My picture is supposed to be a baby carrying a beer bottle, smoking a cigarette and peeing all over the place. Not sure that it means anything really, just thought it was kinda funny. I can't get it to animate though. Any suggestions? Thanks
EK
ok, now that we have history of names...
by Incense_and_Peppermints 42 Replies latest jw friends
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Xandria
Mine is of the eye.. constantly looking at you. Represents the WTS contantly watching.
Xandria.
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avengers
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avengers
To : Incense_and_Peppermints
from avengers
Ever since I found this forum I have been trying to put off, putting my story up. Here and there I have told a few things about myself. And in some threads I really screwed up. So there are a few people that "know" me and I "know" them. I have also hurt a few people, though never purposely, yet unthoughtful of me. (a brother, happyman) . Unthoughtful of me was also the mentioning of Raymond Franz when asked if his book inluenced me in some way to leave the JW's; I bluntly said it didn't influence me one bit. When asked: "Why didn't it influence you?" I didn't answer the e-mail, but published it here on the forum. My apologies. I will address this issue in the future.
It is minds like you that get me to thinking. When I look at the avatar it reminds me of the times in the sixties when you walk around in sunny California going in from one love shop to another, with love-ins on the beach listening to Jefferson Airplane, When the truth is found to be lies and all the joy within you dies.......
Happy days until Vietnam. Protested against the war. The joy you had was to walk into your friend's places, be welcome to enjoy the smells of incense and peppermints? ok substitute the peppermints. Rolling Stones? 12x5. 13th floor elevator. anyone remember them? the Doors? this was 66-68 Southern California, Anyone from there in those days? feel free to post.
To make a short story long. My name is Andre van Engers. I was born in Soerabaja Indonesia, which in 1947 was a colony of the Netherlands, called Netherlands Indie. These two fought for years, so later it became Indonesia. I had the Netherlands nationality, so my family was forced to evacute.
We arrived in the Netherlands in 1951 when I was 4 with my Mom Dad, and a younger sister and brother. The Netherlands also called Holland, was recovering from WW ll, as was the whole continent. In 1960 we immigrated to the US. I was 12. I lived in Southern California until 68, when I dodged the Vietnam War and went to Holland. When I think about it afterward I should have gone to Nam. Dead or alive. But I was a man of peace looking for the Truth. The sixties gave plenty of opportunity, White Lightning, Osley, Sandoz, the purple caps were just fantastic! If you're going to San Fransisc. Happy days?? Not all of it.
1968. Took a plane from L.A. to London, Amsterdam. I was living in the Northern part of Holland when in September that year JW's were at the door. Here was the Truth which I had been looking for in all those years. Here is the Answer. I was baptized August 15, 1969 at the International Assembly in Nurnberg, Germany with 5055 others. The assembly lasted 8 days.
Pioneered a year 71-72 became MS, bookstudy conductor. Studied the book "Then is finished the mystery of God". The Congregation Servant (I hope I have it right in English) introduced me to the one who later became my wife. She needed Spiritual Guidance as he called it, so we went in service an hour before the bookstudy, making backcalls, using all our spare time to serve Jehovah.
Got married in 73. seperated, back together, divourced, got married again, hell. I had never known what a depression was until I was in the Truth. In the meantime we had six kids who experienced all this while my wife and I were looking for guidance from our Spiritual Leaders. Wasn't Raymond Franz part of the GB in '73? I know in the 70's the congs had "spies" who would snoop into a couple's bedroom and then report this to the elders. (Don't come to me saying this didn't happen, 'cause I saw it happen, and not only once! There's even a mention of this in RF's book .) In reality this was a witchhunt on oral sex and couples who didn't behave in the bedrooms.
After 30 years of this abuse from the Watchtower, 1999 it was enough. She stayed JW. Jehovah was more important than family, so as not to endanger her spiritual ties to Jehovah she divourced me. I am considered bad company to my children. So much for "head of the family".
The Shark. I get the idea that some of you think that avengers has something to do with avenging. As you can see my name is a.v.engers. I have felt the jaws of the WT shark trying to chew me up. My son took a pic. of me and put it in his mouth. But until today the WT hasn't swallowed me and damn it, never will.
When I discovered this forum I felt this way, but now I don't anymore. So I will change my avatar shortly. I'm gonna find one to describe the way I feel. The "shark" has no hold on me anymore.
Thanks for starting this thread. I guess that's one of the reasons why women on this board are so important. They see things men never could.
Andy.
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Incense_and_Peppermints
dear Andre: oh, i believe you about spies in the bedrooms. they have spies everywhere. i'm not sure why that is, other than maybe they aren't having any fun, therefore no one else should, that is to say, they should be cast out... that oughta show 'em.
i know what you mean about telling your story. i have told a lot about myself, more than i wanted to, but sometimes you just read someone who makes you want to open up and before you know it there you are. but for the most part, when i have, people have been very kind and compassionate and i have never felt ashamed for baring my soul in such a public place.
wow. that "When the truth is found to be lies and all the joy within you dies......." passage strikes a chord inside of me, for many different reasons. mostly as it relates to people who you thought were giving their true self to you and when you find out later they weren't, it's like getting struck in the solar plexus... (i love music from that era. i was listening to "san francisco" by scott mackenzie just last night, in fact. is that what you were referring to when you said "If you're going to San Fransisc."?)
i don't know why my font color changed just now. anyway... when i looked at your av, i always thought you were the shark. i never saw you as the person inside the jaws. i thought the person was the wts. i always thought "good for him" :)
i think it's a tragedy that you are considered bad company for your own children. if i were cut off from my child, it would be as if someone cut off my oxygen, or my life's blood.
you've had an amazing life. whenever i read people's stories, i feel as though i have only half-lived...
i can't wait to see your new avatar. and i look forward to seeing you around this place. thank you for your eloquent post.
love,
~janette -
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truthseeker1
I chose my name because I think its funny.
I took You Know's picture. His posts make him look like an ass, so I took the head of an Ass and put it on him. AlanF has a AWESOME hat that is filled with Wisdom and Knowledge. I had to add a little know-how to my "You Ass Know" pic, so I threw his AWESOME hat on top. Its mostly for laughs.
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Matty
My latest Avatar is a tribute to the Watchtower illustrators obsession with Pandas in the new system. They seem to think that the most wonderful experience in the world you can possibly have is cuddling one while giving them some bamboo leaves.
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Incense_and_Peppermints
matty: yeah, pandas. and dolphins. they're going to be riding on their backs, you know, dolphin races, the whole bit. none of that "living freely in the wild" bs...)
trutheseeker: i love yours. it cracks me up every single time i see it
dismembered: are you having any luck?
crazy: ooh i hadn't seen that pee-wee herman one before, but then again i haven't been here that long. i like your new one
<--- what is it about that face that disturbs me so? strange... that's not really YouKnow is it?
i don't mean to say the face itself is disturbing, just the expression. (shudder)---typo correction
Edited by - Incense_and_Peppermints on 23 July 2002 16:26:32
