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TMS

While not surprised that most concur with teejay's gallant words, it did not escape me that no one addressed the allegedly pagan ritual of toasting. I, for one, have always wanted to be a toaster, to speak from the heart in a patriarchal manner on some important occasion words that would inspire, comfort or tighten the bonds of an extended family unit.

Although Watchtower teaching labels the toasting tradition as pagan, it has always seemed so civilized, manly and genteel. At one of the many Watchtower weddings I officiated the non-JW father of the bride stood up innocently and addressed his daughter and son-in-law-to-be. It was one of the most beautiful extemporaneous speeches I have ever heard. I envied that man.

And so to teejay: "clink"

TMS

SixofNine

Now, to answer your question: I grew up having been taught that outside of the Organization, there is no happiness, no light, no life; that to leave the earthly realm of Jehovah's Universal Organization would be tantamount to committing suicide. All we'd have to look forward to would be a dreary, walking death until the all-loving god who made us came along and finished us off permanently.
Not so. By building successful and happy lives totally apart from any of the feigned happiness and conditional "love" found within the Halls of the Watchtower Society, we have conquered the misperception, the lies and falsehoods such as I was taught. There is not only life outside the Watchtower, the life we enjoy is superior in nearly every way.

I'll drink to that.

ps. Sorry you couldn't stick around last month. Next time hopefully.

obiwan

Teejay,you are the man!

lauralisa

Teejay,

Happily I raise my glass and say "here's to you, and all of us, too."

I could never get a sound explanation for the 'toasting' -ban. Finally someone said,

"well, it's to protect us against ever accidentally agreeing to things like 'here's to England' or 'God save the Queen'"

Kinda sounded to me at the time like the Talmudic-like way of not breaking the first commandment by simply making it verboten to ever utter the name of God, but being the nodding-head compliant one I was, I just said "oh... okay"

Wih-all a thaah, CLINK

lauralisa

PS are you still pissed off at moi?

Gopher

Here's to us, too!

Laura,

I had heard that the reason glasses were clinked was to "scare away demons" !! (As if supernatural creatures were scared of stemware...)

So anyone who clinks glasses was supposedly carrying on a "fear of demons"... But what religious group is REALLY superstitious regarding the demons??? Hmmmmm.....

J.R.

teejay

TMS,

The Watchtower's ban on toasting never crossed my mind. Wonder why.

True story:

A couple of years ago my buddy Aaron who lives in your neck of the woods (he's also an ex-JW/apostate) happened to run into some JWs at the Men's Club. They were a bunch of ministerial servant types, out of town for the weekend, partying like it was 1999. He knew them (had grow up with their parents) from back home. Aaron is about the least judgmental person I know, so what they were doing where they were despite their religious leanings was cool with him. They all ended up hanging out together for the evening.

After a while, during the festivities, Aaron raised a toast to the merry bunch, "to happiness; beautiful, almost nekked women; and old friends from home" or something like that.

"Oh no! We can't do that! Are you crazy, man?!"

And they would not toast. At the Men's Club, they were. The irony was almost more than Aaron could stand.

Btw, on a side note... isn't it about time you graced us with another of your recollections? I think so. You're waaay overdue, Big Fella. There's one or two new arrivals here who have never read the power of your words. I think it's time.

----------

>> ps. Sorry you couldn't stick around last month. Next time hopefully.

Six,

Next time for sure. Count on it, dude. Some time in August?...

outoftheorg

A TOAST to us. How well deserved. I am a newbie here. Lost faith @ 1978 df'd 1991 with the

divorce and loss of siblings and some of my children at the same time. SURVIVED IT ALL.

I Just love the feeling of freedom I finally found after all the other stuff.-depression etc. I do

appreciate the well thought out advice that some of you post to help an ex jw to carry on and

survive intact. My "worldly" wife is amazed that any of you and I myself survived all the things I told

her can and does happen in the org. Seeing some of the posts here helped her to understand what

I and you went through and some are still going through. I kept quiet for a while to not stir up

any more problems with my children and my relationships. Now however I run off copies of the

pertinent information and try to educate my friends and any who are interested in the dangers

of the wbts and their new light/old light and the people damaged by this sort of thing.

HERE'S TO US ALL' CLICK-GULP

myself

Welcome outoftheorg!

CC Ryder

I would like to apologize to you all for losing my cool with "YouKnow"...I just get all heated up when listening to his remarks...I gave PerfectionSeeker advise about staying cool-headed with her Mom...and here I go and lose it....Sorry folks....Lets make this a multiple-day Cheer!!!...Keep Cheering Y'all......CC

TheStar

***Karate Kicks You Know in the face, while holding her Margarita up high ****

Salud everyone!

Edited by - TheStar on 8 July 2002 9:14:13

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