I'm there right with you Oubliette, I'm holding on to mine like the prized pair of gonads between my legs (I'm making sure I don't squeeze to tight though;)
Phats.
Posts by phats
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6Carl Sagan Quotation
by Mum inthe scientific mind can hone in on some great, but sometimes obvious facts.
i love this one:.
one of the saddest lessons of history is this: if we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle.
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41
Discussion with some elders
by GoUnion inhello everyone just wanted to relate a situation that occurred a few days ago.
so i have quit going to meetings for a few months now based on some issues i have with the explanations of current doctrines.
my wife is none too happy with this but over the last few months we have had some date nights and have tentitively agreed to disagree.
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phats
Hi GoUnion,
I must agree with many of the posters here, You are skating on very thin ice on this one Sir & I think you will need lady luck on your side if you are not to get flagged up for sounding like a "BAD MACHINE" (See the film Midnight Express)
One thing I would say is, you said your well founded (doesn't matter to them) & well thought out (still doesn't matter to them) concerns to "2" Elders. This puts a problem for these 2 elders because they know what they are ordered to do by the LO (Loving Organization) & now each one knows what the other one heard from your very lips. If one is a lib then fine but one may be a hard nose or even if both are libs together they will have less opportunity to just keep it to themselves.
When I was in my fade & even now after 8 years fully out I never would talk to any elders or even brothers if there were more than one in on the conversation. This dose 2 things. 1. they need the second witness & 2. It gives them a chance to keep it to themselves without worrying wether the other is going to make any waves.
In my opinion, they have there "spiritual warfare" & I have my "freedom warfare" (It's a re brand) It's about playing to there rules of engagement because they have the power (right or wrong) to shut you down & if & when this ball starts rolling you are going to be out on your ear or find yourself lying through your teeth to stop the onslaught that will (I'm pretty sure) come your very unwelcome way.
I don't want to come over all heavy but ones this ball starts a rolling there's not much that can be done to hold it back.
I wish you all the very best man but "box clever on this one Sir... Please.
Phats,
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55
The Venting Thread
by minimus inthis thread is for you to vent about anything (within guidelines) that you want.. i'll start.. i'm sick of people who complain about how cold the weather is and then you have two 85 degree days and now they can't wait till autumn!.
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phats
Okay. Got mine,
That box at the top for this home page thinking I'm desperate to know where I can get "Gas Struts" from. I've never ever had a secret desire for gas struts but when I do I know where to go now.
Phats.
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38
"Hello from Phats"
by phats inhay out there.. wife got back from her thursday meeting & now she's setteled down with the dog, a v large g&t (maid be me) & watching terminator 2 on the telly with her ipad on her lap looking up places to go for our holiday (& googling symptoms of to many antibiotics as my 16 year old is getting signs of ibs).
so now is a good time to say hello.. well hello.
my name is phats & i'm an ex jehovah's witness.. there, i've said it.. this must be like it is going to your first aa meeting.. i've already used up some of my posts for a newbe but i'm not in to the whole long story thing.. basically i've been out now for 8 years (mentally out for all but four or five of those years of my life when i made the commitment, got baptized & married.).
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phats
Yes, Neverendingjourney.
As with many cults you have to have been in it to be able to appreciate what people are going through & you are correct, this religion has caused so many to have bad effects through parts of there lives but it is so important to "Stop the rot" as much as you can. Don't allow it to be any more of a negative influence than you can manage at any given time. Keep up the good work Sir & well done, you have gone further than many can go & we all hopefully have a few more yards left in us yet.
Well Jgnat.
I'm cool with that if you are.
Yes Quandrey,
I have seen & been involved with so many casualties over the years in & out. The "LO" (Loving Organization) Has so little capacity for real (humane) affection or compassion for there flock it's scary. It was the founding reason for me leaving. There was no provision for them to yield or bend to help the brothers unless money was involved. It's all bent out of shape. I wanted to join this forum mainly because I have always used the uplifting support network this forum provides because it's participants supply there advise with no alternative gain to be made. + it's not compulsory to follow said advise at pain of death. As with all large groups of people there are good & not so good & I found many of the brothers to be & I believe still to be very good & compassionate people, really lovely people but when you come up against the great machine that is the LO you have a hard jolt of "submit or die" policy. When I was in I used to give it the old "there only imperfect men" thing & all that but when I ever butted heads with the hard noses I wondered how would Jesus react to there ways if he was here. That's why after so many years cutting the LO all this slack I made the cognitive decision to bail on the whole thing. I reckoned that if Jesus was looking after things he even was doing a pretty bad job or he simple wasn't with this organization. Ether way I am out of here. BTW. Yes It is great to be able to finally think for yourself.
