Posts by Big Tex

19

The Watchtower's Reverse Cleansing

by metatron in

jw
friends

for years now, the wts leadership has been closing its collective.

eyes to the internal moral decay of the organization.

governing body all the way down to local elders, more and more.

Big Tex

I can remember arguing with the presiding overseer out in service over 1975 (this was before obviously and he thought it was coming Oct. 1, 1975) and I mean we were really arguing. Today I would have been called disrespectful and my father taken into a back room and chastised. The sister who studied with me (early 70's) made it a point of reading other religon's books, magazines, etc. just to "keep up". It was well known in that congregation and it was considered a good thing. There didn't seem to be the fear of exposing the mind to alternative teachings. The attitude used to be that this was "The Truth" and it can stand up to anything. Not anymore. Now it seems as if people need to hear a talk, or read an article, before they know what they are allowed to think or which way their opinion should lean.

I was pioneering when the Ray Franz scandal broke and I remember being shocked that so many people had a problem with studying the Bible. I mean, isn't that supposed to be the point of why we were there? I remember making that comment to my pioneer partner, and he responded with the usual "We need the Society's direction; yada yada". I remember telling him that when I started studying, the sister used only the Bible. No literature was used. Ever. No Truth book, no Great Teacher book, just the Bible. I'll always remember what he said, "Well she couldn't do that now without getting in trouble with the elders." I haven't been to meetings since 1989, so I can only imagine the lack of free thought floating around now.

13

Austin Powers 3 - Too funny

by Xandria in

well i saw the movie tonight and let me tell you it was a non stop laugh fest.

funnier than the other two.

i would suggest the movie to 14 and up.. there is a bit of naughty humor.

Big Tex

Oh behave!

4

CHILD ABUSE_THE REAL TRUTH_PART1

by zev in

notice what the governing body has to say about child abuse in the church.. .

awake!

churchinsuranceagainstabuseclaims.

Big Tex

Zev brings up an idea I've been meaning to bring up. It's interesting to re-read some of the old Watchtower regarding the Pharisees in Jesus' day. Try inserting the words "elders" or "Governing Body" wherever the word "Pharisee" or "scribe" appears and notice how much it parallels what is happening right now. Maybe that's the real truth!

19

The Watchtower's Reverse Cleansing

by metatron in

jw
friends

for years now, the wts leadership has been closing its collective.

eyes to the internal moral decay of the organization.

governing body all the way down to local elders, more and more.

Big Tex

I'm curious, when do you guys feel that the deterioration started? I started studying in 1971, and to me I saw a change slowly take place, at least here in Dallas, in the early to mid 1980s. I can't help but wonder if this was a trickle down from the Ray Franz thing. They seemed to become more and more concerned with appearance, and there was the dumbing down of the literature. I happen to agree with nearly everything said so far on this page, except that WTBS will die out. I don't see that happening. I think they'll continue tripping along, spinning, bullying and threatening people into doing it their way. And I really don't think they'll ever change, at least for the good.

51

Ghosts and Spooky things

by Crazy151drinker in

who here has every seen/felt/experienced spooky/ghostly things???

i did a couple of times at an apt.

i lived in when i went to state.

Big Tex

When I was 4, my dad belong to a Masonic lodge and they used to be involved in some pretty weird stuff. To this day I don't know if what I experienced was real or imagined. What I remember most was the feeling in the house. It was cold and clammy, even in the summer. Sometimes I would hear a man laughing when there was no one around. Other times I would hear someone call out my name, again when no one was there. I also some apparations, but again I'm not sure if that's real or not. After we moved from that house, I never had any other experiences.

I saw a special on A&E once on the history of the Masons and it showed some of their initiation rituals and it really creeped me out. It was dead on the way I remembered it. I still get goosebumps when I think of the one that wore a black top hat with white gloves.

Edited by - Big Tex on 23 July 2002 21:22:50

108

Favorite Football team?

by WildTurkey in

ok guys and dolls, american football will start in a couple months, so who is the team you pull for?.

ok i know i will get shit for this but go cowboys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i love the dallas cowboys

Big Tex

I heard the Packers were putting in artificial turf in Lambeau Field this year. They did it to keep their cheerleaders from grazing.

