Posts by SophieG

16

Talent shows at the KH?

by skeeter1 in

jw
friends

so, i know of a real talent show that took place at a kingdumb hall about 10 years ago.

there was never another talent show.

but, the jws all loved it and still talk about it.. is there a "rule" or something in the elder's manual about this?

SophieG

Somewhat related….I don’t know if you guys ever had formals, but it’s a big thing down south.

This one sister wanted to throw one…you could get dressed up, have a great meal and listen to a band and dance the night away. I think $35 bucks covered you for the night. I thought it was cool, you could have a great evening with good association.

Well the brothers that could not afford the $35 raised a stink and got the CO (he was not nice either) involved. From what I heard, he told the sister, that if she could not invite all the friends and throw it for free then she’d have to cancel the event. The sister basically footed the bill for those who initially could afford to go….

(…incidentally…JW weddings seem to create the same type of drama.)

37

Did you know that God will terminate your supervisors employment, and give you their old job?

by Theocratic Sedition in

jw
friends

according to the wt study yesterday, that's what happened.. 16. by allowing jehovah to instruct us and lead us in the path of uprightness, we will have no cause for fear.

when a regular pioneer in the united states applied for a job that would help him to keep his entire family in full-time service, his supervisor told him that he would never get that position without a college degree.

had this happened to you, would you have regretted pursuing full-time service to the exclusion of seeking higher education?

SophieG

“Experiences” like this would drive me nuts. When I would read them in the publications, little warning bells would go off in my head… wondering if they were made up, just to ‘prove’ the point in the paragraph?

I mentioned this to a friend and her response was incredulity that the WTBS would lie to us!!! *eye-roll*

I said to her…if you read this in a legit magazine, you would have references right? We can’t check the facts, we are just EXPECTED to believe. I bet if we called headquarters and asked for a reference we would not get one!

I hope she studied her WT yesterday...HMPH!

45

September 11, 2001- Where were you?

by SophieG in

jw
friends

i work at a major airline in the in-flight training department.

i was sitting at the desk on the computer, i kid you not... writing the security (hijacking) curriculum for 2002, when someone came in and told me a plane flew into the wtc.

we all thought it was one of our planes.

SophieG

WOW!

When I posted this thread, I was curious to see how you guys, especially those in NYC were affected by it!

OhioCowboy: Thank you for the link!

BandOnTheRun: I am trying not to cry.

Titch: From an aviation perspective, it was mind-boggling to all of us when the airspace was shut down…the international crews were STUCK for 8-10 days in foreign countries…jumbo jets lined the runways everywhere. It sent the industry in a tailspin and it has NEVER been the same, but you know that.

Six years later, as terrorism reigned, ironically, many of us who were attending the Intl Conventions in Europe got caught the first event of confiscations of liquids when the event in London occurred. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_transatlantic_aircraft_plot

I have since had trips to NYC but I cannot go to Ground Zero. It’s too emotional.

I went to OKC for a trip and on the layover our crew walked the couple of blocks to the site of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. The memorial was not build as yet, so all that was there was a chain link fence around the site. Attached to the fence were all these photos of the children who lost their lives…across the street…the buildings still had the blackened walls from the explosion. We all walked the block of the site, and by the time we got to the other side we were ALL…and I am talking, male pilots included, bawling our eyes out. It was JUST TOO MUCH.

So even though I am way removed from NYC I know I could not handle the emotional toll of being there…I don’t know how family members cope.

Human suffering is something that shakes me to my CORE.

Thanks for sharing your stories

45

September 11, 2001- Where were you?

by SophieG in

jw
friends

i work at a major airline in the in-flight training department.

i was sitting at the desk on the computer, i kid you not... writing the security (hijacking) curriculum for 2002, when someone came in and told me a plane flew into the wtc.

we all thought it was one of our planes.

SophieG

Hey Slimboyfat, I had to look up that date myself. Is this what you are referring to?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_Chilean_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat

45

September 11, 2001- Where were you?

by SophieG in

jw
friends

i work at a major airline in the in-flight training department.

i was sitting at the desk on the computer, i kid you not... writing the security (hijacking) curriculum for 2002, when someone came in and told me a plane flew into the wtc.

we all thought it was one of our planes.

SophieG

Cultclasic: Hate to admit it, but I was out in field service the entire day. I can't imagine you spoke to anyone that day...our lives all revolved around the TV!

Mary:It reminded me of watching Independence Day for the first time. Now that I think of it, it's like the scene when Vivica Fox goes outside and looks up and sees the sapceship. It's like your brain is trying to digest what your eyes are seeing and it seems very surreal!!!

Panhandlegirl! Awww...Thanks...although the thought of those who live with the loss everyday far eclipses any of what we went thru in our industry.

45

September 11, 2001- Where were you?

by SophieG in

jw
friends

i work at a major airline in the in-flight training department.

i was sitting at the desk on the computer, i kid you not... writing the security (hijacking) curriculum for 2002, when someone came in and told me a plane flew into the wtc.

we all thought it was one of our planes.

SophieG

Jgnat: I copied this from wikipedia: "The tornado remained on the ground for an hour..." WTH??? Oh wow that is crazy! Natural phenomenon like that scares me...you have no control....

