See you in Paradise

by Mattieu 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  Mattieu

  I was looking through a relative’s photo album last weekend and saw pictures of their trip to an International convention in Asia in the early 1990’s. On the final day the local bro & sis were all holding placards with phrases such as “see you in paradise”.

  That reminded me of the last International I went to in Sydney about 5 years ago, same thing happened on the last day, similar placards with similar phrases. There was also a lot of random hugging of bro & sis in international costumes. I missed out on getting hugs because I looked like a local...... Next time I will wear my Austin Powers outfit.... No wait; there won’t be a next time, so I will have to wear it to my first Apostatefest whenever someone here gets around to organising it.

  Anyways, when I saw the pictures of these placards, I had mixed feelings. I felt nauseas, angry, frustrated and regret all at once. I haven’t stopped thinking about it all week, so hopefully venting it here will get me to stop thinking about it. Some of the elderly ones holding up those “see you in paradise” signs would have sadly passed away, while others would have came to the same conclusion as me by now. It reminds me of looking at that w/t cover of the elderly ones under the heading of “the 19414 generation that will not pass away”.

  Cheers,

  Mattieu.
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  AK - Jeff

  Bittersweet indeed. Thanx for sharing.

  Jeff
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  Chalam

  They have been cheated out of this life and the next, double whammy :(

  I just think of the poster name here fool's paradise.

  All the best,

  Stephen
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  wantstoleave

  There are some photos of the recent conventions doing the rounds on email, with the same sort of phrases you mentioned. Nauseating for sure!
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  LouBelle

  It's sad because many of them are genuinely sincere in their belief - well I guess we all were at one stage. It's sad because they have put their life and the living of it aside to serve a huge advertising corporation that really doesn't give a shit about them as people. They are willing to die for it, for their kids to die for it - ah - all those dreams ... wasted.
• 

  blondie

  Previous version:

  *** w80 6/15 p. 26 "Stick to the Work Till It Is Finished" ***In October 1949, we saw a group of our companions from the 11th class leave San Francisco by ship for their assignment in Japan. They were Lloyd and Melba Barry, Percy and Ilma Iszlaub, and Adrian Thompson. "See you after Armageddon," we called out as the ship slid away from the wharf. (Rev. 16:14, 16, AuthorizedVersion)

  *** w57 3/1 p. 142 Pursuing My Purpose in Life ***Part of our group was to go into the first class of Gilead, and we were called for the second. We got together for our farewell; thinking, of course, we would never, probably, see one another again until after Armageddon

  *** w51 10/15 p. 636 Report on Japan and Korea ***Came December and the Chinese communist army threatened Seoul again. Many of the brothers decided to go south, but others remained in Seoul. Those remaining told the ones leaving, "We will see you in the new world after Armageddon."
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  Hopscotch

  My mum put off getting medical attention for months because she didn't want anything to stop her and dad getting to that Sydney international convention you mentioned Mattieu. So even though she knew she was sick, her and dad travelled 600 miles there and 600 miles back on a bus to attend the convention. When they got back she finally made an appointment to see the Dr and the diagnosis was cancer. But by then it was too late. 13 months later she was dead. So in my opinion attending that damned convention could very well have cost my mother her life.

  Hopscotch
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  wantstoleave

  Hopscotch :(
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  Mattieu

  Sorry to hear Hopscotch, I have nothing but negative memories of that convention, though nothing compared to what you have gone through.

  Mattieu.
• 

  Hopscotch

  Thank you wantstoleave and Mattieu.

  My husband and I never attended that convention. Looking back I think we were already in semi fade mode by then (though we didn't realise it at the time). I know we felt disgusted at the amount of time and money it would cost everyone to get down to Sydney for it. Cairns was the other option but that's even further away from Brisbane.

  In one way or another the JW cult has robbed me of my entire family. My mother dead as I mentioned before and since January the rest of my family has shunned me.

  So as far as I concerned they can keep their 'paradise' full of conditional love and evil policies. I'd better stop now before I say rude things about what else they can do with their paradise!

  Hopscotch