Odrade

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Posts by Odrade

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  91

  Ooooooohhhh...My "unofficial" DA letter...yup...got it in the paper!!

  by HadEnuf in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  over the years here on the forum...i have read with interest many da letters.

  brave people!!

  not so brave.

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  Odrade

  That was awesome! Proud of you!
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  16

  An Unexpected Gratitude.... (kinda long)

  by BrendaCloutier in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i got married in june 1975 at 18-1/2 years old.

  this after being pulled out of h.s.

  (3.4gpa) to go into the ministry and regular pioneer, or eventually find a husband.

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  Odrade

  Cool Brenda. bump.
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  23

  An intriging tale of corruption in the congregation {Mark Heber Miller}

  by sf in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  http://www.nazarene-friends.org/pubs/confessions/000.htm

  i haven't read marks story in a while and was looking for the part where he states ted jaracz went out in field service with him and a few other brothers back in the 70's, in newport beach/ balboa island, for another thread here.. if you grew up in southern california as a jw, you might find it a very intriging tale of just how the elite congs were being run.

  i know for myself it is like trying to fit pieces of a puzzle.

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  Odrade

  I have also for many heard tales of corruption in the SoCal region, and spanning several states. However, the fantastical nature of a great deal of his tale, calls into question everything he writes. My bullshit meter was pinging pretty loudly, but it went off the charts when I got to the point of his tale where he claims that out of 100 elders, he was the ONLY ONE... blah blah. I just can't buy it. I believe certain aspects of the story: the cliques, the elitism, the "materialism," and the drinking, although I certainly don't believe that ALL the elders and servants were alcohol abusers... etc.
  It's a shame, because an "expose" could be a helpful/useful thing, but it loses it's value as a resource when the writer engages in such blatant self-congratulation, egotistical "admissions," self-promotion, and evident delusion. It also calls into question any accusations he levels against the corrupt elders in those circuits. I have known many, MANY elders, servants, and even teenagers, (which he also universally maligns, with the exception, of course, of his children,) who possess integrity, honesty and dedication to study and pursuit of understanding of the scriptures. I cannot accept the assertion that this was 99% absent among the leaders, as well as many of the adherents of all the congregations in SoCal and surrounding areas. (With the writer being the 1% exception against overwhelming opposition.)
  Nothing I have ever read from any whistle-blower has indicated anything close to the level of deceit, hypocrisy and malicious intent that the writer herein claims, and we have had a number of people, even from that area, with the same level of experience, come out and be very vocal in the ex-jw community. I believe if things were truly even half of what the writer claims, we would have seen a great deal more corroboration from other ex-jws hailing from that area.
  This tale, IMO, should be viewed as just that: a tale, based on actual persons and places, but only a story, a work of fiction.
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  23

  An intriging tale of corruption in the congregation {Mark Heber Miller}

  by sf in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  http://www.nazarene-friends.org/pubs/confessions/000.htm

  i haven't read marks story in a while and was looking for the part where he states ted jaracz went out in field service with him and a few other brothers back in the 70's, in newport beach/ balboa island, for another thread here.. if you grew up in southern california as a jw, you might find it a very intriging tale of just how the elite congs were being run.

  i know for myself it is like trying to fit pieces of a puzzle.

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  Odrade

  I also am having a very difficult time believing this story. In addition to all the high honors at such a young age, against so much opposition and "jealousy," memorizing more of the bible and literature than nearly anyone in the organization, including members of the governing body who were also "jealous," he's a world class bodysurfer, surviving where others cannot, a world-class climber, surviving where others cannot, a world-class photographer, with not one but two of the top 100 most published photos, personal photographer to famous and beautiful fashion models all over the world, rich-several times, a world-class business starter, single-handedly responsible for the trend of JWs owning janatorial businesses, and more powerful than a black-belt Karate expert, being so expert in the manipulation of qi himself that he could knock the black-belt expert on his back without even touching him, worked on movie sets, was allowed into one of the greatest cultural finds of the century to be the first photographer, and could out-drink the Chinese government...
  
