Watchtower-Free
JoinedPosts by Watchtower-Free
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54
Those of you that born in the Borg in the late 60;s and early 70's
by James Mixon inwas life that bad for you?
we are really sorry...
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15 Years of Jehovahs-Witness.com
by Simon inyes, today is the forum's 15th birthday!.
i never thought for one moment that it would survive this long or have so many people post so many great subjects over the years.. it is still humbling when i get pm's or emails from people expressing how the site has helped them and of course thanks goes to all the posters who have shared their experiences and make helpful and supportive comments to others who are in the sometimes difficult process of learning the real truth about 'the truth'.. the site has gone through several different incarnations over the last 15 years running on different platforms, different databases and different hosts but we've been able to keep all the old topics.
the current site is still being developed and i'm hoping to push another major upgrade soon.. i also may have some other news to share soon about the future of the site so stay posted.. until then, here's the the next 15 years!
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Watchtower-Free
This site has helped me allot. Thanks -
7
Jehovah's Witnesses now trying to infiltrate a Hospital
by Watchtower-Free inhttp://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/spiritual-care-volunteers-at-jackson-hospital-support-sick-welcome-babies/article_83c3872e-66df-5cbd-8db8-d4c6b31d3f0a.html.
5 hours ago by frances moody jackson hole news & guide.
(0) comments.
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Watchtower-Free
JACKSON — Some time ago Judith Schmitt left a hospital patient's room feeling inspired and changed for the better.
She can't remember the patient's name or recollect why he was sick, but she can recall their half-hour conversation about religion and the Plains Indians.
"We had a wonderful talk about belief and faith," Schmitt said. "I walked out of there and felt just great."
Schmitt's life-altering exchange with the man is one of many she has had at the St. John's Medical Center.
As a Spiritual Care volunteer Schmitt heads to the hospital once a week to visit with patients. She has listened to and supported very sick people, welcomed babies to the world and witnessed someone's last breath.
Even though she often encounters grieving families and unexpected tragedies, Schmitt never feels hopeless or sad when she leaves her volunteer shifts. She instead feels compassionate and blessed.
"Sometimes the patients do more for me than I do for them," she said. "You walk out of there and think they are brave and wonderful. They build up your spirits."
But the point of Schmitt's visits isn't to make herself feel better. The idea is to encourage, support and understand people who need it most.
"I feel it's a gift to listen to people and not push yourself on them," Schmitt said. "It's not an ego trip. It's not for you. It's for them."
Schmitt is one of about 20 people in the Spiritual Care volunteer program. Some of the volunteers have been making rounds at the hospital since 1992. Back then they were called lay chaplains.
"I think there are a lot of people out there who don't know what "lay" means," said Kathy Kjellgren, the hospital's volunteer coordinator. "Patients would hear the word "chaplain" and think these people are going to preach."
Although Schmitt is a practicing Episcopalian she doesn't proselytize when she speaks with patients. That's not the intention of the program, she said.
The Spiritual Care program is nondenominational and respects all cultures and religions. And anyone, religious or not, can volunteer.
"On our contact list we have Quakers and Jehovah's Witnesses," Kjellgren said. "And at one point we had a Buddhist."
Though of different faiths the volunteers share one goal: to give patients some sort of spiritual guidance. Sometimes that guidance is listening to a person's needs. Other times it is saying a prayer.
Each volunteer must follow a protocol when giving spiritual care.
When Schmitt makes her weekly trip she first goes to the nurse's station to see if there is anyone who doesn't want a visitor. Then she starts her rounds.
"I knock on the door and walk in," Schmitt said. "I'll introduce myself. I usually start off by asking them how they are feeling and if they need anything."
If Schmitt feels the person she is talking to is need of a prayer, she will ask if it's OK to pray with him or her.
She said a lot of patients are receptive to hearing prayers. It lets them know someone cares, she said.
Reid Jackson received a prayer from a Spiritual Care volunteer when he was being treated for an infection with flu-like symptoms.
He said the man who prayed with him made his stay more comfortable.
"It was mainly a matter of stopping by, seeing how I was doing and offering a prayer," Jackson said. "I don't see how anyone could refuse that."
Volunteers don't always pray with the people they offer care to.
"If they say no, it's fine," Schmitt said. "You can walk out of there and say a prayer for them with hopes the healing process goes well."
