Posts by Mary

11

update on the forum

by Aussie Oz in

jw
friends

exciting times.... son moved out of his jw home this week amid uproar from mother because he has follwed my advice about moving out and starting a new job.

visited him tonight in his new digs and he said: "don't know if i am going to stay in the truth"...!.

my advice was if that is what he wants to do then perhaps now is the time to not go to the new local hall and do a fade.... daughter read animal farm for school and commented: "i can see a few similarities to the jws in that story".... my response was well, wait till you read 1984 darling!

Mary

Hey, that's fantastic news Auzzie! Sorry, I haven't kept up with your situation but I think you and your wife split because of the religion right?

She must be having a fit over the kids leaving Jehover!!

27

DISCUSSION WITH A JW; YOUR INPUT PLEASE...

by Mary in

jw
friends

i'm 'talking' with a jw on another site who of course, does not believe that they are 'false prophets' and says that:.

"...prophetic inspiration and being filled with the spirit ( to use a common expression) do not mean the same thing.".

"...again the wts is using the term "prophet" in the basic sense of a spokesman.

Mary

This is great! Thanks for all the input. I'm at work now but I'll log in here tonight when I get home to share with you a few other bonehead comments this JW made....

27

DISCUSSION WITH A JW; YOUR INPUT PLEASE...

by Mary in

jw
friends

i'm 'talking' with a jw on another site who of course, does not believe that they are 'false prophets' and says that:.

"...prophetic inspiration and being filled with the spirit ( to use a common expression) do not mean the same thing.".

"...again the wts is using the term "prophet" in the basic sense of a spokesman.

Mary

I'm 'talking' with a JW on another site who of course, does not believe that they are 'false prophets' and says that:

"...Prophetic Inspiration and being filled with the Spirit ( to use a common expression) do NOT mean the same thing."
"...Again the WTS is using the term "prophet" in the basic sense of a spokesman. ALL Christians when they speak or share from God's word are "prophets" in that basic sense."
"...The term is NOT being used to describe a "Prophet" who has direct inspiration to reveal NEW things directly from God."
"...(1)Does every Christian foretell the future by divine revelation, or (2)simply speak about what God has revealed in Scripture about the future? We have always made it plain we are speaking of (2) when describing our activities..."

and the pièce de résistance :

"...OH and we have never set a date...."

I've got some questions and zingers to come back on him with, but I would love any input from you guys. Can the word "prophet" actually be "used in the basic sense"? Or is this just a typical cop-out from a Witness when faced with the idea of being a false prophet.........

32

Things you did to pass the time at meetings/service/assemblies/conventions/memorials

by OneDayillBeFree in

i'm currently at the meeting again... i'm always in the back working the sound cause everyone else can't seem to work it and i'm mostly on my phone reading jwn or writing, or doodling or sometimes i just stare at the audience to see who's falling asleep or daydreaming.

its really the only way i can still sit through these things.. but i remember getting the number of a girl i used to like at one district convention and we would text each other during the program and talk about how boring it was.. i also remember sneaking out of a circuit assembly and going to see a car show that was going on right next door.

that was fun!.

Mary

I did a thread on 'How to Keep Awake at the Assemblies' years ago, but maybe it's time to do it again for all the Newbies on here, so here goes:

Going to the assembly this year? Ready to fall asleep before the opening song is even done? Wonder how you'll ever make it to 5 o'clock without losing it? Well fear no more! Below are several tips you can put into practice to get you through the day from the moment you park your car in the rattiest part of town till you scurry back to your hotel room that you did not book through the Borg.
1. The first order of the day is getting some strong COFFEE - and I don't mean that watery crap from McDonalds; I mean the Dark Roast Columbia beans from Starbucks - chew the beans along with an aspirin and some ephedrine for that extra "buzz" that you'll need fighting the happiest people on earth for a seat. This is also called The Stack and will help you lose weight while you sit on your ass for the next 3 days wondering what ever posessed your parents to join such a screwed up religion........
2. Finding it hard to get good seats for you and your family? Tired of climbing all those stairs up to the nosebleed section, knowing that one wrong move will see you crashing down 4 flights of stairs? Well fear no more! You can avoid this situation a couple of ways:
a) You can "volunteer" for being an "attendent" if you're a male, which means that you get into the auditorium earlier than everyone else. Don't let them fool you with that crap 'no one can save seats till the doors are open.' Believe me, all the attendents get seats before the herd. Once you have your pick of the seats simply fold your volunteer badge up and put it in the contribution box on your way out for some more coffee beans.

