apparently, at some assembly halls they are removing the pay phones and replacing them with their own phone lines - with a contribution box next to it.. you may already know about district assemblies where they put 'out of order' signs.
on working vending machines to prevent the rank and file from using them.. how much money do they expect to make from this?
they are trying to hustle pocket change!.
as far as the 'brothers' physically removing people, last I knew, they were told they couldn't touch anyone. Even if some psycho started yelling and screaming obscenities during the session, attendants were only allowed to surround him and escort him/her out, NO HANDS. I always wondered how that was done.
And tailgate parties???!!! If I knew then what I knew now, DAMN, that's the best idea yet! Too bad they don't have DA's in Foxboro, otherwise I'd start going back.
a friend of mine recommended i peruse this forum because he is of the impression i would find it rewarding.
the basis of his recommendation was due to a very long friendship and not due to any association (that i do not have) with jehovahs witnesses.
he considers me his superior in intellect and wants an appraisal of this sight but to be honest i have neither the incliniation nor the time to get in deep enough to comment.
intellect=arrogance
Watch out folks, we got another winner here...
Quit your frigging whining about all the "bad" things the USA has done; there isn't a country in the world that isn't guilty of attrocities
Touche, point well taken.
You brought it up, Lucy. In my book, nationality refers to a person's country of origin. I was merely pointing to a flaw in your reasoning.
..people never cease to amaze me
that is more true than you know.
back, yes that makes better sense. I'm all about learning other cultures like yourself. And as far as how some people have a problem with it and tend to take it to the next level, I'm with you there too. Sad to say, it's many americans who are guilty of that.
And Lucy, No that is not the dumbest reason. I'm not sure you thought your reasoning through. First, being born into a nationality and born into a religion are two different things entirely. You can change your religious beliefs, you cannot change your nationality. You cannot control from where/whom you are born. Again, there is no need to be ashamed of one's nationality. Do you think the Afghani I met should have held his head in shame? What does that accomplish? Look at John Walker Lindh! Because he decided to try and become someone he wasn't, look at where it got him! 20 years! He now acknowledges what he did was wrong. He even said that if he knew now what he knew then, he wouldn't have done what he did.
A side note, I can tell you're a pessimist. You look at the glass half empty, for you lump all Jehovah's Witnesses into the description of being hypocrites, child molestors and greedy bastards. If I'm not mistaken, I believe that borders on slander. While I myself no longer am one, I would seriously hesitate before I make that assumption. Whether you choose to believe to or not, there are still many fine, respectable people within that organization. You cannot say what you said. Please do not pass off your last comment as merely making an example, I know where you were headed.
I must address what you said back. While I agree with most of what you said, I must take you to task as to the need to be proud as to where one is from. While we are all part of THE EARTH, as you say, I, for one would hate to live in a place where cultures blend in together in one place. Even in large cities where there are large numbers of immigrants, where there are 'melting pots', people segregate themselves to form 'Chinatowns', or 'Little Italys'. Boundaries need to exist to preserve cultural continuity. It's only natural for people of a certain language, culture, race, etc., to want to be together. It's the way it should be. And to be proud of that heritage, is especially beautiful. Why would anyone not want to be proud as to where they are from? That makes no sense to me. And, fortunately or unfortunately, cultures are associated with particular landmasses. The weather, the type of land where a person is from, and where that land is situated on our globe play a large part in a person's culture.
You know I met an Afghani immigrant awhile back and he told me he was proud to be Afghani. With all his country's faults, he still loved his country. That to me, was one of the coolest things I had ever heard. I admired him for that.
People have every right to be proud about where they are from, that's the bottom line. That is one thing that makes human nature beautiful.
I believe the old adage applies here: Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one, and they all stink.
With that in mind, I'll post mine. What most of us forget is that Saddam used to be a friend to the U.S. At one time, he believed that he would act as the police in the middle east. When that did not come to fruition, he became insane with rage. (Not my opinion, but that of a well respected and reknown professor) The gold old USA is as much to blame for that. The US is as much to blame for the problems in Iraq. When W's father told the Kurds to rise up and overthrow Saddam, he said we'd be there. Instead, while women and children we're being slaughtered by the thousands, the US said "Good work boys, it's quittin' time." Just as the USA is to blame for the disintegration of Afghanistan. Our government supported the mujahadin and when they won, we packed our bags and said: "Good work boys, we're goin home". And we wonder why they spent the next 20 years wallowing in a bloodbath. Here's a thought, perhaps the US government has finally learned it's lesson. War in Yugoslavia was followed by peacekeeping and nation-building. War in Afghanistan is followed by peacekeeping and nation-building. (Don't give me any crap about puppet governments, I've heard that shit before-it's better than letting them all kill each other) Could it be, that W is trying to atone for his father's mistakes? Has the US finally learned? Are policies changing?
Yes, Americans are ignorant, arrogant and stupid. They are greedy capitalists. They only care about themselves. They have no couth. And they contradict that with their "puritanism". The propaganda put forth by the press rivals that of Al-Jazeera. The so-calIed "democracy" is an abortion. The USA is not the best country in the world, nor the greatest. But at the same time I beg to differ about the US not lasting long as a world power. For all its faults, too many people love the USA. It will be around for quite some time I believe. While I am embarrassed to call GWB my president, my birthright as an American forces me to defend my origin. Everyone else would and should do the same for their respective countries. So with that in mind, Saddam can kiss my ass!!!!
JUST BRING IT
Edited by - troucul on 10 November 2002 15:34:5
hi i live in utah and im a witness, and i want to make some friends doesnt matter where from!
thank you!
Hey my brother's in Utah, but if you're a witness, and you want to stay one, you probably shouldn't meet him.----this is his picture
Speaking of mormons, my brother told me there's two types of people in Utah...Mormons and those who hate them
thoughts and questions.
your viewpoints will be appreciated.
thanks.. using the 1999 wt cd-rom, i did a search of watchtower articles containing the jw catch-phrase, "thousands are disfellowshipped each year...".
it is correct to say that 40000 are df'd each year...
as far as reinstatements, I remember someone actually did say that the reinstatement rate was around 1%. Go figure.
