R.F.,
You have a pm. I know this brother extremely well.
tms
Posts by TMS
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40Avoiding an Elder
by R.F. ini'm almost six months past walking away from the religion, and one of the elders has risen and thrown a monkey wrench into my entire plan.
things have been great actually.
since i've managed to shed myself of congregation responsiblities, the elders have gotten off my back quite a bit.
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30
Opray Winfreys handling of sexual child abuse~an example for Governing Body
by purplesofa inthe governing body should be hanging their heads in shame watching how the events unfolded in south africa at oprah winfrey's school.
her fearless way in meeting the problems head on, not covering up, calling in expert help, investigating, apologizing, getting all adults away from the campass so the girls could talk openly about what happened.
those girls came first.
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TMS
Refreshing accountability . . . . . .
The contrast with the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses is off the charts. . . . stonewalling, "we're not an entity in California", two witnesses, J.R. Brown spin-doctoring, "the elders failed to follow our instructions", protect Jehovah's Name, the headship principle, Jehovah's "clean" people. . . . . .
tms
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The Cryptic Letters: MMM
by TMS inin the late twentieth, early twentyfirst century, the all-wise internet jehovah saw fit to limit the bandwidth "declaring his name.
" thousands of individual jw's were producing and maintaining websites "for the name".
the proliferation of jw message boards discussing the future paradise, supporting the "slave's" mandates and helping other jw's find suitable mates was semi-astronomical.
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TMS
In the late twentieth, early twentyfirst century, the All-Wise Internet Jehovah saw fit to limit the bandwidth "declaring his name." Thousands of individual JW's were producing and maintaining websites "for the name". The proliferation of JW message boards discussing the future paradise, supporting the "slave's" mandates and helping other JW's find suitable mates was semi-astronomical. Internet Jehovah in his infinite wisdom shut this all down.
Apostle Minimus now controls all of Jehovah's bandwidth. It is his exclusive responsibility as the Internet's "Faithful and Wise Servant" to minister to all the domestics their "food in due season." Is there any doubt that Internet Jehovah has blessed this arrangment? Therefore on this day, November 9, 2007, let this banner be unfurled:
MINIMUS, MINIMUS, MINIMUS . . . . THE KING AND HIS INTERNET KINGDOM!!!!!
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TMS
As you stated in the first paragraph of your initial post, your father has already stated that he could not, would not cut you off completely. You stated that he was willing to discuss issues relating to your sexual abuse. Based on what you've told us, your father appears to be a good man, someone well aware of the "special circumstances" associated with your DF'ing. Have you made use of his apparent willingness to talk about things?
Writing things out can be therapeutic. You are forcing yourself to analyze why certain things occurred and why you reacted as you did. It's a process of self-discovery. Publishing that material does not increase its therapeutic value. The prospect of handsome profits for this whole exercize may be clouding your judgement. Making money on your past experiences is the last thing you need to do right now. In the perspective of risk/reward, the risk far outweighs the possible reward.
Take your father up on his open-ended offering to talk these things out. Not that it adds any weight but I met both of the criteria in your original question with a DF'd son to boot.
tms
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30
Food Combinations- Whats your favorites
by NotaNess insome of you in other countries could make this an interesting topic to read.
one of my favs is a latin combo of black beans & rice.
chunky salsa on top.
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TMS
I've spent my entire life trying to duplicate two simple restaurant dishes. I've purchased cookbooks, watched the "Food Channel" with the Iron Chef, Bobby Flay, et al. I've made my own tamales, hand-made tortillas. Grilling has become my post-JW religion. Let me give credit where it is due.
Tacos de Pollo con Mole'~La Linterna Verde/Calle Abosolo y Calle 5/Matamoros, Tamualipas, Mexico/c.1960's
This was a medium-sized restaurant with bird cages hanging from the ceiling. The corn tortillas were handmade, somewhat thick, but soft. The chicken was moist, seasoned with chili powder, comino. Chopped cabbage filled the tortilla along with salsa verde(tomatillos, garlic, cilantro, onion, lime juice). The key ingredient was a home-made mole'.
Beef Enchiladas~Pancho's Villa/North Little Rock, Arkansas/USA/1972-?
This was a real dive on East Broadway, North Little Rock(ghetto). The owner had been a cook with Brownings of Little Rock for many years and decided to do her own thing. The parking lot was full of pot holes. The building was in disrepair. My son, now 35, ventured to the restroom when he was about 4. He came back and announced to the clientele: "That was dirty!" The enchiladas were awesome. I know she didn't use any form of enchilada sauce. I suspect a combination of chili powder, spices and corn starch. Even her tacos were unique. I suspect they were crisped in the oven and fresh lettuce, tomato added just before serving.
Even as I type I can taste both dishes.
tms
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18
JW's Celebrating De Facto Thanksgiving
by TMS inperhaps one of the most innocuous of the "pagan" holidays witnesses are taught to avoid is the american holiday .
of thanksgiving.
without going into the thanksgiving story, if there is one, be assured that jw children steadfastly.
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TMS
My wife reminded me of another development of our Turkey Day hypocracy. Our longtime North Little Rock neighbors Ernest
and Willie Whitehead had a mild argument about our so-called abstention from the holiday. Ernest couldn't stand the thought
of our family going without turkey and trimmings on the day. He wanted his wife Willie to take us an assortment from their
feast. Willie refused, saying it would be offensive to us. "I don't think they would refuse a gift!" was Ernest' response.
