Posts by StarTrekAngel

15

convention rooming dept

by Darryl in

jw
friends

so this past weekend i took my girlfriend and my boys on a little weekend getaway.

we stayed in a hotel and early sunday morning i went out for some starbucks.

when i returned and called the elevator it arrived, the doors opened and inside waiting to come out was a nice lady with that all too familiar badge on her lapel.

Not only they still publish but they ask that you use the hotels regardless. Even if the assembly hall is 45 min away from your home. We had letters sent to us when our shiny new AH was inaugurated. They said that we had to consider our brothers that are coming from afar and that without our participation the hotels may not be able to continue offering the discounted rates. Needless to say most of us would not dare the expense. We drive to the assembly every day from our house.

5

Out of the Mouths of Babes

by La Capra in

jw
friends

overheard in the electronics department at our local walmart,.

"how would you like your own headphones for the meeting?

my attention caught, i look up to see a 3-year old in the shopping cart then hear him say in a high whiny voice, "i don't want to go to the meeting.

StarTrekAngel

My youngest did something similar and in the middle of the assembly. And just so happened that she timed it perfectly and everyone within earshot got to hear it and turned around.

We get to the assembly. She used to sleep thru most of it. When we get up to sing for the morning break, she wakes up. Wife took the chance and got her to stand up and sing. She rubs her eyes and asks

"Are we going home already?"

Mom replies "no, not yet"

After the end of the morning session, we get up to sing again, before heading out for lunch. My girl wakes up again and asks "Are we going home now?"

Mom replies "No, we are going to lunch"

Daughter- "And then we are going home?"

Mom- "No"

Daughter- "Ugh! I hate this samblea" -(Baby talk for Spanish "Asamblea")

15

Why THAT talk? Why NOW?

by dubstepped in

in another thread there's a discussion about how the show must go on and meetings weren't even slowed down by the deaths or medical emergencies of ones in the audience.

for instance, one young brother's unbelieving father was murdered locally.

not long afterward he's assigned a part on an assembly about the resurrection or something.

StarTrekAngel

I believe is mostly coincidence. While the talks are all outlined to strike our feelings and get to your emotional holes, They can not possibly align everything in such manner. Not denying it happens. It sure does. But given the limited number of outlines and the countless different situations that people are going thru every day, chances are that every day, somewhere, someone is given a talk about a subject that affects them directly... wether in a positive or negative way.

Sure it helps maintain the indoctrination. A close relative of my brother in law was given a talk about raising children. He is single and has no kids. He is of age to where he should have already done both things. He tried to deny the assingment on the basis that he did not feel comfortable lecturing parents when he was not a parent himself. The elders counseled him and commended him on his humbleness but also reminded him that Jehovah is the one doing the lecturing and that anyone questioning his motives would be questioning God, not him.

72

Paranormal Warning

by Cold Steel in

i've heard some weird stories coming from jws about the paranormal.

i know about the warnings about items that come from unbelievers -- those don't interest me as much.

what i am interested in are actual experiences in stories of the paranormal you've heard or experienced yourself.

StarTrekAngel

AT least in the Spanish circuit, demon or paranormal stories were not foreign to assemblies. The slowly started to banish, as I guess the internet not only exposed them but also the fact that many of these stories were presented as original to JWs when in reality, they were taken from other religions.

Stories I heard at assemblies, presented from the platform..

- A man who claims was into black magic, after converting to JW, he decided to burn his magic books but the fire would not damage them. Only after he prayed and mentioned the name of Jehovah did the book began to burn down

- A man who claims he was preaching with a friend when he stopped by a house where no one dared to stop. He claims most JWs were wary of this house as they said a weird man covered in tattoos lived there and was known to do bad, mysterious things. The two JWs approached the house and knocked. The man came out and chatted with them. The story goes that the "bad man" confessed that he was constantly beaten and harmed by demons (he apparently show them his injuries) and that he would normally not open the door because the demons tell him they will hurt anyone who enters the house. The man told the JWs he decided to open the door in this case because he could see they were not alone. When the JWs told them it was just them two, the "bad man" told them they were not alone, that he could see two angels walking right along with them. (this story was supposedly to be proof that the angels do accompany JWs in their preaching and it quickly became an urban legend among JWs in the South Texas area)

There is also a story from a family we knew pretty well and well known by most of our friends in the congregation. This is certainly not the first time I hear a story from what I feel is a reliable source but just to make it clear, none of these has ever happened to me. I also know there are several "paranormal" events that can be explained away but at the same time I also feel that sometimes we throw everything under the same label. Like every UFO is a consequence of swamp gas, not matter how many more details there are to the story that does not line up to swamp gas. I do not dare to prove or deny anything, I simply prefer to stand in the "that is weird and I do not know how to explain it field until one day someone can".

