Posts by SM62

53

Does Death & Aging Frighten You?

by Guest 77 in

jw
friends

yeah, just what are your thoughts.

does death and aging frighten you?

why your answer?

SM62

That this is just a stepping stone ( earthly life) to a better place- I do believe there will be no pain, no tears, no heart ache in the next life

Mouthy,

This sounds so fantastic and is what I always wanted to happen. I wish I had your faith. I really want to believe this, but faith escapes me. I have started to wonder whether there is something wrong with me deep down. I never really believed in anything I was taught as a Catholic, and as a JW, I was really not 'in' like some were - I was always on the fringes. I do read a lot and try to find answers, but I get nowhere. I would love to know that this life is just the beginning, but where do you get such faith from? I am not disputing it - as far as I am concerned, you probably have what I haven't got, but how do I get it too. I have tried religion but just feel numb from it all. Sorry to ramble so much.

Terri

53

Does Death & Aging Frighten You?

by Guest 77 in

jw
friends

yeah, just what are your thoughts.

does death and aging frighten you?

why your answer?

SM62

The reason why people fear death is that their going to miss themselves

Spot on, Guest! I will miss myself. I have so much to do and see and experience. And even if I live to be 80/90, I won't be able to do much once my body starts deteriorating - so the average human who lives to be 80 only has around 50 years to really do anything they want to - that's is not long enough - I want to go on forever. As a JW, I thought I would. Now I know that I was lied to, I don't know what to expect.

As to death, well, I've welcomed death many times

Why? Why would anyone welcome death? I can understand it if you were sick or in pain (physically, emotionally or mentally), and death was the only way out of your misery. But if not, what other reason can there be? - I'm just curious. I hear many people say that they look forward to dying - and these are people that have health, wealth and all the rest.

Terri

53

Does Death & Aging Frighten You?

by Guest 77 in

jw
friends

yeah, just what are your thoughts.

does death and aging frighten you?

why your answer?

SM62

I hate the thought of growing old and feeble, unable to fend for myself. But I also don't want to die. I have so many thoughts and dreams and ideas and ambitions, and when I die, they will die too. I also hate the thought of being covered with tons of earth - I know I will be dead so won't feel it but it gives me the creeps all the same. I suppose it all boils down to the unknown - if we knew what happens to us when we die, I guess many of us wouldn't fear it so much. What I'm trying to say is that there isn't enough time to fit in all the things I want to do-even if I live to be 100. I look at my mum - she is so weak physically, but boy - is she on the ball mentally! Her body lets her down big time - her hands are weak and shaky and her eyesight and hearing are going, she can hardly walk now and takes ages just to walk from one end of the room to the other - it breaks my heart to watch her. It is frustrating to be weak, unable to do all the things you used to do, especially if you still have a very active mind. Life is really cruel and death stinks!

just my thoughts - Terri

107

For the believers

by gentlesoul in

jw
friends

for those who still believe in jesus and his purpose and in a god who is creator.

do you feel it is appropriate to hang in place as such when the scriptures teaches us "not to cast pearls before swine?

" please tell me your feelings on this subject as i feel that i should not be here but for some reason keep returning....do we believers feel that we can make some good here and is that why we continue to come here?

SM62

yeah...pigs are ok......but try and give one to a lady instead of a pearl and see what happens!

Well, this lady would be over the moon. Give me a pig rather than a pearl any day - I love them!

Terri

40

Describe Your Mood At This Moment

by minimus in

jw
friends

well??

?

SM62

I'm feeling lonely because I am alone. My husband went on the ministry to annoy the neighbours, then he is going round to his JW friends (I wasn't invited) then he has a meeting at the KH later. My kids have gone their own way - to various friends/family. I am supposed to be going to my mum's later but I have a really bad dose of cold/flu and I feel awful - body aches, nose blocked, throat feels like I've swallowed a handful of nails. Plus I am snowed under with work - I have 2 projects on the go that need to be finished by Saturday or I lose a really important client. All in all, I am pretty fed up.

Ah well - back to the grindstone.

PS Simon - I love the little creeping Santa top left. It really cheered me up today!

