is in them these days.. just for fun:) an elder came by a few months ago and i asked if i could have a subscription and he said yes he would fill one out when i came to the hall to make a donation.. uugghh no way i am going there.. can anyone help me?

  ?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranch

  I don't know why yall want to torture yourselves like this!

  Ranchette
  going through the can't stomach them phase.
• 
  13

  I miss Maximus!!!

  by TweetieBirdAtWork in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  with all of the new revelations about the wts and the un, i really miss not having maximus's input into this whole thing.. maximus, if you still check this board occasionally, i would love to get your insight into this issue.

  so many of us, especially me, have a great deal of respect for your knowledge and wisdom.

  i hope you and your family are doing well.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranch

  Slip,
  Thank you for being brave enough to come clean!

  It can be intimidating when someonse seems to be so knowlegable
  and so on...
  Try not to let these feelings get in the way.
  If you knew him you would be at peace and understand where all these funny vibes are coming from.
  He has alot of exprience and knowlege to share. I hope he comes back
  soon too.
• 
  13

  A "Soft" approach re the UN to my sister

  by bluesapphire in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  guess i'm trying to use the ole "bait and hook" routine.

  i would appreciate your comments.. hi xxx, i was wondering when your talk is going to be?

  or was it this past weekend?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Ranch

  Sounds great!
  Let us know what happens.