franklin J

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Posts by franklin J

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  23

  How have some experienced the love?

  by setfree in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i remember one time at an assembly these two "brothers" were actually arguing over thier seats.

  i thought they were going to go to blows.

  isn't it funny how during the regular meeting nobody wants to set in the front rows, but boy at an assembly everyone wants to have that "showy means of display" by being in the front rows to be seen by all?

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  franklin J

  Sword of Jah ( interesting metaphor! one could almost consider it blasphemy!)

  Your comment begs a response......

  As a former ministerial servant and fulltime pioneer ( not to mention the book servant and son of an elder) I consider it my obligation at this juncture of my life to be critical of the Watchtower bible and tract society; its teachings and its followers.

  I like to call " the shots as I see them" so lets call a spade " a spade".

  I do not feel guilty about my devotion to the religion I was raised with and my unselvish sacrifices to deliver " the good news". What was discovered as a reward to me and other innocent devotees like me were lies; deceit; counterfeiting and additional lies from the Watchtower; which I might add continues to this day.

  The Watchtower proved itself to be no different than any other organization; religious or otherwise. It has earned its place as a middle tier fundamentalist religion which continues to foster ignorance among its followers. While the devotees are no doubt sincere in their efforts; they are no different than the victims of Jim Jones Guienna suicide decades ago.

  Criticism? Yes; I have EARNED the right to be critical.
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  23

  How have some experienced the love?

  by setfree in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i remember one time at an assembly these two "brothers" were actually arguing over thier seats.

  i thought they were going to go to blows.

  isn't it funny how during the regular meeting nobody wants to set in the front rows, but boy at an assembly everyone wants to have that "showy means of display" by being in the front rows to be seen by all?

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  franklin J

  ...yes, there were some great "suck ups".

  There are "suck up" wordly types that I know also. The difference is, the JW suckups are not smart enough to know that the person they are "sucking up" to ; is probably a bigger jerk than they are.
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  25

  Kingdom Hall for sale on Ebay

  by nicolaou in

  1. social
  2. current

  .

  of course, they say it's because they've outgrown the hall but that isn't what this years report indicates is it?

  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayisapi.dll?viewitem&category=15825&item=4344657631&rd=1

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  franklin J

  Let the chant begin.....

  BURN IT !

  BURN IT !

  BURN IT !
• 
  48

  If you love me, wish me a HAPPY BIRTHDAY

  by LDH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have a picture but i don't know how to post it?!?!?.

  my hubby and daughter bought me great gifts, and the three year old helped me blow out the candles and open the packages.. i am eating dicicco's pizza, my b'day dinner of choice!.

  lisa

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  franklin J

  Happy birthday, you cute 21 year old ( pinches cheek---refuses to clarify which cheek)
• 
  29

  death of a friends child; funeral obligation

  by franklin J in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a friend of mine just lost his young 4 year son in a sleigh accident.

  the child ( the same age as my young caroline) sledded down the front hill of his property into the path of an on coming school bus.

  terrible tragedy.. my wife and i ; who have known them for some time; must attend the service this eveing.

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  franklin J

  A friend of mine just lost his young 4 year son in a sleigh accident. The child ( the same age as my young Caroline) sledded down the front hill of his property into the path of an on coming school bus. Terrible tragedy.

  My wife and I ; who have known them for some time; must attend the service this eveing. There is nothing we could ever do or say to bring any kind of relief to these poor souls. We are sending food and liquor ( they have 2 other small children); but other than that and our precsence at the service; there is nothing .

  At least when an elderly person passes on; you can justify that this is the natural order; and they had a good life to celebrate. But the loss of a child is horrific;no rhyme or reason.

  My poor friends; we can only hug them and grieve with them.
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  19

  Fortress Kingdom Halls

  by Gill in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a new kingdom hall has just been built very close to where we live.

  it is taking on the appearance of fort knox now, much like some other khs near us.

  the high fences with nasty sharp bits are just going up and there are floodlights on at night.

