startingover

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Posts by startingover

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  11

  math problem

  by peacefulpete in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  ex 12:40 isreal in egypt 430 yrs .

  this leaves 30 years of habitation in egypt in peace.

  gen 41:46,53;45:11 joseph 39 years old when israel and sons move to egypt.

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  startingover

  For anyone interesting in bible math, check out this.
  
  
  
  
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  29

  Circuit Assembly Report

  by Hapgood in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  coming out of the lurking mode to give you all a report on the 2 day ca that i attended this past weekend.

  i always enjoy other reports that have been posted so i thought i would share my observations.

  i attend with my jw hubby to keep him company so he doesn't have to go alone, that's the only reason that i go.. i didn't take any notes, so i'm doing this by memory.

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  startingover

  I know from working in the accounts department and preparing the report that is read from the platform, when it is prepared all the expenses are taken out and none of the contributions from the first day are counted. If I remember correctly, the cost of the hall was figured on the number of publishers from the congregations attending. I remember thinking at the time that if a true picture of the accounts was presented the contributions would be lower. It actually made me feel good that they did it that way because then I was sure there would be enough to cover it after guilting everyone. I hated being involved in something that operated in the red.
  
  
  After spending years as an accounts servant in the congregation, I know that the whole thing is supported by a few. There were always those who made the same contribution by check every month, probably 2 or 3 families, which probably accounted for over half of the needs. The rest came from $5 and $10 here and there, sometimes a $20 and always a bunch of $1's and change. We usually just squeaked by, after all the additional contributions to the society were sent in. It was the same at the assemblies, the society always got a large donation.
  
  
  What a scam! Ashamed to say I was a part of it.
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  6

  Right or Well?

  by startingover in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i don't know who wrote this but i found it interesting.

  i heard a funny story about a cowboy who ambled into the local blacksmith shop and picked up a horseshoe, not realizing it had just come from the forge.

  he immediately dropped the hot shoe, shoved his seared hand into his pocket and tried to act nonchalant.

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  startingover

  I don't know who wrote this but I found it interesting.
  
  RIGHT OR WELL?
  
  I heard a funny story about a cowboy who ambled into the local blacksmith shop and picked up a horseshoe, not realizing it had just come from the forge. He immediately dropped the hot shoe, shoved his seared hand into his pocket and tried to act nonchalant.
  
  
  The blacksmith half smiled and asked, "Kinda hot, wasn't it?"
  
  
  "Nope," replied the cowboy, "just don't take me long to look at a horseshoe, that's all."
  
  
  I chuckle at the story because it illustrates the widespread truth that most of us have difficulty admitting mistakes. But even more compelling is our almost universal urge to be right.
  
  I learned of one particular minister who left his pulpit to go to medical school and become a doctor. An old friend saw him several years later and expressed surprise at his career change, but said he assumed it had been because he could care for people in a more concrete way now that he was practicing medicine.
  
  "Not at all," the doctor responded honestly, "the reasons were purely economic. I discovered that people will pay more money to care for their bodies than for their souls."
  
  Several years lapsed before the friend saw him again and discovered that he had left medicine for law. "What was your reason this time?" the friend asked.
  
  "Simple economics again," replied the ex-minister, ex-doctor attorney. "I learned that people will pay more to prove they are right than to care for either body or soul."
  
  This man discovered something peculiar about human nature. People want to be RIGHT. In conflict, most folks want to come out on top. When they are wronged, they want justice. If no justice is forthcoming, they lament about the unfairness of it all and brood in righteous indignation. Many people will go to great lengths to prove they are right -- and at tremendous cost, not only financially, but in other ways.
  
  Being the "injured party" exacts a high toll on physical and emotional health. Some people pay dearly to be right. They stew about the injustice and it eats away their stomachs in ulcers. While they wait for an apology or to be vindicated, they grow resentful and bitter. They obsess on the cause of their pain and allow it to rob them of one of their most valuable assets -- their happiness. In the end, some people discover they paid far too high a price to be right.
  
  The only solution, of course, is to let it go. For it often comes down to one simple and poignant question: Do You Want To Be Right, Or Well? Truth is, too often you can't be both. But when you let go of being right, you can get on with healing. Let go of being right and you can finally live fully and happily in the present.
  
  Do you want to be right or well? That may just be one of the most important questions you ever answer.
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  28

  What's the point in being Married?

  by YoursChelbie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  divorce lawyers make thousands of dollars every year handling the breakups of over 50% of all the marriages in this country.

  children end up being pulled in both ways during drawn-out legal custody battles.

  aside from money issues, another big reason people file for divorce is infidelity.

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  startingover

  I am now of the opinion that the morality issues have been created through years and years of religious influence. Look at the primitive tribes in the jungles. It doesn't seem to be a big deal to them. Their life seems to revolve around survival, much like the animals. Is that because they have been separated from religion, specifically Christianity? Funny how it seems that clothes become necessary once the Christians arrive. Are there issues with infidelity in non-Christian nations? If anyone knows please post it.

