james_woods

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Posts by james_woods

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  10

  I know alot has been said, but...

  by Lot in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i know that much has been said about the 3-15-06 wt study article on false religion, but i wanted to add my two cents because of the way that it affects my situation.. i realized a long time ago that this wasn't the "truth", but i only allowed myself to acknowledge this fact two years ago.

  since then i have been trying to figure out what that realization meant for my faith in god and religion.

  i have more answers now than i did two years ago, but my search for meaning and understanding continues and probably will for the rest of my life.

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  james_woods

  My father left the witnesses at the sime time I did. (1980) He pretty much became a non-attending Presbyterian, where I just became a secular non-religious type. He was comfortable with the Presbyterians because that is where they went before the watchtower.

  When he was getting pretty close to passing away in 2003, he asked me to go down to the Presbyterian church and talk to the minister to arrange the ceremony. I not only did this but also slipped into their Sunday services a couple of times just to see what they were all about. Their pastor saw me privately and was really a nice guy. Listened to our exJW story and did not try to force me in any way. He just wanted to help out our family. Nothing about it gave me the creeps at all. I just don't feel the need for more religion now after the time at the khalls.

  If I don't miss my guess, your wife probably already knows where you are going on Sunday. If your minister is anything like my dad's, this may be an important source for help as your family situation develops. I would discuss it with him yourself ASAP - probably you will know when the time comes to go further. As you say, she has a high emotional content, so she may be able to see the difference between a congregation of people being forced to do things versus one which has an free sense of themselves.

  PM if you wish, James
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  6

  are they Pinko Commies?

  by james_woods in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was just reading the post of ldh on that thread about "class" warfare.

  it made me think of something because she mentioned "socialism".

  way back when (60s & 70s) this was a very common objection out in the field service.

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  james_woods

  FairMind trumps my point. For sure right now they are a lot more totalitarian than anything utopian. Even though the new earth idea is sort of a utopian dream.

  But, I have always felt that where Russell was kind of like Lenin (maybe of good intent, but misled) but Rutherford then has to be just like Joseph Stalin. Take over without remorse! Purge out opposition! Funny how all the commie governments claim to be good but end up with a Fidel Castro dictator.

  No, they were not and are not now commies. But they sure are totalitarians.

  James
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  34

  Anyone feeling the Memorial pressure?

  by atypical in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for those who are fading, do you feel the pressure building as the memorial approaches?

  family members who otherwise are busy with their own interests suddenly start paying more attention, dropping hints and holding their breath as it were.

  then there are the invitations.

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  james_woods

  I remember that one of the sisters had some recipe for the bread crisp - did it come from the WT or somewhere else in the literature.

  I often was sent out to buy the wine. I remember a lot of ritual about this. Probably just local, but you were supposed to tell the liquor store guy what you wanted it for, and make sure it was really just grape-juice-water red wine - not sparkling wine, not fortified wine, not flavored wine. This was a witnessing opportunity so you could count time for it. Right. The local liquor store guy really wanted to hear all this. I usually bought a medium priced California cabernet like Sterling Vinyards. Stag's Leap would have been decadent. (Yes, this got discussed with the elders)

  Also, when the final prayer was over, it was over for the wine and bread. The elders could take it home and drink it. Not the blood of the christ anymore. Nobody wanted the hoe cakes usually, but they weren't bad with spinach dip.

  Yes, the memory is still there - but not any more pressure.

  James
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  6

  Is This Possable?

  by 2112 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we have a lot of posts hear about the society's lack of substance over the past few years.

  as a result many dub's are leaving.

  yet i have also noticed many dub's trying to attend more mtgs.

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  james_woods

  I haven't been around it for a long time, but I do know a case that fits your theory. It is the story of the weirdest fader I ever knew. This was a guy and his family who came to Okla. City from California. He moved because he was in the aerospace industry and wanted to be transferred to a plant that did not do defense contracts. He was a model witness for most all the time that I was active, volunteer, servant, aux pioneer...

  He faded out a little before me. As far as anyone could tell, it had nothing to do with doctrinal issues - although I think 1975 had some small effect. What little he would say, I think it was an offense over hypocrital acts of some locals. He was a very close friend both before and after I was DFd at the Ray Franz group time. As he had already faded, he still talked to me and was supportive of my situation. About 15 or more years later (1995) he retired and sold his business.

