rebel

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Posts by rebel

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  19

  JW growth

  by larc in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there has been much discussion here regarding the growth rate of the jws.

  i thought i would put up some numbers that show the long term trends.

  first of all, i would like to state that there was surprisingly little growth under rutherford.

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  rebel

  Hi Larc,

  I'd love to compare the growth of other religions in the same time period. Does anyone have these details? I am sure they would show that the JWs have not been the only religion to see a significant growth.

  xxR
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  32

  SEX, monogamy, baboons, etc.

  by DanTheMan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok, there's this (supposedly married but sometimes that doesn't mean much)guy at work that the girls are sooo into, they just fall at his feet.

  and yes, he is very good looking, one in a thousand maybe.

  you should have seen the way they did up his work area for his birthday today.

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  rebel

  Personally, I don't care what a man looks like. All I want is someone that doesn't shout at me or demean me. I want to be me without feeling inferior. I want someone who is kind and gentle and who doesn't shout all the time. That's all. Are there any men out there like that? Not the one I married!

  xxR
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  172

  Evolution or Creation??

  by dottie in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  well i know i may be opening a can of worms here.... but after what we were taught in the wts about creation...and now that you may know more about evolution... which do you think you'd choose to believe more??.

  myself...i am leaning towards evolution...but then i read things that make me think otherwise.

  so i do find it confusing sometimes .

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  rebel

  I am just starting to look into this subject. I originally believed in evolution, then as a JW in creation, and now I don't know. I think there must be a way of knowing - I would love to know for certain one way or another.

  xxR
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  9

  Question on suicide

  by fairy in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  to cut a long story short, i know a married couple who had seperated for whatever reason and they were both witnesses.

  even though he wasnt a regular goer at this time....the guy must have had several meetings with the elders and this particular day he was suppose to have a comittee meeting with 2 elders....they went around to see him and he had comitted suicide......he was also on prozac and apparently he had stopped taking them...at his funeral his brother said that he was mentally, emotionally and spiritualy ill. and i nearly forgot, they didnt even mention his passing away at the kingdom hall...............what is the witnesses view on suicide..last i knew, if you comitt suicide you dont get a ressurection.

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  rebel

  I hate all this horrible shunning of those who commit suicide and their families. It is a taboo subject and many people feel uncomfortable talking about it - particularly with someone who has lost a loved one through suicide.

  Many who take their own lives do not want to die - they just want to escape all the horrible crap going on in their lives at the time of their death. They seem to think that things will never get better and they will always feel this bad, so suicide is the only way - living is no longer an option.

  However, there are those who do decide to take their lives after careful consideration and because, basically, they have had enough and want a rest. I know a friend of mine who did this - she was quite calm about it and spoke about her death as if it was the most natural thing in the world. I couldn't talk her round - she had made up her mind to do it - and she did. When I thought about it afterwards, it seemed quite logical. She told me that, just as many people would fight to stay alive, she felt as if her time was up. She had nothing to offer and had no dreams and ambitions anymore. It was all very sad.

  I think, if God is all-loving, he understands the many reasons that drive people to do this.

  xxR
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  19

  Being On Welfare But StillPioneering

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  how

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  rebel

  I always thought you could not pioneer unless you supported yourself. Maybe I just didn't realise that many work part-time and claim benefits whilst pioneering. I have never claimed a penny in my life, even when my husband was out of work, we got by. My father worked all his life and what we had came from his sheer hard work - the long hours and relentless grind killed him in the end - but he was of a generation that just did not scrounge off the state. I have no problem with people claiming benefit if they cannot work for genuine reasons, but to pioneer??? That is not right.

  Someone mentioned the various 'illnesses' that JWs seem to be plagued by. There does seem to be a very high incidence of ME, CFS etc etc in my congregation though. Many say they feel tired all the time and can't hold down a job - yet they can go out on field service whilst claiming sickness benefit - the mind boggles.

  xxR
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  5

  KILLER CORRIE. ST.!!!

  by ScoobySnax in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  you know, that audrey roberts was right all along about nasty ol richard hillman with the black gloves!...........course i don't watch it normally.

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  rebel

  Am I alone in hating this storyline? I never thought that Eastenders would have a happier storyline than Corrie - I hate it and I hate Richard!!!

  xxR
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  12

  Inactive......??..and on this forum?

  by ScoobySnax in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  without the snapping jaws of the majority here, do any of you "inactive" people on this forum who read or might sometimes post, find this place welcoming or intimadating?

  helpful or harmful?

  is it a better or bitter place to be?

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  rebel

  Personally, I often find it intimidating. But then, I have a load of hang-ups since being a JW. Many on this board have known each other for yonks and I feel a bit like an outsider - just like when I was JW.

  xxR
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  9

  What do you expect?

  by Mulan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  one of my very distant cousins sent this to me today.

  i know it's corny, but i liked it anyway.

  (all you atheists, can ignore this).

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  rebel

  Mulan,

  I would love to enjoy this but I feel so numb.

  Please help me so I don't feel this way.

  xxR
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  14

  The Prodigal Son and JW Justice

  by eyeslice in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it was towards the end of 1998 that i believe there was a watchtower article on the prodigal son.. about that time, i handled a number of problematic judicial cases and got to wondering about the rightness of elders judging others.

  before each case, elders are instructed to read certain chapters of the shepherding book, but my opinion was, they would be better re-reading the parable of the prodigal son.. lets look at some of the points from the parable and compare it with jw justice.. 1. the prodigal was never judged and condemned by his father immediately after leaving home.

  there is no indication that he would have at anytime been shunned by his father and family.

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  rebel

  I take your point eyeslice, it must be difficult to stand out and refuse to go along with the crowd. However, you and Bluesbrother had the courage to say enough is enough - what about the rest of the elders who don't? As far as I am concerned, if a JC is biased and kicks someone out of the congregation because of the elders' own petty prejudices, the whole body of elders is guilty. If there are some who feel uncomfortable with the hypocrisy that permeates many congregations, they have a mouth in their head and should use it. An elder is in an ideal position to right wrongs. From my own personal experience, many elders are big-headed and proud and there are others who are weak and spineless and don't speak out. Do any elders or ex-elders here realise how frustrating it is to be a woman in this organisation?????

  I continually speak my mind, get taken into the 'back room', and generally am disliked for being mouthy. But I don't care and will continue to act this way whenever I think an injustice has been done. I think the elders in my congregation will breathe a sigh of relief when they realise I'm not going back any more. I really don't need any more of their insults or lectures.

  xxR
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  24

  quote search: recognize His people by their love

  by Jacqueline in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am desperately searching fo rthe bible qoute which tells you that you shall recognize his people by the love amongst themselves.. i have not found any love amongst any witnesses in our hall, never ever...and we have attended this hall for nearly 2 years.

  i am still a study, my hubby grew up in the truth.

  elders are coming over tomorrow night to discuss our lack of meeting attendance.

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  rebel

  Jacqueline,

  You said "I have not found ANY love amongst any Witnesses in our hall, NEVER EVER...and we have attended this hall for nearly 2 years."

  Sounds like my KH - very unloving. Don't let them force you back if you don't want to go. That is even more evidence of their unloving behaviour.

  xxR