Posts by Xander

43

Happy JW Marriages the Impossible Dream?

by IslandWoman in

while it is not impossible to have a happy marriage in the jw religion for many it is hard, for some it is very hard to maintain happiness in their marriage.

the watchtower raises the bar so very high in every aspect of life, marriage included.

the watchtower literature encourages a jw married couple to be practically perfect, or at least that is the goal set before them.

Xander

I am not foolish enough to think that happy marriages are exclusive to JWs, but for many, this organization has saved their marriages and their lives.

No, it didn't. People changing might have 'saved the marriage' - but they obviously wanted to, and the JWs just gave them the reason. Any religion would have done just as well, or, indeed, no religion and a better upbringing would have done them better.

Please be specific to these negative high expectations that the WT imposes on a married couple.

Where to start?

- Firstly, the 'we are no part of the world' expectations the WT heaps on ALL witnesses is pretty unbearable - as demonstrated by their own hypocrasy on the matter.
- Wife should be submissive to husband (she's a 'weaker vessel', you know)
- 'god' (meaning the WT org) should be a major factor in decisions the couple makes
- Alotting time for personal study AND family study AND meetings AND field service means almost no REAL time spent with the husband and wife actually talking about their FEELINGS. No 'real' communication = unsuccessful marriage. NOTE: that doesn't mean divorce. It means a marriage when both parties are not as happy as they could be.

I could go on and on, but I suspect you're not really interested.

13

Favorite Sigs I have seen --Fluff

by thewiz in

cross my fingers and hope this works.

beat that and more to come.

homer simpson and a tiger

Xander

*pbtbt*, that's ain't NOTHIN...

H||
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[|.......................|
||.........## --.#.......|
||......... # # ......| @@@@
||......... * ......| @@@@@@@
||........ -^........| , - @@@@
||.....##\ .......| | '_ @@@
||....##### /###.....| | __\@ \@
||....########\ \((#.....| _\\ (/ ) @\_/)____
||..####, ))/ ##.......| |(__/ / /|% #/
||..##### '####.....| \___/ ----/_|-*/
||..#####\____/#####.....| ,: '(
||...######..######......| |: \
||....."""" """"...b'ger| |: )
[|_______________________| |: |
H||_______H|| |_____,_|
H||________\| | / (
H|| H|| | /\ )
H|| H|| ( \| /
_H||_______H||__ | /'=.
H|________________| '=>/ \
/ \ /|/
,___/|

Visit:
www.ascii-art.de/ascii
for some more truly great examples.

(if a little voodoo seems appropriate lately:

o
\
\ o __ _ _ _
\mmm / (_, (_) /-\ \/\/ /-\ \/ ,
o (' ') / ___ _ __ /
\ __\^/__/ | |_) | | | |
\/ \-----o | | \ |__| |__ |__
//| |\\
(( | \ | ))
\\|___\_|//
W( o)W
/| | |
/ | / \ |\
/ ( ) ( ) \
o | | | | \
|_| |_| o
(_) (_)

21

CARROT, EGG, OR COFFEE BEAN

by Billygoat in

jw
friends

i usually delete these type of emails, but thought it was an interesting analogy and i thought i'd share.... .

a young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her.

she did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up.

Xander

Best data I could find.

From http://www.virtualsalt.com/lit/boethius.htm:

Notes and Questions for Boethius (475-525), The Consolation of Philosophy (524) - Book II
Prose 3, Poem 3. Philosophy tells Boethius that "this sorrow will also pass." Here is an old story, told many times, now recounted by Abraham Lincoln: "It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: 'And this, too, shall pass away.' How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction."

43

Happy JW Marriages the Impossible Dream?

by IslandWoman in

while it is not impossible to have a happy marriage in the jw religion for many it is hard, for some it is very hard to maintain happiness in their marriage.

the watchtower raises the bar so very high in every aspect of life, marriage included.

the watchtower literature encourages a jw married couple to be practically perfect, or at least that is the goal set before them.

Xander

I am acually amazed that you guys have stayed and still have marriages that have lasted so long. You must have learned something from the Witnesses and you don't even know it.

Damn straight, cause marriages never lasted more than a decade before god's one true earthly organization was founded by Russell back in the 19th century.

not having any direction or guidance on how to keep a marriage alive and well you would appreciate what you have

That's the funniest thing I've read all day - thanks. Of COURSE humans are dumb as bricks and have no idea how to interact with fellow beings until the JWs came along, how silly of me.

thank you Jehovah and the Organization that you are trying to keep together

Ever seen/read 'The Stepford Wives'? Staying together != 'successful marriage'.