Edited by - Big Tex on 23 July 2002 0:41:58

62

Anyone ever rub elbows with a Celebrity?

by RubyTuesday in

when i was in the sixth grade in roswell n.m. i met this girl whos father had recently died.my father had also passed away recently.we were both very shy and haveing the lose of our fathers in common we stuck together that year.we never did anything outside of school however, not sure why,she never invited me over and now i think it was because of her horrible home life.but we ate lunch together everyday and chated in a class we shared.i never saw her again until..... when i was in my 20's my cousins wife told me that my friend demetria guynes was....... drum roll..plz.

demi moore.

please share simular stories.

Big Tex

I used to work at American Airlines. One of the jobs I had was in their frequent flier department. I once had a long (10 minute) conversation with Dabney Coleman (neat guy). After Bill Clinton was elected, Hillary called up to change their mailing address. I asked her what she was changing it to and she said, "What do you think?" Actually she was really nice, and not at all like she appears to be.

38

Did John Denver hate the Witnesses?

by writerpen in

jw
friends

i remember hearing stories as a kid that john denver would ask all the witnesses present at his concerts to stand.

and, then after they stood, he would play the national anthem.

any truth to this?

Big Tex

I'd heard the John Denver story, but the spin I heard on the story is that he was the one who insisted on placing a scene in the movie "Oh God" wherein an unidentified man (presumably a Witness) tries again and again to read a scripture to John Denver's character. The scene makes the Witness character look rather goofy and fanatical. Also, what I heard about Charlton Heston is that he studied briefly with a Witness and turned the Witness away from "the truth" over the issue of the Trinity. Supposedly he got ahold of some scholar who sat in on the study and refuted the Society's teaching and the Witness was so impressed, they dropped out. Of course, it's all probably a bunch of hooey, but it's still interesting.

32

Get aload of this..

by Xandria in

this is crazy.. just go under each topic on this sight and read.

it speaks on each topic we have touched on in this forum and bascially gives thier "answer" and thoughts as silly as some are.

xandria

Big Tex

I am a survivor of incest, sexual and physical abuse that started when I was a baby and continued until I was 5 years old. Then it stopped completely. I did not remember any of these events until I was 25. I do take issue with you Quotes when you say that "recovery of repressed memories almost always involves an over eager analyst who unwittingly 'feeds' the memory to the victim over the course of time". I experienced this phenomena of repressed memories first hand. No one placed anything, memory or otherwise, in my head. I began having these unexplained "blips", and flashes of bizarre memory long before I sought psychiatric help. During the course of my therapy, neither of the two counselors I saw made any attempt to suggest events, people or places to me. In fact, they were much more interested in the present day, and how I was struggling with depression, than in trying to piece together the past. The memories were most definitely a side issue. As an aside, I did some detective work, and talked with several members of my extended family and confirmed quite a lot of what I was remembering. Obviously the memories of the actual rapes could not be confirmed because there were no witnesses (not even 2 witnesses!). But in all candor, I doubt I will ever have definitive "proof" of who raped me, how many times or how often. But then, I don't think that really matters. I know it happened. I was there and I don't need anyone else's approval or agreement to validate my reality.

As far as False Memory Syndrome, the facts are that it is in as much dispute as the concept of repressed memories. There was an article regarding this in a recent psychiatric journal (I'm sorry, but I don't recall which one) discussing this very subject. According to the article I read, the website you referenced does have inaccuracies. Personally I believe the whole thing needs further study to fully understand what is going on with human memory. I do agree with you that to rely SOLELY on repressed memories is not a good idea, and yes there have been several instances where poorly trained therapists or those who had an agenda did in fact lead their patients into recalling events that never took place. But please, do not paint us all as having made it up. Not all abuse survivors are making it up. Not everyone who was so traumatized as a child that they shut the memory of it away is a liar. Some of us, just wish we were.

Peace

Chris

23

I am annointed ... bow down to me!

by kenpodragon in

jw
friends

i am now anointed.

the lady of the lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite, held aloft my anointment in the form of a sword from the bosom of the water signifying by divine providence that i, dragon, was now anointed.

no i did not do it by exploiting the workers!

Big Tex

Yes, but what is the flying weight of a swallow carrying a coconut?