Schmitt, like other Spiritual Care volunteers, was trained.
Ben Pascal, senior pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole, is in charge of readying future volunteers. A link between St. John's Medical Center and the leaders of Jackson's faith communities, Pascal was nominated for that role by the Interfaith Group of Jackson Hole.
Each volunteer goes to a daylong training session.
"We teach them the art of visiting people," Pascal said. "A lot is learning about the importance of presence and how to let patients lead the conversation."
Pascal also talks about bedside manner. He tells soon-to-be volunteers not to loom over somebody or sit on a patient's bed.
He also tells trainees it is important to respect privacy and to not focus on the person's condition.
Learning how to lead a prayer is also important, Pascal said.
"It's nice to have tools in your tool belt," he said. "There are great scriptures from the Bible or Book of Psalms that will resonate with people of the Jewish faith, Christian faith or any faith for that matter."
After Pascal informs people of the program's guidelines he puts them in pairs to practice the art of listening.
Once trainees have completed the day of role-playing and mastered program guidelines, they are asked to come back for a short follow-up.
Prepared with the quintessential know-how, beginners enter the next phase of training by shadowing a practicing volunteer.
"You follow three different people on three different days," Schmitt said. "You learn what it is all about, how to approach the patient and what you say to them."
Pascal and Schmitt believe spiritual care is an important part of the healing process.
"I think patients need to know that there is a group here in the hospital that has nothing to do with the medical side of things," Schmitt said. "We just care about them."
Volunteers are required to go to the hospital once a month and to attend a monthly meeting, which is held at noon on the second Thursday of each month.
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I'm the one who needs to "come to his senses" ?????
by Phizzy ini was in conversation a few weeks back with a jw i have known for at least four decades.
most of it was catching up on family stuff, he has loads of kids, some have married and produced sprogs since i left.
all news to me.. i demolished a couple of his fatuous arguments, and then he decided to scuttle away, throwing this over his shoulder as he went :.
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Wife fully awake.
by cappytan ini learned this past week that my wife is now awake.
i just shared the pbs newshour segment with her with no comment other than something along the lines of, "jw story on pbs.".
she is furious at the arrogance of these men.. thats what happens when you get a momma angry!.
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Watchtower-Free
Way to go .......... -
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Watchtower-Free
I talked to someone else a little while ago that was getting another language also -
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Is the organization actually gaining more members or losing more?
by yogosans14 inlast time i was at the kingdom hall they were praising themselves about all the growth in members they have been having.
is this "growth" they are having statistically accurate?or are a lot leaving?
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Watchtower-Free
Jehovah's Witness Statistics
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Anyone picked up that muslim fanatic convicted in UK for planning another attack on a soldier was brought up JW?
by Frazzled UBM ini didn't find this particularly surprising given jw indoctrination is all about how evil the non-believers are (and how deserving they are to be destroyed during the big a) and how the wbts is absolutely right and everyone else is absolutely wrong - so it is not a big jump to islamic fanaticism.
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Watchtower-Free
http://jwsurvey.org/news/did-jehovahs-witness-shunning-drive-young-brit-towards-islamic-extremist-radicalizationDid Jehovah’s Witness shunning drive young Brit towards Islamic extremist radicalization?
http://jwsurvey.org/news/did-jehovahs-witness-shunning-drive-young-brit-towards-islamic-extremist-radicalization
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1st time in 30 years no one Baptized at our Assembly
by James Jack inat our assembly in alabama, no one got baptized, even though we added 3 congregations to our side in the circuit.
just looked at my wife and said wow.. yet ironically, the regular pioneer ranks have increased 45% in the last 5 years!.
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Watchtower-Free
Hours Preaching per Conversion
In 1969 there was one baptism for every 1,983 hours of preaching. During the 1980s it had risen to 3,000 hours. From 1990 to 2011 the number of hours preaching required per baptism increased from 3000 to 6000, an increase of 100%.
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Current U.S Federal Judge is a Jehovah Witness... How does this guy not get forced to quit his job and not get in trouble?
by paulmolark incurrent u.s. federal judge is one of jehovah's witnesses - see more at: http://www.jw-archive.org/post/114109639783/current-u-s-federal-judge-is-one-of-jehovahs#sthash.pz6qywnk.dpuf.
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