Phats
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55
The Venting Thread
by minimus inthis thread is for you to vent about anything (within guidelines) that you want.. i'll start.. i'm sick of people who complain about how cold the weather is and then you have two 85 degree days and now they can't wait till autumn!.
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phats
Hay RuberDub (Three men in a tub.)
I'm rather slow. Please explain.
Phats.
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55
The Venting Thread
by minimus inthis thread is for you to vent about anything (within guidelines) that you want.. i'll start.. i'm sick of people who complain about how cold the weather is and then you have two 85 degree days and now they can't wait till autumn!.
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phats
Hay, bigmac,
In to every sunny day, some rain must fall.
Phats.
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38
"Hello from Phats"
by phats inhay out there.. wife got back from her thursday meeting & now she's setteled down with the dog, a v large g&t (maid be me) & watching terminator 2 on the telly with her ipad on her lap looking up places to go for our holiday (& googling symptoms of to many antibiotics as my 16 year old is getting signs of ibs).
so now is a good time to say hello.. well hello.
my name is phats & i'm an ex jehovah's witness.. there, i've said it.. this must be like it is going to your first aa meeting.. i've already used up some of my posts for a newbe but i'm not in to the whole long story thing.. basically i've been out now for 8 years (mentally out for all but four or five of those years of my life when i made the commitment, got baptized & married.).
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phats
Just got back from work & my wife has taken the dog for his walk so a good time to chime in,
Thank you everyone for your welcome.
Hi Iown Mylife (great name BTW)
Doctor says it's constipation & prescribed the necessary meds & my wife has gone out & bought her some dried apricots so we're in for a fun evening in our lounge tonight.
FlyingHighNow. Yes married 27 years now & I must say she is my world & has saved me from myself more times than I (or she) care to remember.
Thank you rebel8.
Hi Gypsy Sam. When I was "in" & supposedly doing "family skiving...( I mean study) rather than talking about the great LO ("loving organization") we would talk about how we should always weigh things up as to how they sound to us rather that just tacking things from people who are in authority on on a stage of any type "just because they are in authority" & to check everything out for ourselves & this is why we have a brain & how important it is to use it & stuff like that. It's worked with one & I hope it works with the next one. When I talked about this I always made sure that this was about all things, even things that I would say. Her life is for her to choose & learn from her own mistakes & victories. She knows I'll allways be there for her come what may & I pray to all the gods that she will do the same for me.
Hi Flipper.
I've been a lurker for around 6 years & I must say that your posts have been some of my faves. I always looked yours up as they are always good & balanced. Thank you for your efforts. I don't know if any of you really know just how much you have all helped me over the years & I'm sure this must be mirrored in other peoples lives. Keep up the good work people.
Hi Happy@last.
Yes I feel as free as a bird. Shit still happens as it dose but I am free & have been for around 8 years now & I'm just stating to get the hang of things. I spent 42 years feeling guilty that I may be pissing of the big guy when I was only pissing of the little shits in my cong. When I put 2 & 2 together & realized that who ever or what ever made all this stuff in the Universe, that that entity could never be that tiny minded or petty or even bothered as to worry about all the stupid things I was feeling guilty about. Now I'm happy to say to myself "You know what" no one has the answers, not me & most certainly not these guys in my old cong. The basic fact that there are so many different ideas on the same subject should tell us this. Anyway... I digress.
Hi Billy,
Your posts are so funny sometimes. Sorry you've not been well. I spent "Time" (as in jail) (only during my summer holls) at the Mill Hill bethel helping to construct there showoff buildings back in the early 90s. What a joy that was (not)
Hi Koncepual99.
I was so long in & done so much I'm totally sure we would know one another. The thing is I'm out & so many people (Good & not so good.) around me are still in & I just don't want to go through any more shit so I'm keeping it on the low down. No disrespect but I'm not going to be second guessing anyone I feel I may know & I would ask the same. I've just managed to get my own email address (all my other stuff is linked to my company) so I get be on this forum to share with all you good people. I love my family & have put them through enough so I'm keeping it quiet for now & keeping it happy.
I feel I know so many of you & being able to talk to you all is just so good. It's like I've been looking in for so long but now Hay, I'm in. Back of the net. (hate football though.)
Phats.
