It's Autumn, things are dying. I Think it was pretty natural for the ancients to think the barrier between the living and the dead was narrowest at this time of year. It's pretty simple, really. Thinker Bell im with you on the disgust of the grotesque. We do celebrate Halloween, but we keep it more a celebration of fall and warm colored cozy things, like candles in pumpkins and leaf decorations. The kids dress up as Firemen or Policemen. Trick or treating is a great neighborhood thing. It's pretty cool to see your neighbors in this way. We try to make the candy last, but honestly, you're only a kid once and we let them enjoy it. I hate the ugly stuff. There is enough real ugly stuff in this world and glorifying it is not what we do. I walked into a spirit Halloween store once and turned around and left. You don't want to know what I saw. But Halloween is what you make it, and you can easily keep it sweet and fun without the bad stuff.
FayeDunaway
JoinedPosts by FayeDunaway
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Your thoughts on Halloween , yes, no or maybe ?
by Finkelstein inwell its that time again when the ghouls come out to play.
i personally think halloween is a bit irresponsible and inappropriate from a sociological perspective.. there's something about the intent of frightening young impressionable children minds with frightening objests.
and feeding them candy which most likely cause tooth decay and stomachs is irresponsible activity conducted by adults.
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New Watchtower Propaganda and hate speech destroying families (Feb 2016 WT)
by Daniel1555 inthe following is a paragraph from the new february study watchtower article "learn from jehovah's loyal servants.".
7 a conflict of loyalties may arise when a close relative is disfellowshipped.
for example, a sister named anne [1] received a telephone call from her disfellowshipped mother.
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FayeDunaway
If you are a witness and are scared: YOU CAN GET OUT. The only power they have over you is what you let them have. You CAN get out and be free. Most of us here have done it. We have experienced loss, but have gained our lives. Stop the cycle as soon as possible. Don't let them gain control over your children. They DO destroy families, for their own gain. -
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If you still believe, do you go to church?
by ThinkerBelle inwhile i'm still finding my journey and figuring out what exactly i believe in, i'm curious to know if others on this board who do still believe in a god attend other churches and what drew you to them.
sorry if this topic has been brought up before, i tried to do a search, but didn't find what i was looking for.. having been born and raised in jwland, how easily do you give up those doctrines that have been so thoroughly engrained?
even sort of celebrating (more like acknowledging, no party) my son's birthday seemed so strange to me because i've never done that, but it felt good to see him smile about it.
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FayeDunaway
Hi thinker belle! Yes, I joined another church after researching and deeply thinking about each and every doctrine. The Trinity, holidays, 'Jehovah',non fundamentalism, you name it. Then I researched all the Protestant religions and chose one whose general beliefs and mindset most closely fit what I had learned and how I feel. Not that I believe it is the only approved denomination, but simply because I am most happy here. As a church we are close, and I love the feeling of community it brings. It's a mainline Protestant religion but still there is a lot of freedom on what people personally believe about evolution or how liberally or conservatively they want to interpret the Bible, etc. There is healthy variety and it's refreshing not to feel pressure to subscribe to the exact beliefs of everyone else. So do your research and of course avoid anything high control. Sometimes 'non denominational' churches can actually be high control. -
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Hello everyone! I am new here and want to tell you about myself - my bio
by Hollywood20 ingrew up in east la in a bad neighborhood to a black mother and white father.
i never knew my father because he died in a car accident when i was a few weeks old.
my mother converted as a jw soon after when two sisters came to her door and offered her comfort, which was something she needed.
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FayeDunaway
Hello Hollywood.
Youve got to live your own life. I know you love your mother but this is killing your soul. Get back out there and pursue your goals. You know you have to. You want to feel like this for decades? Throw your dreams away? Get back out there!!
and welcome.
