roybatty

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Posts by roybatty

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  35

  Do you think the real reason why Elders don't make shepherding visits is...

  by XJW4EVR in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  that they can't count the hours?

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  roybatty

  I HATED making sheperding calls for two reasons.....

  One, I disliked sticking my nose is another person's business. There I was a young, twenty-somthing elder listening to a couple on the verge of divorce or someone else who had a drinking problem or some other serious problem. WTF???? They didn't want your advice. They knew we weren't trained to help people with these types of serious problems. Then, to top it off, you'd give them stupid advice (i.e. make the meetings, study as a family, put Jehovah first, etc..)

  Two, I quickly grew tired of spending my evenings with crazy people. Most JWs have serious metal problems and here I was (after working all day) having to sit down with them, listen to them bitch and complain - then listen to some wacked-out idea they have. Then, to top it off, I'd give them stupid advice (i.e. make the meetings, study as a family, put Jehovah first, etc...)
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  30

  Truth scares 9-11 conspiracy buffs

  by Dogpatch in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  truth scares 9-11 conspiracy buffs

  here's at least one reason for the conspiracy theories that i find compelling.

  by betsy hart .

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  roybatty

  My two cents:

  Certain people in the CIA probably knew the attack was coming, perhaps even when and where. Yet they did nothing to stop it. Why? Because that's just the sort of crisis you need to get Americans to go to war.

  America has been looking for excuses to kick some middle east ass for years now, this goes back to Bush senior and before him. Americans would be wise to never again vote in a president who has ties to oil.

  Funny how people say that Bush is so stupid but he's smart enough to carry out such a complicated plan. Yet, on the other hand, he's not smart enough to plant WMD in Iraq? Yeah, riiiight. When he really needed a solid reason to pick a fight, nothing was found yet he's good enough to pull off 9/11.

  Geez.
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  18

  Advice on Separating & Divorce

  by damselfly in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  we have a few posters on here that are going through a divorce or a separation.

  in order to respect their privacy i will not be naming them in this thread.

  do you have advice to give them?

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  roybatty

  Every divorce is differnt but rule number one for my ex and I was do what's best for the kids. You're already putting them through something they don't deserve so the last thing they need to see is mom and dad fighting or to be used as pawns in order to "get back" at your ex spouse. Rule number two (and this is really important for us guys)...she's not your wife any more, so you don't have the right to "suggest" how she should run her own house. Rule three...be flexable and resonable (and helpful if possible). By purchasingg a house close by it's been much easier on everyone, though you do give up a measure of freedom. However it works out great for the kids and is easier for us when something unexpected pops up.

  Oh, pay your child support and don't miss your visitation with your kids. Burns me up hearing stories about dads who don't take care of their kids.

  On the emotional front....takes about a year to really get over things. Anyway...just some things that come to mind.
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  34

  Dr Who

  by mrsjones5 in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  i just saw the newest dr who...loved it, can't wait for the next episode.

  are there any other dr who fans in the house?.

  josie

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  roybatty

  I flipped to it last night, and I think they've got it all wrong - I mean, what is Dr. Who without the cardboard robots and $1.98 special effects?

  Yeah, that's what I was thinking as I watched the new one for a little while. I can even remember watching an old B&W episode as a kid that scaried the heck out of me (believe it or not). It was some episode where all these British soldiers were turning into werewolves. Werewolves with British accents....now I'm not sure if that's scary or funny? I bet the other werewolves made fun of them.
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  6

  PayPal warning

  by Country Girl in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have successfully used paypal for several years, selling and buying things on ebay.

  all of a sudden, paypal became a menace and decided o freeze my funds.

  i investigated, since i could not get a response from ebay or paypal to my satisfaction.

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  roybatty

  I've used Paypal and Ebay with pretty good luck but two things really scare me. One, not being able to speak with a real person and two, that Paypal doesn't do more to warn people of scams. I almost fell for the "Paypal" email asking for you to re-submit your information. It looked legit with the Paypal logo. When I went to the Paypal web site, nothing was posted to let people know about this scam.

  Scary stuff.
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  46

  Best, worst and weirdest assembly halls...

  by Jamelle in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a recent thread about the experience of attending the 1969 convention as a young child really started me thinking.

  i have several fuzzy memories of assemblies i attended as very young child.

  this got me onto the track of the rather odd, uncomfortable or even really cool buildings i have visited over the years as a result of those conventions.. so my questions to everyone are:.

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  roybatty

  My favorite assembly hall's name is lost to me. I attended there as a young child - probably over 18 years ago. It was somewhere in and it was a beautiful old theatre - probably turn of the century (the last one).

