melmoth

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Posts by melmoth

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  48

  When did you last attend a meeting at the Kingdom Hall?

  by Thechickennest in

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  melmoth

  A memorial sometime in the mid/late-1980s. I don't recall the year. I do recall the following year realizing I hadn't gone after it was already over.
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  85

  Remember when KH's had a piano and real singing?

  by WingCommander in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the thread about got me thinking about my very early childhood, back when witnesses were allowed to be social and have get togethers.

  they also had a piano in every congregation i ever attended, and an older sister would always play the kingdom melody.

  there was actual singing - not mindless droning and humming.

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  melmoth

  Gee, I've been out of things for a while - I don't remember anything except a piano at my old KH, and had no idea they are no longer allowed.
  I do remember that one of the women who played was a piano teacher, and quite talented. She created intros to the songs and filled out the simple arrangements with fuller, richer-sounding details. She was told to stop it, and just play 'em like they are in the book.
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  50

  Are you embarrassed?

  by desib77 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does anyone else find themselves embarrassed about their jw past?

  i find that when people that know what i used to be ask me about it i am completely embarrassed by how foolish their beliefs sound especially things like the blood issue.

  i can't stand when someone will say "why did you believe such and such....?

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  melmoth

  I'm not embarrassed now, but I certainly was for quite a while.
  If I'd become a JW as an adult - rather than being born to it and leaving pretty much as soon as it was practical - I'd probably be more embarrassed about it still. (No offense intended to those who joined as adults.)
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  43

  JESUS AND ZEN

  by onesong in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in his book " the zen teachings of jesus",michael leong presents a very different way of understanding some of the things jesus taught--thru the eyes of eastern thought.. here's a couple of examples.

  (he first explains that we should try to view jesus as a poet teaching us how to live beautifully.).

  when jesus is questioned as to the greatest commandment and his reply "you must love god with your whole heart, mind and strength.

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  melmoth

  Terry -
  The idea isn't to make up your own reality (though it could be argued that this is precisely what we all do anyway, continuously), but rather to see reality clearly.
  Also, there is a solution to the 'game or puzzle' as you put it. It's just not handed to you.
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  43

  JESUS AND ZEN

  by onesong in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in his book " the zen teachings of jesus",michael leong presents a very different way of understanding some of the things jesus taught--thru the eyes of eastern thought.. here's a couple of examples.

  (he first explains that we should try to view jesus as a poet teaching us how to live beautifully.).

  when jesus is questioned as to the greatest commandment and his reply "you must love god with your whole heart, mind and strength.

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  melmoth

  Terry - I understand what you mean but you are missing the point. Zen is about giving the listener something to think about, something that will prompt him to reach a discovery on his own. In this context, ambiguity or statements that seem self-contradictory are the beginning of the real process. It does require 'independent thinking' to work, though.
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  31

  If you've never eaten a...

  by Gregor in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  mango, at the peak of ripeness, kept cool in the shade, then you have an unbelievably delicious experience waiting for you.

  peel it and eat it with your hands, outside or standing over the sink.

  close your eyes.

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  melmoth

  In Thailand, there is a dessert served when mangos are in season: mango & sticky rice. It is almost as simple as it sounds; sticky rice (a particular variety of rice that, as you'd guess, sticks together and is a bit heavier than normal rice) with mango slices on it, and coconut milk dripped over it. The rice has a little flavor, but mostly it just adds texture to each mouthful. The coconut milk adds some moisture and an extra flavor. (Some add a little sugar to the coconut milk.) It might be my favorite dessert on the planet, though I'm also a fan of key lime pie when it has the right balance of lime tartness in it.
  Unfortunately, it can be difficult to get mangos as fresh and ripe as they are in an area where they grow naturally. Finding sticky rice isn't always easy, and it can't be cooked like normal rice - you have to steam it. So it's not easily made at home, but if you are in a Thai restaurant and it's on the menu, ask if the mangos are good (under-ripe ones just aren't the same) and if so, give it a try.
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  39

  Inquiry mind wants to know

  by jw in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what years were you an active jw?.

  when was the last year you attended a meeting?.

  were you a true christian or did you live a double life?.

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  melmoth

  >What years were you an active Jw? Born into it (1960s) through 1988 or thereabouts. >When was the last year you attended a meeting? 1988, I think. Attended a couple of Memorials™ after that. >Were you a true christian or did you live a double life? That's hard to say. I didn't have a double life, but when you are raised in it, living the JW routine can be just a matter of habit and "what you do," rather than something heartfelt. >What turn you away from the WTS? Several things converging. I was involved in a disciplinary matter that while a little traumatic didn't really bother me too badly; however my mother believed it was handled in a very heavy-handed way by hypocritical elders with somewhat personal motives involved, and she became inactive. At the same time, I was in college and started to examine the whole matter more objectively. I also knew that I was gay and while not actively so at the time, it was pretty clear that being myself and living as a JW was going to be difficult, if not impossible. No one of these things did it on its own, but the convergence of all of them in a short space of time made it relatively simple to just quietly stop. Moving away from home shortly afterwards, which I'd have likely done anyway, made it even easier. Looking back, I am grateful to my father for accepting my decision with pretty much zero fuss about it - even though he continued to be active (though not diehard) for some time afterwards. >Do you consider yourself a christian , agnostic or an athiest now and why? I'm an agnostic, with an appreciation - and to some degree adoption - of Buddhist principles for living a fulfilling and rewarding life.
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  10