b) Look the auditorium over carefully and then choose the seats you want. Don't worry if there's already bibles and songbooks on the seats; simply gather them up and take them to the Lost and Found section. Check out the coolers stashed under the seat to see if there's anything worth eating. Take one bite out of all the sandwiches and then put them back exactly how you found them. When the assembly starts and the family shows up and accuses you of taking their seats, look at them in total shock and announce loudly that Freddie Franz was your uncle and that if they don't leave you alone, you'll have them all disfellowshipped by the next Theocratic Misery School. When someone goes to get security, whisper that they can have the seats back for $50.00 each, promising to put it in the contribution box. If they refuse, tell security that you saw one of these people in the library last week reading Crisis of Conscious. After security escorts them out, enjoy the rest of their sandwiches and pop.
3. If there are people sitting in the seats in front of you (denying you the right to put your feet up on the seats), make lots of noise, such as chopping loudly on chips, crackers or even better: Crunch a Munch.........smack your lips noisely while opening cans of coke. Slurp some out and then top it up with either rum or scotch. When the those in front of you turn around to give you the evil eye and tell you to knock it off, grin at them at say: "No oblo English!" Keep this up until they leave in disgust. The minute they do, put their seats up for sale.
4. Tired of looking up all those scriptures telling you that you're not doing enough in God's Organization? The answer is simple: bring a novel to read, placing it inside your bible. Try one of the early Harry Potter books or a book on Elvis sightings as they'll fit snugly into the bible. Everyone around you will be impressed that your eyes never leave the bible and how totally immersed you are spiritual things.
5. The afternoon sessions arrive and you're bored out of your mind. You keep hoping the drama will hold your interest, but it's even worse than last years. Bring a straw to your seat along with some frozen peas. You'll have to be sitting close enough to the stage for this one, but start shooting peas through the straws at all the actors in the drama. Watch them lose their cool as they try to continue on as though nothing's happened. Repeat this once they're thru and the main speaker is back on stage telling you what a fine example you just saw! Wait for everyone to start clapping and then aim for the head. If he's wearing glasses, he'll wonder what the hell's going on and will probably lose his train of thought and start repeating himself. Start laughing out loud the minute he does. If caught, you will be disfellowshipped on the spot but take comfort in knowing that you made 20,000 people laugh their asses off. If you have any frozen peas left over, save them for #7.
6. If there's any small kids sitting in front of you, (99.9% chance of this) start making faces at them till they start laughing. Their mothers will probably give them a smack and drag them to the bathroom for another one, but don't worry, they probably wanted to get up anyway. Whisper to your kid that if they start to cry, you'll take them out for an icecream cone. March them out of there in righteous anger when they start crying and then head for the nearest Baskin Robbins.
7. You'll need a friend to assist you with this one: Using the straw and frozen peas used in Suggestion #5, start smiling and winking at all the attendents "guarding" the speaker (this will only work for women). Hike up your skirt and cross your legs like Sharon Stone did in Basic Instinct. While all the guards are drooling over your legs, your friend is free to shoot all the peas they want at the speaker. As the male guards have been totally distracted by your friend, your chances of getting disfellowshipped will be greatly reduced. For those that feel particularly daring, you could fly a large paper airplane with the JWD web's site written on it, on to the stage. If anyone looks at you, point discreetly at the person sitting next to you and roll your eyes in disgust. Try not to giggle when a Judicial Committee comes and drags them away "for a little chat".
8. For the concluding song, start singing really loud, really off-key and one word ahead of everyone else. This throws everyone around you off, especially if you are singing "Be Glad You Nations". If anyone gives you a dirty look, wink at them and wave as though you were long-lost friends.

