i wonder if a person could get away with suing the watchtower for stressful thinking and loss of life.
because if you think about it, it's illegal to tell people what to do (slavery), but they claim that everyone has the right mind and that they aren't telling anyone what to do.
i wonder if you could get it suggested by the courts that wts tries to control through written language in the watchtower magazine or somethin, iono.
We have several interesting precedents.
After what happend with Jim Jones and the mass suicides at French Guianna back in the early 1970s; and the situation with David Kouresh in Waco Texas, I think the USA monitors religious zealot cults. However, WT is smart enough to stay " one step" within the letter of the law. And IT NEVER admits to wanting to "control" anyone.
hell.
where the ruddy hec do you start?
ok, if i were to visit the states, where should i visit if i love culture and stunning scenery?.
Hi Celt,
You will love the USA.
Start with New York City. Overwhelming buildings. Despite the rumors about " gutsy" New Yorkers ( of which I am a 3rd generation New Yorker) the people in this city are really great, and love visitors. And New York is a great cultural center ( Lincoln Center for the performing arts, Metropolitan and Natural History Museums, and many others) Travel out to Long Island. World Class ocean beaches. Vist the Adirondack mountain chain. Stunning natural beauty.
before you leave the north east region, visit the city of Boston; Philedelphia;
Visit the midwestern city of Chicago---a "vertical" city like NY, but different.
Go south to the city of New Orleans---great European flavor--but in a class all its own.
Visit DISNEYWORLD in Florida --it really caters to every fantasy and is worth visiting.
Travel out west and visit the Grand Canyon; it is a staggering sight.
See Colorado and Montana. Beautiful spectacular, open spaces. " Big Sky"
See California. From North ( San Fransisco) to South ( San Diego) it is a visually beautiful state. And well worh visiting.
Only problem is that these places are far flung and travel can be expensive here. But it is one great country to travel.
My advice is "do it"
why is it i always end up working for companies that don't give a crap about their employees well-being?
i've been here since march as a temp; got a full-time offer in december and almost immediately the workload has increased and there is no new hires are on the horizon.
the political games in some of these departments is mind-blowing.
Andi
I hear you; hang in there.
I feel that way too. Fact is--its out there and we have to deal.
Go home and give your husband a hug. I am sure he feels the same way.
understand completely, Frank
Oh yes.....
Huntington, New York Congregation, circa 1970:
1) Sister Iola G*rn*r; an old biddy whose husband was not in the "truth". She never had any children. She always wore those pill box hats ( like jackie kennedy) and was one of those "ferverent" witnesses. She looked like she should be home baking cookies for the grandchildren she never had. Instead she would go out in the field service and tell us all what to do in a most determined manner. When we would go door to door in pairs she would glare at us and say " which of you needs a crutch? Jehovah wants you to go to the door singley so that you can cover more territory!". As the only male pioneer ( and the "brother" with the "headship"--chuckle chuckle) I would speak up and say I thought we should go in pairs. And I always did. She would glare at me expecting me to melt. ( instead I faded!)
2) Sister Rosemary N**l; a matching bookend to Sister G*rn*r. It was rumored that she lost her only son in the Korean war, and still believed he was alive somewhere and hiding from her ( the parent in me reacts to that and I do sypathize with her, now) She would be out in the field service with a pasion, and tell all the young mothers " Not to carry their baby boys straddling their hips---it excites their private parts" She made a few issues over this with enough mothers .
These "Ladies" are what we considered the "old guard". They had been JWs since the depression years, and although they did not consider themselves of the "annointed"; they were treated like royalty--not due to their age--but due to their "passion" for the "Truth".
In retrospect, I think they were just bitter, lonely old women who seriously lacked any other direction to focus their energies. Their husbands, always non JW, were useless to them; and comments and the interaction these "Ladies" had with others was always harsh and "damning"
Pschycopaths? Maybe not clinical, but these women had nothing else in their lives and took being a JW to a "new and exciting" level.They left me with some hilarious memories!