  
  And I've only just finished chapter seven.
  
  Wow! He wrote "Cliffhanger," but "they" stole the idea from him. Impressive!
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  31

  My Dad's new Wife is a less than thrilling person..

  by runningrussianboy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok guys, this is post 2.. .

  background.. raised a jw.

  homeschool by grade 6.

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  Odrade

  just2sheep, you are way farther out of line on this one than the c-word, yet your personal attacks remain. Back away from the vodka bottle. Scully is one of the most even-handed moderators I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with on this or several other boards.
  
  Dang. forgot what I wanted to say to the new guy... Man, that is one messed up story. Why didn't they df your dad for not being able to maintain a fine household? DF a KID for running away from an abusive father, then attending all the meetings? geez. So sorry.
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  26

  Any Tricks or Tips for getting around on crutches??

  by AudeSapere in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does anyone have any tricks or tips for getting around on crutches??.

  i did a stupid thing friday afternoon and ended up in the emergency room with a broken ankle and a torn up knee.

  i'm now on crutches - lucky me... .

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  Odrade

  Take care of your underarms! :( bummer.
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  78

  "You have a week to Move out" PLEASE HELP! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!!

  by stillAwitness in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  yesterday morning was my bookstudy.

  but i had a runway show to do that night (i think i have mentioned before that i have been pursuing modeling) and so of course i had to skip out.

  my parents go to a differ bookstudy than me but in the same hall and so they were able to notice that i was not there.

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  Odrade

  when I was 22, living in my parents home and having everything provided to me, (yeah, "princess" alright,) I was told I'd have 3 weeks to get out. I was out in a little less than two, with a new job and and apartment, in a different town. It took every penny I had to get into the place, but it was mine. You can do it, don't be a cop out and move in with the BF, expecting someone else to take care of you again. Grow some cojones (the fake kind for us girls. *wink*) Use this to your advantage and be a woman. Oh yeah, and what LDH said. Good advice LDH!
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  41

  Is This Kind of Behavior at a Concert Acceptable?? Need Your Opinions.

  by Seeker4 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  yesterday i attended a music festival.

  ten hours long, maybe a dozen or so acts.

  when the next to the last act appeared, james mcmurtry, the son of writer larry mcmurtry and a hell of a songwriter/musician, his fans were invited to "dance in front of the stage and in the aisles.

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  Odrade

  The one good thing about concerts performed in classical venues, the ushers will make you behave so others can enjoy the show. LOL!
  so... if I'm reading this right, your real complaint is that there was no consideration shown for the people who were seated, watching the show at a venue where the tickets being sold were for a seated affair. Rather, these dopes just danced in the seats and in front of the stage, right in front of the view. If I read that right, I don't think you're over-reacting. They were totally rude. They could have danced at the edges of the tent or the side of the stage, and you still would have been able to see and enjoy the show.
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  5

  The Kingdom Hall last Thursday pm

  by Cabin in the woods in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ooops, i do not know why i keep making that mistake and submitting these forms before i have written in them.

  well what i wanted to share is that last thursday evening my husband and i went downstreet to do some shopping and were on our way home when we drove by the kingdom hall.

  we have not gone by the kh during meeting hours in years.

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  Odrade

  Could have been assembly week, and the main meeting was cancelled? Only the bookstudy from another congregation meeting there that night?
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  83

  CULT CULT CULT

  by minimus in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i have read many opinions about jw's being a cult.a dictionary describes cult as a system of religious beliefs and ritual .. some have viewed even major religions as a cult, such as the roman catholic church.based upon webster almost anybody or anything that is viewed as ritualistic could be said to be cultic.when someone tries to negate jehovah's witnesses by using.

  the "cult" word, i believe they are not seeing that many others could legitimately be regarded as a cult or at least "cultic".therefore the word loses alot of meaning.

  some have said that the watchtower is a cult because of the control factor.

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  Odrade

  I guess this 4 y.o. thread puts to rest the question of whether farkel/minimus/et al, have changed over the last four years. hehe.