Posts by czarofmischief

26

How Did You Handle Spiritual Snobs?

by minimus in

jw
friends

my wife was speaking negatively about a sister, an elder's wife, because since i resigned as an elder, she does not give her the time of day.

she said to me that sister-------- is a "spiritual snob.

" i never heard this expression before.

czarofmischief

I have often known spiritual snobs.

I was raised in the South Hills Congregation, here in pgh, one of the oldest congregations in the world. My dad studied with the city overseer when he was coming into the truth. He was the PO for the Dormont cong. when it formed.

I often think that my brother and myself were Jehovah's way of keeping my family humble. We were the most hyper, wound up, ill-behaved children there. What can I say? We had the fire of life inside us.

So we had all the opportunity to become spiritual snobs, but a burst of mental illness will fix THAT in a hurry! When my brothers schizophrenia manifested itself, we were taught the true meaning of being "dust in the wind."

So as I got older, I found myself drawn to the loners, the freaks and geeks in the congregation. Going out in service with them. Getting burgers. I felt like I didn't really care, I was just glad that somebody thought I was worth talking to. I had some friends I hung out with - I don't think we were the "in-crowd."

Now I live on the outside, and am assembling my army of misfits, and soon we will rule the world!

CZAR

16

=O/

by shera in

jw
friends

i just wanted to say something that is ticking me off a bit....... one of my best friends was raised a jw.......she wants nothing to do with it,but she is making her step daughter go to the meetings and assemblies(sp)....her step daughter doesnot want to go.i'm sitting there listening to her forcing her daughter go to the meetings...i'm getting sick to my stomache.why is she doing this to her daughter?she knows what it is like and what it did to her...it did nothing for her...accept get her married off at 16.arrrgggg!!!.

all i said to them ..is "i" don't go beyond the bible!!!!

sorrie,but i'm blowing off a bit off steam here.her step daughter can still have b-days and holidays(which is good) but she has to go to the meetings!her father thinks it is a cult and wants nothing to do with it.....omg!!!.

czarofmischief

This is off the topic, but is a response to Farkel's assault on the Bible.

The Bible is more than just a pack of garbage, and deserves better treatment than to be left in the sewer, as you so eloquently put it.

It is the cornerstone of Western literature, especially English. Shakespeare and other authors drew on Biblical themes, stories, and metaphors. It represents the influx of a rich Oriental culture into an awakening Occidental giant.

It is at the very least an articulation of a morality, and puts into words concepts that deserve the highest respect. One of these is the concept of the veneration of life. The Mosaic Law is filled with references to how precious innocent life is.

I'm not saying that it should be taken literally every time, or that it should be used as a basis for judging modern peoples. But it is a noble object that our culture continues to refer to. Not being familiar with it leaves whle generations in a cultural gap.

CZAR

139

Favorite Music Video

by WildTurkey in

.

what is your favorite music video?

after shes my cherry pie, i like foo fighters learn to fly

czarofmischief

Weird Al Yankovic - "Fat"

Beastie Boys - "Fight for you Right"

'nuff said

CZAR

18

given a roasting for our daughters behaviour!

by Bosho in

i'm not sure if i'm posting in the correct section but i had to put this somewhere just to let off some steam.. i have a beautiful little girl, she's just two and a half but she's tall, so she looks more like a four year old.

we live in a flat and have no access to a garden, the lady who lives underneath us is a nightworker, so we have to try and keep the noise down through the day.

which means that my poor daughter doesn't get the chance to run off steam.

czarofmischief

Growing up in the troof taught me how to sit still.

How to look like I was paying attention. I read the whole Bible that way. Thank God my parents removed the TV when I was growing up, so I learned to read. And the Bible I'd learned almost by heart served to be the hammer that shattered my chains in later years.

So, Mackin, just because a kid goes to the hall doesn't mean he is destined to become a drone - if he is smart he'll figure it out soon enough.

That said, some kids need a smack now and then. I was one. I wasn't there, and I don't know your kids, so I'm not saying who was right or wrong. And a lot of those elders are so frikkin self-righteous anyway.

Now that I'm almost grown up, I think kids just need to be kids. Meetings shouldn't be so long anyway. I can't sit through a two hour session now. When I do show up, mostly to see my parents, I just hover for forty-five miinutes of public droning and then depart.

