Great post and well handled! It's more fruitful to trim an oleander bush (because they are not only poisonous, but grow really fast) than to try to trim the beliefs of a JW zealot (who's beliefs never grow at all, yet are just as poisonous).
Bonsai
JoinedPosts by Bonsai
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My Personal Invitation to the Celebration of the Lord's Evening Meal
by TMS inby no means is this a heartwarming "experience" illustrating how an ex-jw skillfully "reached the heart" of a current jw, moving them to re-examine their belief system.
that won't be my take on my half hour visit with an elder's wife last sunday.
no one scored points here as is almost always the case in these interactions.. we live at the extreme southern tip of texas, on the u.s.-mexico border in a city of about 200,000. twenty years ago there were 20 spanish language congregations, 2 english.
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Start A Butterfly Garden!
by Bonsai intime 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
Recently it's been really warm! The violets, tulips and cherry blossoms are starting to bloom. The butterflies are taking flight and the smell of spring is in the air! Feel's good! How is everyone else's spring going? -
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I COLLECT QUOTES. . . Here are some of my favorites
by Terry inplease post your favorites too.
my favorite quotations:.
you cannot change what you refuse to confront.. sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.. don’t think of cost.
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Bonsai
Out of Oblivion
Into the fear of Oblivion
Back to Oblivion -- The Circle of Life
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Watchtower is cashing in on China
by nakanozzi injapanese brother in china recently revealed thatmany wealthy chinese are interested in watchtower’s teaching and donating money.ex-cos and ex-district os are now preaching undercover in china,and, numberes of special pioneers in china are growing !
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Bonsai
"Lots" of Japanese sisters go to China to preach. They all want to escape from the suppressive culture and conformity of Japan. They either go to Nepal or China. I've heard stories from those who came back to work and save money (or renew their visa) that once inside China the government is very lax about religion - especially Christianity. It's not at all far fetched what Nakanoji is reporting. The Watchtower gets their tentacles wrapped around China, Nepal, and recently Myanmar by first establishing small businesses (like portable drinking water tanks etc.) that reel in the support of wealthy individuals who are empathetic to JWism. -
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Am l the only one.?The older l become the more hostile l become towards god.
by atomant inthey say you mellow out with age.maybe so but not in my case.l feel its an insult and degrading to us humans to have to live the way we do if there is a god.deep down l guess l do believe theres a god but lm having great difficulty trying to understand why things are the way they are.l dont need a bible bashing from anyone l just feel frustrated and helpless.l just battle on like everyone else but l get the feeling theres a whole lot more to our existence.
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Bonsai
Yep. I'm the same way. Older I get the more ornery I get and the less time I have for BS and fantasies. -
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Hi Everyone. Answer to prayer countdown...
by Stumpy ini've been lurking for about 3 months now and thought i'd better finally sign up.
you have all been an immense help to me as i have come to realize that this isn't the truth so i want to say a great big thank you!
what a crazy, emotional ride it is to finally face the truth about the doubts that i have carried for many years.
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Bonsai
Dear Stumpy,
I loved your post. It has made my day and it also made me cry. It might very well be the best post I have read since coming to this forum. Very powerful stuff. I can relate to so much of your story. I'm so happy that things are looking up for you and the people who really love you.
Warm regards,
Mr. and Mrs. Bonsai
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The changing world - The Chinese in the west.
by fulltimestudent ini was hosing the garden at the front of our apartments earlier this morning, and this large gang (20-30 people) of elderly chinese went past, picking up rubbish in the street.
it suddenly clicked that this was 'clean-up australia' day.
what interested me was the involvement of this group of elderly chinese, and i assume that this is likely happening across sydney in all the many suburbs that have become 'chinese' in the last 35 years.
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Bonsai
It would be a smart investment to study Chinese. I originally came to Asia to study Chinese, but fell in love with Japan. Now I'm starting to wonder whether or not I should have stuck with Chinese. -
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This thread is for proof that God exists
by juandefiero inhowever, i haven't found any evidence to support that belief.. have you?
if so please, show me the evidence that god exists, and i will believe along with you.. criteria:.
(1) you must specify which god you are talking about;.
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Bonsai
Are you afraid to die?
Do you want to live beyond death?
Do you want to see your dead loved ones again?
Do you feel slighted by society?
Do you feel that life is unfair?
Do you feel unloved?
Do you crave for wicked people to be destroyed?
People who answer yes to most of these questions are highly likely to want to believe in god, therefore they go through mental hula hoops to build up their faith. They don't need proof. They don't need logic. They need something to look forward to beyond this life. They need meaning beyond what this life has to offer. It doesn't matter to them that there is no proof that god exists. None. But who am I to judge? We all try and get by with whatever it is that keeps us going day to day.
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genuine english guy seeking jw lady
by english_gentleman inhi, i believe that a lady is put on earth to satisfy the needs of her partner and respect his views in all matters.. i realize some here may consider that old fashioned and not based on sexual equality.. yet a lady and man are not created equal because the lady gives birth and the man must sire many children.
if you are a lady under 30 and keen to meet me, willing to cook and breed, then please message me here.
please do not contact me if you disagree with my views, we can agree to differ.
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Bonsai
I'm an alien. I'm a legal alien. I'm an Englishman in New York.
For some reason this satirical thread made me think of that song.
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A simple question among other things...
by megaboy ini would like to ask a question freely to anyone, just to get a feel for those i eccounter in life and be able to meet with them through empathy.. those who spent time with this organization, did you ever feel any sense of wisdom coming from it at all?
when i mean wisdom i mean in a truly sensible manner not the illusion of it.. were there any teachings that would manifest in you respecting your self and your thoughts, as well as others, being able to detect reasonable behavior and detect teachings which promote moderate actions with others?
anything to harvest justfying thoughts are behaviors with others?
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Bonsai
There are basic teachings sprinkled in that are attractive to any peace loving person who wants his family to be united in the same goal to accomplish something(such as living on a paradise earth with your family forever). A lot of their articles on drawing closer as a family have some practical value. I'm sure they quote mine professionals. Unfortunately, the organization doesn't take its own advice when dealing with those who no longer toe the line and conform to its dogmatic standards.
As long as affluent, fat, Western men run an international organization, as long as men who aren't in touch with reality run the show, there can be no real significant change or improvements from within.
I was reading on another thread your thoughts on the influence from "Western empire". I think this religion as well as most other Protestant religions are a relic of that Western empire. They can only see things from the Western view. I know for a fact many in Japan became witnesses because they loved the Nation behind the religion. JWism wasn't just a religion but an American ideal. It was softer than the traditional culture of showing no emotion (or tough love) to your children or spouse. All this talk of mildness, affection, warmth and family love was so appealing to Japanese women in a loveless marriage.
On a surface level, those things are perfectly good and should be focused on. Unfortunately, it was the strings attached to being a Witness, to being stuck in a captive organization that has robbed many of their happiness. It's less about the love and everything to do with conforming and service time nowadays.