there was a scripture about a rod.......it seemed to be in every other watchtower.....it was an excuse to beat children.
i was a little girl.
i was beat with my pants down every time they could.
Only got spankings twice in my life. And that had nothing to do that my parents were JWs, more that I misbehaved and deserved it.
However, since for decades now, all references on physical discipline has been removed from Watchtower literature in Norwegian. I guess sometimes the translation had to be somewhat rephrased compared to the original English text.
I do not think physical discipline is more practiced by JWs now than the general population, e.g. it is actually illegal.
after seeing the danish movie "worlds apart" and being told on this board that it is acceptable in some foreign countries, how common is it and where?.
I once attended a District Convention in Denmark and one of the speakers had a beard.
I saw Norway and Sweden listed here. I highly doubt that this is acceptable in those countries, cause I am a native myself.. Even moustaches are banned until this day in some congregations if you are enrolled at the TMS... etc...
http://www.greatcontroversy.org/books/gc/gc.html.
see especially chapters 17 - 24, for those who are interested.
basically, this is ellen white recounting in her own words the millerite movement, the great disappointment, and how she and others would never accept that he was wrong.
I remember once the watchtower discussing an aspect of adventist theology, based on numelogy in Daniel.
Of course it labeled the adventist interpretation as wrong etc.... In spite of putting a spin on those numbers themselves...
http://www.greatcontroversy.org/books/gc/gc.html.
see especially chapters 17 - 24, for those who are interested.
basically, this is ellen white recounting in her own words the millerite movement, the great disappointment, and how she and others would never accept that he was wrong.
got that wrong, I mean of course numerology
i seem to recall reading some time back that the society once wrote how some in the congregation refer to the society as "mama" or "mother".
does anyone remember that?
better yet, does anyone have a reference for that?.
must be an american thing (dub dom tends to be more extreme in the US)... never heard of that reference if not discussed in that biblical context at a meeting
johannes wrobel, the founder of the watchtower history archives in germany, responsible for the stand firm-video and the stand-firm-exhibitions resigned in november 2008 and left the german branch office.
he was also the responsible person for many of the wt sponsored websites on jw in the 'third reich'!.
there are no further details known yet but this could be big news!.
I agree to that. I also reacted negatively on the derogatory term of the camp survivor. And why should one mock someone old anyway... common decency excludes that...
someone told me yesterday that she had studied with witnesses "up to chapter 3"...whatever that means.. she said that a man and woman came to her house one day after she had been studying and that the woman put on a head covering or veil when they started the study.
she asked the woman why she did that and the woman replied they do that when in presence of a brother.. i think she must have got jws mixed up with some other group...i just never heard of the veil thing before.. is this a jw practice?.
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you do not have to wear a head covering when reading at the book study, that must have been a misapplication of that rule.. I guess they did it "just in case"...
the first time i went to australia bethel during a holiday, we pioneer boys put on our best "going out" clothes, no ties just very smart, well groomed and neat.
the sister we stayed with said: "oh no you can't wear those clothes, you have to dress in meeting clothes!
" so we did, realizing we had shamed ourselves and our god.
I`ve been to a number of bethel homes, thus I realized the standards were somewhat more relaxed in "southern" countries... I toured the italian bethel in shorts (gasp)....
At the Greek bethel I got the most hospitable welcome. I were treated so well. Got white wine for lunch, not a contribution box in sight and the people where very friendly. In fact, the bethel boys played volleyball in the yard just wearing t-shirts and shorts...
The German bethel were very strict and orderly.... The French a little bit sloppy by comparison in fact.
i suspect a few witnesses were not "straight" but didn't act on their sexual preferences.. i knew one up and coming bethelite who was approached by the bethel heavies and talked to about his "effeminate mannerisms" and was pretty much told that he could become a more prominent menmber of the bethel family if he "became more masculine looking" and preferably found a bethel sister to marry.
he followed the counsel and was thereafter a regular designated bethel speaker at district conventions.
interestingly, all of his bethel buddies thought the whole scenario was a hoot, knowing that he was really an effeminate man suddenly now looking very hetero..
Thanks for your input, johnny 1880. My children are handling it very fine, I must say.... When I did break the news to them a couple of years ago, My eldest stated: You´ve got to live your life in the way that is right for you. And my other son stated: I love you, I might end up having three dads.... Well, he only has one dad, and that is me, but has got two very nice other men in his life that supports and cares about him.... And that is so good. My daughter accepts things very readily and is very fond of my boy-friend...
I am so happy my boy friend goes so well along with the children. That is a must...
So I am very proud of my children and how they have handled my process.
i suspect a few witnesses were not "straight" but didn't act on their sexual preferences.. i knew one up and coming bethelite who was approached by the bethel heavies and talked to about his "effeminate mannerisms" and was pretty much told that he could become a more prominent menmber of the bethel family if he "became more masculine looking" and preferably found a bethel sister to marry.
he followed the counsel and was thereafter a regular designated bethel speaker at district conventions.
interestingly, all of his bethel buddies thought the whole scenario was a hoot, knowing that he was really an effeminate man suddenly now looking very hetero..
Yes, myseølf ;-). To make it short, was a zealous witness boy. Knew I had gay tendencies when growing up, never liked sports (apart from figure skating, latin/standard dances and gymnastics (!), were into musicals and Eurovision Song contest, always talked with the sisters etc etc.. But resented the thought of being gay. Believed the society´s advice in the literature, that such tendences might disappear in time due to praying etc).... I did get married and was genuinly in love (did tell my wife-to-be of my tendencies before we got married).... It did not go away, but I never acted upon my tendencies... But I could not give my wife the life she deserved in all respects.. Got three children, stayed married for more than 15 yrs, finally got divorced (she wanted it, not I)... During the latter years of our marriage, we did leave the witnesses (I had been an elder for more than a decade). I did not leave because of the gay issue.... That process came later.Tough years... However, everything has turned out so fine as it could be. She has got a new family, and I a most wonderful boy-friend and I get along very well with my ex-wife too
Apart from that I know another sister who left the witnesses who is a lesbian, a sister that is a witness, that is definitely a lesbian, an elder that was gay (he became a witness as an adult and was quite flamboyant, but very nice) and apioneer who was openly gay (also a grown up convert).
After I came out, I have met several gay ex-witnesses.
I am proud that I never cheated on my wife.