9. During the concluding song discreetly make your way to the hallway and wait for the prayer to begin, knowing it'll go on forever. Right in the middle of it, pull the fire alarm and watch the Christ-like attitude of thousands evaporate before your very eyes. Make sure you're out of the way or you WILL be trampled to death.

28

How to beat and control your wife: a new Muslim marriage book!

by Terry in

a local bookstore has sold out of a controversial marriage guide that advises muslim men on how to beat their wives.. .

the 160-page book, published by idara impex in new delhi, india, is written by hazrat maulana ashraf ali thanvi, whos described in the books foreword as a prolific writer on almost every topic of islamic learning.. .

the stores manager, who didnt give his name, said the book had been sold out for some time, and the stores owner, whom the manager identified as shamim ahmad, refused to comment for the story.. .

Mary

Why am I not the least bit surprised?

30

Update on the Henrietta Riley trust

by Aussie Oz in

i have found (thanks to an older thread) and downloaded pdfs of the henriette riley trust fund form 990s filed with the irs.

http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/38-6043103/henrietta-m-riley-trust-33b006006-fbo.aspx#mission.

interesting investments (many household names).

Mary

Justita said: 100% incorrect. The investors legal duty is to manage the TRUST to make the most money for the beneficiaries under the the Prudent Investor Standard, and they are not required to use social investment strategies OR "respect the wishes" of the beneficiaries. As I have repeatedly written, the beneficiaries have absolutely no say. The bank would really laugh at such a request...

OK, my jaw just dropped reading that. So if the WTS stated that they did not want the monies invested in tobacco or arms, etc. the bank would just say 'too bad, so sad'? Really? I'm somewhat stunned at that. I'm wondering if the laws are different here in Canada because when I met with my banker regarding investments and where I want my monies to be invested in, I had a pretty good input on what I was investing in. Or maybe the difference is that this is my money and not a trust??

In either event, thank you for the clarification on this Justita.

76

Happy 12th birthday to JWD / JWN (us !)

by Simon in

omg, today is the forum's 12th birthday !.

omg x 2 - i said the word 'birthday' and no-one was beheaded !

lol.

Mary

Simon said: We now have over 4 and a quarter million posts

Hey Simon, you should fill out a Service report, mark that down and send it off to Crooklyn. LOL!

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9

is anyone else sick of hearing Prov 4:18??

by Notreadytorun in

this seems to be the only scripture i hear that supposedly supports the whole "new light" thing??

does the society use anything else to back themselves up here?

cos this excuse is just looking waaaay to weak to me!.

Mary

Yep. They use this an an excuse for all their pathetic and embarassing failed prophecies. The entire verse says:

"...Into the path of the wicked ones do not enter, and do not walk straight on into the way of the bad ones. Shun it, do not pass along by it; turn aside from it, and pass along. For they do not sleep unless they do badness, and their sleep has been snatched away unless they cause someone to stumble. For they have fed themselves with the bread of wickedness, and the wine of acts of violence is what they drink. But the path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established. The way of the wicked ones is like the gloom; they have not known at what they keep stumbling..."

It's pretty obvious what this scripture is talking about. It is simply referring to the two paths in life that a person can take: either the path of a righteous man, or that of a wicked man. If someone persists in "doing badness" with the "bread of wickedness" and "acts of violence", then the path they follow in life will indeed be "like the gloom", full of darkness and with no joy. But the person who is "righteous" and leads a good life, who's generous with their dealing with others, who is honest and trustworthy will (obviously) fair much better. Their path in life will be completely different from the wicked person and it will indeed be "like the bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established."

