Posts by Odrade

36

best/favorite Monty Python sketch

by stillajwexelder in

jw
friends

australian beer drinking philosophers is one of mine

Another Child Porno JW Freak - Caught in Massive Sting

by skeeter1 in

http://www.theage.com.au/national/jail-for-dj-caught-in-child-porn-sting-20081203-6qo7.html.

jail for dj caught in child porn sting.

paul millar december 4, 2008 a sketch of andrew van rossum.

I was just commenting that there is no suggestion that there was a cover-up in the congregation, not regarding the severity of the crime. There's so much the JW's DO cover-up, there's no use in giving them an "out" by making baseless accusations.

42

Another Child Porno JW Freak - Caught in Massive Sting

by skeeter1 in

http://www.theage.com.au/national/jail-for-dj-caught-in-child-porn-sting-20081203-6qo7.html.

jail for dj caught in child porn sting.

paul millar december 4, 2008 a sketch of andrew van rossum.

Odrade

Scully, it would be a good question in another situation, but the article makes no presumption of molestation, and no direct victims in contact with the convicted; he was looking at child porn. It is possible that his family and the congregation really had no idea about this.

30

If you could

by John Doe in

jw
friends

not merely ban religion, but cause people to believe in only sensible, testable things, thereby quashing anything related to religion, would you do it?

Odrade

No. Because if you are truly going to defend freedom of speech, freedom of religion, et al, you will have to occasionally defend things that you personally find despicable. So although I find it despicable that some people worship a god that they believe will kill 6 billion people "very soon now," I recognize that the same freedom that allows them freedom of worship, also allows me the freedom to believe in my concept of "sensible, testable things."

85

Elder asks me why we quit... (Long)

by Odrade in

in this thread i mentioned having a long chat with an elder last summer.

i didn't realize i had never posted the story, so here it is.. last summer (when i went to buy my new camera lens) i ran into one of my favorite jws at the photography shop.

he was buying a camera bag for his new dslr, and i saw him, went up and greeted him, hugged him.

Odrade

Thanks all. I'm not feeling guilty for speaking frankly with him. It's just that I remember what a state of turmoil my life was thrown into once I realized that the "truth" wasn't true. Disillusionment coupled with depression is a dangerous thing. If our conversation had any part in his spiral down, it was minor. Over the years, he had seen a lot as an elder, as a congregation member. He and members of his family had been treated cruelly by elders and traveling overseers because of trying to stand up for what was right.

Still, he continued to believe it was "the truth," even up until my last conversation with him. He urged me to just hold on for one or two more years, then it would be over and Jehovah would fix everything. That was about 18 months ago. I guess he just couldn't hang on anymore. I know it wasn't my fault, and given the opportunity, I would speak just as honestly again. He deserved that kind of respect from me, and I regarded him as a friend.

8

How many here have been to Morning Worship at Bethel?

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

in bethels throughout the world, morning worship starts at 7 am sharp.

in new york, there are closed-circuit televisions with a large digital clock display, including the seconds.

morning worship takes place in the big dining rooms so you are given breakfast after, everyone has an assigned seat.

Odrade

I've been. Boring. My table manners passed muster, but I think I may have reached across somebody for the milk. I was at table with some bigwigs, so there was no rushing off to work after prayer. We sat back down and "enjoyed" a very leisurely breakfast.

85

Elder asks me why we quit... (Long)

by Odrade in

in this thread i mentioned having a long chat with an elder last summer.

i didn't realize i had never posted the story, so here it is.. last summer (when i went to buy my new camera lens) i ran into one of my favorite jws at the photography shop.

he was buying a camera bag for his new dslr, and i saw him, went up and greeted him, hugged him.

Odrade

UPDATE: I just got a phone call that this brother committed suicide two weeks ago. I will be attending the memorial service this Saturday. I can't help but wonder if our conversation had some small part in this terrible tragedy. I hope not. My husband and I both really cared for this man and his wife, and considered them friends, in spite of the distance that our leaving the WTS created.

27

Classical/Spanish Guitar Virtuosos

by BurnTheShips in

jw
friends

issac albeniz played by john williams.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeffbut3i6a&feature=relatedjohn williams again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyhf9keidscand the man that brought the intrument into the light, andres segovia.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsw2iqg1mfg&feature=related.

Odrade

Christopher Parkening

5

Google Maps just got better: Maps for Public Transit

by Elsewhere in

jw
friends

need to know how to get from point a to point b, but you don't want to drive a car?

just go to google maps and it will tell you how!.

here is a demo video:.

Odrade

I love that function. It has been live in Portland for about a year I think, and I use it frequently since I don't drive.

39

Text Message I Just Received From An Old Witness Friend

by str8?so is spaghetti..until you heat it up in

this is a text message i just received from a guy who was in my old congregation.

(ps, no there was no shenanigans going on there, i wasn't interested in this guy in that way...even though he was possibly the best friend i had ever had within jws).. "hi rob.

please come back to the truth.

Odrade

I'm glad you answered the way you did. 15 years ago I was "Dave," and my best friend was df'd. It took me almost 10 years after that to get out, but my friendship for her was always in the back of my mind as something that WT policy took away from me.