In fact, leaving the org has saved my marriage, thank you very much. Not having to constantly worry about the stress of living up to imaginary standards is quite a relief.

12

"Bitchdom"

by butalbee in

some of us are bigger bitches than others.............. .

bitchdom .

when i stand up for myself and my beliefs, they call me a bitch.

Xander

No, the male status corresponding to 'bitch' is 'dick'. Men and women can be aggressive, or can be dicks/bitches.

The difference is in the ability to see others point of view or not. An aggressive person considers all or most perspectives, and pursues the best one regardless of who else it effects. A bitch/dick does whatever is best for themselves/screw the world.

As to most the items on the list above....well if someone is insulting someone else for those things ('refuse to tolerate injustice'?, 'won't become anyone else's idea of
what they think I "should" be'?, etc), then its someone ELSE with the problem.

14

Hello

by raven101 in

jw
friends

hello all, referred here from ex-jw pagans site.

looks pretty active and interesting, far too late for any witty rapport on my part but hello just the same!

Xander

ex-jw pagans

What, really?

Where?

11

Hotel California

by lv4fer in

jw
friends

elder concerned and elder faithful came by last night, to address some of my concerns/statements as to why i haven't been at the meetings.

we talked for and hour and a half.

i told them i didn't believe that it was god's spirit directed organization, i said i didn't believe that only 144,000 were going to heaven, i told them one did not have to be a jw to get saved, and they still want to come back and talk to me again.

Xander

It's about drug addiction.

18

Why believe in the Bible?

by simplesally in

now i know that a few of you would give me some sarcastic answers as to why to believe in it, or maybe i should say, have faith in the god who inspired it.. but i want to know why a person should believe in it?

i know that i want to, i want to believe in a god who cares for us, i want to believe that he will put an end to the misery that surrounds us, i want to believe in a hope for the future.. i am not trying to be idealistic either.

but is there solid evidence to believe in it.

Xander

Well, firstly, Josh Mcdowell's work is pretty marginal in support of the bible.

Try:
The Jury Is In: The Ruling on McDowell's "Evidence"
http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/jeff_lowder/jury/index.shtml
(which is a section by section analysis of the problems in the book)

and:
http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/gordon_stein/index.shtml
(for a couple more concise summary of the issues)

A good quote from the above articles:
We can see that he has used publications of the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, almost exclusively throughout the book....The reasons are not hard to find. Most of McDowell's points about Jesus (and about other matters in the book, but I must leave that to others) are simply not supported by modern scholarship.

As to MY opinion?

If the bible WAS inspired, then we are in trouble - because god obviously doesn't know the first thing about how the human body works, anything of natural history prior to human civilization (or, indeed, have correct information about how life got here), has double-faced standards, is arrogant beyond words and at the same time has self-esteem problems, and has some serious anger management issues to top it off.

39

I give up...

by MrMoe in

jw
friends

i give up... well amost.... simply lost my perky sparkle.

4. got a new job (oh this was the only good thing last year).

20. mom has more surgery.

Xander

I could loose everyone I love, my job, loose my home, my car, EVERYTHING. So why not enjoy all of these things while I still have them.

The important thing is to not take such things for granted. I know when it gets REALLY hard, you can sometimes look at everything you have, measure it against what you are losing, and wonder if it is really worth it to keep trying. (It is, btw)

It's a human fault that we tend to only appreciate something when we lose it, or face the prospect of losing it. Try to find that appreciation in everything, every day. A LOT easier said than done, I know, especially once you start working and the trials of day to day life get you down.

Our best wishes are with you - I hope you find some peace.

39

I give up...

by MrMoe in

jw
friends

i give up... well amost.... simply lost my perky sparkle.

4. got a new job (oh this was the only good thing last year).

20. mom has more surgery.

Xander

When mom and dad die, it will be just me and Emmie, all alone

You're never really alone, though. You're parents will always be with you, and we are here, too.

But Xander was right, stuff could get much worse

Well, that's not QUITE what I was hoping you'd get out of that, but....

Life is to be cherished

That's the spirit. No matter how bad things get, there is always life. Not sure how it is down where you are (heavy urbanization or not), but up here, we have quite thick forests just teaming with animals.

Nothing brings back energy you've lost like walking through a cool, shady forested ravine and hearing all the life around you.