PRISON

by uninformed 46 Replies latest forum suggestions

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  just2sheep

  ditto to everything brother unclebruce posted. it is important to do these things now. not because the world might end, but because you might forget. terry was correct about there being a chance of not going to viet nam. i wasn't a jw and was in the military from 1965-1968 and the closest i came to nam was amarillo, texas.

  clam,

  clay was convicted in 1967 of refusing to register for the draft so it wouldn't have mattered what the alternates were; he was pardoned in 1971...is that what you were convicted for, terry? i believe pressure was put on you guys to report and register and then refuse to serve in the military or alternate service. but i don't know where i got that idea. clam, the war didn't end until 1975 so as hard it might be for us to take, it must have been the lawyering...at one time i thought it was because it was such an obvious thing, you can't be punished for not doing something against your conscience....almost 40 years later i don't think that because i know you can be punished...
• 

  DigitalFokus

  I haven't been to prison yet.
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  LDH

  I feel a little like a coward for not going, though I have never been cowardly in any other way. I don't think I am a coward, I thought I was brave and honorable.

  Hindsight is 20/20 vision. The decision you made then were based on faulty and limited information. You've proven that you've moved beyond that; you've seen the wizard behind the curtain.

  To all who served in prison in order to "fulfill" scripture about being persecuted for Jesus' name, you did not do anything wrong. The men in the Tower and their minions did wrong.

  Lisa

  ((((((((All Veterans)))))))))
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  just2sheep

  btttt

  in hopes that someone is pursuing this.
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  outoftheorg

  I was 7 yrs, old when my 19 year old brother was arrested and sentenced to 5 years in ww2.

  I can recall my mom trying to justify his not accepting any alternative service to my father. My father was a veteran. I remember being frightened at the arguing and seeing my brother and father crying and my mother being glad and even a bit happy at his choice.

  Does this sort of thing have lasting effects on those who chose prison?

  About 13 yrs ago when I was df'd for "fits of rage" of all things. My brother began to shun me and I tried to talk him out of it.

  His only main reasoning was " I SPENT THREE YEARS IN PRISON" I must obey my God.

  At the time it sounded stupid and pathetic to me.

  Today it sounds like some one so terribly treated that he has begun to worship the dememted cult masters as idols, the very ones that caused him such pain and sorrow. Reminds me of the Stockholm mental state, where you worship your captors.

  Today I am 70 and he is in his 80's and he still will not speak to me.

  What horrible treatment and grief's this cult has done to young people and is still doing it.

  Outoftheorg
• 

  blsrose

  my heart goes out to all of you who were made to make a choice!

  Happily you have moved on and out, and I believe all you have gone thru has made you better and wiser!!
• 

  Billygoat

  I don't even know what to say as I read this. I am simply in awe.

  ((((((((((((((((((((All Veterans here))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

  Please continue telling your stories men. Please.
• 

  Peter123

  
  It would be great to have a collection of stories of men who went to prison because of the WTS "arrangement" during war. Some of you have mentioned that you received little or few letters or phone calls of support from your home congregation -- was there any kind of support from the society before, during and after the incarceration? You would think they would have some kind of "decompression" program to assist brothers re-integrate in mainstream life. Any comments?

  Peter
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  james_woods

  The anti-war draft thing is an almost forgotten issue, but all exJW of my age (56 at this moment) remember this with a vengeance.

  I believe that the WTS used this as leverage to pump up pioneer service amount draft age young men during all the late 1960, mid 1970 era.

  I had two very close friends, both only about 3 years older than myself, who did a hard 3 years before parole during the vietnam years. Both were sentenced to 5 (the maximum) and only got out on good behavior at a little past 3. They were in El Reno, OK. at first, and then later at the so-called "Club Fed" in Seagoville, Tx. I had the priviledge of visiting them in both locations. Only a few of the JWs did so.

  One of these guys, (my friend Sam Salamy), has passed away a few years back. He also suffered the loss of his only child to a rare form of cancer. (I do not know if the blood issue was involved, but suspect so.) He stayed loyal to the society stuff to the very last - amazing when you consider that he was from a strong Lebanese non-JW family and they never really understood his actions, but just supported him with great tolerance and love through the whole thing. Friends tell me he had a major heart attack while standing in his back yard lighting a BBQ grill to cook a steak.

  You really have to read Crises of Conscience on the Mexico draft card, and then also see the re-alignment of consciencous objector status from the society recently to understand the hypocrisy fomented upon us young guys of that era.

  I was spared (barely) from this by Nixon's draft lottery.

  I need to say honestly that I would have gone to VietNam before I would have gone to prison like Sam and Buddy and all the others.

  There is a little part of me that still feels somewhat guilty over that awful truth...

  James
• 

  uninformed

  Peter123,

  While I was in I wrote letters to a bunch of different ones in the congregation. Maybe got one or two letters from them the whole time.

  Didn't get any visits from my congregation.

  U