CZAR

28

Star Trek "Nemesis" (Fluff)

by Robdar in

jw
friends

the new star trek movie, "nemesis" is premiering on december 13, 2002. i am really looking forward to it.

although i grew up with the original, i must admit to a certain fondness for the next generation and to captain picard.

the original or the next generation?

czarofmischief

Next generation all the way!

altho I was watching some of them and thinking how cheesy some of the effects seem today.

CZAR

28

UN Vote Unanimous for USA-UK

by Amazing in

jw
friends

even syria voted against iraq by voting for the un resolution.

wow!

and china did not abstain as they have in the past ... the full 15 member sercurity council gave the usa/uk what they want ... while there are no automatic military triggers, the resolution does allow for unilateral action by member states if iraq continues "material breach" which is significant language in un speak.

czarofmischief

Does the Vatican vote in the UN?

CZAR

5

Any violence against the WT?

by czarofmischief in

i am curious about the history of the watchtower.

if everyone hates them so bad when they leave, do you know if they ever attempted to exact a temporal revenge for spiritual hurts?.

czar

czarofmischief

Ok,

I am curious about the history of the watchtower. If everyone hates them so bad when they leave, do you know if they ever attempted to exact a temporal revenge for spiritual hurts?

CZAR

47

The Sleeping Dragon is Awakening

by Perry in

jw
friends

us officials are signalling that a deal has been reached with france and russia to overcome their objections to a new resolution against iraq.

senior diplomats are discussing the latest resolution drafted by the united states at a closed-door meeting of the un security council.

iraq... will face serious consequences as a result of its continued violations of its obligations .

czarofmischief

Ah, I love the sound of flame shooting back and forth across the Net in the morning. Sounds like victory. Or at least, freedom ringing its cacophony of viewpoints.

Here's my 2 cent investment in the American dialogue.

Saddam needs to go. Maybe its partly pride on Bush II's part, but that doesn't change the fact that Iraq cannot be trusted not to use WMD to terrorize its neighbors. So let's get him before he gets us. Because he's already tried.

CZAR

17

Change from within the ORG..suggestions?

by breeze in

jw
friends

change from within?

maybe if you could do away with ignoring your own family because they made a mistake and did something foolish in their life that already regret terribily?

caspian says: but i am not alone, i am in contact with at least 30 active elders, 1 travelling overseer and one prominent bethel elder who like me are trying to create change for the better within the organization.. other changes and suggestions that would improve the org, please!!!

czarofmischief

I think a positive step would be to remove the governing Body as having authority over the individual congregations. Rather, each congregation should be subject to Christ directly. The only things that should be centralized are a kind of charitable organization for the relief and development of the brotherhood - not a central governance, but a unit supported by donations.

The only things that should be asserted without fear of contradiction are the basic Bible truths that all agree on. The congregation should become a central place for the interchange of ideas regarding the faith, not a stifling conformity mill in the interests of "unity." These truths can be periodically reviewed in light of new research or philosophy. Most of all, once a basic framework of belief has been agreed upon, differences of opinion can be held without threatening security.

Remvoe the shrouds and layers of secrecy. Open books on everything, from accounting to judicial treatment to the sins of the fathers.

Judicial sessions should be open to any baptized member, with members freely confessing their sins in front of one another as the good book says. All can attend and sit quietly to observe, or make arrangments to testify if such is relevant.

The brotherhood should distance itself from other religions by paying taxes on their property.

Abandon the idea that participating in the surrounding culture is evil, but rather rejoice inthe good things that god has given us.

CZAR

104

Do You Believe In God Or Not?

by minimus in

jw
friends

if you've been associated with the witnesses, believing in god was a necessity.

do you still feel that god exists?

if you believe in god, do you feel that he cares about you?

czarofmischief

mackin,

My proof of God's existence and my relationship with him are purely subjective. God cannot be proven, only experienced. Faith cannot be justified, only vindicated.

If you can sleep without a God watching over you, then congratulations. Atheism is as diverse a faith as any other, so I'll take it that you cannot prove God doesn't exist, but you simply do not involve him in your life. Very good.

However, I need him and he is real to me. I can't explain how I know, except by subjective experiences that might seem cheesy when I try to explain them to a third party.

CZAR