Wow! It has been so long since I have heard anyone say the "new system of things" (that is a GOOD thing ). I think if you asked an active JW, they would say that their primary incentive for worshipping Jehovah is their love for Him and all that he has provided...BUT in all honesty, I don't think very many people would devote their lives to such an extreme religion without an extreme reward.
OrbitingTheSun
JoinedPosts by OrbitingTheSun
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56
Are JW's only in it for the New System?
by In_between_days inif the new world hope no longer existed, would everyone leave?
would some stay?
what do you think the reaction of the dubs would be if the new light was no armaggedon and no "new system"?
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Serena thanks "Jehovah" after US Open...
by jack2 inserena williams, after winning the us open women's tennis championship tonight, thanked "jehovah" for blessing her family.
in the background were numerous us flags, and of course, prior to the match, the williams sisters were there and standing while various patriotic songs were played (oh, that's right....they were already standing since they had to walk out onto the court....guess that's okay).
while watching all that i could not help but think of all the jw youths who have been told that they could not particicpate in organized sports at school or otherwise.
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OrbitingTheSun
I, too, despise double standards. But I havent heard anything about the WTBTS honoring the Williams sisters or giving them preferential treatment. The only reason the girls are "allowed" to play tennis competitively is because they dont care what the WTBTS thinks. They do what they want to, and I bet their congregation talks trash about them behind their backs (the same way they talked/talk about all of us). Simply because Serena thanked Jehovah doesnt mean she has the Jehovahs Witnesses favor. She may have made that public statement to regain their favor for all we know.
I guess what Im trying to say isI am truly sympathetic to all of you who have been hurt by the double standards of the WTBTS, but I dont think Venus or Serena have done anything wrong by playing tennis and making their own decisions.
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finally got the nerve
by livingagain ini have been reading posts here for several months, which has helped me to keep from going insane.
my doubts came when i finally got the nerve to leave a bad marriage, why did i stay so long.
because i was ashamed and really scared of what "jehovah" would think of me.
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OrbitingTheSun
Welcome Aboard!
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Serena thanks "Jehovah" after US Open...
by jack2 inserena williams, after winning the us open women's tennis championship tonight, thanked "jehovah" for blessing her family.
in the background were numerous us flags, and of course, prior to the match, the williams sisters were there and standing while various patriotic songs were played (oh, that's right....they were already standing since they had to walk out onto the court....guess that's okay).
while watching all that i could not help but think of all the jw youths who have been told that they could not particicpate in organized sports at school or otherwise.
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OrbitingTheSun
Whether or not Venus and Serena are in good standing, I think we should be happy for them. They are very talented young women and have remained true to their dreams. I know that "Jehovah" has much better things to do than follow tennis and "bless" certain players with success, but if they want to give Him the credit...let them.
By criticizing Venus and Serena and their actions, we are no better than JWs...who make sport of gossiping about other people' lives (because they have no lives of their own). Being ex-JWs and, for the most part, open minded I think we should be proud of anyone who refuses to let the WTBTS dictate what they do with their lives (active or inactive).
Edited by - OrbitingTheSun on 8 September 2002 10:28:58
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We're busier than ever !
by Simon inwell, despite some 'doom and gloom' predictions of our imminent demise, last week was the busiest ever for the site in terms of visits with just a few short of 52,000 beating even the dateline and panorama weeks !
(i think quite a few who found us then have stuck around).. a quick tally of the thread viewed counts shows that they have now been viewed over 9.5 million times !
(this is just threads, discounting all the other page views).
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OrbitingTheSun
Yay!
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Our Minds were Raped
by LovesDubs ini also realized this.... did you know that for every article that you went over in a meeting, that you read and heard the information four times?.
you read it, then underlined the answers...then it was read again in the hall and reiterated again in the answer!
four times people!!
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OrbitingTheSun
Good Point!...Good Point...Good point...good point...
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Sacrifices you made for the truth?
by haujobbz in1) i sacrificed work offered to me so i could earn more money.
2) i sacrificed my job as a well payed dj.
3) i sacrificed weekend ly-ins to go out preaching.
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OrbitingTheSun
I sacrificed a lot emotionally but, being involved with the JWs for such a short period of time (only 4-5 years), I can recover most of what I lost. I miss the things that I can never get backcountless letters from friends who were considered worldly and dangerous to my spirituality, keepsakes from loved ones (some of whom are now deceased), and lots of other little things that I was told could welcome Satan into my home and/or harbor demons, all thrown away.
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Hello Everyone! This is my 1st Post
by UnDisfellowshipped ini have been reading this board since right before dateline.. i want to say thanks to simon for this great website!
i want to thank bill bowen, sheila bowen, barbara anderson, joe anderson, the pandelos, erica rodriguez, and all of the other silentlambs who have spoken out!.
i have some questions.. does anyone have any information about a circuit overseer named orval ellis (he used to be the co in arkansas, and then oklahoma, and just now colorado).
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OrbitingTheSun
Welcome Aboard!
I'm a newbie too, still gathering the courage to formally introduce myself.
Looking forward to reading your posts! Sunny
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DF = DA = non-assocciation?
by truman ini was wondering if anyone else is feeling it on the wind that there seems to be a coming.
equivilency between officially disassociating onesself, and simply being in a state of.
non-association as a walkaway, fade-out, inactive person.
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OrbitingTheSun
I agree with ISP. When you think about it, even people who attend meetings can be considered bad association, so it makes sense for inactive ones to be considered dangerous as well. It seems to be part of the WTBTS' natural progression--the more people realize the truth about the "truth," the stricter they become to keep the members they have fearful and submissive.
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Wearing Masks. What Masks Do You Wear?
by Celtic in.
many people on going about their everyday activities whether it's the shopping in town or meeting up with friends someplace don a mask as a disguise against allowing others to see their true feelings on the inside.. what coping masks do you wear, in which situations and do you know why you do this?.
celtic mark - cornwall uk
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OrbitingTheSun
I wear a paper grocery bag over my head with eyeholes and a smiley face drawn on it. I wear it so that I blend in with the crowd and dont draw attention to myself. It is the price I have to pay to avoid being a spectacle, but it works pretty well.
Hehe, Im just kidding. I have all kinds of masks. I think it is part of human nature. Animals have physical defenses to make them appear differently than they are feeling (i.e. mammals fur standing on end to appear intimidating when they feel threatened). So, being the intellectual creatures that we are, it makes sense for us to have more sophisticated defense mechanisms.
As long as we are aware of our masks and dont overuse them, I think they are good to have. They protect us and allow us to use discretion as to who we show our weaknesses to.