Posts by truman

I play on the play chip side (not the money side) at fulltilt poker. You can download their program free at fulltiltpoker.net and play against real people. I think this is better for learning than playing against a computer like the site in your link. People are much more unpredictable. Fulltilt has one of the best interfaces around for ease of understanding and action, IMHO. They stake you with a thousand chips to begin, and you can reload whenever you need to. There are very low stakes play chip games available. Most of the big poker sites operate in much the same way though.

66

As a JW Did other Witnesses Annoy you by Condemning " Worldly Music" ?

by flipper in

jw
friends

i know i got bothered by all the self righteous music police who would condemn me or others for our awesome record collections from early years as a teenager .

several experiences were really quite odd .

one brother came up to me saying i was wrong to listen to the moody blues " nights in white satin "!

truman

I knew a 'brother' who, when he became a JW, got so sensitive about "music that debases" that he threw away "The Sound of Music" soundtrack because it was about a governess who had a romantic affair with her employer!

As far as music exerting an influence on JW youth, my son said the music of TOOL was one of his exit strategies. Although I would have disapproved at the time had I known what he was listening to, I found their music valuable myself as I was leaving the JWs.

35

Have any of you had the experience of listening to a Witness' sad story, and not being able to tell them, ITS BECAUSE YOU ARE IN A CULT!?

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

tonight i went out with some witnesses for coffee.

one is an elder, and the others are pioneers, etc.

two of them had a sad story of how other elders had treated them lately, and one talked about how the elders in her hall won't give her any assignments.

truman

I have a child who remains a JW after I have left the org. This child and spouse, who should be in the prime of life, both suffer from persistent depression, insomnia, and other chronic but generally undiagnosable ailments. I cannot tell them they belong to a cult and that many of their problems likely stem from the inherent cognitive dissonance. If I do, I risk my currently friendly relationship with them. Sad, but I have hope that, eventually, they will see the truth about their situation. I will be there to support them when they do, to help them through the difficult transition from a high mind control group to reality and to introduce them to the joy of living their own lives.

9

Pop Culture From Younger Generation Being Followed By Older Generations.

by Yizuman in

jw
friends

imagine yourself as a young generation dressed up in today's pop culture style, listening to today's popular music and have a pop culture phrases such as "dude", "chill" "l33t", "epic fail", "fo shizzle", etc.

you get my meaning.. now imagine a 80 year old trying to stay on top of today's pop culture with his pants below his waist with his underwear showing, along with some bling - bling, bangin' to today's popular music, etc.

(ew, i think i just threw up a little).. how do you guys feel seeing older generation trying to "get with it" in terms of language, clothing style, music and everything else that's considered "cool" in today's pop culture?.

truman

No, it was for an HONORS course. My research thesis (self-chosen) was on the topic of l33t. But...there will be l33t in universities. W00t is already in the dictionary.

9

Pop Culture From Younger Generation Being Followed By Older Generations.

by Yizuman in

jw
friends

imagine yourself as a young generation dressed up in today's pop culture style, listening to today's popular music and have a pop culture phrases such as "dude", "chill" "l33t", "epic fail", "fo shizzle", etc.

you get my meaning.. now imagine a 80 year old trying to stay on top of today's pop culture with his pants below his waist with his underwear showing, along with some bling - bling, bangin' to today's popular music, etc.

(ew, i think i just threw up a little).. how do you guys feel seeing older generation trying to "get with it" in terms of language, clothing style, music and everything else that's considered "cool" in today's pop culture?.

truman

I am in my fifties, and I just completed a research project about l33t for a university course, so yeah, I speak l33t and I know an epic fail when I see one. I will not, however, be wearing my pants down below my waist. It's mom jeans for me.

I believe that the language will be changing significantly in the coming years as the l33t generation moves ahead. Already, Keith Olberman has a "WTF Moment" on his nightly newscast.

61

Talk by insane speaker ... try to listen ...

by Albert Einstein in

jw
friends

if you are ready for everything... try to listen the talk by ciro aulicino you will be with me in paradise.. the fact, that jw are willing to listen such crap is a proof, they are all insane.

(i wanted to say "idoits", but decided to be polite...).

if you have good guts, sit down and go for it.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwa9kx5wjtm.

truman

All that stuff about the continents rejoining--wow! Who wants that anyway? When I was an active JW, some in my congregation used to speculate that after Armageddon the continents would be further broken up, so that we would all have beach front property.

1

Community Love (something I wrote)

by gubberningbody in

jw
friends

in community there is warmth, and love.

yet conformity rears its ugly head.

as you must conform or find yourself dead.

truman

I like your line about molding oneself to the community glove.

Here is something I wrote for a college poetry class this semester:

Obedience

‘Twas God bespoke, or someone in His Name,
Declared obedience bears unity.
To banish fallen nature’s bitter shame,
I’m cleansed through their imposed morality.
The throng of Faithful feeds on willingness
To ask “What must I do?” and nothing more.
Hypocrisy unquestioned will be blest;
In submission’s shadow, merit’s born.
But oneness grown in guilt expends the soul,
And breeds the mindless fruit, conformity.
Divinity must weep to see Its Whole
So wracked by self-proclaimed authority.
The Fallen can’t be rescued from Truth’s hooks
While slanderers control them with their Books.

29

F*** the TSA

by Warlock in

jw
friends

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmb6l487lhm.

warlock .

truman

I hate TSA. I have fought with them on both coasts. They provide NO security, only intimidation. They are about getting the public accustomed to control.

28

I was counciled for putting in Pioneer hours and not officially "Pioneering"

by RubaDub in

i didn't want to hijack the thread about people having to "wait" until the society approves their pioneer status.. i recall once an elder was shocked that i had done the 60 hours a couple of months but not officially on the pioneer list for the months.

i told him that i didn't need the title, that the purpose was to do the work, not get a title.. i then heard a long lecture about how that was not encouraging to others, etc, etc, etc.. he got rather annoyed when i asked him what the purpose of the preaching work is.

of course he said to spread the good news.

truman

I had a similar experience. I wanted to auxiliary pioneer, something I had always been afraid to do. I did sign the form, but did not want my name announced from the platform as they customarily did for each month. I wanted to keep a low profile. I didn't want to hear all the 'encouragement' and congratulations from the 'friends' about how I had finally done this. It all seemed so contrived. I ended up in tears over the issue from the elder's pressure to conform. They just hate to make any accommodation to the individual, no matter how small.