I understand your feelings exwhyzee. Sometimes i have the same kind of nostalgia about when i believed that Stuff and DC was the highest point of the year, startingénieur the summer with good time and seing friends.... It´s normal to feel sad about it sometimes.... But when you remember all the fake Stuff you are asked to swallow as a JW, the nostalgia quickly go away...
Seattle Convention Videos
by exwhyzee 19 Replies latest jw friends
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BlueDolphin
It's interesting to note that their is a CROSS featured in the avatar. (or am I mistaken?) I believe that is supposed to be the Space Needle, the most recognizable landmark in Seattle.
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exwhyzee
Thanks for your comments. I watched the videos last night when I was tired and feeling a bit worn out after a busy week at work. I viewed them again and I too noticed some of the things some of you noticed. I also realized that the last time they had and internaional Assembly here in Seattle was in 1976. Looking back you can tell they were doing damage control after the 1975 fiasco. This year it's probably a way to cover up the real issue behind the fact that 1914 was a hundred years ago.
1. Normally JWs avail themselves yet distance themselves from anything the world has to offer. In these videos, they conveniently associated themselves with successful Seattle business and features (Boeing, Starbucks coffee, Almond Roca, Space Needle etc) as if they somehow were a part of its success.
2. They spent hours and hours making bags and key chains. Do people who attend an international assembly suddenly have an urgent need for a place to put their Keys? I thought for sure they'd have made some reference to Matt 16:19 "and I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven". This reminds me of the swag bags you get when you attend a seminar and you end up with bunch of stuff you have either give away or find a use for before it all ends up in a landfill somewhere. Giving little gifts to delegates you know or who stay with you is one thing but to give these one size fits all gift bags out, seems pretty impersonal and a waste of time.
3. I mentioned in my opening post that we met for dinner in the City with our family members and saw a lot of the old friends we used to have. The best thing was, we got to do it without having to sit through 3 days of mind numbing talks. Our little 4 year old Nephew was bouncing off the walls having been cooped up in a seat for 3 days. No one (including Bethelite family members) was talking about the program....only about upcoming vacations recent outings etc. (thankfully) we didn't hear a word about any new releases or new information. But we did hear how concerned everyone is that we aren't attending anymore.
4.Like Billy-the ex-Bethelite said, now that the hoopla is over, it will all fade into history until the next one in 30 years. I know many will experience the after assembly anti-climactic blues.
I miss our old friends but I just could never go back to that life again...can't imagine being expected to go from door to door representing this organization or claiming or even pretending to beleive their doctrines 100% when I don't and never really have.
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3rdgen
Exwhyzee, I understand your op completely. When I couldn't sleep last night I decided to look up a couple of JW families whose names happened to come up at the Apostafest. The newly ex JW is disgusted that these families could rather openly live double lives and never be Publicly Reproved or DFed. Of course the reason is twofold: 1 they have lots of money and 2 they have close family (several) on their Elder body who themselves are shady. Anyway, as I was looking at some of their friends I saw where two couples who I know well were SELECTED to be delagates at Seattle. The funny thing is that one of the wives gets falling down drunk at every party I have ever seen her at and both kids publicly left the borg. (One says she's a Budest on FB) The other exemplary couple? Well, he's never attended enough or cared enough to be appointed a servant. Years ago after the meeting he took his oldest son into the KH library and punched him onto the floor. The fistfight had to be broken up. That son is no longer a JW. (what a shock) His wife is a nutjob but she dresses in expensive (thousands of ##) Designer clothes. Again, both couples have many close family Elders who shield them. Like you, my reaction was a little meloncholy and I had a hard time understanding why. I've decided it has to do with my sense of justice and fairness which is completely absent in the Borg. I t's all about how well conected you are and how much you can pay to stay that way. I truely don't miss the hypocracy.
