Van Gogh

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Posts by Van Gogh

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  587

  Show us your picture

  by Honesty in

  1. jw
  2. friends

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  that is, if you are able to without the prospect of facing a three-man kangaroo court appointed by jerhover to keep the congregation clean from apostate influences.. i'll go first: .

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  Van Gogh

  Desolate southernmost eastern coastline of Spain. Where many Westerns were filmed.
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  587

  Show us your picture

  by Honesty in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  that is, if you are able to without the prospect of facing a three-man kangaroo court appointed by jerhover to keep the congregation clean from apostate influences.. i'll go first: .

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  Van Gogh
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  66

  Rejecting God or rejecting religion?

  by kojo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have read many posts on here and on other websites from people who were brought up or became immersed in a particular religion or belief system, who later ,often because of bad experiences with their religion, went to the opposite extreme of not believing in god at all.

  this often puzzles me because i wonder if people who reject a belief in god because of the hypocrisies they experienced in their former belief really are rejecting god or just a man-made organization which claims to be god's spokesman and has shown to be anything but.. i was raised in a presbyterian church which is about as traditional and conservative as you can get and my image of god was molded by that belief.

  i saw the services and people there as dead basically.

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  Van Gogh

  poppers:
  “Does one need the context of god or prayer in order to "be still and know" and still feel "awesome peace and presence?”
  In one word: Yes. I do. I’m an “orphan” and “lost son” seeking reconciliation with his “Father”
  I respect your point of view as it has a lot merit in terms of substance and as far as universally underlying principals is concerned. However, when it comes to the crunch, it seems to me that you and JT have a propensity to ask puzzling questions that I wish you guys would expand on a little, not being so elusive and esoterical as the object of your mantra eludes me. Please give us something more conclusive and tangible.
  
  kojo:
  To me, the message of Christ is the essence of existence, yet, as many ex-jaydubs, I am considering just living it, without entangling myself in any belief other than that (and certainly not any form of organized religion).
  I like your words. But as much I wish them to be true with all my heart, they are just as elusive as all the other opinions. I too cried out to Christ and God, in various combinations… but nothing was bestowed on me as was on you. I see no reason to ever definitely discard any belief in God… but the injustice and inequality in this world is inexplicable. Why did Jesus only present himself to you and not to another?
  When a jaydub, God was real to me… it was the only thing that kept me in the borg. But we were lied to and the answers to injustice proved to be false just like any other opinion. I do not like many (right-wing) Christians for some reason or another as they hide behind something else. I respect atheists and agnostics all the more for their morals, as they come from within.
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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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  Van Gogh

  My step-grandmother played the piano. She was full of herself... so lots of hilarity when hitting a wrong key. Must have been 1969 or so. Some years later, as an eleven or twelve year old, I was at the keys... of the amplifier and the record player as the sound boy.
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  37

  Demographics Poll - Age of JWD members - Anonymous Voting

  by Mysterious in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this started in another thread actually and i decided to put one up.

  hopefully you don't bury the thread before those that were interested get to see the trends.

  voting is totally anonymous and it is hosted totally anonymously.

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  Van Gogh

  in... top bracket, so far
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  39

  Small, but meaningful, moments of joy...

  by daystar in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  in my office building we have a cafeteria that is run by another company.

  there is this one mexican woman who has just the most pleasant demeanor, every day.

  she greets everyone with a smile and a "how are you today, my friend?".

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  Van Gogh

  Rabbit,
  
  Whatever you invest in your fellow will be bestowed upon you by the Cosmos... one way or another... call it karma if you will...
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  57

  will be gone for awhile.

  by purplesofa in

  1. jw
  2. friends

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  i cant email everyone ....dont have time.

  my brother committed suicide.... have to be out of town for awhile.. purps

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  Van Gogh

  Purps,
  
  I have come to know you as a compassionate person.
  That this should befall you... it must cut through your soul... where words do fail indeed... where only love could possibly alleviate your hurt and bewilderment... what must have gone through his mind... and will be going through yours right now..? Peace to him and you.
  
  VG
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  57

  will be gone for awhile.

  by purplesofa in

  1. jw
  2. friends

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  i cant email everyone ....dont have time.

  my brother committed suicide.... have to be out of town for awhile.. purps

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  Van Gogh
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  15

  I'm Sorry

  by Lo-ru-hamah in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  yesterday, my mother, sister, son (3 year old) and i were shunned for the first time by someone that it actually hurt to be shunned by.

  my little brother, who is still a very active jw, told us that he will never see us again.

  he won't speak to us, write us, or communicate with us again.

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  Van Gogh

  Lovesdubs,
  About ten months ago somewhere along my way out, I continuously made eye contact with this one guy earning his way back into the trueman show... on the same KH row of seats that turned out to be my transitory ticket out... briefly encountering in the transitory twilight zone of the back row, he passing into the light, me passing on onto the dark side, greeting him outside the hall on our wayide... last as we were both slipping in during song so as not to prolong the agony. He politely pointed out that he wasn't alowed to speak to me.
  I met him at my last circuit show some time later, asking him if he had been reinstated already. When he proudly confirmed this, I could not prevent myself from joking: in that case I cannot speak to you anymore. He looked puzzled...
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  19

  The Myth of Certainty.

  by Blueblades in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  how important is it for you to be certain about something before you act on it?

  example: certain about the watchtower having the truth.

  then certain that they don't have the truth.

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  Van Gogh

  Known something was rotten in the state of Denmark for most of my life... yet ONE HUNDRED PERCENT sure it was the truth... that is, until seven months ago, I suddenly knew ONE HUNDRED PERCENT it wasn't the truth. Unfortunatly, never trusted my instincts, still very impulsive though... acted immediately, within an instance... have been looking back too much ever since...
  Will never be really be "certain" about anything ever again.
  
  "Don't try this as home..."