Posts by waiting

14

Good Comebacks!

by UpAndAtom in

jw
friends

i've got a great one line comeback that i would like to share... and was wondering if there are any other short but sweet ones to battle the rhetoric.. background:.

my dub brother mentions that my sponsoring of children in 3rd world countries doesn't really save their soul, as only spiritual food can truely save them.

to which i then reply,.

waiting

Had a jw friend of ours in our store this morning. He was complaining because the members of the Chamber of Commerce have prayer said before their business meetings. How JW's NEVER do that!

Business & religion should be kept separate. (Personally, I agree. But I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction).

I countered that when we did business with our elders (land & building sale) - it was all conducted in the Book Study room while the congregation were still in the building. He was there as an elder. He said that wasn't right either.

I said that the Society backed up those elders (he's been removed since then). "And what the Society says is correct, isn't it?"

"Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

"Well, then, mixing religion and business is fine depending upon the religious business meeting" He shut up - finally. Jerk.

Usually, I just think "up yours." (I like the new smilies.........but this is an ol' favorite, eh?)

waiting - in a pissy mood.

39

How Much is Personal Responsibility vs WTS' Fault?

by Prisca in

jw
friends

the current discussion of an ex-gb member has prompted me to ponder this question:.

just how much of our personal circumstances can/do we take responsibility for, and how much do we blame the wts?

you may have grown up as a jw, coerced into leaving early to pioneer, not go to university, have no kids, even stay single for the pursuit of singleness in the kingdom work to pioneer or go to bethel.

waiting

Hey Prisca,

Hassan's Cult Seminar helped me a lot. My husband and sister attended also - and they were impressed with just so much information and insight. Got to meet Plum & Dungbeetle too. And a marvelous group of persons who don't frequent xjw forums - from weird religious, to regular religious, to atheists.

Scientology is definitely a cult. But one woman there was raised like the Branch Dividian group. And she had soooooooooo many problems adjusting to life - waaaaaaay more off the edge than the Scientology people. A lovely young woman, married with kids, therapy, ........and still couldn't get a handle on her situation. A large family - and none could even talk to each other, and they all left the cult......but it shattered the whole family unit.

There was a Hare Krishna woman who had joined when they recruited her in college. Stayed in for 20 yrs. Her father kept in touch with her all those years, even pretending to help the group....so he could eventually help her out. She did, got her Masters & wrote a book on her experiences to help others trying to leave. Thing is, the book makes cult members look weird (which others think too).....so when she tries to get a job on her education level - they ask if she's published. Then they read her book, and she's found it's exceedingly hard to get a job. Go figure.

And then's there people who just leave and go on. I found a quote about DID persons a long time ago, which I think is pertinent:

Most DID people live normal lives. They just live them uncomfortably. -author unknown at present.

I agree - and I think that fits a lot of cult survivors too. It just depends upon the person's individual experience - and what kind of mental/emotional makeup that person has within him.

waiting

39

How Much is Personal Responsibility vs WTS' Fault?

by Prisca in

jw
friends

the current discussion of an ex-gb member has prompted me to ponder this question:.

just how much of our personal circumstances can/do we take responsibility for, and how much do we blame the wts?

you may have grown up as a jw, coerced into leaving early to pioneer, not go to university, have no kids, even stay single for the pursuit of singleness in the kingdom work to pioneer or go to bethel.

waiting

If nothing else, this thread shows the wide variety of things that do & don't happen to people as the result of the WTBTS.

I was at Steve Hassan's & Randy Watters' cult seminar and a woman who had literally escaped Scientology was a guest speaker:

When she would tell her friends what Scientology had gotten her to believe, to teach, etc., they would stare dumbfounded at her and say "How could you BELIEVE that crap?"

She threw her hands out wide and told us all (who were staring dumbfounded at her) 'BECAUSE I WAS IN A CULT!"

The x-Scientology woman? 20 years $200,000, front teeth kicked out, lost her husband, and had to start from scratch - emotionally, financially, emotionally and all alone. She was marvelous. Did she resent Scientology? I suspect so. Did she live her life full of resentment? Absolutely not! She is marvelously funny and intelligent And she's active in the fight to make people realize the damage cults usually do to persons.

Another man had left Scientology also. He told how he had to walk away with nothing but $13 in his wallet. He stopped to call his family, who shunned him. He was so upset, he walked away from phone booth leaving his wallet on top of phone. Penniless with no friends & no family. Very quiet man.

He had to walk out of the seminar because he couldn't control his tears. It just depends.

