Posts by GrreatTeacher

29

The bridge

by truthwillsetyoufree in

jw
friends

so my father, who is an active jehovah’s witness, told me yesterday of an experience currently doing its rounds amongst the witnesses in relation to cart witnessing.

there is a bridge called ‘the bridge’ which is a well known place for people committing suicide.

apparently the jws have been setting up there literature carts there for a while now and ever since they have there has been no more suicide attempts from the bridge.

Cambridge, Maryland has a literal Suicide Bridge named for its morbid past, and right next to it is the Suicide Bridge Restaurant with a great Friday Seafood Buffet for $32 a person. Oyster shuckers will shuck you fresh oysters for a small tip. They also have crab imperial and baked salmon as well as Maryland crab soup for starters. And the typical roast beef carving station, potato casserole, fresh corn on the cob, green beans, and red beats with a salad bar, too. Plus a dessert table and soft serve ice cream.

As far as I know, no one has ever died eating there, and no JWs with carts have ever been noted in proximity.

23

introducing * drum roll* me

by gabcol in

jw
friends

i'm a long time lurker, first time writer on this site.

years and years ago, i was on another ex-jw message board though i'm not sure if it's still around or not.

i really enjoy reading all of your stories.

GrreatTeacher

Also, Giordano, how did you end up in Virginia? That's a long way from the beach! Any kinds of rivers or lakes around? I would have a hard time giving up living so close to the beach. I'd actually love to move to the beach to retire!

23

introducing * drum roll* me

by gabcol in

jw
friends

i'm a long time lurker, first time writer on this site.

years and years ago, i was on another ex-jw message board though i'm not sure if it's still around or not.

i really enjoy reading all of your stories.

GrreatTeacher

Welcome, Gabcol. You might be our first Australiamerican on the board.

I wonder what part of America you were from. I didn't know some congregations actually telling people they couldn't date. That's pretty severe.

Glad you've found a place that feels like home to you. And, welcome to the board.

13

Numeracy

by jws in

i recently saw on a website where a guy i know posted a link to a video by graham hancock.

now this guy is a nutjob kind of like the ancient alien guys.

this pyramid has been a fascination of crackpots for years.

GrreatTeacher

Waton, numeracy is being "literate" with numbers.

Numerology is some nonsense where numbers have some kind of mystical significance.

13

Numeracy

by jws in

i recently saw on a website where a guy i know posted a link to a video by graham hancock.

now this guy is a nutjob kind of like the ancient alien guys.

this pyramid has been a fascination of crackpots for years.

GrreatTeacher

Lee, good point. I think that a lot of people weren't aware that the original "witness" was the great pyramid.

Jws, I used to think that "144,000" was such a random, mystical number as a child.

Then, I learned my multiplication tables, found out that 144 is the square of 12, and was seriously deflated. In fact, that number is so common that it has its own name: a "gross."

I also agree that numeracy is important! Just as important as literacy!

16

Come on England...!!!!

by ScottyRex in

jw
friends

fantastic match...edge of seat stuff.

will be glued to 7pm match to see who we play next...russia or croatia..... enjoy wherever you are 😁😁😁.

GrreatTeacher

Wait...why are the using their feet?

I thought this was football!

32

Jehovah's Witnesses: shame and domination

by john.prestor in

i want to suggest something that i've been ruminating on for a while now.

that involves the possibility that when jehovah's witnesses look for "sheep-like ones" what they're actually looking for is this: those who will allow themselves to be dominated (get rid of things that god "hates," accept the movement's beliefs without protest, not check into the movement's history) and those who are willing to be shamed (letting jehovah's witnesses into their homes when doing so is looked down upon in secular society, talking with them on the street when everyone else avoids them).. i say this because from what i observed at the kingdom halls i attended in the course of gathering data for my research i saw:.

-frequent shaming: jehovah's witnesses must do more to be acceptable to god, they are "good for nothing slaves," they are spared through armageddon by jehovah's "undeserved kindness," etc.

GrreatTeacher

Ah, I think I get it.

So, therefore there could be no grass roots calls for change?

In other words, this ensures that any change must come from the top?

32

Jehovah's Witnesses: shame and domination

by john.prestor in

i want to suggest something that i've been ruminating on for a while now.

that involves the possibility that when jehovah's witnesses look for "sheep-like ones" what they're actually looking for is this: those who will allow themselves to be dominated (get rid of things that god "hates," accept the movement's beliefs without protest, not check into the movement's history) and those who are willing to be shamed (letting jehovah's witnesses into their homes when doing so is looked down upon in secular society, talking with them on the street when everyone else avoids them).. i say this because from what i observed at the kingdom halls i attended in the course of gathering data for my research i saw:.

-frequent shaming: jehovah's witnesses must do more to be acceptable to god, they are "good for nothing slaves," they are spared through armageddon by jehovah's "undeserved kindness," etc.

GrreatTeacher

What do you mean by "legitimacy," if you don't mind my asking?

14

The elephant on the street

by Normalfulla in

as a contractor i travel around for my job, i was stopped this morning to buy some milk at a store in a small village i guess and as i turned a corner i saw 2 elders i know personally manning a cart in the cold outside the store with not a soul in sight and an unlikely place for much traffic even though it was outside a country store.

1 elder is my brother in laws father and the other was in my old cong when i left, i said hello, talked about the weather and general chit chat and was my usual self, they were pleasant also but nothing was mentioned to me about anything spiritual etc.

i know they will be aware of some of my reasons for leaving (the few that i talked about initially before shutting my trap) but they were unwilling to engage in saving my life with their work!

GrreatTeacher

Dang it, let me finish enjoying my Sunday first!

Yes, shunning doesn't look good in public, so they don't do it.

Which means they know it's wrong!

12

How the Watchtower and Big Tobacco conspired to propaganda techniques to survive the exposure of their dangers

by TerryWalstrom in

the tobacco industry held in thrall millions of addicted smokers for decades with an almost endless litany of false claims reinforced by propaganda and bad science.it is informative and eye-opening to examine this brilliant but insidious strategy.1.

exploiting controversy the tobacco team focused on "conflicts of interest" to create a distraction and exploit mistrust so nicotine addicts own confirmation bias would work in their favor.

this strategy of producing scientific uncertainty undercut public health efforts and regulatory interventions designed to reduce the harms of smoking.the watchtower easily did the same thing by exploiting the confusing doctrine of the trinity and pointing to the corrupt history of the catholic church.

GrreatTeacher

Terry, I love the way your mind works.

"Get 'em addicted young." Works for both scenarios, too.