franklin J

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Posts by franklin J

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  56

  Your reason for remaining anonymous on the boards?

  by starfish422 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just wondering why you choose not to use too many identifying facts about yourself on the boards?

  is it to protect yourself, or others?.

  for me, i have nothing to lose where the dubs are concerned, and initially my profile was pretty extensive.

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  franklin J

  Having been away for 20 years or more, I am not anonymous to anyone on this board. I stumbled onto this website quite by accident 4 days ago and thought it was a great supportive site for XJWs. I feel like I am among old "friends" ( no pun intended)

  It was very tactfully pointed out to me be VALIS, that not everyone here is free and clear of the "organization". And could stand to lose all if they are "outed". Others may just be monitering the site looking for someone they know. That had not occurred to me ( don't they have field service or something more theocratic to do?)

  I do feel very bad for anyone trying to break away( been there, done that), and wish I could help

  frank
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  39

  does anyone remember being a child as a JW and not having holiday?

  by franklin J in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am curious to know how many others shared the same experiences as me as a child, growing up as a jw.. surfing this board has brought back a flood of memories ( i am secure enough to deal with them) not all good.

  i have been away from jws for sometime, and remember being a child in school and having to explain why i do not salute the flag, why i have to leave the room when there is a birthday or christmas party, why i had to explain when i was seen going door to door ( i grew up to be a pioneer).

  being "different" is hard for a child.. now that i have 3 children of my own, who are fortunatelly not growing up as jw, to see how secure and well adjusted they are in school is comforting.

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  franklin J

  heathen: your response begs a reply:

  I do agree with you, there is nothing inherently wrong with NOT doing any of these things ( holidays, saluting the flag). Fortunatley for us America is still a free country if you choose to NOT do these things.

  the premise here is that you are taking a young impressionable child and forcing that child to be differnt from their peers;

  hence the criticism.

  Frank
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  162

  What Would A Jehovah's Witness Romance Novel Be Like?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was reading in the religion page of the newspaper today that the mormons are enjoying romance novels in which descriptions of the characters' sex lives are limited to little more the first kiss--- that could happen after they are engaged to be married........any ideas of what a jw romance novel might be like?

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  franklin J

  OH!...the demons.....! LOL (hysterical!)

  I just love it!!!!!

  frank
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  39

  does anyone remember being a child as a JW and not having holiday?

  by franklin J in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am curious to know how many others shared the same experiences as me as a child, growing up as a jw.. surfing this board has brought back a flood of memories ( i am secure enough to deal with them) not all good.

  i have been away from jws for sometime, and remember being a child in school and having to explain why i do not salute the flag, why i have to leave the room when there is a birthday or christmas party, why i had to explain when i was seen going door to door ( i grew up to be a pioneer).

  being "different" is hard for a child.. now that i have 3 children of my own, who are fortunatelly not growing up as jw, to see how secure and well adjusted they are in school is comforting.

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  franklin J

  I am curious to know how many others shared the same experiences as me as a child, growing up as a JW.

  Surfing this board has brought back a flood of memories ( I am secure enough to deal with them) not all good. I have been away from JWs for sometime, and remember being a child in school and having to explain why I do not salute the flag, why I have to leave the room when there is a birthday or christmas party, why I had to explain when I was seen going door to door ( I grew up to be a pioneer). Being "different" is hard for a child.

  Now that I have 3 children of my own, who are fortunatelly NOT growing up as JW, to see how secure and well adjusted they are in school is comforting. I recall the hard time I had as a child, which I directly hold the JW teachings responsible for. I ache for the small impressionable child I was, having to be taught that " all these bad kids will be gone at armagedon". You are different because you are " a servant of Jehovah" A terrible concept for a child to have to contemplate.

  Any similar experiences, and how are you dealing with them?

  Frank
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  162

  What Would A Jehovah's Witness Romance Novel Be Like?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was reading in the religion page of the newspaper today that the mormons are enjoying romance novels in which descriptions of the characters' sex lives are limited to little more the first kiss--- that could happen after they are engaged to be married........any ideas of what a jw romance novel might be like?

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  franklin J

  treshappy

  Can you publish this? I know some publishers in NYC who would be interested...all non JW!

  frank
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  11

  Move Over Sharon Osbourne!

  by HadEnuf in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as the proverbial "stage mom"...i would just like to announce to the general population here that my two boys & two of their friends had a song from their first cd played on a local (very popular) radio station the other night!

  since i consider you all my friends and support network...i decided to do a little bragging.

  they had a nice story written about them in our local paper last week, along with a picture of the four of them back stage at luther's blues in madison, wi.

