man it's good to be home, relaxed and de-stressing right now!
how many times today, i just wanted to say aaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhh!!!!
at my circuit's one-day assembly.
Randy Watters has a very detailed breakdown of 1988-2000 WT growth statistics at his excellent site:
Once you get there, scroll down till you see the statistics link and click on it.
Bill
"If we all loved one another as much as we say we love God, I reckon there wouldn't be as much meanness in the world as there is."--from the movie Resurrection (1979)
what we would like to see on the program hehehehe .
1. musical interlude (led zepplin, kiss, and selections from britney spears for the youf and barry manilows greatest hits).
2. kingdoom melodies selection (stand up adjust your shorts for the long haul, brothers...we hope you remembered the preparation h).
Thanks guys, but all credit is due to LoveDubs, whose initial posting touched a sarcastic chord I didn't know I had!
Bill, who was dorky enough to actually enjoy all those long, long talks
P.S.--I will pay $$$ to anyone who can get me a pirated tape of "Rahab Does Brooklyn"
"If we all loved one another as much as we say we love God, I reckon there wouldn't be as much meanness in the world as there is."--from the movie Resurrection (1979)
i have placed my photo in yahoo like wasasister tole me to do; and placed the url in the profile.
but it doesn't show up as you can plainly see.
does anyone have a clue why i can't get a clue on how to do this right?.
Um, I hesitate to comment on a matter so personal--but Francoise (pron. Fran-swahz) is in fact the feminine form of
Francois (pron. as you said).
But having left the lockstep of the WTBTS, I hasten to add that you are free to use whatever spelling makes you happiest, or heureux, mon ami! Vive la liberte'!
Bill, who stumbled through 24 semester hours of college French
"If we all loved one another as much as we say we love God, I reckon there wouldn't be as much meanness in the world as there is."--from the movie Resurrection (1979)
just another example of the watchtower mind control going haywire on someone who has been disfellowshipped.
if they aren't killing themselves then they are killing others!.
doug.
I agree with earlier posts that the criminal actions of nominal members do not invalidate the truth or goodness of any particular religion. Any one of us, regardless of religious training, MIGHT commit a bad deed, but that does not necessarily mean our training was at fault. Judas followed Jesus and heard all His teaching--but betrayed Him in the end. Yet his treachery does not render void the sublime teaching of the Sermon on the Mount.
For more modern examples, both Hitler and Mussolini were at least nominal Catholics. Yet the Roman Church also produced St. Francis and Mother Teresa. Anyone might renounce his or her religious training--or embrace it and transcend himself for the good of others.
All our organizations are, like each of us individually, compounded of both good and evil, wheat and tares. But we are all called, believers and non-believers alike, to overcome the evil with the good.
It is ironic, though, that the WTBTS has for so long taken fiendish delight in pointing to misdeeds of other religionists as proof positive of their religions' untruth--while at the same time turning a blind eye to the misdeeds of its own members and the logical implications for its own teachings.
The real "truth" is that, search the world over, you will find NO religion, past or present, that has induced moral perfection in all of its members all of the time--thus the need for, in Christian terms, confession, penitence, and grace. "All have sinned," and do sin, and will sin, however you care to define the term.
The news article quoted above tells us very little, actually, about the attacker's religious history, beyond his having been at some point a practicing JW. It might be that the man was deeply disturbed before he ever joined the Witnesses, or that in mid-life some unexpected psychosis developed from physical causes. So absent more information, we would be unfair to leap to the conclusion that the JW's teaching or disfellowshipping drove him to this horrible deed.
However, as larc points out, the Witnesses are singularly lacking in either compassion or help for folks who just can't "measure up" for whatever reason to their idea of godliness.
I know this from my own experience as a gay teenager among them. I'll spare you all the tedious details, but the end of the story was, at age 21 I knew I either had to leave--or kill myself. And for many years afterward, I suffered from crippling depression no pills or counselors could cure, over issues dramatically and unnecessarily exacerbated by the JW mindset.
BTW, I never did anything except "self-abuse" to feel guilty for as a JW--I remained, in fact, a virgin till my mid-twenties, long after I had left. My mistake, as it were, was in being conscientious enough to recognize the "thoughtcrime" of gay feelings as being worthy of Jehovah's full wrath and hatred. How contemptible, to make a young, healthy male want to throw his life away over something so insignificant in the scheme of things!