  I have been married over 25 years but if my marriage ended there is no way I would get married again. I have a great marriage and a great wife (even though she's a loyal JW), but now I think the ceremony and slip of paper mean nothing in a relationship, only in legal matters.

  Last night I heard an interview with Gene Simmons from KISS about his new book and his philosophy on life. It's entitled "Sex Money Kiss". http://www.adarastore.com/cgi-bin/kiana/author_genesimmons.html He said he was going to name it "Women are from Mars, men are from Penis", but to sum it up he said, "Women produce 1 or 2 eggs per cycle, and men produce millions of sperm, what can I say"

  And Tink, put your picture back.
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  21

  Making A Big Deal Out Of Nothing.

  by shamus in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a poster recently brought up an interesting topic... about how the wtbts always makes big deals out of nothing.. case in point?.

  how jesus was crusified on a tree, rather than a cross.

  i mean, does it really matter that much?

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  startingover

  Don't forget the infamous "LUCKY"
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  17

  The boring and uneventful lives of a JW

  by YellowLab in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i faded as a jw about 8 years ago.

  to me the meetings were just plain boring as hell and so "robotic".

  i never did feel true love amongst the brothers and sisters as they always like to tout.

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  startingover

  Right on! I bet if the truth were known a huge number of people feel that same way, they just can't let their true feelings come out.

  The only thing you are wrong about is the turkey at Thanksgiving. Most witnesses I know have turkey then because "it's cheap". What a bunch of hypocrites.
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  27

  what is the meaning of life??

  by zen nudist in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  .

  one thing which kept me trapped as a jw far longer than necessary was the fear that if i left and no longer believed, my life would be empty of meaning and futile and ultimately end in a meaningless death.

  i could not find any meaning in the world apart from the view jws had imposed upon me... all other ways seemed to lead only to meaninglessness.. but once out and even without a belief in any god[s] i still found my life meaningful but it took several years before i understood my new source of meaning and now see it as the only valid source... i will explain this after i see some of your ideas as i do not wish to bias your answers in advance.

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  startingover

  I just read this quote by George Carlin in the paper. They asked him since one actor was running for governor and Carlin is obviously an intelligent guy, what would he do as governor?

  He said, "I wouldn't. I don't give a @#$$ about this @#$^$# country. I don't care about the world. This is all a temporary joyride. No one understands that. This is a big rock floating around a big star. It's a fire with a rock floating around it.

  People try to add all this extra meaning because they feel worthless and small. They gotta have all this meaning. They gotta have God, they gotta have creator, the creation and all this. It's so pathetic.

  And they make fun of people who worship the sun, people who worship animals, people who think animals are sacred and people who think rocks and minerals and trees are sacred. They make fun of these people. And here they have nothing to show for their own beliefs. At least the guy with a rock has got a @#&&^** rock.

  These religion people, they're not getting nothing. They got a sky and they think a man lives in it. And they think the man who lives there is judging them every minute. What a terrible thing to do to yourself."
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  30

  Moon Landing Conspiracy?

  by Shakita in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  don't get me wrong, i do believe that the americans did walk on the moon.

  what does concern me is this:.

  my son is in high school.

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  startingover

  When I watched the program I felt there were thought provoking questions that needed to be answered. I can't remember which ones right now but there were a couple that bothered me. After the Fox show aired, I remember reading a review of it in USA Today. They gave an answer to a couple of the questions that satisfied me. It was just a short article without room to answer everything asked, but what they did next bothered me. They made the comment something to the effect of: "What would you expect from a channel that is responsible for the X-Files." It just reminded me of all the WT propaganda about apostates, never deal with what they are saying, just attack them.
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  26

  addiction to this board

  by stillajwexelder in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  .

  hey guys, hamas has admitted to me he could not keep away from this board -- this is actually a serious question -- i have found i have become addicted and just can not stay away or stop posting -- every morning and evening -- sometimes at lunchtime -- and certainly most weekends i come on this board -- am i normal?

  is it just me and hamas or are there others out there addicted to simon's damn board?

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  startingover

  My hand is raised. I too am an addict.

  At this point in my life I don't consider it a bad thing. I have way too much to learn and this is the best place to do it. Here I have many different perspectives available. I don't know of any other place where they are available with the JW connection that I so well understand.

  Long live JWD!!!
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  46

  They're turning up the heat

  by Winston Smith :>D in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  well, after four elder meetings at 2 hours a pop, they sill want to get together with me.

  the last meeting i told them to give me scriptural backing that disproves that the 70 years ended when babylon fell as spoken of at jer 25: 10,11. i also asked for scriptures to prove why they insist on 607 rather than 587 as the fall of jerusalem.

  they said they would do that and get back to me.

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  startingover

  Winston,

  Your last post is exactly what I am living with. My wife is treating me that same way, especially the part about acting like nothing happened the next day. I sometimes think my wife is just playing the witness unbeliever husband routine, the old "win him over without a word"
  thing. Talking to her becomes so frustrating because she uses the same arguments your wife does. I have basically given up, if she ever figures out what's going on then we'll talk.