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Need advice
by Darkknight757 inhi.i've been pouring over this site for the past few days looking for some advice and i hope there is someone here that can help a guy out.
i'm desperate.....short bio: i came into the organization after high school and shortly after married a wonderful girl who was born-in.we have been happily married now for nearly 20 years and things were well until 2015 hit.
by the way, i currently serve as an elder and have the ""privilege"" of being the "watchtower overseer".. either here nor there, we were told we would never have children but late last year my wife became prego!!
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FayeDunaway
When you see or hear something shocking from the congregation, WT or GB, share it with her. Start sharing your doubts openly, as they come. Go through this together. Maybe a good idea would be to go on vacation soon and bring up he two things you already mentioned, and talk about it in that neutral space.
i am so sorry for the losses you and your wife have had. Be there for her, spend a lot of time cuddling with her. Be a team, work with her through it. Maybe you can come out of that false religion together too.
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My First Birthday.....
by The Marvster ini awoken today and realised immidiately i'm 44 today... and after 3 years of being out, decided to acknowledge my birthday.... i'm off out to treat myself to a big hearty breakfast with cup of tea in the local weatherspoon's by the massive pond full of weird bird-life, later today i'm giving myself a gift of a 90 minute relaxation session in a float tank down by canary wharf in london.... only really have 2 close friends (it's a slow process trusting people agian) and they probably won't be able to see me today, but i'm sure i'll have a belated surprise from them both.... the first thing i did when i remembered was to rush to the computer, connect to the web and put on stevie wonder's 'happy birthday', as i listen to it, tears stream down my face... all those years of my life stolen ' but..... i'm free....'.
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FayeDunaway
Happy first birthday Marvster!! I hope that by next year you have enough friends that they throw you your first party...or maybe organize your own, no shame in that, I did it and it was great!! -
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Goodwill stores: A gathering place for Jehovahs Witnesses.
by Joliette ini recently started working at a goodwill here in wisconsin, and i've never encountered more witnesses ever in my life.
every time i go to work, i see at least two or three people that i used to go to the kingdom hall with getting suits, dresses, etc.
some of them say hi, but some of them i just ignore, or they ignore me.
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FayeDunaway
James I had no idea!! If my mother knew, she would freak! Goodwill was the only 'approved' place to donate stuff and she donated all the time....What's a witness to do?? Start their own charity?!?! Oh...wait...they ARE....a......charity..... -
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Hubby has been doing research on the internet!!!!
by atacrossroads inmy husband was recently subjected to an intervention by his parents.
i am apparently a danger to his spirituality.
after i stopped attending meetings and went apostate hubby decided to resign as a ms to spend more time with me.
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FayeDunaway
I actually don't think this could go either way, especially if you take the advice of recommending Jwfacts over most of the other sites. And then leave him alone about it for a good while. You might ask how he's doing but leave it there until he's ready to talk at length about what he's learned. This news is SO amazing!! -
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Paranoia after today's Watchtower
by Truthexplorer inboy oh boy did i feel paranoid at today's wt.
not only are we to watch our associations outside of the congregation, but also watch our associations 'within' the congregation.
this was emphasised by the wt study conductor.
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FayeDunaway
I'd like to know if one finger salute made a comment today. Seems like you could say something nazi, like 'watch out for your parents, your children, your brothers and sisters...those against us could be nearer than we think! And we should report this opposition promptly to the local elders. -
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Any funny stories of when a"brother" giving a talk, said something "funny" or "questionable", and didn't even realize it?
by Dunedain inthere were always all types of speakers in the org.
myself, growing up a "witness", must have heard all types of talks, and given by all manner of speakers, especially on sundays, when almost every week we would get a "visiting" brother giving the public talk.. sometimes, you would have a "great" speaker, all fluent and animated.
other times we would get a comical speaker, one who would maybe purposelly get a few laughs outta the audience.
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FayeDunaway
We had a very prominent P.O. Powerful guy, respected everywhere. His ministerial servant son, always trying to rise to prominence like his father, was giving a talk one night. He lost his place, and, bewildered, muttered 'Jesus.'