Posts by AlwaysBusy

21

Christmas as a JW child

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

i am sitting here, so utterly bored and waiting for this day to be over.

so i'm starting a new topic that probably has been done a thousand times but hey, i'm fairly new here.

humor me :).

I hate the holidays, all of them. I can't wait until they are over. As kids, we didn't have presents because my mom and dad were too poor. Buying food for us was the best they could do, and sometimes that didn't happen. My mom got baptized when I was 2 so I grew up without holidays. I didn't mind, because of the poverty thing, there wouldn't have been gifts anyway. I loved the bible, and going to the hall when I was a kid, so I was happy to not have the holidays. But going to school around the holidays was torture. In elementary school, whenever there was a class party, my teacher held on to the back of my chair, which was attached to my desk, and swung it around, with me in it, as hard as she could, and shoved me into the hallway. There I sat for the rest of the day. On occasion, during a class party, I would be sent to the principal's office and have to sit out the rest of the day there. I was a very shy kid, and this was excruciating for me, but I never whined, whimpered or said a word, just did what I was told. Kids would pass by me sitting in the hallway and laugh, point and whisper. When I grew up and got baptized, I kept my kids home from school during the holiday parties. To this day (I'm 66), I don't celebrate any holiday, and I'm glad, I hate them. I don't know of anyone who has a good time during the holidays. Take away the booze and most people wouldn't even bother.

AB

17

Pioneer Elder Still in Jail (follow up report)

by James Jack in

confirmed by a family friend and elder who lives in the area!

he was a pioneer elder in a port st lucie (river view congregation) fl, convention and assembly speaker, a"shining star" of the circuit and had served at bethel for several years.

was sexually abusing his step daughter from age 8 to 12. his wife has divorced him and moved back to tennessee.

AlwaysBusy

I feel so sorry for children who are molested/raped by these monsters parading around as 'spiritual men'. From very early on, children (and adults) are taught to obey, trust and love the elders (and the brothers in general), who are shepherding the flock and have the congregation's best interests at heart. Men who are 'appointed' by God. No wonder some parents don't believe the kids and kids don't know what to do when it happens. These monsters are evil, conniving, predators who know exactly what they are doing and are such con artists that they charm their way into people's hearts and homes, taking advantage of the innocents along the way. I love John Walsh...he calls the creeps what they are, "perverted bast**ds", and hunts them down like rattlesnakes at a round-up. If the brothers had that same attitude, the pedophiles would run.

38

I'm so confused, help?

by Ponyo in

i want to share my story.

(might be a tad long).

i have no idea where i stand anymore regarding being a jw and where i stand in my marriage.. im 28 years old and the years are certainly ticking by.

AlwaysBusy

After my divorce, I went back to a man that I had truly loved. We had been engaged and I was sure that returning to his loving arms would be 'paradise'. It wasn't. There was so much resentment on his part, because I had had a daughter with my ex-husband. I'm not going to go more into the story, I just want you to know that a lot of water has gone under the bridge for you both, just like me and my first love, and I promise, your relationship won't be the same. Don't leave a good thing for a memory of something that can't be revived.

57

Funniest or strangest thing to happen to you when knocking on a door

by usualusername1 in

jw
friends

what is the funniest or strangest thing to happen to you or your partner when knocking on doors?.

mine was seeing a greenhouse with mannequins inside.

scary...paul.

AlwaysBusy

I was out in FS with my 10 yr old son. We knocked on the door of the first house and a huge person answered the door. I could not tell if it was a man or woman. He/she was about 6'6" and was wearing a Hawaiian-type Mumu. I started my presentation with the WT and he/she stopped me immediately. "Don't you know who I am?" "No, I don't", said I. "I'm Jesus. Now why would I want a magazine about me? I don't need to read about me, I already know everything about me. Now if you want to give away these magazines go to that house and that one and that one. The demons live in those houses, they need to read these magazines." He/she waved its arms frantically and shooed us away." My son and I just looked at each other and walked away. No one else answered their doors. Frankly, I was relieved.

180

What is the most bizarre counsel you received as a JW, from a JW?

by Funchback in

there were many addressed to me.

for example, i once had a sister tell me i was gambling because i liked playing skill crane (the machine where you have to try to pick up prizes like stuffed animals) at the arcade.

i then fired back a her: "you saw the r-rated movie 'backdraft.

