reagan_oconnor

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Posts by reagan_oconnor

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  10

  Your Caption Desperately Needed!

  by Englishman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  your caption please!.

  englishman.. ..... fanaticism masquerading beneath a cloak of reasoned logic.

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  reagan_oconnor

  "Water into Wine! Water into Wine! Jesus did it, so why can't I?"

  "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."
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  41

  back to basics

  by cnn77 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as soeone raised in the truth my whole life i am struggling with a basic doctrinal issue.

  the issue has to do with universal sovreignty and the ransom sacrifice.

  let me try to illustrate by way of analogy:.

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  reagan_oconnor

  Mulan; sorry, I got lost reading AlanF's post (which was excellent, by the way).

  I remember the exact same story related by a ministerial servant in a talk once. I was very young, maybe 10-12 years old, and that story had a major impact on me. I remember thinking, "Wow, the love that Jehovah had for us, sacrificing his own son so that we can attain everlasting life." It was really the first time that I'd had a conscious thought about the ransom sacrifice.

  More than anything, it made me feel guilty for not appreciating it enough. Now that I look back on it, I can't believe that they used such tactics to scare/guilt us.

  --Reagan

  "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."
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  1

  TRUE Christians

  by Kent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  june 28, 2001, 11:49pm.

  christian program at county jail ruled unconstitutional .

  by janet elliott .

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  reagan_oconnor

  Williams, a reclusive man who clashed frequently with county commissioners, was defeated for re-election last year by Dee Anderson. He once tried to claim "sovereignty" from commissioners' authority under the 1836 law of the Republic of Texas

  Whew... people like this should NOT be in a position of authority... Although he sounds like a prime candidate for Elder, he'd never make it past the firearms check!

  --Reagan

  "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."
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  41

  My apeal of disfellowshiping letter

  by D wiltshire in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the first question is:.

  i ask you would paul even think of doing such as thing as the wt has done here?????

  i asked them not to keep double-talking me but to just come out and say what the charges are.

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  reagan_oconnor

  I appealed (was one of very few who EVER appealed in my Cong, from what I now know) and lost the appeal (of course).

  Although the Appeal Committee did in fact state that the DFing was handled inappropriately, they still allowed the decision to stand. I think it's one of those "can't step on the toes of the local boys" attitudes -- you never know who is going to take you out for hospitality when you give a talk at their hall...

  [8>]
  Reagan

  "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."
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  6

  "Wisdom" from the logocide factory

  by Norm in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the watchtower society are masters in the art of logocide, a science so vital to all religious activity and other huckster enterprises.

  one sterling example of such is found in the november 1, 99 issue of the watchtower magazine.

  what he does in the polling booth is between him and his creator.. .

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  reagan_oconnor

  It really pisses me off that JWs push to the head of the line when it comes to their "right to free speech" and "religious freedom" but they refrain from being civically active.

  The last time my Dad whined about how much he pays in taxes, I said "Did you vote in the last election? Oh, then I guess you don't have any say in the matter."

  People who don't vote always seem to be the first to bitch. They should have the least say.

  Voting is something I take very seriously. I research the candidates and the issues as much as possible and attempt to make an educated guess on how these things will affect me, my community and my taxes. Those who do not are cheating themselves and their communities and are showing disrespect for the freedoms that have been bestowed upon them.

  <getting down off of my soapbox now>
  
  Reagan

  "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."
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  20

  JW Kids

  by patio34 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  greetings and felicitations to all,.

  tonight i attended my first al-anon meeting--it's for families of alcoholics.

  i've been having trouble with my daughter and drugs.. but anyway, the meeting was in a catholic church area.

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  reagan_oconnor

  Hiya Pat, it must be tough w/ your daughter; I applaud your efforts. You're in my thoughts.

  We had quite a few congregation picnics/parties when I was growing up; several times we had "50s Parties" where everyone dressed up in 1950s-style clothing and danced to oldies. Poodle skirts, saddle shoes and pony tails for the girls; blue jeans, leather jackets and Pompadours for the boys.