In this respect, it's like survivors of the Nazi concentration camps. Some were zombies, some were hurt for the rest of their lives, some never spoke about their experience ever, some actively hunted their captors.....and some just went on with their lives without too much ramifications. And others killed themselves. They all survived basically the same trauma.....but each individual was impacted differently.

Some had it harder than others too.

Steve Hassan's books are excellent on this subject. I highly recommend the reading of them. I learned much from his cult seminar - would also recommend that to anyone next time it comes around. He works with Randy Watters over at Freeminds.

Take care.

waiting

22

What's for dinner?

by sunshineToo in

jw
friends

how do you decide what to have for dinner?

i need to get more ideas.

so what are you having for dinner tonight?.

waiting

McDonald's, Subway, Dairy Queen, 3 chinese places, hot wings & fried chicken place, Italian & more.........damn, and it's all across the street from us.

When I moved on this land.....Piggly Wiggly only. (Southerners'll know what I'm talking about).

I'm not cooking tonight.

waiting

18

Is this true???

by JT in

jw
friends

as you associate with jehovah's organization, you will find the atmosphere very different from that of temples and churches.

there is no soliciting of money, no backbiting or quarreling, and no discrimination because of family background or financial standing.

the most outstanding quality among jehovah's witnesses is love.

waiting

Does anyone know why this is found on the Official WTBTS site, copyrighted 2001?

Some, at least, of the generation that saw the "beginning of pangs of distress" in 1914 will live to see Paradise restored on earth. (Matthew 24:3-8, 34)

There was New Light (changing of doctrine) on this subject in 1995 - major Watchtower article. "No one knows how long a generation really is....and it would be wrong to speculate....as *some* have." - paraphrasing that '95 WT article.

Is there more instances where the WT is playing all sides of the table?

Or is this just another one of their stupid writing department mistakes?

Doesn't ANYONE proof these articles? Doesn't ANYONE proof their Official Website Information?

you cannot be fallable when Jehovah is directing you. - gumby

Oh yeah. "We're just imperfect men." (the new JW mantra) Which is why this whole article is weird.

31

Still waiting ... since 1975 !

by Amazing in

jw
friends

what have i done with my life since 1975?

became a jw in the late 1960s ... looked forward to 1975 as early as 1968 ... so, out of a sense of duty and spirit inspired organizational hounding ... when 1974 arrived, i sold the house, sold the car, sold the wife and kids ... then moved to where the great are needed ... 1975 came and went ... .

so did ... 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 walk away from the organization ... 1993, 1994 then it was 80 years of a special mighty generation since 1914 ... finally, 20 years later it was 1995 when i was forcibly disassociated by wts legal department ... 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 ... yikes!

waiting

Everytime I scroll pass this thread - I think "No, he's not!" So I'm forced to reply to set this matter straight.

Still waiting ... since 1975 !

Oh, I don't think so. You're Amazing. I'm waiting.

What do you want to bet that we will still be waiting in 2004?

And there ain't gonna be no "we" will still be waiting. One's quite enough, thank you.

The Real Waiting

46

"God views apostacy as a much graver sin than pedophilia"

by Yizuman in

warp wrote this on the forum......"god views apostacy as a much graver sin than pedophilia, and that is a biblical fact.".

http://www.touchstoneforum.com/htdocs/dcforum/dcforumid2/81.html.

that's pretty sick coming from a jw in good standing!

waiting

I'm at work now, so can't be sure, but I believe the following quote is attributed to Oscar Wilde.

You won't find a man with a sunnier disposition than mine as long as everyone agrees with me.

And this is for my friend Uz................

Don't dismiss what they say about men in women's magazines. It's not deep, but then neither are men.

Gotcha cutie.

waiting

30

I AM MAD AS HELL ... I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE !!!

by Amazing in

jw
friends

this has to stop !

... it took 15 minutes just to log on ... yes, the pop-up ads are getting so numberous i can't function, or make posts easily ...there are several pop-ups for a bigger penis - add 3" or more ... yeah, right, size matters.get bigger breasts ... like i need that at age 52 ... male ... mmmm use viagra ... right ... and with a 17" penis, it will go places that no man has gone before.buy insurance ... sure ... for what?

i am uninsurable.

waiting

Hello Simon,

I've never gotten a pop-up on your site. Thank you and google.

There shouldn't be any and Google don't use them.

I thought the British used *proper* English.

28

"AMICUS CURIAE", the USA Supreme Court and the WTBS Inc.

by MacHislopp in

swaggart ministries v. cal.

amicus curiae ".

amicus curiae '

waiting

I remember being appalled at the WTBTS & Jimmy Swaggart when I found it (thanks to an apostate site).