To settle the argument, Willie called us and explained the situation. She asked us point blank if we would refuse their gift.
We said we certainly would not as long as they understood that we really didn't celebrate the holiday.In minutes Willie and her girls brought turkey, corn bread dressing, a delicious strawberry dessert, vegetables etc. It was
fabulous and we came to expect it each year until we finally left the area.I'm surprised I forgot that. De facto Thanksgivings are just one example of the lengths we went as JW's to rationalize behavior that
never needed rationalization in the first place if we had not been so desperate to preserve our theocratic privileges in a mind control cult.tms
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JW's Celebrating De Facto Thanksgiving
by TMS inperhaps one of the most innocuous of the "pagan" holidays witnesses are taught to avoid is the american holiday .
of thanksgiving.
without going into the thanksgiving story, if there is one, be assured that jw children steadfastly.
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TMS
Perhaps one of the most innocuous of the "pagan" holidays witnesses are taught to avoid is the American holiday
of Thanksgiving. Without going into the Thanksgiving story, if there is one, be assured that JW children steadfastly
avoid drawing turkeys and pilgrims for school credit in late November. Probably the best explanation these young
ones can give their peers for non-participation is that it's "against their religion". I doubt congregation elders
could clearly explain their anti-thanksgiving stand if called upon.With that backdrop, my extended family, all strong JW's, celebrated a de facto Thanksgiving during my teen years
and probably even after I left to pioneer in the extremities. I was a 4th generation JW on my father's side, a 3rd on
my mother's. Each side had an anointed patriarch, matriarch. Attending the dinner were the equivalent of elders, an ex-
circuit, zone servant, etc., and their offspring.My affable Uncle Gene and his Catholic wife Ann hosted the event. They owned the largest home in our extended family, a
house Gene had built with his own hands. Gene, too, had been raised a JW, actually serving time in the penetentiary during
WWII for his refusal to bear arms. After prison, he never went back to the religion. Gene had a ready laugh, would talk
about anything but religion. He treated my anointed grandfather A.J. with deep respect calling on him to say "grace" on the
meal. What a meal it was! Ann singlehandedly made every conceivable dish. She tried to accommodate individual "favorites".Anyone viewing this gathering on Thanksgiving Day would see it for what it actually was. But, as JW's, we rationized it on
so many levels: turkey was "cheap". Everyone is off work. While the "girl's wash dishes, let's see what's on TV(football). My
relatives Russ, Roselie, Joe, Doris, any of us would have been horrified to think anyone would view this as compromising our
faith.As an adult with my own family, we followed the same tradition. I always bought a turkey near Thanksgiving. It was cheap or
even "free" with purchase. We might have cooked it a day or so early, but we always had leftovers at least during NFL football.Any other JW's do similarly?
tms
ps: My uncle Gene became very successful in business, although he lived beneath his means. He routinely flew associates to
Alaska on fishing trips. He crashed his plane into Puget Sound in the 70's. Ann was left with the two children they adopted
and a surprise son of their own. -
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The Governing NARCISSUS: the psychology of the FDS
by Terry innarcissism is a term of psychology/psychiatry characterized this way.. has a grandiose sense of self-importance .
is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love .
believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by other special people .
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TMS
bttt: a worthy topic
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The Governing NARCISSUS: the psychology of the FDS
by Terry innarcissism is a term of psychology/psychiatry characterized this way.. has a grandiose sense of self-importance .
is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love .
believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by other special people .
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TMS
Terry,
Reducing your psychological characterizations to a simple base; great history of the WBTS.
Although painted in sanitized JW history books as humble men, CTR and the Judge had to have astronomical egos to allow themselves to be portrayed and revered in such a way without strenous protest.
You are absolutely correct in thinking that JW's feel superiority over everyone else in their community. A nominal JW who "places" one set of the W & A has soared past Mother Teresa in Almighty Jehovah's eyes.
I recall the urban legend conversation between Nathan Knorr and Richard Burton related by Knorr at a convention. When Burton asked Knorr if JW's were brainwashed. Knorr said he replied: "Well, maybe, but our minds are cleaner than yours."
I suggest that this feeling of superiority is a good part of the wind behind the JW sail, but not all of it.
tms
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Barbara Anderson's Paedophilia CD: The Watchtowers Chocolate Cake Defence
by Duncan ini received my copy of barbara andersons cd paedophilia in an american religion a month or two ago, and i have been reading through it since.. what follows, although i have called this a review, is in no sense a scholarly consideration of the legal merits of the cases described, a task for which i am wholly unqualified.
these are, rather, my subjective reflections on the material presented, the impressions i gathered while reading the legal filings, my untrained, common-man appraisal of the cases laid out in those documents.
ill also admit to being swayed by tone of voice adopted, and to using my own common-sense yardstick in determining the reasonableness of the statements made, the responses given and the arguments put forward.
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TMS
Nice work, Duncan.
"If Jehovah read Barbara Anderson’s CD would he be proud of what the Watchtower does?"
Jehovah once killed the newborn offspring of a murderer/adulterer to atone for his father's sins. The Watchtower is very much like its father. If there ever was an "end justifies the means" organization, it is the WTBS.
tms