AlwaysBusy

Our congregation bought a piece of property in the country, about a 20-30 minute drive from where I lived. . After the Hall was built it was quite stressful for me as I hate driving in the dark, I just don't see well at night. All that is elevated by driving on an old country road with no streetlights, and at the time I had 3 small children and an old car. I drove the speed limit, which was 45mph and everyone passed me.When I arrived at the Hall the elders counseled me on driving too slow as I would be blood-guilty for all of the accidents I would cause. After that I started pulling into a gas station about half way there and let every go ahead of me. I'd always come in a few minutes late and leave a few minutes early to beat the crowds. That hall was sold a couple of years later.

After I was df'd, I met my now husband and we began talking about the bible. He loved what he was learning and wanted to study the bible with a brother. After we were married, we had a meeting with the elders, and my husband was accused of being guilty by association with me. Guilty of what we were never told, we met after I was df'd. There was a group of apostates in TN that the elders told us we belonged to. We had no clue what they were talking about. My husband wanted a study and I wanted to get reinstated, neither thing happened.

There are many things that happened during my decades at the hall, but honestly, I don't blame most of them, I feel that most of the brothers aren't qualified to be elders, as they can't handle the responsibility. I have stopped feeling hurt, now I just feel sorry.

33

A sucker is born every minute

by Sour Grapes in

i was an elder in the 1970's and i was not a big fan of the "stay alive until 75" dogma.

i was looked down upon by the heavy hitters on the body of elders and in time i changed my mind.

i knew of the failed prophecy of 1914 being the end of all times which was repeated for the year 1925...yet i came to believe well maybe this time they've got it right.. with every new watchtower, i combed over every word to find support for my change in my belief that the end was coming in fall of 1975. at the district assembly in 1975, everyone clung onto every word in the final talk.

AlwaysBusy

I was 24 in 1975 and my first child was 2 yrs old. We young mothers in the KH were giddy knowing that our children wouldn't have to go to school in this old system. The higher ups told us 1975 was the date, so we believed them. Now, we young mothers are old grandmothers, some of whose grandchildren are having children. Oh, well. I'm just glad to be alive.

18

The bitter reality of death

by Bonsai in

been a lot of death in my life recently.

a close family member died yesterday.

a close friend died 8 weeks ago - both from cancer.

AlwaysBusy

I am sorry for your losses and I understand how you feel. One of my sisters died in October 2015, my aunt in March and another sister (who was my best friend) died on Sunday. There were 8 of us kids, now 3 are left, and all of my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles are dead. It's weird, shocking, sad, lonely and numbing. You are right, though, life is precious, and way too short.

Take Care

AB

51

" you will never grow old..."

by mrquik in

jw
friends

" you will never grow old..." a more grievous lie is hard to imagine.

i heard this one first in 1957. i was 6. my mother had just converted.

i heard it many times after that.

AlwaysBusy

WOW! I was 2 in 1953 when my mom got baptized. I will be 65 in September. I can't believe it. I threw away scholarships, and have struggled much of my life. All the old people I knew have passed away, expecting to walk into the New World. My mother thought she would never die. I didn't think she would die. My children were going to grow up in the Paradise. Now they are getting old. It's amazing, but I don't blame God or the Bible. In fact, I still love the bible. But what will happen and when, and how, who knows? I'm just grateful to still be alive and well.

69

All 2016 Convention videos in English and all Talk outlines for download

by Watchtower-Free in

all convention videos in english and all talk outlines for download.

http://avoidjw.org/2016-regional-convention/

AlwaysBusy

Wow!!!! Thank you so much!

91

My brother died last night

by LisaRose in

jw
friends

i found out this morning that my brother died last night, he was also an ex jw, 73 years old and died of heart disease and kidney failure.

it was not totally unexpected, as he had been in poor health, but it's a blow, especially as i just lost another brother two years ago.

there were six of us, now only four.

AlwaysBusy

I am so sorry for your loss, it is painful losing family. I lost my sister to cancer a few months ago. There were 8 of us...4 are left. It's scary and sad.

Take Care

AB