franklin J

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Posts by franklin J

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  7

  What does the rest of the world do on Boxing day

  by barry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here in aussie there was the cricket against pakistan the sydney to hobart yacht race.

  we spent the day on the coast with my parents and went to the rsl club for a nice meal.

  you all wont beleive this but its snowing in the mountains not far from here.

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  franklin J

  Hi Barry,

  No, Americans do not celebrate Boxing Day.

  We have good friends who are British; living in the States and they have carried the British tradition here and celebrate it every year.

  regards, Frank
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  43

  Why does God let bad things happen?

  by FMZ in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this question seems to be getting thrown around in the earthquake threads, and is asked a lot... so, what is your opinion on why god allows bad things to happen?

  also, did you stop believing in god because he allows it?.

  i will throw my two-penneth in when i have a little more time tonight.

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  franklin J

  I am honest to admit that I have no answers.....
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  8

  Pulled at my heart strings

  by Purza in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so on christmas day we were staying with my fiancee's parents.

  my fiancee was not feeling well and i offered to go to 7-eleven to get him some pepto (this was about 8:30 a.m.) this older man (probably in his 70s) asked me if they had any milk that was less than a gallon container.

  i said that i didn't work there, but i went over and found a half gallon for him.

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  franklin J

  Purza,

  I think your thoughts are wonderful. And for you to want to get involved helping seniors is a generous gesture.

  Good luck to you, Frank
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  78

  Positive about jw

  by one in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there are many thing i dont regret about jw

  learning from jw about cristmas is one of them

  the jw were very open about cristmas, going against the "system" require some strenght and that in itself attracted many to the jw org.

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  franklin J

  LOL,

  participating in this thread has been frustrating because it proves to me ( as I already knew) that those who are still dedicated JWs can never understand life from "outside their box". They are right and we are wrong. They have the spirit of Jehovah.( *sarcasm*) No matter what we say or do, we are wrong.

  Perhaps ignorance REALLY IS BLISS.

  Willyloman summed it up early on in this thread by saying " do not feed the troll".
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  7

  What does the rest of the world do on Boxing day

  by barry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here in aussie there was the cricket against pakistan the sydney to hobart yacht race.

  we spent the day on the coast with my parents and went to the rsl club for a nice meal.

  you all wont beleive this but its snowing in the mountains not far from here.

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  franklin J

  I was at a great Boxing Day party today.

  Our Brit friends, who came to the States 20 years ago to do cancer reserach. They are both docters, and became ENORMOUSLY wealthy. His cancer research company patented a cancer drug ; and the companies stock went public when the FDA gave its drug approval.

  He has since become an American citizen ( dual citizenship; I believe) mainly, I believe to protect the fortune from taxes. His wife is reluctant to trade in her British passport; and their tree daughters were all born in the States and are American Citizens. They are great Royal supporters.

  They have become good friends; and as I like to tell him "Colin, I liked you better when you were poor, and British".

  Their Boxing Day party has become a yearly ritual.
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  48

  My Deleted Elder Friend Stopped By.......

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  with his wife to say that it's been 3 months since my daughter's wedding and in october he got deleted for going to it even though the presiding overseer told him it was a "conscience matter.

  period.

  ".....the circuit overseer saw it differently and removed my friend as an elder amd my mom as a regular pioneer because of a letter sent only to circuit overseers in 1999!!!!

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  franklin J

  Min,

  Your friends anguish is understandable to all of us here. We all went through it; appeals to Bethel, etc.

  As for "waiting on Jehovah"; well, lets hope your friend does not hold his breath while doing that.

  We also KNOW the outcome. We have lived it and have survived it.

  Your support and encouragement is all you can give him. I am sure he appreciates it. You are several steps ahead of him in this dark tunnel; holding the lantern. The rest he will have to learn by himself; he will come to the same conclusions; just as we did.

  Frank
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  39

  Education - How encouraging low self esteem creates better witnesses.

  by BigG in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  funny title you might think but consider this point and apologies if i am covering old ground here...its not intentional.. i was raised by my mother who was and is a devout jw and as such until i was 20 (10 years ago) i was the same...trying my best to fit into the social environment i clearly was not made for but benefiting from good wholesome association with fellow brothers and sisters (note the sarcastic tone...make what you will of it).. althought at the time i didnt realise it but i was what others consider intelligent and quite academically able; i had a mind like a sponge and would spend hours in the jw library at the kh (which surprisingly enough contained non jw literature)...it was this that i read and would digest endlessly where i could.. one of those books (why it was there i dont know), was what i later undertood to be criminal law reports concerning cases that had gone before the courts.

  my childish thirst for knowledge was intrigued...(i was then about 12).

  the legal arguments i hadnt a clue what they meant but the facts surrounding these crimes were good reading.. i then knew i wanted to be a lawyer and that was what i said when an elder asked me what i wanted to do when i grew up; i mentioned trusting this man that i had read a book in the kh library and found it interesting...and that i wanted to be lawyer...i remember him smiling and saying that it was better to pioneer rather than seek a highly paid job...personally i didnt know what he meant properly but i felt a bit sad...and demotivated...i later in the week went back into the library and found the book had gone...!!.