  When I was very little, someone had a costume party. Dad, still very newly associated at this time, came dressed as a "housewife" -- he put on Mom's nursing bra, stuffed it with balloons, put on makeup and curlers and a shower cap and slippers. It was hilarious -- I still have the pictures somewhere.

  Not too long after that, the elders did a "local needs" part about "following worldly customs" and being "no part of the world."

  It seemed like any time we had something fun, someone would get offended and crash the party. We used to have groups that would go roller-skating on Sunday nights, or to someone's house for movies and pizza, or play volleyball on Friday nights. Eventually, everything was squelched.

  "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."
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  30

  Now That I've Joined, I wish That I Hadn't

  by TR in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  any one here get that sinking feeling when you were an active jw?

  i'm not talking about the point where we developed doubts about the borg, but just the shear weight of responsibility on your shoulders to uphold "god's kingdom" ala wts.. the topic of doing all you can was brought up frequently.

  some would try to sooth by saying "as long as you're doing your best, jehovah will accept you.

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  reagan_oconnor

  Dad (recently appointed PO in their Cong) had a heart attack several months ago -- his Dr. said it was 95% stress and 5% food/diet.

  An elder from a neighboring congregation happened to be in the hospital visiting another JW and stopped in. When Dad told him about the heart attack, the elder advised him to "pray" and "ease back into things."

  The stress (granted, it's mostly self-imposed) is killing my father, and the only advise this "fellow elder" has is to "ease back into things?" Oh yeah, and don't forget to "pray."

  Nope, never enough.

  Mom's pioneer hours were "low" as a result of spending several days at the hospital with Dad, and she counted time by preaching to the nurses. Putrid.

  "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."
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  90

  POLL - Elders vs Molesters

  by Amazing in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  i wish to conduct a legitimate poll, or at least as legitimate as it can get on this forum.

  unless you are or were a jw, please do not respond or make comments.

  please simply give an answer, without extended comments.

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  reagan_oconnor

  One (1) JW molester
  One (1) "associated" molester

  (He was the son of a woman who was studying so I don't know if that counts.)

  "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."
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  21

  sister says prayer with elders !!!!!

  by jurs in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this friday the elders are coming over to discuss my da letter.

  i keep studying and thinking of what i want to say.

  i'm sure they'll open with a prayer.

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  reagan_oconnor

  Jurs, good luck with your visit.

  My ex asked me when he found out I was getting married if I would meet with the elders, ostensibly to advise them that I was getting remarried, which would "free him scripturally" (although he had cheated on me long before).

  I told him that meeting with the elders would demonstrate that I accept their "position and authority" over me in determining my 'repentance', which I do not (I am not sorry for divorcing that asshole. Likewise, I am not sorry for marrying the best man on earth, my husband).

  --Reagan

  "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."
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  8

  Jungle Fever in the BORG

  by Black Man in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  post title - jungle fever in the borg or inter-racial relationship dynamics in the borg.. back in the the day inter-racial relationships were frowned on, especially if you wanted to advance spiritually (climb the corporate ladder).

  i remember at bethel a few of the brothers in service department used to always tell brothers that it would be beneficial to marry in their own race if they wanted to be used in the circuit work.

  the premise was that the society is not biased but rather the world is and to avoid conflict, they only prefer to use couples of the same race.

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  reagan_oconnor

  In NE Ohio, where I grew up, it was pretty commonplace in the 80s & 90s to see interracial relationships, especially at the district conventions. I myself dated a few black brothers when I was younger, and the only counsel offered was that we might encounter prejudice from "the World." Of course, this is Akron/Cleveland we're talking about, where whites are quickly becoming the minority, so it was never a really big deal.

  (To be honest, I dated outside of my race for attention. I'm ashamed to admit it, but that's the truth.)

  "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."