45

September 11, 2001- Where were you?

by SophieG in

jw
friends

i work at a major airline in the in-flight training department.

i was sitting at the desk on the computer, i kid you not... writing the security (hijacking) curriculum for 2002, when someone came in and told me a plane flew into the wtc.

we all thought it was one of our planes.

SophieG

I work at a major airline in the In-flight Training Department. I was sitting at the desk on the computer, I kid you not… writing the Security (Hijacking) Curriculum for 2002, when someone came in and told me a plane flew into the WTC. We all thought it was one of our planes.

I missed the 2 nd plane flying into the second building. I was so distraught thinking about the people who were on the floors about the wreckage, wondering HOW were they going to get down! After seeing the first building collapse, I had to be escorted out of the room. I remember thinking this must be the start of the Great Trib. I felt an inner burning fear I had never felt before and have not since that day.

To give you an inside perspective of what happened behind the scenes that resulted in the sweeping changes of aviation security…it was a constant STRESSFUL change…almost something re-written every single day, for years. You have to understand that these terrorists rewrote the book on hijacking and what we practiced in the airline business prior to this event went flying out the door. We started from scratch. Emotionally charged in-flight employees, some scared, some airplane vigilantes, dealing with the introduction of the TSA, working with the FAA, writing/learning new procedures, folks wanting guns on the plane (they got that) or self defense courses, refitting of aircraft, looking at every passenger as a threat, crews kicking off people because they thought they were a threat…people walking away from the industry due to PTSD…it was a rollercoaster ride I will never forget. I ended up having a nice breakdown and was off work for 2 months.

But despite what we endured, my heart still bleeds for those who lost loved ones in this senseless act. I still find it hard at times to believe that 9/11 really happened, it’s still surreal and I can only image how it must be for family members. We can probably say that this day has affected each one of us in some way, directly or indirectly.

I will probably shed some tears today!

62

At what age do people 'wake up'?

by Splash in

i was thinking about this question recently after being at the meeting when new pioneers were announced for the 2013 service year.. we have a dozen or so pioneers in the congregation, and most are in their 20's.

some absolutely love the things they are taught and can't wait to spread the good news.. others in the congregation are going through the motions, tired of hearing the same old same old but have no way to change things now.

then there are a couple like me.

SophieG

JoelCW says: " From reading all of these posts I must have been really lucky being able to get out when I was 18. If I had been in during my 20's and 30's I honestly would have lost my freakin' mind."

Joel I surely can't speak for others, but I was slowly losing my mind! Complete mental freak outs during the meetings!!!

25

Serena Williams wins....but as a Jehovah's Witness will not toast.....New York Daily News Story

by Balaamsass in

u.s. open sponsor moet leads champagne toast to champion serena williams, a jehovah's witness who does not drinkreporters on tight deadline wait for inappropriate-feeling homage before williams can begin press conference.comments (7).

by filip bondy / new york daily newsmonday, september 10, 2012, 12:00 am.

howard simmons/new york daily newsserena williams is thrilled about winning the u.s. open, but she will not celebrate with a champagne toast due to her religious beliefs.. there was an awkward interval sunday night in the press interview room, when the u.s. open sponsors, moet, delivered a trolley of small champagne bottles to the assembled media who already had waited an hour to ask post-match questions of serena williams.. before williams could begin answering questions, usta ceo gordon smith led a toast that basically called williams victory the greatest match in open history.. .

SophieG

Ahhh…Serena, Serena!!! LOL!

Don't forget, she also dates non-jws (Rapper: Common)

I have always thought she was “out of control” as far as being a pseudo JW. She reminds me of the friends that I’ve had who have one foot in and one foot out. She may be walking that fine line just for her mom. If you notice, you hardly ever see Venus. Is she just more conservative/controlled?

Hmmmm!

23

If The JW Religion Wasn't So Strict Would You Be Against It As Much As You Are?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i don't think i'd be so involved in making the truth be known if they weren't so extreme.. only when it affects our quality of life and our family and friendships, do i feel the need to tell others of what i know to be true about the religion.. what about you?.

SophieG

The ‘strictness’ is control IMO. I respect scriptural guidelines; I never had a problem following them for the most part. That I can deal with. However, when they started making things up and “punishing people” while professing to be a loving org, that’s when I took issue. If they would let folks “be”, learn how to guide and help people, allow people to form opinions and have free thought, then I would go back.

The shunning is a BIG problem. But the true issue is that people get shunned for the wrong reasons. The only way the shunning would stop is if they allowed people to think for themselves…which the org won’t do…because they know they are lying to people…and if folks found out…more would leave….hence the control!

So basically, I guess the Org would have to come CLEAN for me to ever put my foot back in it!

(I have this fantasy where a Special Talk is given and they APOLOGIZE for all the misleading things they have been doing…like a Jimmy Swaggart: “I have sinned” moment. Of course what elder would be left to give the talk….since once the outline is opened each one would be so PISSED….So first time in JW history, a sister would give a talk…everyone would walk out the KH either crying or doing cartwheels…yeah I fantasize A LOT! HA)