Thirdson

Joined

• started 99 topics
• posted 1,270 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Thirdson

• 
  4

  Profile of JW Congs?

  by ISP in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the future of the jw congregation does not look good.

  it used to have a fair cross section of society......but those days are disappearing fast.

  the jw lifestyle does not attract your average wholesome family anymore, i guess it never did but i imagine there were plenty of parents who thought they were doing the best for their kids by taking an interest in the wts in the 60s and 70s.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Thirdson

  I knew lots and lots of odd people who were JW's (some were bizarre!). The lifestyle tends to make shallow people with few interests. Even their supposed superior Bible knowledge is limited by only ever reading one narrow viewpoint and I was affected just like everyone else.

  I think that as a family we were slightly different. Outside interests were not terribly discouraged although the pressure was there to make up time elsewhere for field service etc. Some of my siblings are quite gifted musically (unlike me) and my one older brother is quite an accomplished classical guitarist but never considered a musical career when still a young JW (he used to practice 6-7 hours a day at weekends and holidays). All of us were encouraged to do well in school although further education was not encouraged. As I have mentioned previously I was the only one of six to get a 4 year college education but even so that was not a very high standard.

  All of us kids have a wide range of interests, have read quite widely, have a good general knowledge and are able to converse in a reasoned way about most subjects from world affairs and politics to the arts and sciences.

  In many ways I am still embarrassed that I spent so long in the JW religion before I came to my senses. How could I be such a fool for so long? Many a public talk made me cringe when some speaker would misquote someone, state a well known fallacy, misinterpret history or show a total lack understanding of some scientific concept. I often found that when the speaker used the term "it's a well known fact" that the "fact" would likely be a well known misconception. Not that I was much better, I quoted all the Watchtower stuff as fact without checking their sources. But at least anything "factual" I used outside of the WTS publications was up to date, and accurately presented.

  I guess as a family we were rare. We kids stayed in for a long time but in the end most of the family and the next generation left the JW religion. It doesn't bode well for the future of the Watchtower. With growth coming from within existing families, the outside influence and greater freedon of information is sure to have a big impact. Sure, there will always be odd-bods but then again, where else can the "odd" feel welcome, at home and most of all, superior to everyone else?

  Thirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
• 
  48

  are you sitting down?........PRINCE is a JW!!!!!

  by lisaBObeesa in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello all, registered just to post this and see what you all had to say about this.

  i, for one, am in shock.

  it was anounced today on "extra" and they said we would soon see a change in his music because he was "marrying his music to his religion.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Thirdson

  Just another thought on Prince.

  I understand he got married at a Minneapolis Church. My wife knows the pastors of that church through her work. I wonder if any of the pastors are friends of Prince. Maybe one of them would like to get in touch with him. I could always offer assistance in a free consultancy way.

  Thirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
• 
  18

  Df'ing threat losing power?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  recently,i noticed that some teenagers and "weak" publishers.

  weren't actually shunning my step-daughter.

  i warned her to meet.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Thirdson

  Good for you Slip. I bet the ones you refused to shun were grateful for your human kindness. I never shunned my disfellowshipped brother-in-law and regularly saw him or visited him. He was family and the elders couldn't do anything since all my visits and contacts were "necessary family matters".

  Thirdson

  P.S. Slip you post from Qatar. Are you working through the list of countries or do you have a real connection to Qatar? If so, I am interested in the connection.

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
• 
  5

  That Darned "Awake"!

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  forgive me for this further critique but shooting fish.

  in a barrel can be delightful.. the ever vigilant awake (june 8,2001) warns about.

  increasing lifespan causing old people to become.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Thirdson

  The "American Seniors living longer and better" article was reported on CNN.com today as well.

  Just a comment on the Genetically modified embryo process that has widely misreported. The child doesn't have 2 mothers. The genetic material contained in the chromosomes in the cell nuclei comes from the parents as with all of us humans. What is done in this new fertility treatment means that some organelles present, mitochondria to be precise, are from a third donor. These organelles contain their own DNA that creates new mitochondria when the host cell divides. Mitochodrial DNA is not part of the human genome. These orgenelles are the decendants of free living bacteria that took up a symbiotic relationship with the larger cells that most multicelluar life is based on a billion years ago or more.

  While some may feel that this is too much interference in genetic engineering the mitochondria from a third donor is not much different to any other human mitochondria and for that matter other animal species either.

  Thirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
• 
  37

  Final Observations

  by Esmeralda in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm an observant person.

  i became that way back in what i call the 'wallflower years' of my life, when i could very easily blend into the woodwork of any room i walked into without anyone looking up.

  i became a student of human nature and watched how people interacted, and that study has come in handy at many points.. sometimes, though, i don't realize when i'm opening a can of worms.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Thirdson

  Nothing stays the same and this is a public forum that thrives on having new blood. As the board has matured it has gathered a mix of regulars, some from the very beginning and a whole range of new people. People join this board every day. If we didn't have a constant influx of new people the board would die and none of us wants that to happen.