It is a perfectly legal and money-smart thing to do. The same thing with UN

This is no different than the Catholic Church, etc. The Church will do as it pleases or can get away with........and damn their followers for doing the same thing.

18

Is this true???

by JT in

jw
friends

as you associate with jehovah's organization, you will find the atmosphere very different from that of temples and churches.

there is no soliciting of money, no backbiting or quarreling, and no discrimination because of family background or financial standing.

the most outstanding quality among jehovah's witnesses is love.

waiting

Would you like to live in Paradise? If your answer is 'Yes,' you will be thrilled to know that when Jesus spoke of today's troubled system and "the sign" of its approaching destruction, he added, "This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur." Some, at least, of the generation that saw the "beginning of pangs of distress" in 1914 will live to see Paradise restored on earth. (Matthew 24:3-8, 34)

This brochure was printed in 2001......but in 1995, the WTBTS changed their teaching on "this generation" & 1914. Why is it still being used on their official website and new written literature?

Satan may try to distract you by causing close associates to oppose you or by tempting you into selfish materialistic or immoral ways. Do not give in to Satan. Your safety and the whole future of you and your family depend on your studying the Bible further.—Matthew 10:36; 1 John 2:15-17.

The WTBTS didn't waste any time in warning about Satanic "close associates to oppose you"

Besides continuing your present Bible study, there is another way to learn. People in your neighborhood who are interested in Bible education regularly attend the local Kingdom Hall meetings. All who attend are there to take in instruction from the Bible and are sincerely trying to become better people.

That also is a lie. It can't be proven that ALL are there for those purposes....or are sincerely trying. Otherwise, we wouldn't get "timely information" about watching out for our children.

There is no soliciting of money, no backbiting or quarreling, and no discrimination because of family background or financial standing.

Lies. Lies. Lies. Could this be used in Court - especially with victims of abuse, particularily if an instance could be proven? The WTBTS is actually giving a guarantee. It is noticeable that they don't specify that there's "no discrimination because of race." Family background could mean just about anything.

There are more than three million Witnesses worldwide in over 200 lands.

Another lie (assuming error on this one). On this same Official Watchtower site....it states that peak 2002 Witnesses is over six million.

As you associate with Jehovah's organization, you will find the atmosphere very different from that of temples and churches. There is no soliciting of money, no backbiting or quarreling, and no discrimination because of family background or financial standing. The most outstanding quality among Jehovah's Witnesses is love. First, they love Jehovah, and second, they love other people. These are marks of true Christians. (Matthew 22:37-39; John 13:35) No doubt you will be impressed by their unity. There are more than three million Witnesses worldwide in over 200 lands. Yet, Witnesses throughout the earth follow the same programs at their meetings. And because of simultaneous printing in many languages, at their weekly meetings most of Jehovah's Witnesses throughout the world study the same Scriptural subjects within a few hours of one another. The unity of Jehovah's organization is a modern-day miracle in this divided world.

I put the whole paragraph up so it could be shown I wasn't taking "unity" out of context. Other churches are proud of their unity of spirit, giving, good works, choir, whatever. The WTBTS? Their proud of their "simultaneous printing in many languages.....THAT's what creates unity.....not God's spirit. There is NO mention that the unity of JW's is caused by anything other than their "simultaneous printing in many languages."

My god, the WTBTS really IS a printing business - a modern-day miracle.

As you associate regularly with Jehovah's people, you will need to clothe yourself with "the new personality" and cultivate the fruitage of God's spirit—"love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control." (Colossians 3:10, 12-14; Galatians 5:22, 23) This will bring you deep contentment. You may have problems to overcome from time to time because you live in a corrupt world and also because of your own imperfections. But Jehovah will help you. His Word assures those who are sincerely trying to please him: "Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God; and the peace of God that excels all thought will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6, 7) You will be drawn by Jehovah's love, so that you will want to serve him. Jehovah's Witnesses will be happy to show you how you can dedicate your life to this loving God and become one of his privileged witnesses. (Psalm 104:33; Luke 9:23) Yes, it is a privilege. Just think! As a worshiper of Jehovah, you can reach out for the goal of everlasting life in a paradise here on earth.—Zephaniah 2:3; Isaiah 25:6, 8.

This is just like reading mind control messages. It almost soothes the reader into thinking "yeah..........that's cool."

This is on "The Official Website of Jehovah's Witnesses, one of their official brochures. copyrighted 2001. It's some of the worst writing I've seen them put out. Errors, lies, assumptions.

http://www.watchtower.org/library/lmn/article_11.htm

Thanks, JT - appreciate you're finding this.