microphones were the last straw

by ivy 41 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Quentin

  One thing that this thread makes clear is the IMPORTANCE of "last straws."

  Without them, where would we be? Nathan Natas

  I had already been that mule hit in the head with a 2X4 over the debacle of daring to marry a non-baptized interested person. It was an insignificant incident that settled the matter of should I go, or should I stay.

  Terry was living in California and came to Texas for a short vacation. Through a series of coincidences (otherwise I wouldn?t have known he was in town) a group of us were able to hook up for his visit. As none of us had seen each other for several years it was decided we would meet at a local steakhouse convenient to all.

  We were in various degrees of separation from the organization, except one brother and his wife. I believe the brother had become an elder. Sitting over several tables from us was Cullen Davis, a local wealthy businessman, who had been involved in a notorious scandal of murder for hire, against his wife and a district judge. Terry wanted to know who the hell Cullen Davis was. During the course of the explanation the brother pontificated on the matter: Mr. Davis got away with it, and not just because his lawyer was Race Horse Haynes, because he had found God. Seems Mr. Davis joined a local televangelist church. He and his pastor took a sledgehammer to Davis? demonized nick-knacks; it was on the news and everything. Anyway the brother made it clear Davis was a hypocrite of the worst kind and should have fried.

  While we were at the cash register there was some confusion and the brother was able to leave without paying his tab. In the parking lot he bragged about it. My ?worldly? wife was scandalized, believe she called him: Mr. Goody-two-shoes the thief. On the way home I laughed about it and said I would have done the same thing. Kathy said: no you wouldn?t, I wouldn?t have let you. I?m so glad I married a conscience, kept me out of a lot of trouble.

  Now here?s the thing. As a card carrying, bible thumping Jehovah?s Witness I would have done the same thing, bolted for the nearest door, fast as I could. The brother said it himself: it was their mistake, not mine (Kathy had called him on it) and that?s when it hit me. Jehovah?s Witness (not all mind you) are like a pack of wild dogs praying on the weak, even among ?the friends?, always looking for the hook and then wrapping themselves in the cloak of the WTBTS to justify whatever it is they do.

  Seems I was the last straw. After that I took some time and examined myself, what I wanted and expected out of life and the direction I should go, in all things I was doing, or would do. Here?s to last straws may they ever shine as a guide to lead us, oh and by the way, it doesn?t hurt to have a good woman by your side. Happy Mother?s Day Ladies!!
• 

  Quentin

  Sorry about the post folks. That's the last time I'll use Word to copy and past a response. Sheesh!!

  Edited the above looks better...ding blasted computers!!!!!!!
• 

  FairMind

  I am certain I have mentioned this in other posts but I am not allowed to carry the microphones, pray or read although I have never been DFd. This is at the instructions of Brooklyn that were sent along with my letter of introduction when I changed congregations (five years ago). There was no meeting and no discipline for any wrong action. At first I was pissed and angry over what I felt was unjust treatment and this is just the reaction they wanted. Now I get great satisfaction out of making it obvious that I could care less about the withdrawn privileges and do not base my self worth on such petty things.
• 

  blondie

  FM, did you tick off the secretary? He is usually the one that draws up the letter. The other elders rarely see it. Did the elders in your new congregation enlighten you to the area they think you need to work on? Usually, after a little time goes by the new BOE will give you privileges if they see that you don't live up to your bad press. Hmmm?

  Blondie
• 

  tyler m

  There was no last straw for me. I had been biding my time for years. On my 18th b-day I packed my bags and climbed out a window never to return.
• 

  evita

  tyler m - wow! I admire your guts.
  
  One of my last straws:
  
  I was talking to the elder's wife who had studied with me. She mentioned that B (a slutty, non-active 18 yr. old) had just married T (a doltish , barely active 19 yr. old). Then she said, "Now that she's married, I have to start thinking of B as a ' woman'. I said "What do you mean? Don't you consider all women to be ' women'?
  Apparently, only women who are married are real women.
  
  At the time, I was 19, an aux pioneer who attended all meetings and was extremely pious. But I had no beau on the horizon. I thought to myself, "I"m Doomed".
  
  That was the beginning of the end for me.
  
  Evi
• 

  littlerockguy

  The 1914 generation thing was one of the issues that I had a problem with. When going through that Watchtower study article and them dissecting the term "generation" they finally go along with the meaning described in Vines Dictionary of Old and New Testament words; the exact publication where they get the meaning of stauros meaning stake or pole as described in The Truth that Leads to Eternal life book. I guess they didn't use that definition of generation before because it would foul up their agenda to deceive people into thinking the end itsn't as near as the WTS says. My guess when I saw that was that they had to have seen that since they have been using that reference book for eons and just chose to ignore it.
• 

  love11

  My final straw was when I went to the reinstate meeting with the elders. They said," We know j..god has forgiven you, but we just need to see your face around some more so that others can get used to you coming back again". That was the last time I was at the kingdom hall. Plus, it was hard for me to sit in those chairs because I was recovering from an auto accident where I had to learn how to walk again, so coming to the meetings were a big ordeal for me. It took hours just to take a bath and get dressed, then have the energy to go to 3 meetings a week! F@#$ that!
• 

  Grace

  I was not raised a JW, so education was very important. I remember once watching a 7-yr-old boy give a talk to the congregation... I had already had my M.Ed. degree (and I am a certified teacher!) and could not talk to the congregation simply because I am a woman... but this little inexperienced child could!

  Oh, the power of the male genitalia in Watchtower!
• 

  FairMind

  Blondie, the local BOE tells me their hands are pretty much tied as to what they can use me for. They still offer the carrot on the stick but it would require me to do far more than I am willing. In my former congregation there was a question over my scriptural freedom to marry someone other than my former wife. The BOE decided I did not have this freedom so I did a little research to see what the past Watchtower publications might have said regarding situations similar to mine. What I found was specific comments made by the WTS (primarily in Questions from the Readers) that absolutely supported my opinion that I was Scripturally free to marry. The end result was that the District Overseer and Circuit Overseer were brought into the fray. Because of the WT articles they were unable to maintain their original position without contradicting what had previously been written in the Socities publications. I became a hated brother by the CO and PO and I am sure that behind my back communication was carried on with Brooklyn to assure that my future days in the organization would be privilege free.

  There is more to this story (too much to tell). Also, every now and then the knife the former BOE put in my back is given a vigorous twist.