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Dagney
Hi exwhyzee! I get your opening post. Every once in awhile, usually when I've had interactions with JW, I have an emotional reaction...a surge of thoughts all jumbly. I don't want that life with its mindless obedience strings...yet it was my life and have a fond memories of good/fun times. My logical mind loves every single bit of being out, never ever would even consider returning. Yet, there is an emotional tie to people, good times, being a part of "something." Then of course I resent the hard choices we and they have to make because of the rules of the WTBS. Then I get a headache. Sigh.
Our minds, mine anyway, sometimes wants to relax a bit with idea of the shiny happy people. Then you remember the comfort and support of a group of exJW's...people who made the hard choices, followed their conscience, left what was comfortable and familiar...freedom shines off their faces.
It was a pleasure meeting you and your family. I never did get to hear your story...next time for sure right? What a great bunch of people at the fest! I wanted to sit a talk with each one for hours.
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TMS
After watching just a few minutes of the scenery, the economy of Washington State, I turned it off. The amaterish narration, linking the beauty and prosperity of one political division of the United States, a state, with Jehovah, was nauseating. I grew up in Seattle. Yes, there is much in the way of natural beauty to be enjoyed if you're not a relgious fanatic distributing literature, conducting "Bible studies," attending meetings every spare moment.
And Boeing? The only decent job my skills-challenged dad ever had was with Boeing in the 50's, in the boiler department. While some JW's did continue working at Boeing if the job was not obviously linked to the military, defense, my dad's "conscience" led him to quit.
This video induced a profound sadness I've not felt in a while.
tms
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flipper
I understand where you are coming from due to possibly being in a vantage point of being in an area you have been living in for a long time. One thing that helped me is I moved from the areas I was an active performing JW . So I never have to face or deal with these people, which is just fine with me as most of the JW's I knew were either fake or pontificating their alleged " spiritual " wisdom to me. I can only speak for myself that the longer I've been out ( 11 years now ) the less I have ANY feelings of emotional ties to any of these former so-called " conditional " friends. And that includes most of my active JW family ( aside from my elderly mom because she is real ) . Because I realized the friendships and family relationships were solely based on how many hours of field service time I turned in, how often I commented at meetings, if I showed up regularly at meetings , or if I gave my assigned talk in the " Ministry School ". The friendships were a facade of what REAL friendships are supposed to be in the big, wide world. Which is real friendship and unconditional care for one another.
Hang in there my friend, remember you have lots of friends here who will be there for you in the dark alley of life when you feel cornered from your past, yet still reaching into your future. I include myself among those friends. Take care, Peace out, Mr. Flipper
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Nice_Dream
Hi exwhyzee, I've been out for 6 years and still feel a bit sad when it's convention time. I miss feeling like I'm part of something special and feel like I'm missing out (even though I know I really don't want to be there).
The video of the group making totes reminded me of making sandwiches as a child at the convention. I was so excited to help! Without celebrating holidays, going to the convention was a highlight of the year for me.
Maybe we'll always feel a bit nostalgic about the conventions... it was fun getting new books, seeing our friends, checking out new guys/girls. But hopefully as we fill our lives with new friends and make new memories we won't feel left out when convention time comes around.
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exwhyzee
Thanks for all of your comments guys....It's nice to know that someone "gets" what you are talking about. I think it's human nature to look at the past with rose colored glasses a little bit...at least I know I do sometimes. The grass was greener the sky was bluer. For the most part I realize that 2 minutes into the first talk of the day I'd be zoned out. It was a bad (survival) habbit I developed as a kid during the 8 day 12 hour long assemblies I went to as a kid.
I think Flipper is right....it would be easier to move and start fresh somewhere where there wasn't a JW memory around every corner. I think about doing that, all the time.
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ctrwtf
Watched the travelogue video and was a little surprised the narrator used the word WE so much.
WE have this natural beauty. WE have this amazing agricultural system. WE have this amazing hydropower. WE are home to technology companies etc.
THEY have contributed nothing to all of the above. In fact if their vision ever came true THEY would make sure that most of the residents of the fine State would vanish at the hands of an angry god. Just vomit inducing.