undercover

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Posts by undercover

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  22

  Does Your Past As A JW Affect Your Enjoyment Of The Holidays?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my daughter who's in her 30's, just loves the holidays and birthdays!

  i even love giving xmas presents and birthday gifts.

  and i think i like it more than some "worldly" people.

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  undercover

  When I talk to people who don't like the holidays, I ask them if they were ever Jehovah's Witnesses.

  Bah Humbug!
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  130

  Governing body member engaged... Again!

  by OneDayillBeFree in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  just found out that the australian governong body member known as geoffrey jackson got engaged to a sister about two weeks ago.

  it really shocked me at first but then i remembered how other members of the gb have remarried in the past like daniel sidlik.

  what made me say "woah" was hearing that the holy bride to be is really young!

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  undercover

  Can that be confirmed? What country did they get married in? Methinks he'd be arrested in the States, if he touched her. OK, I'm exaggerating, but damn, she is young and he's not only old, he's frumpy.

  He really loves her, you can tell. See how he embraces her and looks deep into her eyes?
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  22

  Does Your Past As A JW Affect Your Enjoyment Of The Holidays?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my daughter who's in her 30's, just loves the holidays and birthdays!

  i even love giving xmas presents and birthday gifts.

  and i think i like it more than some "worldly" people.

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  undercover

  I like the xmas spirit, the parties, the music, the lights, the kid's anticipation of Santa. I hate the sales pitches, the xmas commercials starting in September, Black Friday, holiday traffic.

  Thanksgiving is nothing special, except a day off work watching football.

  Halloween is my favorite. And I look forward to it most years, even at my age.

  I pay no attention to the Hallmark holidays - birthdays, mothers/fathers/grandparents day, Valentine's Day. I never eat out on V-day, too many young, ignorant couples clogging up the restaurants.

  I used to enjoy St. Patrick's day but too many people just get drunk for getting drunk sake. I avoid that. Same with New Years. I avoid all "amateur night" holidays... when people who don't go out much, or drink much, go out and over do it.

  I think that growing up a JW and not having any of the holiday traditions gave me a more cynical look on holidays, even after leaving the faith. Since it doesn't mean much to me, I take what parts I like, ignore and avoid the parts that irritate me. And I'm glad... I'm not caught up in the trap of having to buy gifts for a bunch of people I don't really care that much about. I don't have to show up at someone's house once a year to eat food I don't particularly like to begin with (turkey, dressing, etc). I don't have to buy flowers on V-day. I don't have to buy jewelry on b-days. It is a freedom from the commercialization of it that I appreciate.
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  54

  When You Were Sitting During The Meetings What Were You Really Thinkng About?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i used to listen to all the stupid comments and wonder if i could sneak out of there and scram!

  even after i resigned as an elder, i went for a while and eventually began missing more and more meetings.

  but while i was there, i'd listen to comments, chuckle to myself how dumb it all was and then go home with the knowledge that my days were numbered there..

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  undercover

  I obviously wasn't thinking about what they were actually teaching at the meetings or I would seen through it much sooner. Once I started to wake up mentally, I actually paid more attention at the meetings to actually test out what was being taught. Didn't take long to figure it was all BS afer that.

  But back before I realized I was in a cult, I'd think about anything that would pass the time. Sex, and hot 'sisters' of course, but when I was a kid/teenager, in between the sex fantasies, I'd create new worlds in my head. I'd create scenerios, places and characters that went through fantastic adventures. Their adventures never ended. I could put em on hold until the next meeting where I'd pick up the storyline and imagine new adventures for them.

  To show how bored I must have been, I remember looking at the number of paragraphs at the WT study and figuring out the halfway point, the one quarter point, the three quarter point. I'd announce to myself, "Yah! Half way!" or "Three quarters!" I even did that during the songs. I'd count the stanzas/verses and announce to myself from halfway down. Halfway, three quarter, 7/8s, 6 more words...
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  31

  WT elders school: The elders in our circuit appear to be "trained" quite well

  by sir82 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  more ramblings from the recently concluded elders' school.. see the op on this thread for background: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/242491/5/wt-elders-school-the-wts-has-progressed-from-just-plain-stupid-to-dangerously-stupid.

  in part of the video mentioned above showing the "goofus" elder trying to handle the situation with the crying sister:.

  the "goofus" elder went into the kingdom hall library alone with the sister when she left the auditorium.. you could hear literal, audible, gasps from the 100 or so elders watching the video.. a few moments later, as the sister was crying, "goofus" put out his hand and touched the sister's hand.. again, literal, loud, audible gasps from the audience.. they darkened the room while the video was playing so i couldn't see him, but i have to imagine the co was quite pleased that the audience grasped the "mistakes" that elder goofus was making.. .

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  undercover

  90+% of the comments from the elders were highly condemnatory of the kid, criticizing all the decisions he made. Clearly they were of a mind to disfellowship the kid right then and there. There had to be 30 or more comments like that.

  From my experience in the elder/MS only meetings, the elders that were eager to comment, and seemed (over)confident, were the biggest ass kissing, brown nosing jerks in the circuit. The moderate or more willing to give benefit of the doubt elders - the "good guy" elders that we have fond memories of - sat quietly and just took it all in, never commenting unless pressed to, and not always agreeing 100%.