Terri

34

I'm back online! - and a letter to the elders

by dmouse in

jw
friends

since the breakdown of my marriage i have been living round my mum's - .

hooray for mums everywhere, but especially mine!.

now, mum's not the most up to date person so no computer or internet.

SM62

dmouse,

I have to agree with the others - you didn't have to give your wife any ammunition - but I really admire you for being so honest with her and the elders. Your wife is a very silly lady to lose such a good man. I really don't understand some women - she must be a real fruitcake - I hope she realises one day what an idiot she has been.

Also - congrats on the change of career - that shows what guts and determination you have!

Terri

11

Are "young people the Jehovah's' growth market:"?

by blondie in

jw
friends

http://www.themercury.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,8215848,00.html

getting a foot in door

by heather low choy .

SM62

Blondie,

It's true that most new baptisms are children of current JWs. At the last assembly, there were 6 baptised from my congregation and 4 of these were between the ages of 18 and 22 - all brought up as JWs. I didn't see any young people coming in from outside.

A weekly 45-minute class was helping him hone his door-to-door ministry skills, he said.
The class involved role plays, where one young witness would pretend to be the unresponsive householder and the other would play door-to-door minister.

This quote is rubbish. The demos on the platform never involved an unresponsive householder - at least not where I come from. They went like this:

A: Hi, I'm Pete, we were just in the neighbourhood...blah blah blah blah

B: That sounds really interesting....blah blah blah

A: Well, if you look at this brochure, it shows......blah blah blah

B: Wow - that is SOOOOO interesting and ........blah blah blah

A: Well, if you have 5 minutes I can show you blah blah blah

B: OK - I am SOOOOO looking forward to this interesting discussion...blah blah

A: GREAT! Now, as I was saying....blah blah blah

They always ended with a placement or Bible study. They were so unrealistic it was unbelievable.

Terri

44

The Society has given up on "holiday witnessing"

by dothemath in

.

up until a few years ago......every dec. km had a part encouraging everyone to go in the ministry on the holidays.......christmas day, etc.. no one ever got too excited about it in our cong.

.........it was pretty much a joke to everyone even when commenting on it during the meeting part.. that no longer seems to be the case..........haven't seen any parts like this for a few years now......i guess they've given up completely.. the meeting part usually included some "fine experiences"......but i have heard exactly the opposite from some who actually tried it one time.. have any of you ever went in service on christmas day?

SM62

I went out every Xmas Day, St Stephen's Day and New Years Day for the past 12 years! This will be the first time I stay at home. My husband will be out as usual on all three days - the poor thing really thinks I might change my mind and join him - I feel so helpless and sorry for him - I wish he'd listen to me seriously for once. he just thnks I am going through a weird phase and will snap out of it soon.

Terri

27

The Isaiah book?s?

by l3gi0n in

what was the point of this book?

what did we learn?

we studied two books, 700+ pages, on the 66 chapters of isaiah, for 3 years, and what was learned?

SM62

It's funny, but I hated these books too. All I got from them was the '1919' bits and ramblings and the same thing repeated again and again. I have kept quiet about this until now. I thought it was just me, and that I was missing something really profound. But now I see I wasn't alone. I wished I'd had the courage to express my true feelings to the study conductor. He has got to have the most boring, sleep-inducing voice on this planet, and combine that with the most boring books ever written and you can imagine what torture it all was!

One positive point - the Isaiah books are great if you suffer from insomnia - one minute spent reading that drivel and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..........

Terri

32

Comments You Won't Hear at the 12-21-03 WT Study

by blondie in

what is the tool the wts really uses?

is the bible really the best tool?

fallacy number 1

SM62

Blondie,

I found this very interesting. I won't be going to the meeting on Sunday (I won't be going any more) but I will be doing my Watchtower with your article to guide me. The past 4 weeks I have underlined and highlighted the study article as I used to, but now I use your comments to help me. I discussed the points with my husband last week and he had to agree with many of them, especially regarding the way the WTS downgrades women. He is still very much the loyal JW but I feel I am getting somewhere at last.

Thank you