  Now, it gets weird after a year or two. He starts going to WT meetings but will not comment. Then, he starts going back to book study, then other meetings and service. We were still in touch, and I had to ask why. He said "well, I'm retired now and I missed seeing my friends". I said, "yeah, OK - but how can you get past the fact that they LIED TO YOU?" So he said "OK, so they lied but I still miss them".

  Pretty soon he is more active than he was 25 years before - like he was making up for the faded years. Recently he decided to shun me like he was told but sent me watchtowers for quite a while. My take - he is paying the activity and loyalty price to have his old friends admire him in his later years. So, maybe some of the ones you mention are doing this for more personal reasons than religious ones.

  James
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  6

  are they Pinko Commies?

  by james_woods in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was just reading the post of ldh on that thread about "class" warfare.

  it made me think of something because she mentioned "socialism".

  way back when (60s & 70s) this was a very common objection out in the field service.

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  james_woods

  I was just reading the post of LDH on that thread about "class" warfare. It made me think of something because she mentioned "socialism". Way back when (60s & 70s) this was a very common objection out in the field service. It seemed with cold war going and maybe some carryover from McCarthy and Nixon, a lot of people thought the JWs were commies. I know the American Legion and VFW orgs were considered some of our greatest enemies. The Legion once actually broke up an assembly in Duncan, Okla. and caused a massive riot.

  You know, there were actually some points behind this - wouldn''t go to armed services, were expected to be sort of "worker masses" with no education, had to tow the party line and go to indoctrination meetings, and so on. Even had "political officers" and at least one collective farm and many collective factories. Brother and Sister analogue of Comrade and Citizen? Also clearly advocate overthrow of all governments - but supposedly by God. And, of course, the class structure. I think that while publicly denouncing communism/socialism/marxism they actually practice many features of it.

  This anti-commie hate talk was still pretty common at the time I left in about 1980. Just wondered from some who are around now if this label has died out in today's changed political climate.

  Anybody else still ever get called a commie?

  James
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  122

  BETHEL NEWS: Bethel Elder Arrangement to be dissolved as of Aug. 31, 2006

  by Elsewhere in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here is some news from a source within one of the wts branches:

  hot news from todays morning worship announcement worldwide -- letter from gb being read on 1st of march 2006 to every branch (hopefully we will have a copy of the letter soon.).

  as of aug. 31, 2006 the bethel elder arrangement will be dissolved!

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  james_woods

  I have another theory - maybe they want to "demote" some of their older dead wood so it won't look so bad to cut them loose while keeping the younger techies who can cut CD-ROMS?
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  8

  Does the bible really agree with science?

  by SickofLies in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  here's some food for thought, many jw's point out that the bible isn't a scientific text book, but when it comments on science its always correct.

  they site many examples to try and prove this.

  here's some you can throw back at them:leviticus 11:6 states that rabbits chew their cud.

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  james_woods

  And what is really cool is that Albert E. thought it up in 1905/07 back when Charles Taze was just cooking up the end of the Gentile times and the invisible presence of the Lord...so which one turned out to be right?
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  21

  Who would win?

  by DigitalFokus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  who would win in a fist fight?

  a dub or a mormon and why?

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  james_woods

  Didn't I see on History channel that the Mormons used to attack non-Mormons who tried to settle in old west utah? The governer had to call out the national guard to restore order or some such.
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  60

  Favorite Beer

  by DigitalFokus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  summit pale ale (local brew)

  or miller lite

  whats your favorite beer.

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  james_woods

  There is a really good German brand called Dortmunder Union that I like the best. But, we cannot get it here in Dallas any more.
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  45

  Elders teach "Don't raise your hat to a lady! - it's worldly."

  by ozziepost in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  back when i was a boy in the 1950s many men wore hats and so did my father.. one evening at the kh he was called in to the backroom by the elders for a 'meeting after the meeting',.

  his crime?

  he had been seen raising his hat when greeting women!!!!.

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  james_woods

  There is a sign in the famous Alamo here in Texas which says "Gentlemen will please remove their hats..."

  So, if you went there should you go ahead and wear a hat and NOT take it off because the Alamo used to be a religious building?

  Or, is it not probably wrong to ever go to the Alamo in the first place because of Babylon the great?

  But wait, it fell long before there ever were JWs - so it may just be a historic landmark?

  Oh, and remember that if a sister did a field service meeting or some such she had to put a little scarf on her head...a paper napkin or most anything else would do if she DIDN'T have a hat...

  (I am so confused)