Thirdson

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Posts by Thirdson

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  10

  JE-HOVIS WITNESSES

  by JW72 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi everyone, sorry about the title, got your attention though!!.....

  my dad is the only jw in my family, i'm not, my 2 brothers aren't and neither is my mum.. my mum was until me and my older brother were about 6 & 7.. me and my brother were until we were 15 & 16.. my little brother was briefly, but escaped in 'the nick of time'.. life is very tough in my house, with my dad stomping around the house, making everyone feel guilty and uncomfortable with every little thing that we do.. we are just trying to get on like a normal family, and all he can do is say negative things about everything we do.. it is impossible to live with him, we have all come to agree.. we have shown him all the evidence we have to show him jw is a cult but he continues to go along with what the wts tell him, although he doesn't go to the meetings, coz he's stressed and not strong enough, mentally.. but there are some things that really annoy me, like the way he watches a tv programme where an animal is being killed, and he says something like 'oh, isn't that awful', and i think 'what about armageddon??????

  ' '5000000000000000000000 times worse!!!!!'..

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  Thirdson

  he doesn't go to the meetings, coz he's stressed and not strong enough, mentally.

  I think you have more problems than just his JW followings. Is your dad receiving any medical attention at the moment? Does he get any visits from the "brothers"? It doesn't seem like your dad can be reasoned with at the present time. There may be some things that need to be resolved if you are going to have a stable family home. While you may be in a position to move out your youngest brother isn't. Have you discussed all the issues with your mom? Would you tell us some more.

  Regards,

  Thirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
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  23

  What is the role of the Annointed NOT on the GB?

  by LDH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does anyone have an answer to this question?

  other than 'partaking', what exactly is it that 8,000 old boogers do the rest of the year?.

  doesn't anyone else find it odd that out of these 8,000+ old boogers, only like 9 of them are on the gb?

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  Thirdson

  Lindy,

  You said:

  One woman told me that the only time she has been in contact with headquarters is when they have a question that they put to the lot of them to see if they might all "be in agreement" on some topic. Even that had at that time, only happened once.

  You know, the results were probably so bad, no agreement, 8000 different replies that it probably scared the GB that perhaps they are not the annointed, "chosen" afterall.

  The whole "who are the annointed?", "who is the FDS?" is an unprovable doctrine and no JW can answer the question in a reasoned way. The leadership fails to prove its case. With the dying off of the old GB and the likely dropping of the 1914 doctrine the whole GB/FDS thing will have to be rethought. "New light" will shine surely, I wonder if anyone will be left to see it?

  Thirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
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  35

  Kingdom SMELLodies

  by reagan_oconnor in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  which "kingdom melodies" did you most despise?.

  mine had to be #125... the one that talked about "bees that were molested.

  " [8>]

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  Thirdson

  I hated anything with "lick the dust" in the lyrics. The words seem like they were lifted from a "B" Western movie and a bad one at that.

  And what about "efficacious"? Who on earth is efficacious? JW's certainly aren't.

  THirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
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  15

  Question about member numbers

  by betweenworlds in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was wondering if anyone knew how the jehovah's witnesses stand as far as there numbers go in regards to other *newer* religions such as the mormons, the moonies, the adventists, scientologists, etc?.

  i was wondering because this is a point that jw's will use when pointing that they are gods people.

  (the fact that their numbers have climbed so quickly in a relatively short period of time, so they must have god's direction, blessing) of course i think this is hooey!

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  Thirdson

  Monica,

  You can find some details, or a good indication at least, by subtracting from the currents year's average number of publishers the previous year's average. Subtract this amount from the number baptized in the year and the difference (a +ive number) is the number that left, were removed or went inactive.

  Thirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
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  19

  naughty elder in Detroit

  by Dogpatch in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  passed on from a loyal jw:.

  disgrace was surely brought upon jehovah's name last night.

  on the 10 o'clock news there is this program called the problem solvers.

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  Thirdson

  When I talked to 2 JW ladies at the airport JW literature desk in January they were both underlining their Watchtowers. I think they were counting time and doing pre-study at the same time. I guess Jehovah won't mind because they were doing something vitally important--sitting at the airport doing nothing.

  Thirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
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  19

  naughty elder in Detroit

  by Dogpatch in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  passed on from a loyal jw:.

  disgrace was surely brought upon jehovah's name last night.

  on the 10 o'clock news there is this program called the problem solvers.

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  Thirdson

  Chieftain in the making - mo more!

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
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  21

  Disfellowshipping Doesn't Sever Family Ties?

  by tergiversator in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  "disfellowshipping does not sever family ties.".

  or so claims the watchtower's official faq.

  so, i would like to take an informal poll: how has being disfellowshippid/ disassociated/ inactive/ just having doubts affected relations with your family?