let's see,where do i start?i decided to have a quiet drive home after work.it takes about one and half hours.no cd playing,no talk radio,no news, just a quiet drive listening to my own thoughts.i'm not concentrating on any one thing,just kind of letting my mind flow wherever it wants to.. then it starts,my mind goes back to when our children were small.as i'm driving i am having this flashback,i'm going to save my family from dying at armageddon,why the little ones are dependant on us for their future life happiness.. there will be no birthday parties,holiday celebrations,even though one of them was born on the 4th of july.no extra-curricular activities at school,and everyone will know that they don't salute the flag,nor sing the national anthem.and at the infirmary they know that they are not to take blood.. after school homework,the preparing for meetings,more studying comes next.no tv.
tonight,it's a meeting night.oh goody,the weekend is here,now we can go out and play.sorry,we have to go out in field service,mommy and daddy will show you how to have so much fun in the field service on saturday and sunday.. i start to cry,literally,there is real pain in my chest and a lump in my throat.as i have this flashback on the drive home tonight.i think of how i robbed my children of their childhood,i'm getting very emotional and angry,a picture flashes across my mind of all those years,30 plus,that i lost for my wife and children.the opportunities that we turned down,we are going to survive armageddon!.
i have had a talked with my family about my regrets over having put my family through this before and they don't blame me.they feel that i was doing what i thought was the best for them at the time.they forgive me,but i having yet forgiven myself.. the family says that they learned something about life,religion etc.that the experience has not made them bitter,and they have moved on.the children are happily married and doing fine.my wife and i are doing the best that we can with what time we have left.we are in our sixties,no retirement or pension fund.taking it day to day.. this is what happened on the quiet drive home tonight,it's been a year and a half of being inactive and still the flashbacks of the past 30 something years in the watchtower and all of what that has entail in raising my family still wells up inside me when i try to rest my mind and think of nothing.. i cried all the way home for one and a half hours,pain in my chest and heart,my head feeling like it would explode,angry at the society for the big chunk of life that they stole from us.. and i thought of so many others sharing the same feelings and experiences as my family,and those still stuck inside.soon as i arrived home,i collected myself together and said:"hi honey,i'm home!
Blueblades,
You are a great parent.
Your sensitivity for your children tells me that you are dedicated to your family and I can relate to you 100%.
As your post said " kids are well adjusted and happy". Enough said. You and your wife did something right! A life as a JW child may have been absent of birthdays and secular holidays but does not mean that we JW children were not without guidance and love.
I was one of those JW children who, like yours, told my folks as an adult I hold no bitterness against them for my childhood of being the "different" kid in school. It may even be the driving factor in my wanting to be so "individulaistic" about everything in my life. I have never regarded peer pressure as anything to pay attention to. If we think positively, we CAN find the good in almost every situation...yes, even growing up as a JW ( just think of the self discipline we learned!)
You are fortunate to still have your wife with you, having shared all these memories. And children who understand and bring you comfort. You are lucky in many ways.
Be easy on yourself; you were; and still am I am sure ; a good parent. And to your kids, that is all that matters.
I notice you are posting from NY; so am I. Huntington Long Island. Drop me a PM and let me buy you a drink and toast to our kids.
thanks for sharing
regards, Frank
.
so... this guy is in a restaurant, and he asks the waiter, "can you tell me how you prepare the chicken?".
"well, sir, " comes the reply, " we tell them that they are probably not going to make it.
thanks for the laugh, Nathan,
this was my chuckle for the day
i met a guy sunday.
there's definitely chemistry.
and we really hit it off.
GO FOR IT!
Have fun!
since i've been raised a jw, i obviously never voted-----not even in school.
yet, i've always been very interested in politics (more than i should've been as a witness).
yes,
my "republican" wife and I follow National and State politics. ( Yes, I am a registered Republican and do actively vote) We are very involved in local politics and are actively involved in many local charities.
None of this would have been possible if I were still a JW.
as many on this boad know my husband is a jw,going on 28yrs.recently he has been missing meetings .something is different about him,he still acts like one but the meeting dont seem to bother him as much to miss them.i am scared to read to much into this for fear of kidding myself.i am confused on what to think.is he doing the fade?
or am i just wishing.let me know what you think .
kls
ask him
i was just wondering who on this board is married or a couple.
my second question is, what is everybodys first name.. .
just trying to get familiar with you guys
since I have been out of jWs for 20 years, I do not consider posting my picture or real name a threat in any way.
However, as has been said in previous posts, there are others here who are still associated with JW and may not be ready to play the odds if caught posting here. My advice to them is to be careful.