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  franklin J

  BigG,

  Yes, I hear you loud and clear; having lived a parrallel life to yours.

  Fortunately for me; I did have a father who eventually ( despite being an Elder) had the satisfaction of seeing his son stand up to all of the local elders ; go to college and become an Architect. I went on to become very successfull , both financially and in my personal life and did not become the drug addict possesed by Demons of which they warned.

  I have "grown" into a rational, thinking adult.

  I agree with you 100% with the low self esteem and the teachings of the Watchtower which foster ignorance and non tolerance. The only way to grow as an individual with self respect is to GET OUT.
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  9

  Witness only schools

  by freedom96 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i was growing up, there was a "school" in the area, that catered only to witness children.

  there was probably about 60 students, mostly elementary school, but there were a few that were from high school.

  i had a friend that went for a while, and i got to visit a few times.. the teaching was barely enough, and consisted of two or three classrooms.

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  franklin J

  I grew up on Long Island, New york; and never heard of any JW kind of school. I attended public schools and was an avid dub during the 1970s when the 1975 armageddon date was being thrown out there. From WT influence I wanted to quit school at age 16. Fortunately for me; my Elder father believed in secular education ( he alsways had his own ideas) and insisted that I graduate High School.

  Although I became a full time pioneer at age 17; I had my fathers unconditional encouragement and support at age 21 to attend college.
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  78

  Positive about jw

  by one in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there are many thing i dont regret about jw

  learning from jw about cristmas is one of them

  the jw were very open about cristmas, going against the "system" require some strenght and that in itself attracted many to the jw org.

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  franklin J

  ONE;

  I have had a somewhat different experience than you.

  Mine is the classic case of a dedicated Jehovahs Witness who goes to college; examines his faith and the doctrines he has been taught as absolute TRUTH; and all of lifes lessons as a god fearing worshipper of Jehovah; and after experiencing life in the real world; finds all of these absolute truths to be severly "deficiant".

  Despite any college education; I am continuing to advance in knowledge and experience in life; I am contiuing to grow as an individual at age 48. This was denied me as a Jehovahs Witness. My experiences as a Jehovahs Witness were stunted; I was not taught to think; only to do as I was told. The desire to question and learn was actively discouraged.

  Really, what are we if we cannot learn to think? And by thinking; realizing that others may see life from a different perspective, and accepting them despite that?

  Any thoughts different from what the Watchtower and Bible Tract Society had mandated as law, were not tolerated. The Jehovahs Witnesses are convinced that they have the answers; they do not look any further, or realize that what brings them so much dogmatic satisfaction; can bring, for those who choose to think independently; condemnation.

  If this is what makes the followers ot the Watchtower happy; than by all means; continue. We are fortunate to live in a free country, where one can pursue WHATEVER state of being brings you happiness.
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  8

  How did your congregation react when you moved out on your own?

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i left home at the age of 21 - the time was right and i needed my space and independence.. a few witnesses had their own opinionsabout my move.

  there were some old timers that said the only reason you should leave home is because you're married.

  some traditionalists think you should stay home with your parents until you're married, as moving out on your own makes you selfish and too independent.. how did your congregation react when they heard you were moving out?

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  franklin J

  Having been a fulltime pioneer at age 17 ( living in my parents house) ; I stopped at age 21 to attend college. I stepped down from being a ministerial servant due to my college interests taking me in a more "secular " direction. .

  This did not go well for me with the local elders.

  I was still living at my parents home and attending meetings sporadically. My father was an elder; and this, to some extent sheltered me from the elders prying " investigations". I was not married; and as a young man; was being closely "watched". However; after 2 years I went to college overseas in Europe. When I returned home I was "cordially" invited to all kinds of Judicial Committee meetings where I was "wildly" accused of fornication; drug addiction; and anything else the local elders wanted to accuse me of on their "fishing expedition".

  What a roller coaster ride!

  My advice to any young JWs looking to move out of their parents house: Move to another town!