  I was actually one the first people to post on this board (EyesonthePies -- a play on the name of the dorky teenage moderator of Witnet.com and now JayDubsonline) . But I thought at the beginning that this board was designed to appeal to JW's on the inside who wanted a place to freely express their views. Since I was not an active JW I didn't want to pretend to be a person I was not. So I became a semi-regular lurker here. When the first rumors of the demise of H2O came about I registered "Thirdson" at several sites including "Coolboards" which eventually hosted the new H2O as well as here. I then switched from "Eyes" to my regular name on this board.

  No one complained to me for being here. Maybe I am not that observant or just too thick skinned (or even dumb). If I get the message from the owner that I am not welcome I'll leave but as it is I like this place, think I can contribute a little and be part of the group that provides some help to those wanting out or who are hesitant to join.

  Regards to all the friends here,

  Thirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
• 
  48

  are you sitting down?........PRINCE is a JW!!!!!

  by lisaBObeesa in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello all, registered just to post this and see what you all had to say about this.

  i, for one, am in shock.

  it was anounced today on "extra" and they said we would soon see a change in his music because he was "marrying his music to his religion.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Thirdson

  Harmony,

  I'll ask my son what he knows. A JW kid in his grade at school goes to the local cong' I think you are referring too.

  I'll let you know what he says.

  Thirdson

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

  Who is running the Watchtower now?

  by professor in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  who is the head honcho and/or big kahuna?

  watchtower presidents:.

  charles t. russell (1879-1916).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Thirdson

  ISP

  You said:

  The whole mass of legal corporations etc. will be lead by Brooklyn. The same structure existed in the first century – you know! The executive decisions are now made, it would appear by Great Crowders.

  I thought the bit about the first century structure is very funny. Could you imagine "the Way, Jewish Scripture and Scroll Society" of Antioch, president Paul O'Tarsus (aka Saul the Pharisee)

  The part about the "Great Crowders" is right and is another failed prophecy as the old annointed are fast going away. It was either change the idea that the religion would be run by the annointed until the "end" came or open up the "heavenly hope"(tm) to more people of the post 1935 era. The former must the be chosen option hoping that not many will read past pronouncements about how special the GB and the annointed are.

  Thirdson

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

  Marriage

  by Mr Magoo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i married my jw wife i was told that marriage was a very important thing.. i have, however, later learned that:.

  1) my sister-in-laws husbands jw brother got divorced because his jw wife fooled around.. 2 - 3) 2 couples were divorced after we got married (212 years ago).

  one of them had only been married for a couple of years.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Thirdson

  My turn for confession: I was married for 13 years while a JW. My wife was 19 and I was 24 when we married. She decided later on that she married too young, had a deprived (and abusive) childhood and decided that leaving me and dating lots of other people would be the answer to her problems. May be it was/is the answer for her.

  The WTS does not have the answers or a magic formula for a happy marriage. I used to think they did but I changed my mind a long time ago. Many JW’s suffer unhappy and abusive marriages. The only reason the divorce rate is not much higher among JW’s is the problems divorce and separation cause to members who fear judicial councils and possible shunning. Fear is not a good reason to stay married.

  Happily for me (at least), I remarried. I have a different view of equality now compared to my JW days. We undertook pre-marital counseling and were very happy about the assessment we had for our compatibility in a whole range of areas as well as knowing where we might experience some difficulties. We are not blind to issues that can arise. At the same time I believe making one partner the “boss” and expecting wives to conform to outdated, subservient roles within the partnership of marriage to be bad counsel and is one of the problems JW’s face in marriage.

  THirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
• 
  32

  She was a fine sister

  by silentlambs in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  she was a fine sister with a history that went back six generations with jehovahs witnesses.

  her family boasted well over 1000 jw family members, many of which had high station within the organization.

  this proud heritage was marred by another fact in the familys history this sister had not disclosed.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Thirdson

  Fred,

  If there is one thing you did right it was to get this back to the top where more people can read about the coverups by the evil corporation known as the Watchtower Bible And Tract Society, the legal corporation of the religion known as Jehovah's Witnesses.

  Thanks so much,

  Thirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
• 
  7

  Rules for Baptism.....

  by TheApostleAK in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is a spinoff from the "effective ministry" thread.. are the eligibility rules for baptism of a male candidate more tighter/tougher/stricter than for a female candidate??.

  i've noticed in the 1.5 years i was a jw of situations where a woman was given the green light and a male was knocked back even though they both were working fulltime.

  (they both were consistent in fs and both participated in the meetings).. anyone else experienced that?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Thirdson

  There are few rules but a lot if subjective decisions. It all depends on who you are and who likes you. I remember a "brother" in a neighboring congregation who owned his own business, was wealthy, spoke well and had a glamorous ex-model wife. He got baptized in 6 months of studying had his experience discussed/interviewed at the same CA. The next CA he had a part in a demonstration, was given lots of assignements in the cong, his 3rd talk was a number 4. He entertained the elders and families at his house. I had relatives in the same cong and they were all sick at the way he treated. Fast forward a year, the guy meets another woman and dumps his wife and gets DF'd. (He's never seen again) A lot in his cong were glad to see the back of him, like all the regular loyal brothes who never progressed from Bible Readings.

  The point is he bought his baptism and all the special treatment.

  Thirdson

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