Posts by NeverKnew

25

dannalight - newbie wants to say hi

by besty in

jw
friends

say hi to dannalight here.... she made a post http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/46/12/welcome#4909211 but it made more sense to make a new topic for her....

Personal rules I live by when talking to Christians

by free2beme in

jw
friends

as a former witnesses, i have spoken to tons and tons of christians since my exit.

some want to convert me to their faith, heal me of what they see as false information in my youth and so on.

when ever i speak to them, not being a christian now, i have certain things that guide me.

Botr, I'm imagining you were in Central PA. Not much to talk about in certain areas out there. While I attend different churches according to my moods, I was raised and confirmed in the Episcopal faith. Welcome!

I agree with Lisa on this... it's enough to agree that there's a higher power and to celebrate an agreement on that. The rest is opinion.

20

Christmas presents

by Hortensia in

jw
friends

i like a lot about christmas, lights, music, smells, food.

i like the idea of lots of presents, too, but i totally don't like the idea enforced by advertising that all of us must spend loads of money buying gifts for everyone we know.

and i think that gifts for adults should be consumable, a bottle of wine, candy, that sort of thing, a token of friendship, a little treat, but nothing grand.. so, i've made about four dozen jars of jam from wild grapes i picked in the fall, and i'm going to make lots of cranberry bread and pumpkin bread.

NeverKnew

It's a good feeling to be basically done.

Must we brag? I haven't started! I told my daughter to buy her own boots and that I'd reimburse her, I haven't been near a toy store for my niece, and ...I mean... how hard could it be to find a sweatshirt and some slippers? *sigh*

15

Personal rules I live by when talking to Christians

by free2beme in

jw
friends

as a former witnesses, i have spoken to tons and tons of christians since my exit.

some want to convert me to their faith, heal me of what they see as false information in my youth and so on.

when ever i speak to them, not being a christian now, i have certain things that guide me.

NeverKnew

Wait... wouldn't you have spoken to more non-JW Christians who wanted to convert and/or heal you from the perceived falsehoods taught to you as a youth before your exit? Since you had to knock on doors?... This has only been happening after you've left?

Has this happened to anybody else on this forum...

15

Personal rules I live by when talking to Christians

by free2beme in

jw
friends

as a former witnesses, i have spoken to tons and tons of christians since my exit.

some want to convert me to their faith, heal me of what they see as false information in my youth and so on.

when ever i speak to them, not being a christian now, i have certain things that guide me.

NeverKnew

So, you left the JWs and created ....rules. Interesting...

I'm curious as to how you've managed to get into "tons and tons of conversations with Christians" who want to convert you. I deal with people at varying levels of association daily and am in an institution of 1500+ employees. I touch each of their lives at least once a year and many on a daily basis, but I can only tell you the denominational affiliation of a handful. NONE have EVER tried to "convert" me. I'm over 40 and have been a non-JW all my life. I've never run into this..."problem."

If I got into tons of tons of conversations, maybe I'd create rules too. I dunno....

20

Christmas presents

by Hortensia in

jw
friends

i like a lot about christmas, lights, music, smells, food.

i like the idea of lots of presents, too, but i totally don't like the idea enforced by advertising that all of us must spend loads of money buying gifts for everyone we know.

and i think that gifts for adults should be consumable, a bottle of wine, candy, that sort of thing, a token of friendship, a little treat, but nothing grand.. so, i've made about four dozen jars of jam from wild grapes i picked in the fall, and i'm going to make lots of cranberry bread and pumpkin bread.

NeverKnew

Hortensia - Good for you! your gifts are from the heart. That's really cool. The cost of the gifts exchanged amongst many of those that I know (I'm a non-jw) are typically tokens of appreciation. The big-ticket items are reserved for the kids. You're only a kid once.

My 22 year old asked for boots. Her birthday gift was an Iphone. My mother asked for a football team's sweatshirt and my Dad wanted slippers. I buy nothing for my brother nor his wife, but buy something for their daughter and they do the same for mine. None of us relies on another to buy a gift that we can buy ourselves.

I suspect most over 30 would agree that the true goals of Christmas are the get-togethers and the food - not the gifts. :)

18

Today I received my first ever birthday gift!

by NVR2L8 in

jw
friends

i received a parcel at work from my daughter and her boyfriend.

it contained a birthday card in the shape of a motorcycle leather jacket and a book on rides you can take using the back roads in my part of the world!

my eyes filled with tears as i was reading the card.

NeverKnew

WAAHOOOOOO HAVE A BLAST! :)

Make sure the blast is legal, okay? (giggling)

15

suggestions for elder a nd co visit

by Shaul in

jw
friends

getting a visit tommorow our kids that are in are concerned as to why we are missing meetings.

our family is basically ignored by the congregation long story we just don't want to go anymore.

i have told the kids how rotten i have been treated and also i have had some seriou health issues but you know you should still be at the meetings.

NeverKnew

If they really really get on your case in the future (not at this visit), say that what you need is lots of help from the elders to mow your lawn and have your meals cooked and laundry done because of your health. Say you don't want the congregation members other than the elders helping as the whole thing is embarrassing and you would like to keep it between you and them.

May not fit your circumstance, but THIS is hilarious.

51

Christmas - love it or leave it?

by Xanthippe in

jw
friends

i am just watching my neighbours across the road putting up christmas lights while their children run around bursting with excitement.

i am feeling all christmassy now.

can't wait for my daughter to come home from uni next weekend so we can go and buy a tree from the garden centre.

NeverKnew

Blondie! GREAT JOB! :)

51

Christmas - love it or leave it?

by Xanthippe in

jw
friends

i am just watching my neighbours across the road putting up christmas lights while their children run around bursting with excitement.

i am feeling all christmassy now.

can't wait for my daughter to come home from uni next weekend so we can go and buy a tree from the garden centre.

NeverKnew

Joe134cd,

There actually are families that decorate, celebrate, but don't exchange gifts. Here in my area, there was an industry that employed probably half the men in the community. That industry's failing affected just about every head of household in my extended family. Given each family's economy, a decision was made to NOT exchange, but to enjoy the season with multiple pot-luck dinners. The host family provided the meats but the side dishes were provided by the attendees. Those were the best memories. No stress whatsoever. Tradition is part of what connects us.

I am absolutely sure it's not the case with all JW families, but I can think of four that seem to have no real meaningful connections to extended family outside of being JWs. God, don't be an ex-jw for they're most likely not even invited to the house. If extended families do not attend the same KH, they seem to get together for religious conventions, weddings and funerals. That wraps it up.

As an outsider, it's hard to watch.