:( Bittersweet story. I wish the best for both of you.
Balaamsass2
JoinedPosts by Balaamsass2
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36
119 Hours....
by onacruse in...until i meet the most incredible, wonderful, fascinating lady i've ever encountered in my life!
bikerchic, you have captured my heart and make me happier than i've ever been, ever, ever, ever!
craig (of the totally twitterpated, gushing-and-blushing-all-over-the-place dufus-in-love class).
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JWs in the news: UK Telegraph:"‘Jehovah’s Witnesses told me I would die at 15 – so I didn’t save for a pension’"
by Balaamsass2 in‘jehovah’s witnesses told me i would die at 15 – so i didn’t save for a pension’.
fame & fortune: award-winning author on religion, divorce and her dream car.
70. gift this article free.
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Balaamsass2
12/13/25 "
‘Jehovah’s Witnesses told me I would die at 15 – so I didn’t save for a pension’
Fame & Fortune: award-winning author on religion, divorce and her dream car
Kit de Waal once believed that money was the root of all evil and would be dispensed in God’s new paradise Credit: Sarah LeeNicola Venning13 April 2025 10:00am BSTKit de Waal is an award-winning author who left school at 16. Her debut novel, My Name is Leon, was published when she was 56, and became a bestseller.
It was turned into a TV movie for the BBC and is now on the GCSE English Literature syllabus. With her first advance, Kit set up a scholarship for writers from disadvantaged backgrounds.
She has two adopted children and lives in Leamington Spa with her adult son.
How did your childhood affect your attitude to money?
My father was an African-Caribbean bus driver from St Kitts. He saved up all the money he had to go home to the West Indies. My Irish mother worked very, very menial jobs to make ends meet.
Both of them gave the message that money was tight, hard to come by and not to be spent.
What was your first proper job?
I left home at 16 because my mother was a Jehovah’s Witness – I didn’t want to be involved in that any more. I worked as a secretary for Hoskins, a company that made hospital bedsteads and exported them to the Middle East.
I filled out bills and export forms for £20.00 per week – it was crushingly boring.
What impact did growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness have?
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in an imminent Armageddon. When I was a child, the appointed year was 1975, when I would be 15.
Money – believed to be the root of all evil – would be dispensed in God’s new paradise. He would provide food and housing and meaningful, mostly manual, employment.
Although I stopped being a Jehovah’s Witness when I was 16, a year after the appointed date, somewhere in the back of my mind I thought Armageddon might happen. I never really subscribed to the notion of a career, or even getting older.
I’d never need a pension or critical illness cover. The rational side of my mind told me to get with the programme, but the indoctrination bit deep. I always suspected that there would be some kind of divine rescue from old age and poverty.
I’ve had to force myself to take ageing seriously, to get a pension and provide for the inevitable. It hasn’t been easy."...... https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/pensions/not-save-pension-world-was-ending/?ICID=continue_without_subscribing_reg_first
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Can someone remind me the reason's you could be disfellowshipped?
by SydBarrett inthe only reasons i can remember are smoking, sexual immorality and of course, apostasy.
there must be others but having been out since 1990, i'm drawing a blank.
i was thinking perhaps serious criminal offenses that result in prison, but then i remembered a brother in my congregation in the 1980's who went to prison.
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Balaamsass2
Let's not forget disfellowshipping in absentia for insubordination.
Elders who refuse Watchtower orders on principle or conscience.
Refusing to perjure oneself in court and lie to authorities when the Watchtower stands to lose money. Some famous cases involving child abuse. JW elders were disfellowshipped without trial from NY in secret meetings for refusing to lie. Bently comes to mind.
Elders refusing to turn over Kingdom Halls or Congregation bank accounts to Watchtower. Menlo Park.
Let's not forget "suing your brother in court," ie, taking Watchtower to court to force borrowed money to be returned.
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WASHINGTON ST PASSES BILL MANDATING CLERGY REPORTING CHILD ABUSE
by blondie inhttps://www.thereflector.com/stories/washington-legislature-passes-bill-to-make-clergy-mandatory-reporters-of-child-abuse,378913 .
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Balaamsass2
The list of "mandated" reporters changes from state to state, and the definition of "confessionals" does as well.
Why Watchtower needs a law to FORCE them to do the right thing is what has always baffled me. Do you need a law to force you to call 911 if the neighbor is being beaten, robbed or raped? If their home is on fire? It simply shows the moral bankruptcy of Watchtower.
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Balaamsass2
A great reminder. Thanks Blonde for the JWfacts link! JWfacts is a fantastic resource that gets to the point.
I was 11 when the red "Life Everlasting book came out. I can clearly remember the Armageddon fever of that time. The Tuesday book study of that book was at my childhood home.
Looking back in my old age, I want to kick myself for being gullible. But this cult Armageddon BS indoctrinated me as a kid 24/7, so I have to cut myself some slack.
A sister in my hall at that time had a tape of "Stay Alive Till 75", she played it for everyone all the time...she died last year of ...old age.
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Chosen
by Gman2001 inhow exactly did jehovah come down to earth in 1919....look around at all the religions....and choose the bible students?
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Balaamsass2
Yes the lord looked ALL OVER THE EARTH had settled on a few guys in Brooklyn and Philly with marital issues, drinking issues, cute young female traveling companions, who where students of Masonic Rites, Egyptology, and Spiritism. Who believed god would help minorities by making them "white" in the future. And especially one who looked like WC Fields!. lol
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Why worship a God that does not help!
by Witness 007 inso god let 10 million people die in world war 2 but was too busy to help....what kind of diety does this!
if i was god i would have done something .
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Why worship a God that does not help!
by Witness 007 inso god let 10 million people die in world war 2 but was too busy to help....what kind of diety does this!
if i was god i would have done something .
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Why worship a God that does not help!
by Witness 007 inso god let 10 million people die in world war 2 but was too busy to help....what kind of diety does this!
if i was god i would have done something .
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Balaamsass2
WHY? Because RELIGION/belief in a God is BIG business! Like music, if you can come up with some catchy concepts and lines with a nice sound you (or your chosen guru/pastor) can make a great living!
"In (just) the United States, religion contributes approximately $1.2 trillion annually to the economy, making it equivalent to the 15th largest national economy in the world. This figure encompasses contributions from religious institutions, faith-based charities, and businesses inspired by faith.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:- Religious Congregations:Religious congregations, like churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples, contribute approximately $418 billion annually.
Religious Institutions:Institutions like universities, charities, and healthcare facilities affiliated with religious organizations add another $303 billion to the economy.Faith-Based Businesses:Businesses inspired by faith, ranging from Halal and Kosher food industries to religious media, contribute an estimated $437 billion. " -
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Memorial attendance
by Balaamsass2 incurious.
what was your local memorial attendance like tonight?
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Balaamsass2
I got a call from a California Central Valley ex-JW who attended. The hall had 30% empty seats, whereas 10 years ago, it was standing-room only.
