Spiral

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Posts by Spiral

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  18

  JWs Letters Target Recently Bereaved

  by steve2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  current media attention in new zealand is focusing on the case of a woman whose male friend died three months.

  she received a handwritten letter personally addressed to her and her deceased friend with a series of questions about what happens after death.

  the woman was furious and, accompanied by news media, door-knocked the address provided by the letter writer.

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  Spiral

  *** yb95 p. 47 Worldwide Report ***
  

  Now 94, she is still busy witnessing. Recently she completed a year of auxiliary pioneer service. She is able to walk a little with a cane—enough to take advantage of the opportunities presented when neighbors, friends, relatives, salesmen, postmen, or anyone else calls. Still she has to do most of her witnessing with a pen. She finds names and addresses in the obituary columns in the daily paper and writes to some of these. How happy she is when replies of appreciation come!

  I don't ever remember hearing any of the letter writers getting a response, much less "replies of appreciation".
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  18

  JWs Letters Target Recently Bereaved

  by steve2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  current media attention in new zealand is focusing on the case of a woman whose male friend died three months.

  she received a handwritten letter personally addressed to her and her deceased friend with a series of questions about what happens after death.

  the woman was furious and, accompanied by news media, door-knocked the address provided by the letter writer.

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  Spiral

  Yes, back "in the day" writing letters to families from obituary ads was common place. At one point in our congregation a change was made in procedure, to put the KH address as the return address, in case the person was upset (they wouldn't know where you lived). Eventually, the letters were written but only signed as "from your neighbor" or "from the local congregation of JWs" or something like that.

  I can remember passing out tracts at cemeteries too, which seemed really inappropriate to me when I became an adult.
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  17

  My 2016 RC Experience

  by wannabefree in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i'm at the water park with my five year old in green bay.

  she was so happy to be spared another boring day like she endured at thursday's propaganda feast with her mother.

  after breakfast we drove by the convention site.

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  Spiral

  If you use the old lingo they know you're a fader or "apostate".
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  8

  Any news about changes in the Elder’s arrangement?

  by Hecce in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  not based on any major reliable information, just spiritual gossip among some very weak spiritually friends.. since the wt has made monumental changes in personnel, including bethel and cos; some are speculating that eventually there will be a cutback in the number of elders in a congregation and a return to the 1930-1970 servant’s model.. i can see some good reasons for this:.

  poor quality among the elders, maybe one or two are really carrying the entire load.

  the merging of the congregations will create a glut of elders strange to each other, the more that they have the more conflicts in the making.. the duties of the elders have been decreasing and most of the decisions are made upstairs.. the pre 1970 arrangement worked really well and it will take the wt less than 1-3 to find a biblical basis to bring it back.. friends, just some saturday morning thoughts.. thanks for reading..

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  Spiral

  As Dreamerdude pointed out, hard to control the brothers and keep them in line if you don't offer that title as a reward. But reducing what control the local brothers have in "congregation matters" could help streamline things into the mega church they want to become. If they could make that work, they'd love it.
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  18

  FYI My JW mom and Alzheimer's

  by scary21 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  one year ago today my mom passed away.

  she was 91 years old.

  it has been really hard on me because i never expected what happened, to.have happened.

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  Spiral

  Hi Scary, I am taking care of my mother who has some sort of dementia or ALZ or whatever.... Hard to tell but it's just one day at a time. She's not "way out there" in her behaviour (yet, anyway) so I can't compare my experience to yours except to say you have my total respect and sympathy in what you have experienced and dealt with. I've already seen that my mother can turn on a dime and I realize that dementia patients often turn on those trying to help them.

  In my case, my mother never paid much attention to her children so there's not really a close relationship to lose. In the end, perhaps that will make it easier on me, I don't know at this point. The JW nonsense made no difference in her relationships whatsoever.

  And I see that the caregiver can't win - if you move them, they can become upset, if you leave them in their home you could just as easily be accused of being neglectful, keeping them where they can't cope.

  Please know that you both did all you can to the best of your ability, that is more than so many ALZ patients get in the end.
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  18

  Meet Joy Grant - Struggles of Jehovah's Witness Women

  by JT-LadyC in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

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  Spiral

  Awesome interview, I listened to it twice. Thank you for sharing this!

  Now, how do I get my "still in" friends to listen?!?!
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  45

  The Ray Franz Saga

  by snugglebunny in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm just curious as to how it all happened.. to explain.

  many years back, before ex-jw websites, i called on a local lady in order to design an extension to her already enormous house.

  she was a young, voluptuous gal, married to a much older local business man who spared little expense in order to give his young wife whatever her heart desired.. we chatted for ages.

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  Spiral

  Out in the western US, most of us knew nothing. The GB were mysterious and we didn't even know all their names. I remember hearing about some apostates at Bethel, but that was all. Everything was top secret and besides which, don't even think YOU could question what went on. It was all taken care of by smarter people than you. UGH!
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  53

  She displayed a literature cart in front of my house: That does it for me!

  by Tempest in a Teacup in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  is this something they've asked them to do?

  cart displays in front of their homes?

  my mom is only in her mid 60s so i'm quite sure this is not an issue of mental illness.. the only illness she's suffering from is boredom since she's refused to work for years now.

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  Spiral

  Hi Tempest, my mom is also a "bored never did anything in her adult life but service kind of person", but in her 80s. There is no logical reasoning with them, trust me I've tried on many levels.

  The only thing that worked when I faced some issues with my mom was to say "I won't live like that or do that. If you want my help that can't happen." I'll spare everyone the details but it did work. She's asked about going in service in the neighborhood and I always say no, not safe and not a good idea. (It really isn't.)

  My mom would go door to door in her old neighborhood and got sprayed with a hose once. I have no doubt that neighbor was just exasperated. She thought it was persecution, of course. But I have learned you just have to be blunt and consistent. Nothing else works.

  I am a professional as well and shared your concerns about how this would be viewed by the neighbors.

  I have noticed a lot of the older ones here have various forms of dementia, hard question to ask but could that be part of what is going on here? I do know the elders here would not approve of using a cart in that fashion.
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  19

  Today's Text - Draw Close To God... (BUT HOW???)

  by Divergent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here's where i stand at the moment: i neither categorize myself as a theist, atheist, or agnostic.

  i'm a freethinker and do not have a specific belief at the moment, unless something comes along which is 100% conclusive & convincing.

  which brings us to tackling the elephant in the room, something that today's text has failed to do:.

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  Spiral

  Heaven, I am with you. Interesting how the JW bible muddies up that scripture in Proverbs a bit, so it doesn't sound so drastic.

  Funny how so many human belief systems start with humans being "sinful" and then having to spend their whole lives being " whipped" and "chastised" to be acceptable to God. You get your reward later, much later, maybe. Feeling the love, aren't we?

  Again, just insanity.
  
  
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  12

  Today's Text - Brainwash Your Children!

  by Divergent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  with the increasing number of young ones leaving "the truth", it is critical to brainwash them regularly from young!.

  monday, may 16. the one who has dealings with the stupid will fare badly.—prov.

  13:20.. a child could drift away gradually on a spiritually dangerous path, being tempted by harmful association or degrading entertainment.

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  Spiral

  They are really upping the guilt trip for parents lately. Get those kids baptized early!!! Ugh.