There is absolutely nothing in these verses that even hints that it is referring to Jehovah ‘shedding light' on their (erroneous) interpretations of the scriptures. But of course they have to come up with some excuse and I guess this was the best they could do.

79

What does your profile name say about you?

by usualusername in

jw
friends

i use usualusername as i am not creative enough to think of anything sexier.... .

what significance is there behind your profile name?.

.

Mary

That I'm the Mother of God. But of course, everyone on here already knew that.

30

Update on the Henrietta Riley trust

by Aussie Oz in

i have found (thanks to an older thread) and downloaded pdfs of the henriette riley trust fund form 990s filed with the irs.

http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/38-6043103/henrietta-m-riley-trust-33b006006-fbo.aspx#mission.

interesting investments (many household names).

Mary

Justita said: The WTBTS is the named beneficiary of a trust. The trustee (probably a bank) has sole discretion as to how to invest, subject to any limitations that the settlor (the decedent, Ms. Riley) placed on trustee. With that said, the argument can be made that the WTBTS should reject ALL the money because it is tainted by the Phillip Morris stock.

Agreed. But I believe these documents go a long way is showing the hypocrisy of the Organization, given their hard stand on tobacco products over the last 40 years. They have lawyers and accountants by the score who would have scrutinized the trust and would have been all too aware that some of the monies had been invested in Philip Morris. It would be their moral obligation to inform the investors that they do not support the use of tobacco and did not want the trust to include any shares in companies in the tobacco industry. The company managing the trust would have to respect those wishes. As well, Philip Morris pays quarterly dividends so the Watchtower Society would receive them and their accountants would be all too aware of what the money was being invested in.

While the objection could be made that it is not actually the Watchtower Society itself making the investment, but just receiving the cash, is this a valid defense? Especially in light of their own words on investing in the stock market:

"...How a Christian puts his money to work is for him to decide personally, just as how he works for a living is for him to decide. There is nothing contrary to Scriptural principles for him to let his money help him earn a livelihood. If he invests in stocks, no one should criticize him. He should, of course, be discreet about what stocks or bonds he buys. When he knows that a corporation is devoted entirely to manufacturing merchandise that is used for a morally wrong purpose, it would be improper for him to violate his conscience by investing money in the stock of that company.---Awake!, February 8, 1962, p. 23
Many investors consult with financial planners before purchasing stock. By considering the background of a company, an investor can also ensure that his money will not be used to support an unethical enterprise."----Awake! October 8, 2000, p. 27

The Watchtower has long regarded smoking as an unchristian activity and a disfellowshipping offence. A Witness is not permitted to be employed in the tobacco industry and after '73, could not sell tobacco products in their stores. There can be no doubt that if an individual Witness invested in the cigarette industry, the Watchtower would consider this an ‘unchristian' investment and that individual would most likely be disfellowshipped from the congregation.

Yet at the same time, a trust which exists for the primary reason of generating income for the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, invests in a cigarette company! While the amount of the investment is small, it is not the amount that is the issue, but the principle: the Organization has knowingly benefited from an investment made in the tobacco industry.

The October 22, 1981 Awake! quotes Medical World News editor Reginald Rhein, Jr., as saying:

"Smoking is a clear, present, and proven danger that kills 320,000 Americans every year through heart disease, cancer, and emphysema." He noted, however, that both the federal government and the American Medical Association loudly proclaim the dangers of smoking while at the same time "quietly supporting the production of cigarettes." Rhein said that at its annual meeting in Chicago, AMA delegates did come out "against federal subsidies for tobacco growers," but then they "turned around and refused to order the Board of Trustees to divest the association's pension fund of $1.4 million in tobacco-company stock." The editor then asked: "Who is going to take the association-or even individual doctors-seriously now?" [emphasis added]

Indeed the same question could be asked about the Watchtower Society.