TheListener

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Posts by TheListener

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  33

  Has anyone successfully faded without moving out of the territory?

  by NiceDream in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so far i've managed to avoid speaking to the elders who drop by.

  just wondering if they'll eventually give up in a couple years.

  anyone have experience with this?.

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  TheListener

  For a hassle free fade - I'll repeat what Gregor said - When talking to JW's "Bite your Tongue!"
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  8

  Casa Grande AZ Assembly Hall video - picture of girl baptized @:37 secs

  by Gayle in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  http://www.jwbrothers.org/videos/2481/casa-grande-az-assembly-hall-of-jehovah's-witnesses.

  how old would you say she is 7-10 yrs old?.

  assembly hall just opened aug. 28.

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  TheListener

  Did anyone scroll down after the AZ video and listen to the Prince interview? He sounds crazy. I can't imagine the WTS is happy having him be an unofficial JW spokesman.
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  33

  Has anyone successfully faded without moving out of the territory?

  by NiceDream in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so far i've managed to avoid speaking to the elders who drop by.

  just wondering if they'll eventually give up in a couple years.

  anyone have experience with this?.

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  TheListener

  I did so.
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  44

  Thousands of people have come and gone from this site....is this part of the healing process???

  by Witness 007 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i see alot of new names here lately and if you look at the log on names here there are thousands who have moved on....every 2 years the posters change.....some vent and leave, others stay on for years.

  i guess moving on with your life is a good thing, i think this site helps...any thoughts?.

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  TheListener

  I enjoy reading the experiences of new ones here and lending a hand where possible.

  I don't know if I'll ever be over my JWness since my immediate family are all active witnesses. The religion thing is sort of a constant undercurrent in our household.

  Funny thing is though, as long as I've posted on here I've only become good friends with a handful of posters. I believe there are a lot of posters like me who stick around awhile but aren't particularly well known or popular. Perhaps it is the need to remain ultra confidential due to active family members? I don't know. I do know I love hearing other peoples perspectives on being a witness.
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  5

  "weak" witnesses

  by bigmac in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i was an active jw, 40 -odd years ago in the uk, in the 2 congs i went to, we had a fair number of brothers privately called "weak".

  this was implied if a bro ( or sis )didn't attend most meetings, answer up, do field service, talks etc.. they weren't reprooved for this ( as far as i know ) but "marked" so to speak'.

  is this still the case?

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  TheListener

  As far as my experience goes the "weak" witnesses aren't marked officially, which would imply some wrongdoing on their part but just viewed as weak spiritually. "Strong" members of the congregation would want to assist and encourage them while at the same time being cautious of having too much association with them.
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  194

  Bethel Rules

  by brotherdan in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  this was brought up just in passing on another thread.

  but i wanted to see if there are any bethelites or ex bethelites that remember some of the crazy rules we had to follow when we were there..

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  TheListener

  If they use or used saltpeter it didn't work. Almost every person I knew was as horny as could be (myself included).

  I always found that you were best friends with the other guys you worked with. Then, as a secondary layer of friendship came your roommate (if you didn't work together also) and then your tablemates (not the married guys).

  It also seemed that if you came to bethel with a group of guys on the same day and went through entrance school and the lectures together you also had a special bond of friendship whether you worked or roomed together. There was something about sitting through that torturous school and lecture series that bonded people.

  I remember the constant counsel that sports were not to be taken too seriously. Of course, that is exactly what we did. Which department or group won/lost a sports game was a point of major discussion and trash talk.

  Some have already mentioned brother Couch and how everytime he opened his mouth it was to talk about hooooommmmooooooooosexuuuuuuals. (long and drawn out - I swear it took him a minute to say the word).

  I also remember the counsel, fairly regularly, to keep bethel family matters within bethel. We weren't to talk to our literal families or congregation friends about bethel related stuff. The bethel family was likened to our real family in that some things are just not meant to be discussed with others. I think most of the wrestling in your underwear and brothers found with pornography fit into this category.
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  194

  Bethel Rules

  by brotherdan in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  this was brought up just in passing on another thread.

  but i wanted to see if there are any bethelites or ex bethelites that remember some of the crazy rules we had to follow when we were there..

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  TheListener

  We used to refer to witnesses who were not at bethel as "worldly witnesses"

  Back when there was a charge for the literature we would get to submit a list each year of who we wanted to receive an early yearbook - it was expected/hoped that the individuals on our list would send us some money.

  Does anyone remember the laundry bags?

  How about the stickers with your key and room numbers put on every single article of clothing? Even your underwear.

  Remember being totally excited about the special pre-gilead graduaton meal?

  You had to pay for your telephone calls. That was ok, but if you had a girlfriend who was a long distance phone call you could really rack up the bills.

  Remember making your lunch on Sunday morning so you would have something later (perhaps during service). I remember them leaving out lunch meat, sliced cheese, etc for making sandwiches.

  Dish duty, night watchment (with those stupid key clocks).

  But, most of all, I remember the camaraderie that most of us felt. We were in it together. Most of the young guys took care of each other and helped each other out. We'd cover most things (not gross sin as defined by WT) for each other.
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  73

  Alot has Changed and I'm going BACK

  by Butterflyleia85 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i bet people has forgotten me but thats ok because i know they have helped me a lot on here.. .

  anyways i think the last time i been on here i mentioned my jw sister not going to my wedding.

  for those that do remember my story, the wedding was beautiful on the beach in key west, fl!

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  TheListener

  Good luck butterflyleia85. I wish you all the best, and remember, you are always welcome here.
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  10

  Just Saw "Inception", what do you think of the ending?

  by StAnn in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  spoiler alert!

  if you haven't seen the movie, don't read this thread.

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  TheListener

  Why couldn't his Father in law meet him in LA? They spent a while preparing the job. His FIL would have had a ton of time to fly to LA to be with his wife (the kids grandma who hung up early in the movie).

  There were a few things that tell me he was in reality at the end:

  1. in dreams he always wore his wedding ring but in real life he didn't. at the end he didn't wear the ring.

  2. the kids were older in the end (yes, wearing similar clothes) but in the credits there are two sets of children actors and their ages are given as about 3 years apart.

  3. I read a couple of the actors interviews and they said it was their understanding of the film that it was as portrayed and not a gimmicky "all a dream" type of thing. One actor in particular said that the director (Nolan) didn't want to cheapen the film or the audiences experience by making it all a dream but wanted people to think and feel something at the end.

  On the other hand:

  1. Once DiCaprio told Ellen Page the secret of his spinning top (remember Joseph Gordon-Levitt wouldn't even let her touch his loaded die) I think he could have given her the power to make him think a dream was reality.

  2. I read somewhere that Ellen Page may have been a psychiatrist trying to get the truth about DiCaprio's deceased wife and/or to help DiCaprio deal with her loss and move on. She always seemed to be pushing him to discuss his wife and his emotions and circumstances surrounding her.

  Anyway I loved the movie; the action and drama and comraderie and the music.
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  17

  attendance/baptisms ratio

  by Dold Agenda in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in sweden we are now checking the attendance/baptisms ratio at some conventions by simply divide the number of baptisms to the attendance number.. far ago in the 70-ies it was like 5% before 1975. last year we was around 0,55%.

  (quite like the italy in fact ).

  this year we have counted only 2 conventions this far.

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  TheListener

  The DC I know about had a .5% baptism rate. USA.