  What was secretly pleasing at the time was seeing some of these asshat elders getting their peepees whacked by the CO or DO, when they self righteously declared something emphatically and forcefully, only to see the shool elder in charge shoot em down.
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  66

  WT Elders school: Look how cute that kindly old elder is! Too bad the Talmud says we have to stone our victim anyway

  by sir82 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  more haphazard thougths on the recently concluded elder school..... a big chunk of time was spent on a video which traced a judicial case, all the way from the confession to the elders through the decision to disfellowship the guy.. here is a very brief synopsis of the video:.

  tearful late-teen or early-20's publisher confesses to 2 elders that he committed fornication with a "worldly girl" who is now preganant and wants to marry him.

  the elders give him some "homework" to do prior to his judcial committee - read psalm 51 and an old wt article.

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  undercover

  They, the WTS, are losing control. The average, everyday JW no longer fears Armageddon, no longer looks forward to Paradise in his lifetime. Without an apocolypse hanging over their heads, they start to loosen up and live more normal lives, which means, less service to the WTS, which in turn over time means less obedience to local elders and to strict rulings from on high.

  Either the WTS loosens up and allows the religion to become JW Lite, allowing more personal choices and freedoms - or - they get stricter, enforce rules tighter and make sure there are no namby-pampys on the elder bodies to undermine ultimate WT authority.

  We've debated for the last several years where the WTS would be headed in this regard. It seemed things were lightening up, but then we'd see evidence contrary. I personally think there might have been a power struggle on the GB, but with recent deaths and new appointments, the new regime is now pushing full steam ahead into a clear direction of how to rule.

  And to make sure that the elders actually pay attention, and get it... they now rely on video instructions. A picture is worth a thousand words. Are you going to remember a Bethel elder droning on for 30 minutes in how to deal with sin in a JC meeting? But show a 15-20 minute video and it's seared into your brain. You can't forget how the 'old and kindly' elder is brow beaten to the point of giving in and agreeing to DFing the kid.

  So from this school, I think we have our answer to what direction the WTS is taking... becominig hard line, obey or else, Hebrew Scripture worshipping dictators.
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  6

  DWTS-Michael Jackson tribute night

  by purplesofa in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok, i don't tell many i watch dwts, religoiusly!

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  so tonight is michael jackson night and they are scanning the audience and his mom is there.. how does she manage to stay in good standing.

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  undercover

  Not defending the WTS, or any of the wacko Jacksons, but - I don't think there's anything wrong with attending DWTS live anymore than there is in watching it on television. Except for the occasional double entendre joke, it is pretty much family fare.
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  26

  Nativity display lawsuit: Atheists vs. Christians

  by Scott77 in

  1. social
  2. current

  gillian flaccus from the associated press reports on november 19, 2012 in the christian science monitor that 'the atheist's anti-god message alongside a life-sized nativity display in a park overlooking the beach [has] ignited a debate that burned brighter than any christmas candle... http://www.csmonitor.com/usa/latest-news-wires/2012/1119/nativity-display-lawsuit-atheists-vs.-christians-in-santa-monicahttp://www.csmonitor.com/usa/latest-news-wires/2012/1119/nativity-display-lawsuit-atheists-vs.-christians-in-santa-monica.

  what is your reaction to this lawsuit?

  is it fair?

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  undercover

  Extreme atheists are almost as bad as extreme Christians.

  They're just not as organized, nor have tax free status or have to adhere to zoning restrictions for their meeting halls. Their unorganization keeps them from forcing their beliefs to be taught in schools and getting openly recognized so they can run for political office.

  Personally, I don't give two shits about nativity scenes or xmas crap supported by local governments or displayed in public places, but if Christians have the right to display religious displays, then atheists should have the right to display their own message.
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  6

  My introduction at the Kingdom Hall

  by wisdomfrombelow in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  on sunday i was attending the kingdom hall and some visiting jw or a new jw in the area introduced himself to me.

  he obviously didn't know i was disfellwoshipped so i introduced myself to him, shook his hand and smiled.

  i wasn't particularly interested in a conversation but i wasn't about to start of saying "i'm disfellowshipped" because it was none of his business.

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  undercover

  I wonder if they'll make a local needs talk about my brazen behavior.

  No. They'll have a local needs talk about the JW's brazen behavior. No need to use you as an example. You're already DFd. But Brother Ignorant... oh boy, they can use his faux pas as an example to show how loyal JWs should not associate with, nay, not even greet a DFd person.
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  53

  WT Elders school: Avoid black and white thinking - now look at this zebra

  by sir82 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  continuing on with my haphazard review of the recent one-day elders school..... in one of the introductory talks, the co was making the point that we can't view things merely from a black and white perspective.

  many issues have "shades of gray" and we need to use discernment in such situations.. and i'm thinking "finally!

  maybe he will continue on to make an actual, reasonable point!".

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  undercover

  so you should be stoned for gathering firewood, but it is OK to save your farm animal which fell into a water hole?

  Yea, that was the first thing I thought of... and how Jesus used saving that animal as a basis for his reasoning of healing on the Sabbath

  But no wonder the pharisees wanted to do away with Jesus, they were just carrying on the righteous principle as set before them by Moses and Aaron.

  And today's elders are being taught to be just like the pharisees.