rocketman

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Posts by rocketman

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  90

  Stupid not just once but twice, and it is praised

  by therevealer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  12 the watchtower ?

  5 what good results there can be when.

  children are trained to keep a simple eye!.

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  rocketman

  Let's just say, absurd as it seems, that this story is true. What does it do? It does nothing but set up another generation of jw youths for failure. Where are all the jws who, in the past, did the same thing - turned down a good opportunity in order to pioneer? How many of them are at or near retirement with nothing saved? How many are having health issues and can actually afford health insurance? How many can do anything to help someone else financially? - They can't even take care of themselves and have already lived the majority of their lives dependent on others for help.

  I know this because I've seen it in my own family. Relatives who are aging and have no real way to retire and will work until they die or are too old to enjoy life. Relatives who lost a spouse and can barely fend for themselves, often needing help. It's sad. They gave their best to the WTS in the 1960s and 70s and the decades beyond, and now have virtually nothing.
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  55

  Believers: Does Jesus Personally Talk to You?

  by leavingwt in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  some of my christian co-workers have related to me how jesus has spoken to them.

  one of the comments that i remember specifically, was this:.

  "jesus put it on my heart to [take a certain course of action].

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  rocketman

  Badseed wrote: "

  There's a church across the river from where I live. I went there a few times, enjoyed parts of it. I like to be honest about my past so struck a conversation with the minister, 1- told him I had no money to give him 2- I was an x jw, etc. I always felt they really didn't like me because I'm not into pastor worship. He's not god and I don't believe god talks to him more than anyone else. Not what he claims though.

  So a while back, since they have some real estate, I wanted to rent an appartment from them. The reason was a new tenant had moved into my building and she was a real pain, dirty, slob, bad element and I wanted to get away from her at all cost. The pastor's wife told me that her and her husband had prayed over it and the answer they got was that they should not rent to me. Six months down the road, the slob upstairs moves out, guess where?? In one of the pastor's rentals. Now that's payback.LOL Within a year, that real estate will lose half its value, it will be totally destroyed. They just finished two weeks of renovating her old rent here, the place stunk, not even funny.

  My point? The pastor and his wife prayed god, I didn't, yet they got stuck with the rotten apple and my wishes were answered. I wonder what god was trying to tell them? I have yet to meet the wife so I can tell her. It'll make my day when I do."

  This experience kind of sums up my feeling on the matter. How do I REALLY know whether God or Jesus has in some way communicated with me or worked in my life somehow? I just don't know. I don't speak to God in prayer - I just can't speak audibly or inaudibly to someone I can't see. I do read the Bible and try to do what is right. And sometimes I feel like, when things in my life work out a certain way, that maybe, just maybe, God/Jesus was looking out for me. But I have doubts, because it's hard to know for sure. I can't tell whether something is just happenstance (like the experience by Badseed) or whether it's somehow God-directed. I should add that maybe Badseed's experience shows that God was trying to teach the pastor and his wife a lesson. I mean, who knows?

  The other issue I have is that too many awful things happen to people to believe that God is somehow pulling the strings. If he's behind it for good, is he not behind it for bad? And if so, why allow such terrible things? And what about people who survive plane crashes and such as say that God was with them - why them and not the ones who died?
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  43

  For those that are and have been married,did the JW lifestyle aggravate "typical" marital and family problems?

  by miseryloveselders in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i ask this in consideration of last week's and this week's congregation bible study which focuses on the responsibilities of christian parents, and husbands.

  i also ask this in harmony with itscrap&theyknowit's thread which is a heluva opening post by the way.

  i linked it below for those that aren't familiar with it.. http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/206133/1/why-i-eventually-left.

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  rocketman

  It put a strain on my marriage. My wife always hated the subservient role that was expected of women. The two of us saw eye-to-eye on how to raise our child generally but my wife was very gung-ho when it came to the so-called truth, expecting the kid to have her bible reading done and taking a hard line on several issues, while I was more laid-back about such things generally.

  It did little or nothing to soldify the marriage, despite the constant admonishment. In fact, especially as my role in the congregation increased as especially after becoming an elder, I felt that being 'used' heavily, getting up on the platform and speaking on various subjects including family life, just left me more open to criticism on how I was falling short of such ideals. For example, I didn't want to do a home bible study, and yet there I would be conducting meeting parts which at times included the need for a family study.
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  22

  Crazy Is Flirting a Sin? Q & A

  by Iamallcool in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  christianity -- christian living/is flirting a sinadvertisement.

  expert: phillip senn - 10/10/2008.

  question.

