TMS

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Posts by TMS

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  21

  Interesting conversation at work last Friday

  by cruzanheart in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the wife of one of our lawyers is a judge here in dallas, and i overheard her husband telling a couple of other lawyers about this really tough case she has right now: deciding to issue a court order to give blood to premature twins whose parents are witnesses.

  i popped in with "i'm an ex-jw -- ask me anything" so he and i started talking about the blood issue.

  the father of the twins was in tears in the courtroom -- not because of his babies getting blood but because he was afraid he would be accused of giving his consent to the blood transfusion.

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  TMS

  Despite all the lip service given to conscience, Bible principles, pleasing Jehovah, etc., the main concern is not being disfellowshipped. I "served" on the Hospital Liaison Committee a number of years ago. If a phone call to our contact at Brooklyn said a procedure was acceptable, whether it be autotransfusion (recycling the patient's own blood) or a blood component, the JW patient or parent immediately endorsed the idea. If the decision is taken out of the parent's hands by court order there is much public anguish, but privately some relief that the parent fought as hard as they could and won't be disfellowshipped.

  The whole process is skewed and subject to the current rulings of the hierarchy at Brooklyn.

  tms
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  69

  watchtower red flags

  by Ticker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i was studying and in the org i never did put two and two together becuase first off it was peer pressure and a young baptism age.

  i was indoctrinated as a child so i never got a chance to ever use sound reason and judgement toword the validity of the society's claims.

  but anywho i was thinking the other day about certain things that are obvious red flags and far fetched claims that the org makes.

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  TMS

  It is so simple.

  The first few thousands of anointed ones were Jews who apostatized themselves by joining the sect of the Nazerenes.

  During the dark ages a few Christians who fought the Trinity teaching and papal indulgences, etc. were anointed.

  Finally, in the 19th century the remainder of the heavenly calling were chosen from among a group of serious Bible students largely located in the northeastern United States. The women wore pill box hats and the men were in their "Sunday best." They attended religious conventions where they were taught, among other things to "Advertise, advertise, advertise the King and His Kingdom."

  Some of these anointed proved unfaithful and were "lopped off", replaced largely by mentally unstable, egocentric undeserving wackos who had only in recent years become members of Jehovah's Witnesses. Two or three of these were black.

  Obviously, this was all God's will.

  tms
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  22

  Is the Watchtower STILL 'Playing the Harlot' With the UN?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  take a good look at the feb. 22 '05 awake magazine.

  it's entitled "the role of mothers.

  as educators".

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  TMS

  Metatron,

  Thank you for being alert enough to notice this and posting it for our benefit. I haven't read an "Awake!" in several years.

  At the very least the WTBS is not the least bit concerned about the "appearance of evil." You would think that with all the brouhaha and their quiet resignation as an NGO, the WT would be very careful with their quotes and references.

  What this seems to indicate is that the UN "scandal" had little, if any, effect on hierachal credibility among Jehovah's Witnesses generally. Using a basketball analogy, what appeared to be a slam dunk, was actually just a tipped ball.

  tms
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  67

  Tell Me----Why Do Those Critical Of This Site, Post Here???

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  any ideas?

  ?

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  TMS

  minimus,

  They are trying to convince themselves. After all, that's what we did as witnesses. All of our argumentations reinforced our own beliefs even if not convincing others.

  If any of the folks you describe are still JW's, they won't be long. They are already disobeying mother by being here. It's a short hop, skip and jump from there to the dreaded "independent thinking."

  tms
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  22

  Why quotes from old publications are meaningful

  by seattleniceguy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  most witnesses know that if you dig too hard in their older publications, you're bound to find strange, even ridiculous, quotes.

  but they are trained not to put too much thought into these older publications.

  if reasonable people could legitimately disagree with the wts at that time, then what does that say about "god's channel"?

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  TMS

  [quote]There is far more stupidity at the top than we even dare imagine.[/quote]

  This rings true with me. I don't mean this unkindly. I never served at Bethel, but in my 50+ years as a JW, I did meet and work with three GB members. Each had admirable traits-humility, kindness, loyalty, etc., but not remarkable intelligence. Much of their "wisdom" was based on the collective experience of JW's worldwide and their personal knowledge of such. They certainly deferred to the younger Writing Committee members who had knowledge of science, technology, history, etc. with the view that Jehovah was directing it all.

  tms
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  19

  marriage outside of JW

  by paradox213 in

  1. social
  2. family

  can a jw marry outside of their religon?

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  TMS

  Marrying outside the congregation has never been a disfellowshipping offense. One might be marked. Privileges witheld. But not disfellowshipped for that alone.

  tms
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  25

  Are Dubs warned about JWD at Meetings?

  by Low-Key Lysmith in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i havn't been to a meeting in years.

  i was just wondering if this site is talked about @ meetings, and/or in the publicatons.

  i'm sure reproof or disfellowshipping would be instant if a dub was found looking into such "apostacy".

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  TMS

  I'm certain individual elders check out this site without asking anyone for approval. I was an elder for over 30 years and never hesitated to read any information about Jehovah's Witnesses to refute the charges if nothing else.

  About a year ago I received a series of email messages from an elder I had known nearly forty years ago. He still serves. He recognized me from a number of my posts which he described as "tugging at the heart strings." He hoped that the knowledge that he was reading my posts would not in any way "stifle" me. Of course, (if he still lurks) I would never reveal his name.

  tms
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  63

  Who here went to Pioneer School?

  by LDH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  and most importantly, as we all know that this education in the life saving work is second to none, have you placed this grand accomplishment on your resume?

  i went in baldwinsville ny around 1988.

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  TMS

  Brother St Clair asked what the rule was about nylons and service........simplesally

  simplesally, Was that Wendel St. Clair?

  tms
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  63

  Who here went to Pioneer School?

  by LDH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  and most importantly, as we all know that this education in the life saving work is second to none, have you placed this grand accomplishment on your resume?

  i went in baldwinsville ny around 1988.

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  TMS

  Very surreal experience. My wife and I attended once we renewed our pioneering after our son was grown. We were older than most of the participants and actually had about thirty years of pioneering experience between us. We were not all that excited because of all the buildup, status and JW elitism associated with the experience.

  Nonetheless, we prepared well and gave it a go. We found the discussions stifling. Sentence outlines were read out of the text. Scriptures were read. Very little "putting of a meaning" into anything.

  Nonetheless, we located a good "delta blues" station on the radio and that made the one hour commute memorable.

  One year later I got my payback. I was asked to fill in for the departing circuit overseer as an "instructor". I was paired with an experienced C.O. who did a nice job with the text but in practical advice was a loony bin. He encouraged the mostly late teens to late twenties group to become entrepeneurs. He said it would be difficult to pioneer on an hourly wage. Find or make a product you can market. OK.

  tms

  ps While the "school" was not what I thought it could be, I did see benefits. The young people got together after hours and seemed to have a good time.
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  42

  The Longest Hour in the Life of a Young JW

  by TMS in

  1. jw
  2. friends

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  the family bible study.

  tms

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  TMS

  The family Bible study

  tms