On with the story.. A family of 5 JWs, leaving in a nearby town. One of his children was the quite type.. too quite actually. Although he was 8 year old, he hardly talked and no one knew why. The school had already referred the parents to have him checked for autism and the like. Also because on top of everything, he seemed to have a fascination with drawing this ugly monsters. One his smaller siblings, as he was getting to an age he could articulate and communicate better, started telling his mom that the chickens they had in the backyard would laugh at him and mock him. The mother thought the kid was saying those darned things that kids always say. This was until some time later when their sister, who was 12, said that she had also heard the chicken talk and laugh and that she had not said anything because she thought it was just her and that no one in the family was going to believe her. FInally, one day, the quite kid, confessed to his brother the monster he was drawing were the monsters that visited him in his room at night. The family was shocked at all of this so the father got everyone together so they could all tell whatever they knew. The oldest of them all, a 17 year old girl, was the only one, asides from the parents, who had not seen or heard anything. The father started blaming her for the kind of music she listened to (typical JW reaction) so she started saying that they kids were making it all up as they were children for the most part and that she was not afraid of anything. The story goes that the monster finally appeared to the fearless 17 year old and started beating her, challenging her by saying "Go on, say the name of your God and see if you can even open your mouth".

This was, supposedly, what finally prompted the father to talk to the elders. The father decided to move his family out of the house that same day and went to live with a relative. To this day no one can say that this family has ever shown any signs of drug abuse, drinking or anything you would imagine. Active imaginations do happen. It just tickles me that there can be so many in one house and some with the same story to tell. Either way, who knows... This is weird and I don't know how to explain it. All I know is that this family has a reputation which does not include making things up.

13

Finally found a friend I can talk to

by StarTrekAngel in

he is an old friend that used to attend my congo.

he moved away closer to his parents at some point and we lost touch.

for a couple of years i did not hear anything from him.

StarTrekAngel

LOL... I am pretty sure they do. I have wondered the same thing before but not just about this. My wife and I have lunch together every day and have done so for over 10 years. We have narrowed down our choice of restaurants to a handful of places. Not only we recognize the waiting staff but we also see the regular patrons as well. We've been there in happy times as much as we've been there while really mad at each other and arguing. I figure they know a little piece of everyone's story.

38

Trolley cart "witnessing" is getting ridiculous

by oppostate in

i really fail to see how much actual "witnessing" is occurring with the trolley carts.publishers, usually pioneers, just stand or sit there not engaging anyone and count their time.. the only thing i notice that it's accomplishing is brand exposure for jw.0rg so the public is exposed to the logo and literature/poster card headlines.. take for example this "evening" witnessing by a pioneer elder while on summer holiday/vacation.. .

is this not a wth kinda moment when you consider the years of slaving, knocking on doors, business territory and bible studies we had to keep performing so we weren't branded a "weak" publisher?.

StarTrekAngel

Another clever way to increase the number of preaching hours while walking away from the publishing business, which costs money and brings in nothing. Witness evolution from a publishing house to a real state corporation.

24

Can baptism be considered a legal verbal agreement?

by StarTrekAngel in

based on the requirements set forth and the questions answered at the end.

i believe this question has been asked before.

the fact that you can only be expelled after having been put under this oath of allegiance and that you have witnesses to you making this agreement ( i remember my name was shout to the crowd when i entered the pool ).. if it can be considered so, would there be a legal ground to say minors can not enter this agreement?.

StarTrekAngel

Understood.. but what happens when you uphold your end of the bargain after adulthood doesn't change the fact that you entered the bargain at an age not considered legal. That is why I was comparing it to getting a mortgage that your parents pay while you are still a minor but responsibilities transfer as you past 18. Your parents entice you to enter the agreement but as soon as you say yes is taken and considered to be your own will. So therefore, whatever happens at adulthood may happen, but at that very moment you were not old enough.

In that case, what prevents any other contract to be entered as a child. Wether is a marriage, a cell phone contract or an employment contract.... so long as you continue to uphold your deal until you are 18, then you are ok?

13

Finally found a friend I can talk to

by StarTrekAngel in

he is an old friend that used to attend my congo.

he moved away closer to his parents at some point and we lost touch.

for a couple of years i did not hear anything from him.

StarTrekAngel

I met with my friend at lunch today. We had a really good and long conversation. Once again, we are happy we are not alone and he also told me of others in this area. We can now have our own little apostafest. LOL

24

Can baptism be considered a legal verbal agreement?

by StarTrekAngel in

based on the requirements set forth and the questions answered at the end.

i believe this question has been asked before.

the fact that you can only be expelled after having been put under this oath of allegiance and that you have witnesses to you making this agreement ( i remember my name was shout to the crowd when i entered the pool ).. if it can be considered so, would there be a legal ground to say minors can not enter this agreement?.

StarTrekAngel

Can you please elaborate? This is for my own education.

24

Can baptism be considered a legal verbal agreement?

by StarTrekAngel in

based on the requirements set forth and the questions answered at the end.

i believe this question has been asked before.

the fact that you can only be expelled after having been put under this oath of allegiance and that you have witnesses to you making this agreement ( i remember my name was shout to the crowd when i entered the pool ).. if it can be considered so, would there be a legal ground to say minors can not enter this agreement?.

StarTrekAngel

And so I thought that would be the case. Sure you they can say the eventually the minor becomes an adult and continues to uphold the agreement. But is there a precedence to, for example, signing a mortgage when you are 7 years old and only become legally bound to it at adulthood, provided that while your parents continue to make payments on your behalf you pick up on it and uphold the agreement as soon as you become 18?

Don't think so... so idealistically speaking, there should be a way to say a minor can not be baptized.