Unresolvable inner conflicts like that can, indeed, make you feel you are dangling at the edge of sanity. I know. Thank God that is all far behind me now.
Perhaps the Governing Body should just adopt "Shape up or ship out" as their permanent yeartext?
Peace, y'all--
Bill
"If we all loved one another as much as we say we love God, I reckon there wouldn't be as much meanness in the world as there is."--from the movie Resurrection (1979)
what we would like to see on the program hehehehe .
1. musical interlude (led zepplin, kiss, and selections from britney spears for the youf and barry manilows greatest hits).
2. kingdoom melodies selection (stand up adjust your shorts for the long haul, brothers...we hope you remembered the preparation h).
The Governing Body has just announced more featured talks for the upcoming District Assemblies:
For sisters: Joyfully Submitting to Headship. A spontaneous platform conversation between two theocratic women on the spiritual fulfillment of wifely obedience to the schleps they married. Includes a practical demonstration of how to make the most of Kingdom Hall gossip while still appearing silent and meek. Will not cover headship with unbelieving mates or other unnatural sex acts because no decent sister would ever dream of such a thing.
For teenagers: Joyfully Run the Race That Is Set Before You. An encouraging, uplifting talk on the rewards of the full-time Pioneer service. Why waste your precious youth in college developing skills that will have no place in the New System, such as intelligence, logic, personality, or empathy? Instead, be whole-souled for the vitally important work of annoying people on their doorsteps and dragging more suckers into our clean, happy, spirit-directed fantasy island. If anyone tempts you with thoughts of marriage, home, family, children, career, or other selfish worldly pursuits--Just Say No!
For the children: Patiently Enduring Jehovah's Discipline. A 45-minute explication of the charming Bible story of Balaam and his ass. If his ass could take a beating and like it, so can yours. And quit that squirming!
Bill
hello again...now that i am officially a horrible, unrepentant sinner (in the eyes of a polyester slack wearing, mini van driving, anal retentive man whore), i have a question (actually several, but i will start with one!
) brace yourselves: it is about 1975!.
where in the wt was the "prophecy" made?
Hey, Somebody, thanks for telling me! I went back and edited the post, so it should be working now. 'Preciate ya! :-)
Bill
"If we all loved one another as much as we say we love God, I reckon there wouldn't be as much meanness in the world as there is."--from the movie Resurrection (1979)
what we would like to see on the program hehehehe .
1. musical interlude (led zepplin, kiss, and selections from britney spears for the youf and barry manilows greatest hits).
2. kingdoom melodies selection (stand up adjust your shorts for the long haul, brothers...we hope you remembered the preparation h).
ROTFLMAO!!!
But sister, you forgot these very important presentations:
1. Are You a Secret Self-Abuser? A one-hour talk by an old codger with a shrill voice who hasn't had an orgasm since 1958, explaining how those pecker tracks on your sheets can and MOST DEFINITELY will lead to spiritual weakness, blindness, insanity, hairy palms, syphillis, scrofula, leprosy, tonsilitis, homosexuality, psoriasis, elephantiasis, bestiality, schizophrenia, kleptomania, athlete's foot, leukemia, chronic boogers, anal sex, oral sex, baldness, three-way sex, hangnails, group sex, hallucinations, missing meetings, rebellious spirit, pigeon toes, heart disease, chocolate cravings, alcholism, drug addiction, sterility, PMS, priapism, nymphomania, pornographic fantasies, nudism, communism, capitalism, materialism, atheism, Catholicism, Judaism, Hinduism, voodooism, jizmism, and incurable acne. Not that Jehovah will strike you dead at Armageddon if you do unnaturally manipulate the gift of your genitals--He will merely let you rot away very slowly with a loathsome disease while the vultures pick out your eyeballs and all your loving but spirit-directed friends stand around saying, "EEEEEUUUUUUWWWWWW!"
2. Keeping Jehovah's Organization Clean and Free from the IRS. A five-minute, in-depth analysis of the Society's finances by a BROTHER FROM BROOKLYN (at whose name every head should bow), along with a stern warning to stay humble and not poke your damn nose into their business, since they are spiritual Israel, spiritual Levites, spiritual Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Micah, Nahum, Amos, Andy, Popeye, Malachi, Habakkuk, and Shuttahellup. Delivered while the Theocratic Orchestra plays during lunch break.