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  Thirdson

  While it was easy to drift away by moving away that in itself causes some family problems. Some of the stigmatism started with my divorce and I was seen as the failure of the family because not only was my then wife not a very active JW but she left me as well. Then it transpired that I had quit associating with the JW's too.

  In the summer of 1998 my parents came to visit me. We had a nice time together (at least I thought we did). They asked and I took them of a Kingdom Hall one Sunday. It was hall about 10 miles from where I live and outside of the local cong's territory. I found the meeting boring and the people there extremely unfriendly. I think my parents were very disappointed. We never spoke about the meeting afterwards and we didn't talk about religion at all during their visit.

  A year later I had met someone and wanted to take her to the UK on vacation and see my parents. I asked if we could stay with them on our visit but were told no. During the telephone conversation my Dad asked if I had left the "truth". I told him some of my problems with the "truth" mainly the amount of it which I found to be lies. I then received a very hurtful letter. However, I was not totally cut-off and I replied to the letter and then had further discussions with both parents. S and I visited the UK, we stayed with my sister and did get to see my mom and dad and even shared some meals with them.

  A few months later my youngest brother (5th son) got married. I probably would not have attended but I didn't even get an invite. I did receive a thank you message from my brother and his wife but that is the last I heard from him and 18 months have elapsed since.

  Last year S and I got married. We invited most of my closest relatives but none came. Some were for valid reasons but others declined including my parents for whom I was willing to buy airline tickets for. Although I have some relationship with my parents, we phone and e-mail each other, they know nothing of Mrs Thirdson, have no relationship with her and sometimes never even ask about her. She knows this and found it amusing if not rather sad that in the pecking order of "how is everyone?" she ranks after both my son and our cat!

  In that infamous letter my mother asked if S. knew about my former life as a JW and the JW beliefs (even stating that S. might not want to meet them). I can tell you all, S. knows all about JW beliefs, practices and behaviour. She has seen first hand the treatment of former members. If there is one reason never to join that religious sect she knows it very well.

  Thirdson

  Link: http://www.geocities.com/simon_mn/w3247x.htm

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
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  21

  My God, What HAVE I done?

  by TR in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i copied my reply from the "can you confirm this wt quote" thread because i wanted to highlight the need to be careful when talking to jw relatives.. it all started out as a joke for my jw brother.

  for 7 years, since i left the wts, i've kept silent about what i've found out about the wts to prevent my losing contact with him and his family.. i sent him an email the other day jokingly wondering if he was going to stop preaching since the 20th century is over, included in the email was the wt quote from 1-1-89. he emailed me back, saying that he looked it up and it said "our generation".

  i replied by saying that the quote was changed because of the screw up.

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  Thirdson

  Hey TR,

  I have done the same with my elder (and older) brother. Since I questioned the blood issue in the light of the January BMJ article he hasn’t been in contact with me. My mom and dad occasionally get upset when I send then something or ask difficult questions. We get over it.

  With your brother it’s hardly a big issue. After all, you only quoted the official Watchtower.

  On the actual issue at hand, and supposing no one believes that the scanned copy is legitimate, what did the term “our generation” mean? Does the Watchtower refer to the generation of 1914, or of 1989? If the 1989 one, then what is implied in the soon to be completed work? Does it mean that the preaching work is destined to go on into the 2060’s or 2070’s? If the generation is the one of 1914 (as believed back then to be the generation of people born in or prior to that year) then the completion work has to be completed in the next decade or so otherwise the generation will be dead. What will the Watchtower passage mean after 2014? It means, whichever way you take it, the men in Brooklyn just don’t have a clue.

  Thirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
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  31

  Do You Fear Death?

  by think41self in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am very interested to know how all of you feel about the subject of death and the future.

  do you fear death?

  what do you think are the possibilities for the future?.

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  Thirdson

  I think everyone has made some good and valid points. To me how can I fear the unknowable? If there is a God, and I sincerely hope there is, why should I fear? As long as God is not the vindictive sort worshipped by the Watchtower I'll be OK. At the very worst my thoughts will disappear forever and I won't be conscious of anything.

  Thirdson

  It's not knowing when I'll die that concerns me but WHERE I will die. If I knew that I won't go there.
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  8

  Happy Mothers Day!!!

  by Jang in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://www1.bluemountain.com/cards/boxa225257e1/fkenahgmsy85kd.html.

  motherhood and homemaking.

  i feel like ive wasted my life," said one mother whose last child had recently.

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  Thirdson

  P.S. My mother-in-law celebrates. Thank goodness for mother-in-laws!

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'