Bonsai

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Posts by Bonsai

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  106

  Walking a thin line - Resigning Elder

  by Sanchy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  warning of a long boring post ahead.

  i feel like i need to vent my story out, as i feel quite helpless at the moment.. i'm 31 year old, married, father of toddler with another one on the way, due later this month.

  i've been serving as elder for about 4 years now in a south florida congregation.

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  Bonsai

  Our stories are so similar Sanchy. I remember trying to gently reason with my wife only for things to morph into an emotional argument right in front of our toddler. If I could give one piece of advice for now, it's this:

  Your wife is pregnant. She's already under tremendous stress, discomfort and her emotions are likely to be flying all over the place. You need to focus on having that baby safely. It's not a good time to put your wife under any unnecessary stress or anxiety right now. After the baby has been born and she has recovered then you can continue to ask questions and shape her towards a future marriage life that isn't controlled by the capricious edicts of an American sect.

  Congratulations on a soon to be new member of your family and thanks for sharing your story!.

  P.S. Tim Drake 1914's advice on page 1 is pure gold!
  
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  475

  What is the alternative to JW?

  by Formerbrother in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i mean this with all due respect, i would like to hear from genuine people who think jw have it wrong and then what is the truth?.

  im not talking about silly little quibbles here and there.. is jehovah real?

  the the bible is word?

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  Bonsai

  An alternative to JWism is to become a humanist. Stop worrying about what organized religion you are to join and start worrying about the welfare of your fellow man around you.
  
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  126

  FEB 2016 broadcast

  by Grey Goose in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it might be the craziest one yet..

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  Bonsai

  Wow. Just...wow. What a 60 minute mind @#$k. A highway to holiness? Really? How about a highway to hell (a mental hell). In my 30+ years as a JW I never saw any verifiable, undeniable, unmistakable outworking of "holy spirit". All I saw was arrogance, dysfunction and mentally disturbed individuals in positions of leadership. What holy spirit is there to grieve? Is that the same holy spirit that let pedophiles be appointed as elders and ministerial servants?
  

  What's funny is that most down-to-earth witnesses don't even listen to these broadcasts. Even they can smell BS without rubbing their faces in it.
  
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  45

  Do U Detest JWs.

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends
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  Bonsai

  Some days I do; on good days I don't. I despise those who force their religious views on others relentlessly without objectively scrutinizing their own beliefs.. I think I also despise one Anthony Morris the third as well. When he gave that talk about how inactive ones were in line for destruction I wanted to... well, I wanted to give him some "counsel" in a back room somewhere.
  
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  49

  A philosophical question .... what does the word God mean to you personally ?

  by Finkelstein in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  to myself it means to seek knowledge and understanding of are selves and the world in which we live.. unfortunately history has shown whenever one tries to connect to god and of his knowledge through men who say they themselves are connected to god through spiritual wifi ie.

  gb members of the jehovah's witnesses for example, one usually ends up finding a accumulation of only man's acquired knowledge.

  over thousands of years of trying to connect to a god(s) for help and answers, mankind has eventually relinquished himself to seeking answers through scientific investigative acquired knowledge of the world in which we live in.

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  Bonsai

  Nobody. Life is fun. I wanna live forever!
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  49

  A philosophical question .... what does the word God mean to you personally ?

  by Finkelstein in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  to myself it means to seek knowledge and understanding of are selves and the world in which we live.. unfortunately history has shown whenever one tries to connect to god and of his knowledge through men who say they themselves are connected to god through spiritual wifi ie.

  gb members of the jehovah's witnesses for example, one usually ends up finding a accumulation of only man's acquired knowledge.

  over thousands of years of trying to connect to a god(s) for help and answers, mankind has eventually relinquished himself to seeking answers through scientific investigative acquired knowledge of the world in which we live in.

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  Bonsai

  When we were kids we all had a blanky (blanket) or favorite teddy bear that we took everywhere, talked to, or slept with. We clutched it tightly during times of uncertainty or stress. As adults we can't carry around that blanky or beat up teddy anymore (at least not if we want to be regarded as sane by our peers). So people carry around this faith in an invisible, all powerful, higher being that gives them a comfort quilt to wrap themselves in during hard times or battles with health. I think there is nothing wrong with that.

  Personally, I no longer rely on that avenue of comfort. I prefer the cold, harsh reality that there is an incredibly high probability that there is nothing after death. I value every second of my life now and feel a tremendous sense of responsibility to not waste it.

  Mortality sucks, so do what you have to do to be happy and comforted in your own way.
  
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  49

  A philosophical question .... what does the word God mean to you personally ?

  by Finkelstein in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  to myself it means to seek knowledge and understanding of are selves and the world in which we live.. unfortunately history has shown whenever one tries to connect to god and of his knowledge through men who say they themselves are connected to god through spiritual wifi ie.

  gb members of the jehovah's witnesses for example, one usually ends up finding a accumulation of only man's acquired knowledge.

  over thousands of years of trying to connect to a god(s) for help and answers, mankind has eventually relinquished himself to seeking answers through scientific investigative acquired knowledge of the world in which we live in.

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  Bonsai

  Fisherman, Evidence? Jesus believed that there was a global flood during the time of a man named Noah. Archeological evidence, botanical evidence and geological evidence refutes the possibility of there being a global flood in that time period. I got nothing against Jesus or those that love and follow Jesus' teachings, but I think this is an uncomfortable truth that we all must ponder over.
  
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  150

  Start A Butterfly Garden!

  by Bonsai in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  time to take a break from debating religion.

  take in a breath of fresh air and be healed by the wonders of nature around you.. how many of you have a garden?

  how many have a nice flower patch to go with your vegetable garden?

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  Bonsai

  A leaf butterfly? I'd love to see one! That reminds me of a strange butterfly I caught in the woods near my house last year.

  

  This butterfly looks like it has a treasure map on it, doesn't it?

  I later looked it up and it is called "The Common Map" butterfly. How appropriate!
  
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  21

  Cue to leave

  by Grey Goose in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just reading a thread about one circuit saying the pubs must donate $10.. it got me thinking, that if it ever became policy to donate a % of ones income, that would be my cue to leave.

  or i would kick up such a stink about it i would be kicked out.

  either would be good for me.. so, is there any public policy changes which would be your cue to leave?.

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  Bonsai

  There have been so many cues to leave over the years, so I left.

  But if I were to feign ignorance to everything up 'till now and only be bothered by things in the absolute present, I would think building multimillion dollar new headquarters in Warwick and in England would be my cue to leave.

  They have been saying the end of this world is imminent, yet evidently, they don't even believe their own hype.
  
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  150

  Start A Butterfly Garden!

  by Bonsai in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  time to take a break from debating religion.

  take in a breath of fresh air and be healed by the wonders of nature around you.. how many of you have a garden?

  how many have a nice flower patch to go with your vegetable garden?

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  Bonsai

  Nice pics Xanthippe and Kaik! Now I'm really restless waiting for spring to come!

  Fadetoblack, sunflowers are lovely. They are also a host plant for the Painted Lady (picture below), which is a common butterfly throughout the northern hemisphere.