  Important classes for Men: Please review and pass on to loved ones

  by Eyebrow2 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  class 1

  class 2

  class 3

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  melmoth

  FALL CLASSES FOR WOMEN
  
  Maps for beginners
  All those lines and colors! Pretty, yes, but what can it all mean? Representing the three-dimensional world on a two-dimensional surface is an ancient and mystical art, but maps have practical applications even today. Session 1 introduces the concept of maps, along with basic map-reading techniques such as rotating a map to coincide with the direction you are facing. Session 2 is held at a local shopping mall, where participants will create their own maps of the routes among various stores, followed by navigation practice. Session 3 (advanced techniques) is held at an undisclosed location, which participants find with the use of maps provided in Session 2.
  Session 1: Monday 7-9pm. Session 2: Wednesday 7-9pm. Session 3 is scheduled for Saturday 11am, but has yet to be successfully held.
  
  Shopping and the art of motorcycle maintenance
  Following a brief introduction, participants will be split up and spend four-hour individual sessions in a garage, observing a mechanic change a single spark plug. You will learn not to ask why a simple task must take all afternoon, and to reply without sarcasm when asked for your opinion about the correct choice of plug, tools, torque, and whether this particular motorcycle “makes me look fat.” Afterwards, the group will reconvene to discuss why your presence was necessary and whether this course has any point whatsoever.
  5-hour sessions, Saturdays 1-6pm, for the rest of your life.
  
  Toilet seat fundamentals
  Lowering a toilet seat when necessary can be confusing and intimidating, but with practice anyone can do it. A practical, hands-on workshop is followed by a group discussion of ways to deal with the irrational stress that so often accompanies the need to perform this simple, but common, household task.
  Single 2-hour session, alternate Wednesdays at 7pm.
  
  Thinking ahead: Everyday situations
  The world is a busy place with many things happening at once, but with practice you can build awareness of the maelstrom of activity around you, and even learn to be ready for what comes next. This series of workshops includes field trips to public places, where you will learn how to prepare for that startling moment when payment is formally requested at a store, and how to identify a good location in a busy environment to stand and chat. Participants will attempt to disembark an escalator into a group of stationary men, followed by a group discussion in the middle of the busiest aisle available to identify what practical lessons we might have learned.
  Four sessions, Thursdays 7-9pm. For session 3, participants should bring their largest handbag, with a wallet and a minimum of 35 other small items.
  
  Yes, but what does he really mean?
  Communication is vital to any relationship, but women soon realize that it isn’t so simple: correctly interpreting what is said, as well as what is not said, is a daily challenge. So too is composing comments or questions peripherally related to what you really want to know, to prompt responses suitable for further analysis. These workshops introduce techniques for indirect and oblique communication, to help you unlock the hidden meaning behind yawns, snores, and such deceptively offhand comments as “I think I’ll mow the lawn.”
  Five 2-hour sessions, Tuesdays 7-9pm. Participants should prepare by asking innocuous questions of their partners and recording the responses for analysis by the group.
  
  Parallel parking: Is it for you?
  An introduction to the valuable concept of cost-benefit analysis, focused on this ordinary yet frightfully complex driving task. Participants will maneuver a real automobile into a parallel parking spot, and the time elapsed will be compared to the time required to walk from a simpler, perpendicular spot farther away. Sessions conclude with personalized evaluations of the risk and cost of damage to your car and others.
  Single session (four participant limit), lasting at least 2 but possibly up to 12 hours. Starts 8am Saturdays (just in case).
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  10

  Transit officials describe signs to look for in terrorists-Gotta see this

  by ohiocowboy in

  1. social
  2. current

  read the highlighted part below, and you will see who officials are saying are possible terrorists....having been on public transportation, to me it would descibe 75% of people riding, especially now in 90 plus degree heat.

  could statements such as the one below cause someone to get attacked, or worse, who happens to be sweating more than others, or is wearing too much cologne?

  could such generic statements cause mass hysteria, something that officials want to avoid?

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  melmoth

  "New York subway and bus riders are being told to look out for passengers ... who ... reek of excessive cologne..."
  Uh-oh, I have a Dominican friend I'd better warn about this.
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  124

  Who's ready for some football?

  by Big Dog in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

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  training camps opened here in the us and it won't be long before they will be playing the hall of fame game in canton (which is less than a half hour from where i live and i have tickets for) and the season will be going in full swing.. favorite teams, predictions, etc?

  any enthusiasts out there?

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  melmoth

  I agree, but then again... where is it written? Are these rules inspired and beneficial?