Xanthippe

Joined

• started 104 topics
• posted 4,713 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Xanthippe

• 
  7

  Nostalgia of the Unknown

  by compound complex in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  "the nostalgia of things unknown, of lands forgotten or unfound, is upon me at times.

  often i long for the gleam of yellow suns upon terraces of translucent azure marble, mocking the windless waters of lakes unfathomably calm; for lost, legendary palaces of serpentine, silver and ebony, whose columns are green stalactites; for the pillars of fallen temples, standing in the vast purpureal sunset of a land of lost and marvellous romance.

  i sigh for the dark-green depths of cedar forests, through whose fantastically woven boughs, one sees at intervals an unknown tropic ocean, like gleams of blue diamond; for isles of palm and coral, that fret an amber morning, somewhere beyond cathay or taprobane; for the strange and hidden cities of the desert, with burning brazen domes and slender pinnacles of gold and copper, that pierce a heaven of heated lazuli.".

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  Beautiful CC, I was transported to calm happiness reading it.
• 
  191

  If god exists...

  by dazed but not confused in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  [if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>normal</w:view> <w:zoom>0</w:zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables /> <w:snaptogridincell /> <w:wraptextwithpunct /> <w:useasianbreakrules /> </w:compatibility> <w:browserlevel>microsoftinternetexplorer4</w:browserlevel> </w:worddocument> </xml><![endif].

  [if gte mso 10]> <style> /* style definitions */ table.msonormaltable {mso-style-name:"table normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"times new roman";} </style> <![endif].

  if god exists, wouldnt it make more sense for him to show himself today - now that we are a more enlightened people?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  StoneWall, I just want to play Devil's Advocate here. If someone put a very clear photo of a ghost on the internet that they said they took in their own home what would everyone say? Fake. How could they prove it was real? Just asking.
• 
  18

  RIP Sir Patrick Moore

  by Chariklo in

  1. social
  2. current

  very, very sad to learn of the death of sir patrick moore.

  i've been following his programme the sky at night ever since the first one.

  he started my lifelong interest in astronomy, and is partly responsible for my sons' careers.. wonderful enthusiasm!.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  I loved the Sky at Night. He will be remembered with fondness every time I look at those beautiful stars. Way to go Patrick - you had a good time
• 
  25

  Your first holiday season? Let's walk you through it real time

  by rebel8 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so either you're out for the first time this year, or this is the first time you're thinking about celebrating some major holidays in some fashion.

  first, congratulations.. second--i think those of us who did it blindly and alone could provide you with some ideas and insights.. ok, so it's just before thanksgiving in america, the official start of the christmas season.

  this is good for you--it's the easiest holiday ever.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  Carla you are so right kids should enjoy getting covered in flour and chocolate in the kitchen at this time of year. I don't have any memories of festive cooking but I've taught my daughter to love making cakes and cookies. We also love the smell of parsnips and potatoes roasting in the oven at Christmas. Last year I had a go at red cabbage cooked in a covered dish in the oven with red wine, oange juice and cinnamon. It smelled and tasted wonderful.
• 
  19

  Stones preparing to CRY OUT?

  by irondork in

  1. social
  2. current

  tracking the rolling stones of racetrack playaby: shannon dybvigit's the time of year when the sailing stones of racetrack playa in california's death valley are on the move.

  no one has actually seen these huge rocks move along the flat, dry lake bed.

  sometime, when no one's looking, usually after freezing weather or heavy wind or rain, the rocks up and scoot themselves leaving unmistakable travel grooves in their wake.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  Really interesting, Irondork. I like to learn new stuff about my home planet.
• 
  19

  After leaving the WTS have you been left with a phobia about being happy?

  by Xanthippe in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  after reading flipper's thread about steve hassan's latest book it got me thinking about the stuff on phobias he mentions.

  apparently cults deliberately instill phobias in you to cut you off from the real world.. we were constantly being told if we were struggling it showed we were doing everything right because the devil only persecutes those that are doing well.

  if i ever said to anyone i am thinking of taking up a hobby or doing some exercise or (very rarely) planning a holiday they were instantly critical.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  Flipper, your musical creativity sounds great. Everyone needs to do something creative I think. Good luck with the CD.