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38
"Hello from Phats"
by phats inhay out there.. wife got back from her thursday meeting & now she's setteled down with the dog, a v large g&t (maid be me) & watching terminator 2 on the telly with her ipad on her lap looking up places to go for our holiday (& googling symptoms of to many antibiotics as my 16 year old is getting signs of ibs).
so now is a good time to say hello.. well hello.
my name is phats & i'm an ex jehovah's witness.. there, i've said it.. this must be like it is going to your first aa meeting.. i've already used up some of my posts for a newbe but i'm not in to the whole long story thing.. basically i've been out now for 8 years (mentally out for all but four or five of those years of my life when i made the commitment, got baptized & married.).
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phats
Hi neverendingjourney
Yes I'm an ex Witness & here I've fund somewhere that I can understand others like me. We all have our story. I used to be terrified of hearing the JW subject come up in secular situations. It would freeze me to the very core of my being, even to the point of obtaining a stammer when I was in primary school. I got over it & I'm cool with it. It got me to see that even things that seem impossible to over come can be fought & beaten because I beat it fair & square. That helped me later on in life. (I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy though)
Hi DHOH,
One day Sir, One day. Be patient. if you have loved ones you want to spend good friendly time with then box clever. It may not be fair bowing to there brainwashing (I mean inculcation) so I call it freedom warfare (What's good for them can work for me.) I thank you!
Yes FlyingHighNow,
My Wife is the love of my life. We got married young (as you do you know) But she has supported my fade as I support here stay. I respect her so much. She truly loves Jehovah in her way & she truly believes so, I must support her in her faith even if a hate the organization with a passion. We focus on what we can share together & bend & compromise on what we can't. (she's to good to loose you know.)
Very funny OpenMind.
Hi Skeeter1,
Done all 3 Disneys, Yes I live in the south east of the UK out in the country. My work takes me to LA so I do get to see some of the USA.
I'm off to bed now (Busy day tomorrow) but will return here & check in when I get back from work, now that I have the great power of the fourm.
Phats.
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38
"Hello from Phats"
by phats inhay out there.. wife got back from her thursday meeting & now she's setteled down with the dog, a v large g&t (maid be me) & watching terminator 2 on the telly with her ipad on her lap looking up places to go for our holiday (& googling symptoms of to many antibiotics as my 16 year old is getting signs of ibs).
so now is a good time to say hello.. well hello.
my name is phats & i'm an ex jehovah's witness.. there, i've said it.. this must be like it is going to your first aa meeting.. i've already used up some of my posts for a newbe but i'm not in to the whole long story thing.. basically i've been out now for 8 years (mentally out for all but four or five of those years of my life when i made the commitment, got baptized & married.).
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phats
Hay out there.
Wife got back from her Thursday meeting & now she's setteled down with the dog, a V large G&T (maid be me) & watching Terminator 2 on the telly with her Ipad on her lap looking up places to go for our holiday (& Googling symptoms of to many antibiotics as my 16 year old is getting signs of IBS)
So now is a good time to say Hello.
Well hello. My name is Phats & I'm an ex Jehovah's Witness.
There, I've said it.
This must be like it is going to your first AA meeting.
I've already used up some of my posts for a newbe but I'm not in to the whole long story thing.
Basically I've been out now for 8 years (mentally out for all but four or five of those years of my life when I made the commitment, got baptized & married.)
I was a bourn in to a "divided home" (who made the division? I don't know) Anyway. My mum was & still is very in & my Dad (always out died in 2010 at 89 years.)
I'm not DFed or anything. I managed a quick (about 12 weeks) fade & have loads of family still very in & some fully out.
The whole JW thing has been a total & all encroaching part of my life from day one. Still is in many ways to this day.
Wife still in. 12 year old daughter still in (mainly for Mum I believe but we will see) & a 16 year old daughter totally out.
I'm sure I'll fill in the gaps over time but I am very pleased to be here & hope to talk to many of you along the way.
Phats.
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55
The Venting Thread
by minimus inthis thread is for you to vent about anything (within guidelines) that you want.. i'll start.. i'm sick of people who complain about how cold the weather is and then you have two 85 degree days and now they can't wait till autumn!.
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phats
You know what? I have never seen that there before, I swear! HAH. I SWEAR!
Maybe it's because I'm such a newbe.
Anyway I'm jumping ship & setting up my first ever thread.
See you on the other side.
I'll call it "Hello from Phats"
Please be patient though, My wife has just come home from her Thursday night meeting so I need to spend some time with her & my 12 year old daughter.
I must say I am slow though. I'm doing this of my own back as I've never done anything like this before.
I own my own company & fortunately (or not for my now lousy performance in this field) I have as they say "a man" to do all this stuff for me.
It's only a small business but I'm lazy so I hand it all over to him.
Good thing is, he loves computers & is quite happy getting a brake for his normal work.
Anyway. See on the other side & hold on to your hats (or was that Phats)
Phats.