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  rocketman

  I don't view it as "sinful", but I do view it as problematic. For one thing, I can't seem to tell whether I'm being flirted with or whether she's just being nice and maybe a bit gregarious. I think some women (and men) get labeled as flirtatious when in fact they are simply friendly. That's why I've soured on it over the years. Unless both people are definitely trying to send a signal that they want to date, I just don't see the value of it.

  I realize that some people just want to flirt in order to put a 'feeler' out, to see whether someone might be interested. That's fine, but I think that, unless it's an unmistakable signal, it can be misconstrued. And worse yet is when friendliness is mistaken as flirting.
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  23

  Feb.20 WT Study: "Reap Blessings Through God's Spirit-Guided King!

  by Billy the Ex-Bethelite in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  during the brain-numbing lesson this week, i looked ahead at the article for next week.

  it's hard to get past the title alone:.

  reap blessings through god's spirit-guided king!.

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  rocketman

  Over the years they've come up with some very clumsily-worded (and corny) titles. The _________________ - Why?, _____________ - How? and _______________ - When? titles always made me cringe. There are too many to number, but we've all seen them. Just insert whatever topic you want and then dash question. I'm still waiting for "Sex - Why?"
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  26

  Thank you, and Goodbye

  by cyberjesus in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  thanks once again to all of those who post in this forum.

  and good bye to those of you who choose to leave.. the healing process of exiting a cult is a slow one.

  specially if you were born in it.

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  rocketman

  A few years ago, I considered myself as "fading" from this board (already faded completely from jw-dum). I only visted the board about once every few months. All the discussions about the religion were, at that point, actually kind of hampering my recovery. I felt as if the jws still had a hold on me. The board had helped immensely, but it seemed like time to move on.

  But after a couple years, I started visting more often, and now I'm back almost daily. I no longer feel the 'hold' of the religion, so being here no longer feels like a fight. The subject matter is very thought-provoking, and if I want to avoid jw-related topics, there's plenty else to read and comment on. So I'm back, and I'm glad I didn't start a Farewell Thread.
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  48

  Sports That Do Not Interest You

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  one sport that i think is lame is pro hockey.

  it's the only sport where players are expected to beat the crap out of each other.

  it's not as much about scoring but how many punches were thrown!

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  rocketman

  I'm a football (American football) fan first and foremost, but I've been at hockey games and watched it on TV since the 1970s.

  I don't like the fighting either and I see no purpose in it. Hockey is a physical sport, with plenty of chances to retaliate short of fisticuffs. So if a guy takes you to the boards and you don't like it, you'll get your chance to do the same. I don't see why a fight is needed.

  You'll notice that there are seldom any fights in NFL games. Now, I'm sure there's plenty of nasty stuff going on. But if a player doesn't like it, he will get a chance to 'right the wrong' by planting a hit or block on someone. So the score can be evened without resorting to a fist fight.

  What I'm saying is that, the more physical a sport is, the LESS need there is for fighting.

  The one sport in which fighting does not surprise me is baseball. If a pitcher throws at a guy's head, the batter has no way to even things up unless he charges the mound. I'm not saying it's right, but in baseball, the lack of physical contact would seem to heighten the sense of frustration in some instances.
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  82

  3/15 WT " Do Not Deceive Yourself "- WT's Excuses for No Armageddon

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  with the new " overlap generation " theory that the wt society is pushing onto rank and file jehovah's witnesses since last year this article i found really heavy hitting in the jw version of the wt.

  the wt society is leaking oil in that confidence is low among jw's in not really buying into the " generation overlap " theory as many younger jw's are exiting the organization.

  so what better way to try reeling members back in by giving them an article entitled " do not deceive yourself with false reasoning " !

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  rocketman

  I used to read similar articles and then, when attending circuit assemblies, take note of all the Mercedes, BMW, and Lexus cars in the parking lot. Looked like some brothers and sisters (and many elders) kind of liked that "comfortable lifestyle".
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  75

  Why Women Love Jerks

  by compound complex in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  do nice guys lose to bad boys?.

  [see advert.

  i'm afraid to look ...].

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  rocketman

  I just read a USA article about changing attitudes among single people - it seems more guys are now interested in commitment, while women want more independence. It looks like things have done an almost-180 degree turn in that regard.
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  95

  Super Bowl XLV

  by Iron Head in

  1. social
  2. physical

  ok, let's get on with this.... .

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  rocketman

  My instincts tell me Green Bay will win, but I'll be pulling for Pittsburgh. I've never been much of a Pack fan, though I will admit that without Brett Favre, they are easier to digest.