Posts by breal

14

Strange Memories..

by breal in

about 6 or 7 years ago after being df'd and shunned by family and friends for so many years.. i got to thinking that perhaps if i tried to get reinstated.

not entirely sure that i really wanted to or if it was simply an idea to do this and then just did a slow fade (if that is really possible) - then i would be able to be around my family and friends like old times again.

i even attended a few meetings in the new city i had moved to.

breal

SPAZnik - I have read my "Strange Memories" post http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/7/52383/751541/post.ashx#751541 over and over trying to see where I "whine for sympathy on jw.com that everyone is shunning" me as you accused me of in your email! Perhaps this view is just due to your tainted opinion of me or is it another post? In any case I was simply trying to express myself & my personal experience...and work through some issues.

If my feelings and posts annoy you that much then simply don't bother reading them! I would prefer that instead of you pretending publicly to be all nice and sisterly as in your last post on my thread about “Personality Types” http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/20/53051/1.ashx only to find you judging me in personal email! (As I said in my email back to you I was not referring to you in my “Personality Type” post and perhaps your feeling that way attributed to some of the nastiness of your email to me). Obviously this is not a place for me to express myself openly without having to worry about censoring myself to meet your standards of acceptable posts. So perhaps I will leave it to you!

I will post this on both of my threads so you will see it.

BReal

39

If Disfellowshipping Were Forcibly Banned

by AlanF in

.

what do you think would happen to the watchtower society if disfellowshipping were forcibly banned by government decree?.

think about the implications for current jw leaders personally, for the doctrinal structure, for the power structure.. this is no mere theoretical possibility.. alanf

breal

There would suddenly be a bunch of "new light" about the DF'ing arrangement...

24

Personality Types

by breal in

recently i have run into a few people that wanted to discuss this topic.

i believe i am a type a or driver personality although i know it goes alot deeper than this but confused as i took two tests and came out as esfj and isfj.

imho and based on human nature i have felt that people tend to romantisize there own perceived personality type.. i am interested in this from the standpoint that perhaps what we perceive as our personality type may not be how we come accross to others?!

breal

JGNAT – Thanks for the links. When you said you have learned to “act like an extrovert” is along the lines of what I am thinking – that we adapt in various ways as needed but fundamentally we are who we are.

Valis – Interesting article – I guess others will be happy to know there is hope for me yet!

Caligirl – I too have found that I am instantly drawn to certain people & in training classes where these mini personality tests have been done we usually end up as similar personalities.

Essie – I agree that we are basically the same person like you say but I am referring more to isolated situations or interactions. Thanks for the book I will check that out.

Larc – Cool subject to research in depth.

Spaz – My impression of human nature is just that – my impression based on interaction with others… but yes you completed my thought more completely as my original post was to say “romanticize our own type” and “vilify the polar opposite types” – but that was to strong a word & I could not think of another to replace it…so being cynical of other types or people in general is perhaps what I was getting at. I agree lack of understanding is part of it.

I said “more of a realist” but I do fancy being viewed as a romantic. As far as your question asking me to generalize about “realists” seeing their view of a situation or person as “the way it is” – I believe that all people regardless of personality type are “guilty” of that.

The inability to have a meaningful & complete conversation is what prompted my post…so nope I have not expressed my opinions. These are not judgement(s) as this is not a “right” or “wrong” situation more just perspective. Not sure what you mean by “on what standard do you base your judgements?”

Cheers,

BReal

41

Do You Love Yourself???

by minimus in

jw
friends

i believe that before you can love another, you must love yourself first.

some seem to loathe themselves.

others seem to adore themselves.

breal

Pretty much...until I speak with almost any relative.

Then after a few sleeps back to pretty much.

2

Where do you look?

by caligirl in

jw
friends

do you primarily reply to threads from the active topics list when you log on, or do you take the time to check out the other sections as well?

just curious!

most of the time i tend to stick to the topics that are already on the active list, which i admit might be short changing perfectly good topics that havn't made it to the top pages.

breal

Mostly active topics but I tend to click back a few pages and read until I start to see the original post date is well prior to todays date.

24

Personality Types

by breal in

recently i have run into a few people that wanted to discuss this topic.

i believe i am a type a or driver personality although i know it goes alot deeper than this but confused as i took two tests and came out as esfj and isfj.

imho and based on human nature i have felt that people tend to romantisize there own perceived personality type.. i am interested in this from the standpoint that perhaps what we perceive as our personality type may not be how we come accross to others?!

breal

Recently I have run into a few people that wanted to discuss this topic. I believe I am a type A or Driver personality although I know it goes alot deeper than this but confused as I took two tests and came out as ESFJ and ISFJ. IMHO and based on human nature I have felt that people tend to romantisize there own perceived personality type.

