Posts by franklin J

36

Am I in the right place?

by Meg in

jw
friends

.

hello everyone!.

i just found this website today and hope i am in the right place.

How many here were long time "pioneers" until you woke up?

by seeitallclearlynow in

jw
friends

franklin J

I was a full time pioneer from age 17, until I turned 21 and decided I wanted to go to college and study Architecture. My dad was an elder and both my older sisters were pioneers, married to elders.

I remember being very concientious as a full time pioneer and was assigned to be a ministerial servant and taking that very seriously. I can remember taking the "worldly" thing so seriously that my life was a "theocratic" vacuum. I lost out on many childhood and school activities which could have been very enriching. Not to mention the education I ignored in High School ( armegedon was coming in 1975). In hindsight, the restraints and sacrifices were all so unnecessary . I was lucky to have begun my exit at such an early age, and pursue a college education and professional career. The thought of living my life in that religion ( my childhood was "sacrificed" to it) is stifling. And at this phase of my life I find the JW beliefs and behaviour offensive and borderline "fascist".

Shamus, if you are reading this,think of the "loser" application from this perspective: It may be a sad fate but all those who are still part of that faith, however blindly or conscientiously, are the real losers. And I say that, not negatively, but by way of observation; as they have literally lost their lives to that belief. It is a sad, blind fate.

To each his own, and fortunately we live in a free world where one can choose whatever religion they want.

34

Music You Grew Up With

by Nosferatu in

jw
friends

whenever people look at my cd collection, they'll come across blue oyster cult, black sabbath, iron maiden, led zeppelin, etc.

but then they'll come across something unusual.. right now i'm listening to "kenny rogers - ten years of gold".

my parents had this album, and i loved it.

franklin J

Nos

The Ventures electric guitar sound defined an entire "Beach" generation ( I think even more so than the Beach Boys). I think their interpertation of the old song "Perfidia" is incredible. I still listen to their music; having purchased new CDs of it. My kids, 12, 9, 4 also love to listen to them and are constantly takiing my CD ---RETRO is in.

Crazy, but does this mean that there is no "generation gap" ? ( does that term have any meaning these days?) The Ventures music is 35 years old---back in the 60s and 70s would ANY of us be caught dead listening to music from the 1920s or 1930s which was 35 years old back then?

I suppose that because I am at the end of the Baby Boom generation, these generalities do not apply!

25

So now what?

by Puternut in

jw
friends

i am a new member here and wanted to say hello to all.

i noticed that there are a lot of hot topics being discussed here.

i am not bitter or angry, just kinda very lost in the shuffle and hope to meet some new people.

franklin J

Hi Puternut,

Welcome to the forum; you are among friends.

I have been out of the JWs for 20 years and my advice is to make new friends ( non JW), and get involved with other non JW activiites. Do not look back. The hardest thing I can remember about leaving JWs was that my entire network of support was cut off, and having been raised in "the Truth"; I had to relearn an entire way of life ; and learn to integrate myself into "the world". It is not easy, but can and must be done.

I also recommend therapy; in my case, 2 years worth to help me get my life on track. Culture shock. It does get easier as time goes on. And the fog does lift. And life really is wonderful. And despite what we were taught as JWs; we really can do whatever we want, and more importantly; think for ourselves.

Keep your chin up; think positively and move forward with your life.

good luck and keep in touch; we are all cheering for you!

Frank

34

Music You Grew Up With

by Nosferatu in

jw
friends

whenever people look at my cd collection, they'll come across blue oyster cult, black sabbath, iron maiden, led zeppelin, etc.

but then they'll come across something unusual.. right now i'm listening to "kenny rogers - ten years of gold".

my parents had this album, and i loved it.

franklin J

....lots of "Beach Boys" and early "Beatles"....how about "Gary Puckett and the Union Gap" or "The Sharper Image"...please do not forget " Cream" or "The Ventures"...

All mid 1960s.......Great music!

42

name a place that has no jws.

by badboy in

jw
friends

.

saudi arabia.

trobriand islands(i think i have spelled it right) off papua new guinea

franklin J

Catholic charities---

despite all my years of going door to door to supposedly "help people" , I am embarrassed to admit that as a JW I never did any charity work.

I have seen Catholic charities do much good.

64

Who Was The Very First Poster That You Met In Real Life?

by Englishman in

jw
friends

the first poster that i ever met was philo.. we'd traded a few stories via the site and i realised that we knew some of the same people down in portsmouth.. he was very cagey as to his real identity, but eventually we shared emails and he told me all about himself.

one day, i took hl down to portsmouth to see my daughter who lives there.

i'd mentioned it in a post, that i was going in that direction.

franklin J

I met joy2bfree and jst2laws when they came to New York City to see the show "The Good Faith"; also, A Roarer, who was attending the performance with her husband.

I look forward to meeting everyone posting here at some point.

Frank

162

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

by minimus in

jw
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?

franklin J

We can all guess the ending.....they must commit fornication and be disfellowshipped ----or only one is disfellowshipped and leaves the religion---the other repents and becomes a full time pioneer---star crossed love! Never to be together again!!

Anything less would would be like reading the "TRUTH" book. ( old publication, from my time as a JW)

Please, Tres, finish this for all of your fans. We await breathless.....

51