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  franklin J

  congratulations! hadenuf !

  You must be proud of them! Good luck!

  ....and go make some new non-JW friends!

  Frank
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  162

  What Would A Jehovah's Witness Romance Novel Be Like?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was reading in the religion page of the newspaper today that the mormons are enjoying romance novels in which descriptions of the characters' sex lives are limited to little more the first kiss--- that could happen after they are engaged to be married........any ideas of what a jw romance novel might be like?

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  franklin J

  HILARIOUS!

  these are all great! Only within our little "clique" would anyone really appreciate this humour!

  Personally,. I like them all!

  I have a true one: my cousin converted to JW when he graduated dental school and was snatched up by Bethel to be their dentist ( this was 25 years ago) . He met a beautiful girl who was a borderliine JW, and she was engaged to a well known rock star, who was not a JW. The rock star evidently really loved this girl because he offered to convert to her religion to please her. She fell hard for the dentist though, because he was " already established in the Truth, a bethel man, a doctor" etc, etc. She dropped the rock star ( he was not in the Truth, you see " and was just converting for me to marry him") and married the newly baptized Bethelite dentist. Happily ever after?

  25 years later, the rock star is very famous ( having had many beautiful women, I am sure) , the dentist and his wife are still in the Truth ( he is an Elder) and the two of them look really miserable with each other.

  Frank
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  14

  ?Growing Old in the Spiritual Paradise?

  by Dogpatch in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  i am getting ready to write an article on ?growing old in the spiritual paradise?

  and would like your input if you can!

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  franklin J

  Hey dogpatch:

  You raise some stunning points----from those of us who were raised in the JWs, I left when I was 21, and still had time to change and make a go of it otherwise. I would like to think that you are never to old make the break, but, I could be wrong.

  I think of it as a sailing vessel---the same wind that can blow a ship across the ocean , can also dash it against the rocks. It is the "set of the sail" that makes all the difference.

  There are some people that may be happy, no stress, withing JWs, and for those, I wish them well.

  But for those of us who are not satisfied with the "dogma" and limited lifestyle, then leave ( assuming you are of age to do so). Religion---ANY RELIGION- should be a support system to nurture us and answer the unanswerable questions---when it starts to condemn us and vilify us it is UNHEALTHY for US. For survival we must GET OUT. I would like to think that this could be done at any age. Having a support system of friends ( Non JW) is the way I managed to do it. I understand, others may not have been so fortunate. This board is a valuble resource for them;for all of us,

  been there, done that

  Frank
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  23

  How crazy and daring were you?

  by Guest 77 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  viv's post, 'giggling in dark hallways' prompted me to ask this ?, 'what are some of the craziest and and daring actions you pulled off as a jw?'.

  guest 77

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  franklin J

  This is true: when I was a pioneer , I wore a double breasted suit to a sunday meeting. The suit jacket had military buttons on it ( a brass button with an eagle) and I was spoken to by an Elder ( my father was also an elder) that this was not acceptable, and I should think about changing the buttons. At the time I was living at home, and my mother, despite being a zealous, theocratic witness, realized that the charge of replacing the buttons would fall to her; went directly to overseer. She reasoned with him that these were just "buttons" and an eagle was one of Jehovahs creation. Needless to say, her feminine logic and common sense won out.

  In hingsight, this is just hilarious! you really cannot make this stuff up!

  Frank
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  13

  A big issue for ex-witnesses?

  by JeffT in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  after watching so many of the flame wars/battles going on on this board, ive reached a conclusion about what may be the biggest issue that faces ex-witnesses: learning how to deal with conflict is a new experience.

  in the world of the borg, there is no conflict.

  you conform to the group, or you are not part of the group.

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  franklin J

  All very good points, Jeff T.

  And may I add the JWs are not the only religious fanatics out there. When it comes to religious fanatics: they are all unreasonable. And if you were raised in the religion, as I was, you really do have to learn to present yourself and your arguments in a very different way, because you have to accept that you just might be wrong. As a JW, I was taught that I was never wrong ( in my religious pursuit, anyway) Learning to keep an open mind was harder than it seemed.

  Frank