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  franklin J

  when I was 8 years old; I remember working alongside my father ( later an elder) to build the Huntington Congregation; in Huntington, Long Island NY, USA. This was circa 1964.

  It was an elegant building in an upscale residential neighborhood. It was designed and built to fit into the surrounding community. The original building did just that.

  It had big windows for lots of light, a big full size bow window and aluminum and glass entry flooded the space with light. The main hall had peck cypress panelling; a separate library with built in seating ( also lots of big windows); the platform was backed by full size draperies which could be drawn back to reveal a chalk board and display boards or a pull down movie screen. There was an upright piano for singing accompanyment. The platform was carpeted and the other floors were a shiny linoleum. The chairs were simple but comfortable folding chairs. It had a high tray ceiling This was a pleasing public space and easily cleaned.

  By the time I left in the late 1970s; The all windows and the glass entryway had been bricked in; creating a dark depressing space. The floor was covered with orange shag carpeting throughout; the folding chairs replaced with black plastic premolded stacking chairs ( Halloween, anyone?).

  The ceiling had been lowered with a cheap drop in tile and grid system, with cheap florescent lighting ; giving the appearence that you were in someones basement. There was a general feeling of "claustropphbia". Or, maybe it was me ;reacting on a premonition; just wanting OUT.

  The draperies behind the platform were removed and replaced with a giant wall mural of some B rate artists perception of what the "new world" was to look like. I vividly remember the colors were pink, beige and green; they did not match the orange.

  The piano was traded in for a sound system and records. The traditional peck cypress paneling was painted over.

  It had become an undesireable; unwelcoming space. True to form, its appearence represented to me what was "within". How appropriate.
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  40

  Diets, exercise and misery

  by Mulan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  well, it's getting near to the time that i determined to begin a weight loss program again.

  (after the holidays).

  i am really sick of diets, and hate the idea of it all, but i have to do something.

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  franklin J

  Mulan,

  Diet can be a compicated issue. Food is such a pleasure in life that trying to deny oneself at times just seems pointless.

  But from experience; I can tell you that regular, consistant excersise can be invaluble to physical well being.

  If you are not already--get yourself on a daily routine of aerobics and cardiovascular excersising. You will be amazed at how you feel and look.

  It sure beats going door to door.....
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  31

  Will You Ever Be Able To Let Go???

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  will there ever be a time when you feel that you have let go of your jw past??

  ?

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  franklin J

  Yes, Min; it does happen.

  The fog does lift and you move on.

  New experiences and new friends help; time does heal the wounds.
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  48

  Were You A Pain In The Ass To The Elders??

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  some people are pretty easy going.

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  franklin J

  Damn.

  I hate to admit this; but I was a goody two shoes. Yes, there I was; setting the example for all the young people by pioneering and encouraging others to do the same. The Watchetowers poster child for the ideal young person.

  Healthy thing to accept and not forget ones roots.....

  Of course, when I decided to chuck it all and go to college; I still encouraged all the other young people to do the same. Some listened. The Elders did not like that much and threw stones at me. They missed.
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  8

  The History Channel on Predicting Armageddon

  by Swan in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  fyi: the history channel will be showing the following shows about armageddon predictions next week:.

  wednesday, december 29, 2004.

  9-10 pm.

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  franklin J

  I read the Bible Code book; the premise being that the ancient Hebrew texts were some kind of "coda" or "matrix" of prophecies from the ancients. This was the excuse the author gave as to why the Hebrew scribes had to be so EXACT in their transcriptions --supposedly under the punishment of execution if they transcribed incorrectly.

  However; as you read the book, the author claims to have all the Hebrew inscriptions programed into a computer program which you CAN BUY for $89.99.

  What was very surprising and to me the punch line ( being a cynical 3rd generation New Yorker) is that you can also purchase ( for the same price) the Bible Code program for the English language!

  Now I might buy this premise based on the ancient Hebrew language spelling out anograms ( word scrambles; like the New York Times); but translating this into English and expecting the same anograms to translate the same meaning is a bit much.

  I find the New York Times anograms far more interesting.....and that only costs me .75