I am interested in this from the standpoint that perhaps what we perceive as our personality type may not be how we come accross to others?! Has anyone experienced this? For example two people recently called me a romantic and I have always felt myself to be more of a realist.... Or perhaps our generalization of personality types causes us to automatically miss out on opportunities to relate to diverse or opposite personality types?

I know of a person who considers themselves a thinker or introspective type - but this person comes accross as one with a barely concealed rage and very opinionated but attempting to control it with a distate for those who are not necessarily more opinionated but more comfortable expressing or discussing opinions. I think this person takes there self imposed personality type a little to far and tries to stifle natural diversions into other personality types tendancies that this one finds negative. One person seems to be passive aggressive and comes accross as believing that it is better to subtly or not so subtly be argumentative and then not stick around for the debate or discussion...and then blame it on the other individuals conversation style or personality type...

I am interested in how our personalities change depending on the situation and the relationship with the one we are interacting as I believe these factors weigh heavily. Do you think that someones conversation style can be different than there personality type or is it all linked or situation dependant?

I searched and found some good links posted in the past but does anyone also know of any good books on this? Are there personality types that just do not mix? As it seems there are certain personality traits/types that I cannot stand and others I am drawn too. However there are even exceptions to those generalizations.

44

Political Compass Test

by Aztec in

jw
friends

i'm sure this has been posted before but i really enjoyed it.. http://www.digitalronin.f2s.com/politicalcompass/questionnaire.pl?page=1.

i think like the dalai lama...lol!

economic left/right: -3.62. authoritarian/libertarian: -5.33.

breal

My results put me in between Nelson Mandela & John Cretien. Gives me some ideas for reading materials as I have never followed or thought about politics to much.

Your political compass

Economic Left/Right: -3.25
Authoritarian/Libertarian: -1.95

106

My Letter to the Elders in My Late Father's Congregation

by cruzanheart in

well, guys, here it is.

it's going in the mail tomorrow.

it's for me but, dad, it's also for you.

breal

While lurking there were a few posters & replies that drew me to this site over others - yours and your husbands especially stood out and the replies you both have made to my few posts have touched me deeply and I wanted to thank you both for your kind words.

I am not very good with words of sympathy or comfort as many on this forum are & by the time I read most things so many views have been expressed I feel silly & repetative but your letter is so heartfelt and all I can say is that even with all the pain and heartache you and yours have experienced it speaks volumes that the love and caring you both possess still come through on each and every post you make.

BReal

8

Do you have a friend you would like to get out from the WTS?

by freedom96 in

jw
friends

i have faded out.

i still have just a handful of friends that are still involved, and we just don't talk about religion.

they have no idea what i really think about it all.

breal

Many years ago I thought of the people I missed due to being DF'd after leaving the "truth", however since I did not leave for doctrinal reasons so much as emotional ones I never really thought about trying to get anyone "out". I wanted to have them experience the positive changes that happenned in life after I left but hoped they would find happiness with there choice to stay as JW's.

Now time has passed my sibling has left, and apparantly other people I know are questioning things... after so many years I find it hard to discuss the org or JW's with them - maybe because I did not discuss my thoughts about it when I left but also because there is a bit of resentment for them having shunned me for so long and now it is another thing that divides.

I have been enlighted by others posts here about many things so perhaps my opinion of the "org" is changing but for the past 10-12 years I simply wished that the organization was really voluntary - ok to join and ok to leave -no shunning.

38

My DF'd Niece Wasn't Reinstated Because She Talked To Me, My Daughter& Mom

by minimus in

jw
friends

she met last night with her elders.

she wasn't reinstated again.

(it's been a few yrs).

breal

That is horrible - not only the betrayel of keeping someone else's letter, but then to try to trick her with questions that they think they already have answers to. Then to keep her in limbo for another week while they officially "decide" - not very loving on there part. I wonder if they realize what a horrible "witness" this gives to others, like her "wordly" spouse who must be outraged by how they are treating her. So often the elders contradict themselves - needing 2 witnesses on one hand for serious unlawful offences but then basing decisions on hearsay when someone like your niece is trying to be reinstated.

BReal