Posts by pratt1

we have known each other since we were kids and we have been able to maintain a strong friendship - we are actually more like brothers than friends.. we have reached a truce - i don't try to talk him out of being a dub and he doesn't try to talk me out of being an apostate.. we have both worked hard to honor this rule.. my problem is, i am the "godfather" of his son.

meaning if something should happen to him and his wife, i would raise his son.. i have a very close relationship with the boy, he is 7 and smart as a whip.

pratt1

I have a very close friend, who is still an active dub. We have known each other since we were kids and we have been able to maintain a strong friendship - we are actually more like brothers than friends.

We have reached a truce - I don't try to talk him out of being a dub and he doesn't try to talk me out of being an apostate.

We have both worked hard to honor this rule.

My problem is, I am the "godfather" of his son. Meaning if something should happen to him and his wife, I would raise his son.

I have a very close relationship with the boy, he is 7 and smart as a whip. He spends time with me and my wife and he loves to be around us.

Here's my problem. This little boy is giving his first talk on the ministry school next week. Of course he wants me, his "Uncle" to be there.

I haven't gone to a hall in years and quite frankly, I have no desire to ever go.

Should I go, or should I stand on my principles and not go?

Well - I am going to go because I want to show support for the boy. My wife however has refused to go - I respect her position.

One of the reasons I have tried hard to maintain a relationship with the child is because I want to be an ally for the boy as he grows up and develops his own mind about his life.

I want to support him when he wants to participate in schools sports, or when wants to prepare to go to college, or if he wants to date a girl who is not a dub. His parents think that he won't have these desires since this is the only way of lfe he knows.

What would you do?

Go to the hall to support him?

or

Don't go and show him that staying true to your principles are important? - Will this show him that you should stand for you principles even if it isn't easy?

Your thoughts.

41

What Was It Like To Grow Up A Jehovahs Witness?

by The wanderer in

jw
friends

what was it like to grow up a jehovahs witness?it is fair to say, that as a convert from roman catholicism my understanding .

of what it was like to be raised a jehovahs witness is limited because of not.

having had any family in the organization.

pratt1

I felt so much of the feelings that has already been said, I'll just add this little tidbit.

You are told as a child:

Worldly people are evil.

Worldly people are out to hurt you.

Worldly people will lie to you.

Worldly people are materialistic and only care about money.

Worldly people will msot likely cause you physical harm

Worldly people drink too much.

Worldly people take illegal drugs.

As a child this makes you fearful of worldly people and afraid to even question worldly people about their beliefs, habits, culture.

If you removed the word "worldly" and substituted it with Black, Spanish, White, Women, Gays etc... this would be considered discrimination.

Isn't this one of the ways bigots are created?

Also, Tyrone - I sent you a PM

110

How many remember the 1969 8 day convention?

by seek2find in

anybody remember the 8 day 1969 international convention.

i was at the braves stadium in atlanta all 8 days with a sunburn and then wet clothes after the rain storms.

if you were there (not necessarily in atlanta) do you remember anything about it?

pratt1

I was there too. I was 8 years old and I hated it.

The hardest seats you could imagine, the weather was too hot or it rained.

This was back when they had live music. That's about the only good memory I have of the event.

We also had about 6 people from the mid west stay with us in our small apt. They were nice. 2 of the guys went out after the session and missed the next day's service.

I never found out what they did.

Probably explored the under belly on the city.....

37

What Double Standards Exist With Jehovah's Witnesses?

by minimus in

jw
friends

to be a "good jehovah's witness" you must be able to live by double standards.

you have to know how to play both sides to the middle.

you have to speak and act one way with certain persons and another way with the others.. one example of how witnesses live by double standards:you cannot join the ymca because jws can't involve themselves with religious matters or else be shunned.

pratt1

Dubs have no problem, accepting a birthday gift, but they won't give one in return,

36

Did An Elder or "Brother" or "Sister" Ever Lose It With You???

by minimus in

jw
friends

some persons are tempestous.

they may fly off the handle just like that!.

have you ever experienced a witness who just "lost it" with you??

pratt1

Scully, those elders are certainly lucky you were not the woman you are today, back then.

That would have been a JC committee meeting that they would have never forgot.

36

Did An Elder or "Brother" or "Sister" Ever Lose It With You???

by minimus in

jw
friends

some persons are tempestous.

they may fly off the handle just like that!.

have you ever experienced a witness who just "lost it" with you??

pratt1

Yes. Once at a quick build, 2 elders wanted to question me an another MS about a "gathering"we attended.

Neither of us wanted to talk about it so we tried to avoid the elders the entire afternoon.

At the end of the day the elders caught up with us and when they started talking to us we said we need to leave and we started to slowly walk away.

One of the elders grabbed my friend's arm to restarin him and he swung around with such force that he nearly knocked the guy down.

Well he let loose with a string of names and profanity that was heard by all around.

Needless to say, these 2 elders never followed up with us about the gathering and never really spoke to either of us again.

40

Would you rat out an Elder

by pratt1 in

this weekend i accompanied a few friends to a strip club in manhattan.

my wife doesn't like it too much, but since i promised her that a lap dance is asfar as i will go with a stripper, she tolorates it.. imagine my surprise when i noticed that an elder from my old congo was there along with several of his co-workers.. he tried to ignore me but before we left i stopped by his table and said hello.. he actually had the nerve to ask me if it was okay for us to speak.

i said since we were both in a strip club, it didn't matter.. my question - should i mention this to dubs i still maintain relationships with, who incidently worship the ground this elder walks on?.

pratt1

IP sec - exactly what about the story stinks?

40

Would you rat out an Elder

by pratt1 in

this weekend i accompanied a few friends to a strip club in manhattan.

my wife doesn't like it too much, but since i promised her that a lap dance is asfar as i will go with a stripper, she tolorates it.. imagine my surprise when i noticed that an elder from my old congo was there along with several of his co-workers.. he tried to ignore me but before we left i stopped by his table and said hello.. he actually had the nerve to ask me if it was okay for us to speak.

i said since we were both in a strip club, it didn't matter.. my question - should i mention this to dubs i still maintain relationships with, who incidently worship the ground this elder walks on?.

pratt1

I know his wife and she would definitely have a cow.

Since I have only faded, not DFed, the elders would probably used this as a way to get to me and he would survive unscathed.

It would however have a huge effect on how he and his family would be viewed by the congo.

He is 3rd generation elder(that I know of) and comes from a very "super righteous family".

His comment to me about speaking to me was probably said out of his being nervious about being seen by some one who knew him.

He is afriad of his parents and he works for his father in law, he has a lot to lose.

We were so - called friends years ago, but he dropped me as soon as I began to wake up out of my coma and think for myself.

I pity him more than anything else.