3. Your Kingdom Come--When? An interminable review of Biblical chronology year by year from 4026 B.C.E. onward, along with a slide show of startling archeological discoveries in Jerusalem, demonstrating conclusively that a broken sewer main from 753 B.C.E. corresponds precisely with Judge Rutherford's assumption of the Watchtower presidency in 1919 C.E., as foretold and confirmed in minute detail by the prophet Obiwankenobi and this photograph of an ancient Israelite spittoon. Thus armed and blessed with Jehovah's foreknowledge, delivered by his faithful and discreet slavedrivers, let's all get out there and really SELL THOSE PAPERS (IRS, take note: it's just a saying. We don't really mean "sell" sell....)
4. (For congregation elders only) A special meeting with the District Overseer at 5 a.m. Saturday morning. Topics will include: Money-lending, Sheep-smiting, Double-talk, Newspeak, Thoughtcrime, Character Assassination, Home Spying, Intermediate Intimidation, and Theocratic Kowtowing. Bring your own binoculars to practice with because the Society can't possibly afford to pay for everyone's, you know!
Bill
"If we all loved one another as much as we say we love God, I reckon there wouldn't be as much meanness in the world as there is."--from the movie Resurrection (1979)
i'm just wondering if when anyone else hears people (jw's) say "well we must be living in the last days because look how awful the world is, look how awful people are to each other, look at the earthquakes, etc, etc, etc" that is doesn't really seem to make sense?
i mean look at the old testament.
i don't think people could be any crappier to each other than the examples put forth there!
Another question for the group: honestly now, the WTBTS notwithstanding, did any of the rest of you, like me, still expect or wish the world WOULD come to an end in or around 2000?
Even though I left the dubs 24 years ago, and lived through the 1975 malarkey, still, I've just realized, the thought that somehow a cataclysm would occur by century's end has been lurking deep in the back of my mind all this time. It just now dawned on me. Kind of a let-down, actually.
S@%*! You mean I'm gonna have to keep up these house payments--??
Bill
"If we all loved one another as much as we say we love God, I reckon there wouldn't be as much meanness in the world as there is."--from the movie Resurrection (1979)
hello again...now that i am officially a horrible, unrepentant sinner (in the eyes of a polyester slack wearing, mini van driving, anal retentive man whore), i have a question (actually several, but i will start with one!
) brace yourselves: it is about 1975!.
where in the wt was the "prophecy" made?
Praying mantis, welcome to reality! It ain't much, but it's all we've got.
For info on the 1975 prediction (and all the many others the WT won't tell you about!), check the links on my home page. I've also got a few tips there for ex-JW's--things I wish somebody had said to me when I left. It's at http://hometown.aol.com/xjwbill/myhomepage/profile.html
BTW, after I left the Lie, over the next 17 years, I saw a number of counselors and therapists for my depression. But none of them, not one, had a clue about my JW experience and how it affected me. By all means, talk to a therapist if you feel you want to--but don't buy into the popular myth that therapy is the answer to every problem in life! IT AIN'T! Some things you just have to live through and work out on your own.
Peace and good wishes. :-)
Bill
"If we all loved one another as much as we say we love God, I reckon there wouldn't be as much meanness in the world as there is."--from the movie Resurrection (1979)
"muhammed is my savior" is a very interesting thread, and i'd like to get my two cents in, but am starting a new thread since the first has gotten so long already.. first off, let me say that i can't bring myself to criticize the personal beliefs of any ex-witness; i remember only too well the sense of relief-from-imprisonment i felt after i walked away.
for a long time afterwards, i was, at best, agnostic and open to lots of religious and spiritual ideas that i would never have entertained before.
it was sort of a pendulum effect: i grew my hair down to my shoulders, took up cigarettes, and listening to hard rock.
Well said, Francoise! I think we're on the same wavelength here.
Being a JW was good for me--in many ways--at that time. "But now that I am a man, I have left off childish things."
:-) Peace,
Bill
"If we all loved one another as much as we say we love God, I reckon there wouldn't be as much meanness in the world as there is."--from the movie Resurrection (1979)