  If I am thinking of the same Assembly Hall, it was on . It was a beautiful old threatre. That’s where I was baptized….in that little Jacuzzi-like pool they had downstairs. I remember working in the kitchen when they still served the hot meals…that was fun, I thought…mainly because of not getting to leave the session to work. My dad was head of the accounts department at those assemblies, and my friend and I would either help him or just hang out there…the auditing department was hidden up in the loft areas upstairs and to the right of the stage area. We would sometimes sit out on the fire escape and just watch things outside. We got to park in a reserved section, because of Dad, so we didn’t have to walk as far as most folks. It wasn’t a good neighborhood, though. Especially scary to we folks from down in rural central . We were told not to leave the Assembly Hall at all. My friends and I would hang out in the entry lobby and just watch the neighborhood. But, one day, a couple of teenage brothers that we knew decided to walk to the little drug store on the corner for some gum or something and were mugged. I did like that Assembly Hall, though….it had some character. Does anyone else remember this Assembly Hall and where exactly it was located? I just can’t remember where on is was located.

  “Alana”

  Ah, you guys are thinking of the assembly hall at 79th. & Ashland in Chicago. I went there for years and years until Romeville was built. The hall in Chicago was very cool, esp. as a teenager roaming around and going places you shouldn't be.

  Yup, I remember the tub. That's where I took the plunge. Remeber how everyone watching would have to sqeeze into that small room? lol. And you're right about the kitchen, it was much more fun working there preparing hot meals instead of having to sit down and listen to the program.
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  84

  without God what would humanity do?

  by BlackSwan of Memphis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what would humanity do without some belief in an almighty, in a divine in something?.

  how has it shaped the way modern man thinks?.

  would we better off or worse, without a belief in that which is divine?.

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  roybatty

  Prosper
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  64

  FRANCE-WTS BIG SCANDAL IF TRUE

  by DannyHaszard in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  vendors of paradise in district xvi

  cafe babel - strasbourg,france .

  jehovahs witnesses are often criticised.

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  roybatty

  Look,there are 195 kingdom halls in my little ole state of maine usa,the Bangor Maine usa k-hall is a mighty fine piece of real estate..Many if not most k-halls in the usa have an attached apartment that generates a rental income.The WTS pays no income,sales or real estate taxes on any of it.

  
  

  
  I'm not so sure about attached apartments on most kingdom halls these days. IMO that's a thing of the past. However...

  And people keep forgetting that the WT holds the title for almost all the Kingdom Halls in the U.S. (if not the world) along with assembly halls and other property. For example, when I was an elder for a congregation that was planning to build a new kingdom hall, we had our hands slapped by the CO because we were thinking about using a local bank for a mortage. Big "no-no." So instead the WT loaned us the money. Granted the interest rate was low but even if they charge a couple percentage points of interest, times this for all the halls around the globe and then take into consideration no taxes AT ALL what a sweeeeeet deal for them. It cracks me up that the local brothers and sisters BUILD the kingdom hall themselves and then have to make payments WITH INTEREST back to the Society! Ha! Ha!

  I would be shocked if their holdings only come to 200 billion. I know when the hall in my area was built several years ago the land was worth only a fraction of what it's now worth. Throw on top of there a building built for "free" and the Society has an assest with instant equity. With this kind of money, a company can gain access to financial circles that can make them even MORE money. Yes, it's true, it takes money to make money and it takes a LOT of money to make a LOT more money. This is something the WT is good at.

  Personally, I feel ALL non-profit organizations should have to by law disclose everything about their income, assest and who gets paid what.
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  62

  What's your favourite movie of all time?

  by deeskis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we had a weekend away a couple of weeks ago.

  i took a few classic dvd's along in case the weather turned sour.. so i watched ghost with demi moore, that pottery scene has to be one of my favourite ever..........gives me goosebumps!

  but it's not my favourite movie of all time/ i'm embarrassed to admit it, but ok i will, cause i'm with friends!

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  roybatty

  Gladiator - Braveheart - Saving Private Ryan

  Timeless story of a self-sacrificing, initially reluclant hero who believes in something bigger then himself. I'm a sucker for films with a "big" story (battling for control of an empire, fighting a war, etc.) blended with personal friendships. Every guy needs a Hamish...a Juba.
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  25

  WHO HAS READ C.O.C.? WHAT WAS AN EYE OPENER FOR YOU?

  by juni in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am half way through the book and am finding some surprising information.

  i was always told that the gb met on wed. and prayed before considering their decisions on things, but was i surprised that different ones were given the assignments and to use if they wanted other "worldly" written things and then were off on their own to work independantly or w/another to come up w/the book, etc.. also, the malawi and mexico difference in treatment.

  brothers lied to escape military service in mexico.

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  roybatty

  Also, the Malawi and Mexico difference in treatment. Brothers LIED to escape military service in Mexico. And it wasn't frowned on - no DF. Poor bros. and sisters and the horrendous savagery in Malawi. Bless them!! Shame on this organization!

  Bingo! Any JW who reads that section of the book and doesn't go "hmmm..." is hopelessly braindead.