Open mind

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Posts by Open mind

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  23

  What % of your Congregation is Pioneering in April?

  by Open mind in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  our family is part of the 32% unappreciative spiritual loser class.

  not regular or auxiliary.. .

  our congo has 51% aux pioneering in april.. .

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  Open mind

  @ moshe: "WOW-Looks like there will be a lot of JWs fighting for a spot on the sidewalk in front of the 7-11 convenient stores at 9:30 AM tomorrow- maybe I can help them start their time with a good kick in the shins debate."

  I'm curious moshe, what % of the local JWs do you think recognize you on sight? If you try to engage in conversation with those who recognize you, do they leave their coveted 7-11 turf?

  @ freddo: LMAO. That was excellent. Any journalism class would tell you there were about ten too many "thrilling opportunities" in there, but the Theocratic Ministry School would probably give you kudos for repetition.

  om
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  23

  What % of your Congregation is Pioneering in April?

  by Open mind in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  our family is part of the 32% unappreciative spiritual loser class.

  not regular or auxiliary.. .

  our congo has 51% aux pioneering in april.. .

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  Open mind

  Anyone pick up on a subtle "spirit of competition" between neighboring congregations?

  I have. It's kind of funny to watch because on the one hand, stirring up competition may be somewhat effective. OTOH, competition is a JW no-no.

  om
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  23

  What % of your Congregation is Pioneering in April?

  by Open mind in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  our family is part of the 32% unappreciative spiritual loser class.

  not regular or auxiliary.. .

  our congo has 51% aux pioneering in april.. .

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  Open mind

  yknot!!: Good to hear from you! While you're crawling around in book bags, how about another dive into an Elder Bag for some more "Food at the Proper Time"?

  sir82: "the program has been such a smashing suuccess that the only logical thing to do is shut it down." LOL.

  I think the 30-hour April Aux Pioneer "Special Offer" is an interesting sociology experiment. I can see some similarities between it and the "Company Potlucks" we have at work. When they are frequent, everybody looks around, sees it's no big deal and hardly anyone participates. When they're only once a year, the percentages go way up. (Along with the e-coli & salmonella exposures.)

  om
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  23

  What % of your Congregation is Pioneering in April?

  by Open mind in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  our family is part of the 32% unappreciative spiritual loser class.

  not regular or auxiliary.. .

  our congo has 51% aux pioneering in april.. .

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  Open mind

  Our family is part of the 32% Unappreciative Spiritual Loser Class.

  Not Regular or Auxiliary.

  Our Congo has 51% Aux Pioneering in April.

  And 17% are Regular Pioneers.

  How about your neck of the woods?

  om
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  83

  Are You Going To the Memorial?

  by headisspinning in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i can't see myself not attending.

  i would feel horrible not to go.

  i don't know where i'm going to land and if i had to look back and think i didn't go... well, i would feel awful..

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  Open mind

  Flaky Catholics have to go to Christmas & Easter Mass.

  Flaky semi-faded JWs only have to go to Memorial.

  To not attend the Memorial is a major non-verbal giving "the finger" to this organization. If it gives my hard-core elderly JW parents a bit of peace thinking that my wife and kids might actually make it into the land of eternal lion-petting, I'm willing to attend.

  om

  p.s. (But not without my Smart Phone!)
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  7

  Do you miss a place to connect with others?

  by zarco in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  startfragment.

  after fading away a couple of years ago and going through the stages of transition away from the wts anger, disappointment with them and with myself for staying so long and now disgust at their harmful doctrine i no longer think of myself as an ex-witness.. recently i have had a longing to check out other groups.. i recently went to a buddhist meditation but the religious symbols didnt feel right to me.

  the people were warm, welcoming and genuinely interested in me.

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  Open mind

  Sounds like Cheers!

  "Where everybody knows your n-a-a-a-me."

  Seriously though, the UUs have always been at the top of my (very short) list of groups to check out.

  Maybe I'll fly over to the Chatham Islands one of these days and join you.

  om
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  30

  Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 03-27-11 WT Study (DISCOURAGEMENT)

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  cope with discouragement.

  when holy spirit.

  (b) what can power from jehovah help.

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  Open mind

  Blondie's WT comments and OUTLAW's pix & comedy.

  Now that's what I call a good Sunday morning.
• 
  17

  Three years ago TODAY !

  by wobble in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it's my anniversary !!!.

  i just realised that three years ago, on 25th march 2008, i walked out of the kingdom hall and thought, "i can never go back".

  it was a strange and worrying feeling that night, i knew (or thought) i was heading for being df'd, i had been in for 58 years, all my extended family were in, all my life-long friends were in, all my social circle were in, and as i walked away , i knew jw life was at an end, and i would have to start a new life from scratch... it is the most wonderful decision i have ever made in my life, second only to when i impulsively asked my girlfriend of a few months to marry me, she did, the fool, and we are still together after 40 years.. i have enjoyed immensely the feeling of relief, freedom and excitement that has been with me since i left, my journey since leaving has been a fascinating one of exploring ideas and visiting different religion's services, learning about evolution, philosophy, critical thinking, etc.etc.. three years well spent, and the rest of my life in freedom !!

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  Open mind

  Congratulations wobble!!

  If we ever make it across the pond, my wife and I would love to share a pint with you and the wise fool who married you.

  Cheers!

  om
• 
  89

  the other side of my story and why im going back

  by deservingone26 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there are two parts to this topic you can read one or the other or both if you want, i just figured i post this for differents ones who might being going thru what i am going thru i tried to write this as quick as possible so everything i am posting here is not to offend anyone i know everyone has the own opinions on different things so you can disagree or agree, but this is where i stand.

  sorry for any spelling errors or grammar issues up front.

  my story .

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  Open mind

  If you're looking for folks who will be supportive of you going back to the Kingdom Hall, this probably isn't the best place to do it.

  If being with JW family is what you think it takes to keep you off drugs, well, that's a tough one. I just hope you don't ever need a life-saving blood transfusion if you go back. (Yes, life-saving blood transfusions do exist.)

  It's your life and you have to decide how best to live it. (Of course the JWs won't tell you it's YOUR life. But it is.)

  I sincerely wish you the best life possible.

  om
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  124

  Are JWs the worst restaurant customers?

  by Alfred in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  (a little background info before i ask my question...).

  my sister-in-law (non-jw), who manages a popular chain restaurant near a kingdom hall, just found out that my wife and i have recently faded, so she decided to get something off her chest the other day... you guessed it: she wanted us to know that jws are the worst customers ever!

  she then told us some really embarrassing stories about how jws would request a table for 15 to 20 people (after a sunday meeting) and then (when the bill came) some of the jws would start deliberating amongst themselves on whether or not the waiter was diligent or not (to justify the low tip he was getting anyway).

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  Open mind

  OUTLAW, good point on the unwritten vs. written rules of WTBTS.

  The Kingdom Ministry quote allows a WT apologist to show how reasonable and contemporary JWs are with society in general.

  I think many JWs find themselves in lower income brackets largely due to their WT-induced lack of education/careers. There is also a sense of "Why should I help rearrange deck chairs on the Titantic?" (i.e. This system's going down, so my resources are best used in Kingdom Service.)

  In general I have observed JWs whose income level is anywhere from affluent to middle class (yes, they exist) leaving good tips. And before I get jumped on, I'm stating up front this is a GENERAL observation. Plenty of exceptions out there, I know.

  om