  Tiki, yes the self-sabotage thing, we all have to watch out for that don't we.

  Insearchof, 'we got sidetracked by the WT, Its payback time..', I like that, yes back to reality.

  Exwhyzee, I agree the old Judeo/Christian martyr complex that we are not even supposed to enjoy our job, because if we do we are not working hard enough - good reminder thanks.
• 
  19

  After leaving the WTS have you been left with a phobia about being happy?

  by Xanthippe in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  after reading flipper's thread about steve hassan's latest book it got me thinking about the stuff on phobias he mentions.

  apparently cults deliberately instill phobias in you to cut you off from the real world.. we were constantly being told if we were struggling it showed we were doing everything right because the devil only persecutes those that are doing well.

  if i ever said to anyone i am thinking of taking up a hobby or doing some exercise or (very rarely) planning a holiday they were instantly critical.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  Yes Happytobefree I think the crap does play in our heads, whether we hear it or not.

  Wha happened , 'Feeling normal or OK in the outside world almost feels like a sin. Like I'm not entitled to feel this good outside of that religion' - yes exactly. I'm feeling really tired this week because work is hell at the moment - lots of new stuff - I suddenly don't feel entitled to be happy again. Thanks for reminding me, it's just conditioning. Maybe it's like a stammer, it comes back when you're stressed.
• 
  19

  After leaving the WTS have you been left with a phobia about being happy?

  by Xanthippe in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  after reading flipper's thread about steve hassan's latest book it got me thinking about the stuff on phobias he mentions.

  apparently cults deliberately instill phobias in you to cut you off from the real world.. we were constantly being told if we were struggling it showed we were doing everything right because the devil only persecutes those that are doing well.

  if i ever said to anyone i am thinking of taking up a hobby or doing some exercise or (very rarely) planning a holiday they were instantly critical.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  Mm the problem is, as the shrinks all say, that when you have a trauma all the phobias and 'stuff' that you think has been taken care of pops right back up, which I think it did when my husband died four years ago. But onward and upward, as they say. It's not like starting again, but stress and shock tend to put you back where you were - just for a while. And these things happen to us all.
• 
  19

  After leaving the WTS have you been left with a phobia about being happy?

  by Xanthippe in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  after reading flipper's thread about steve hassan's latest book it got me thinking about the stuff on phobias he mentions.

  apparently cults deliberately instill phobias in you to cut you off from the real world.. we were constantly being told if we were struggling it showed we were doing everything right because the devil only persecutes those that are doing well.

  if i ever said to anyone i am thinking of taking up a hobby or doing some exercise or (very rarely) planning a holiday they were instantly critical.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  After reading Flipper's thread about Steve Hassan's latest book it got me thinking about the stuff on phobias he mentions. Apparently cults deliberately instill phobias in you to cut you off from the real world.

  We were constantly being told if we were struggling it showed we were doing everything right because the devil only persecutes those that are doing well.

  If I ever said to anyone I am thinking of taking up a hobby or doing some exercise or (very rarely) planning a holiday they were instantly critical. 'How do you have time for that, what about doing more field service'.

  I think maybe I've been struggling for years with the fear of doing things to be happy. I'm not giving up on it, I like being happy, but it but it seems to be more of a struggle than it should be. People who have never been in the Borg easily accept that it is their right to be happy, which of course it is. So I think it must be a phobia, like Hassan says.

  You know - if everything is going well the Devil has already got you - these things sink in as a small kid don't they? I often have this feeling that everything is going so well it's bound to go belly-up any minute.

  I've got to fight the programming. This make any sense to anyone?
• 
  9

  March 15th Study WT

  by St George of England in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the new wt is on jw.org for those that like to read the stuff early.. i managed a one pager on josephus.. george.

  .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Xanthippe

  Yet one of the reasons they can't eat meals with relatives who have left is in case they stumble someone, according to my sister. Blah blah blah.