james_woods

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Posts by james_woods

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  27

  The JW dress code.....yuck

  by JH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this morning i took a long walk and happened to walk near by a small christian church.

  and i could see them come out of the building after their meeting.

  they were all dressed differently, some in clean sunday clothes, some in clean jeans, but no one in a suit like the jw's do.

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  james_woods

  And one incredible breakdown in the JW "logic" of such dress codes used to always be: wear suits so that they would not bring "discredit" to Jehovah's name ( I guess by wearing normal clothes ). Supposedly, this was to kind of to "amplify our status with the world" - when in almost everything a JW does is sure to have the exact opposite effect:

  Worldly people are mostly just stunned and amazed by the antics of the JWs, including the "uniform".

  I think this is one more unconscionable effort by the WTS to place their people in a position of public humiliation - just like "door to door", flag salute for kids, and a myriad of other ways to make them different.
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  34

  District Convention in Rockford, IL

  by collegegirl21 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  let me just tell you, the first day has already gotten to me.

  you know what they said in one part.

  "family members have it harder than the ones who are disfellowshipped.

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  james_woods

  I appoint myself as "thread police" and wish to get back to collegegirls original point -

  I think it was that a convention used to be sort of a fun social event -- but now with all the control mechanisms in place it is a real drag bummer. Especially when you are already on to some of the lies.

  I truly believe that there are a lot of faders who held on to the edge of the pool for a long time before they could swim. I think that many of them took their first few real swimming strokes after having an assembly experience like collegegirl did.

  I know that this was true in my case - walked in, smelled the bad hamburger grease, and walked right back out.

  PS, on the health care thing - pretty cheeky for an org who actually advertised the "miracle Radio Biola" as a health aid in the magazines to tell a person what is good and bad...
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  19

  JW's to use Bullhorns on People that don't Answer the Doors

  by purplesofa in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  tv

  tv news

  weekly world news

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  james_woods

  Please tell me this is just a joke - but...

  We have not forgotten the "sound cars" of the thirties, have we...? They were loudspeaker equipped sedans which they would park in front of conventional churches and blast the parishoners with the Judge's vindictives. Also, don't forget the "door to door" record players.

  Seriously.

  Of course, we quit this about WW2 in the US (for obvious reasons). Other countries - maybe to this day...

  I actually saw one in the 1970s still being used in SE Mexico when I was there on an oilfield project.
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  11

  BETHEL COMPUTER SYSTEMS BEING UPGRADED!!!!!!!!!!

  by badboy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i understand from a board member that they are upgrading the computers at bethel!

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  james_woods

  As one of the "old-timers" here, I can recall the very first computerization that took place in the 1970's. Let us not forget that it was a "Miracle from Jehovah" that allowed IBM to supply the society all those primitive linotype replacements way back when.

  These events closely corresponded to the very first of the "crying for money" talks. These were done during the Friday night service meetings. We could barely believe that the Society would actually solicit contributions. We were assured that this was all part of "doing the work" and that nothing at all was wrong.

  After it all went down - what I saw was a definate downturn in literature quality. Now, with all the "new age" efficiency, we have the Awake taken back to once a month, paperback bibles, and of course a big layoff in NYC.

  Could offshoring of the work load be next?
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  5

  Venus Fly Trap creationist thread...

  by james_woods in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i just saw a "gardening by the yard" on hgtv (a home-improvement channel we have here in texas).

  it was all about carnivorous plants.

  one thing which struck me was the potting instructions - just plant them in a non-nourishing sand or vermiculite which can hold moisture.

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  james_woods

  OK, so then in the "new system", does Jehovah have to "de-evolve" Satan's toxic creations?

  For example, your Bengal tiger kitty-cat will then come without claws, snakes will re-grow legs, the lamprey eel will no longer suck fish guts, and so on?

  I was kind of hoping for a more "Catholic" explanation - like "the Divine Balance of all things great and small" or something related -

  James
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  50

  Do you look your age?

  by Virgochik in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  how many of you guys are like me?

  raised in the truth, (or joined later), but here we are, finding ourselves in our thirties, forties, or fifties....and the end hasn't come.

  we were never supposed to get this old!.

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  james_woods

  When I was just a young fart, my hair was really white-platinum-type blond. It got darker when I turned about 18. I did not care, because I was getting into cars, airplanes, whisky, and girls.

  Now that I am nearly 57, it is starting to turn blond again. I sitll dont care.

  But, I have given up the airplanes on reasons of personal safety.
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  5

  Venus Fly Trap creationist thread...

  by james_woods in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i just saw a "gardening by the yard" on hgtv (a home-improvement channel we have here in texas).

  it was all about carnivorous plants.

  one thing which struck me was the potting instructions - just plant them in a non-nourishing sand or vermiculite which can hold moisture.

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  james_woods

  I just saw a "Gardening by the Yard" on HGTV (a home-improvement channel we have here in Texas). It was all about carnivorous plants. One thing which struck me was the potting instructions - just plant them in a non-nourishing sand or vermiculite which can hold moisture. They actually need to grab insects for their nutrient system to work right...

  This caused me to think - did God make them that way? It poses a dilemna for JW-type creationism:

  * - if he did make them that way, it certainly lays waste to the idea that all creation was vegetarian in the garden. Hardly seems fair, eh?

  * - if he did not make them that way, are you saying they evolved those particular features? Now, don't tell me Satan had the power to develop the clawlike leaf pairs, the pitcher & its dissolving fluids, the sticky fly-catching hairs, etc...

  Similar points could me made for the life cycle of the mosquito, the jaws of the crocodilians, or the fangs of poisonous serpents...if it was Satan's hand, he must have been pretty busy (and well after the original creation!)

  Wonder what other types of apology the intelligent creationist troll-like creaturs could come up with for this?
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  22

  The disappearing GB

  by gumby in

  1. social
  2. humour

  the twelve dots represent the governing body members.

  stare at the center of the circle and watch them disappear.

  doncha wish it was that easy?.

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  james_woods

  David Miscaevage is nowhere near as charismatic as L. Ron Hubbard, but he managed to take over "scientology" and suck in the likes of Tom Cruise, John Travolta, & Greta von Susteren...

  So with the current GB - although in both cases you can sort of feel the air slowly leaking out.
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  20

  Patiently waiting for so long

  by KW13 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  mum and stepdad were watching the news, as i walked in mum cut short what she was saying.. "this could be the shout of peace and secur...".

  it frustrates me, whenever there is a conflict or war the witnesses are on the edge of their seat, hoping to see some huge disaster so they can rub their hands in glee and then all be saved and get to live in a paradise as god's chosen ones while everyone else dies a horrible death.. i asked her if she realised that "peace and security" had already been said several times in the past and still no end!!

  she said to me that the society teach, that this could either be a long-term shout of peace of security or a statement said and then the end.. so i suppose this gives them an excuse should it fail to happen after a huge announcement of peace of security or a lot of events happen.

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  james_woods

  So, if there is a war - "time of the end" - "wars and reports of wars".

  But, if there is not a war - "time of the end" - "when they say peace and security, destruction is instantly upon them".

  Seems you can have it both ways, if you really want to believe Chicken Little.
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  12

  You will be able to see Mars on 8/27/06

  by Nowman in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i received an email that confirmed the following:.

  this month and next, earth is catching up with mars in an encounter that will culminate in the cloest approach between the the two planets in recorded history.

  the next time mars will come this close is 2287. the encounter will culminate on 8/27/06 when mars comes within 34,649,589 miles of earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky.

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  james_woods

  What would you bet that Estephan (the four kings prophet) can see Mars right now?