Posts by HappyDad

42

The boy that visited Heaven

by PSacramento in

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42191453/ns/today-today_people/t/meet-boy-who-says-he-visited-heaven-saw-jesus/#.tuzkdfbcbdc.

what's your idea of heaven ?

a little boy from nebraska thinks he has a good idea because he said he's been there.

HappyDad

Just to expand on my earlier comment after reading all the others.

When I saw the initial interview on tv, the boy seemed like he didn't want any part of it. I think the boy was coached to the nth degree by his father.

As far as a money making scheme, nawwwww! They donated the majority of the printed books to different TV ministries. What they made was most likely less than $5K on the whole shebang.

As some of you know....I have taken the Christian "praise the Lord" route since leaving the WT. Over the years I have become more and more skeptical and am ready to go my own way. Churches and religion are really starting to turn me off from my personal experiences with them.

I'm starting to understand "jumping from the frying pan into the fire" concept.

I do enjoy attending a good church service but they all want you to get involved. That involvement is more than I want these days.

Many people in churches are just as phony and back stabbing and petty as the JW's I was surrounded by for over 30 years.

I do believe in God and in the Bible so please don't condemn me for that.

Anyhow.......there is a lot of money to be made from writing books but I doubt this kid and his family are now driving a BMW or whatever! A few on JWN have written books and can tell you first hand that there is no money putting them in a 6 figure income bracket.

Have a good evening all.

HappyDad

42

The boy that visited Heaven

by PSacramento in

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42191453/ns/today-today_people/t/meet-boy-who-says-he-visited-heaven-saw-jesus/#.tuzkdfbcbdc.

what's your idea of heaven ?

a little boy from nebraska thinks he has a good idea because he said he's been there.

HappyDad

I have the book here "Heaven Is For Real" but haven't read it yet. I have a lot of books to get through before I read it. I got it as a premium from my Christian TV network that I donate to a few times a year. WPCB Channel 40 in Pennsylvania.

They had a special with the boy and his father and I don't believe it is a fraud. There are a few things that don't really jibe with the scriptures but it isn't for me to judge.

Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe I should put the book higher on my list to read.

HappyDad

19

Hi... haven't been on the forum for a while... an update on me...and my daughter, Ali

by coffee_black in

jw
friends

well, it's been a while... haven't been on the forum much lately.

with ali's last health scare, it has been a little overwhelming to keep up with everything.... ali continues to improve, in fact, her heart has improved so much that her cardiologist wants to document her case and publish it.

he has never seen someone improve so quickly.

HappyDad

Coffee,

I love to hear good news like yours. You can be very proud of your daughter for her courage to keep on fighting to live a great life. I'm just as proud of my own daughter and I sometimes wonder how JW's still under the brain washed mind control can just write their kids off if they don't want any part of being a JW.

My kid comes first in my life and everything else is secondary as I am sure that you feel the same way.

Blessings and good vibes to you and yours.

HappyDad

22

Are Jehovah's Witnesses considered a Catholic schism?

by sabastious in

i was reading through this article: http://www.ourcatholicfaith.org/thechurch.html.

1822: mormons founded by joseph smith, who made his appearance with supposed revelations in 1822.. .

1872: the jehovah's witness church was developed by charles russell.. .

HappyDad

The title of your post and the fact that you would even bring such a topic up goes to show that you really do not/don't/or didn't know much about the religion you were involved/brought up with.

Were you ever a JW?

This topic is totally assinine and it looks like you were just picking residue out of your ass to even think about this.

HappyDad

66

Thoughts on the current Governing Body

by JRK in

jw
friends

here is a list of the current governing body members:.

gerrit losch: born 1942, appointed july 1, 1994 .

guy h. pierce: born 1935, appointed oct. 1, 1999 .

HappyDad

Give a moron a bath, a shave, a good haircut, and put him in a nice suit and he would look just like someone with a good education with mucho intelligence.

He could pass as a great business leader without saying a word. All he needs is a good PR agent to say how wonderful he has performed and how good he is.

This is exactly what the GB guys look like. No education. Most likely never held a real job where they had to worry about paying bills and feeding a family by stretching every dollar between paychecks. No real knowledge about anything except a lifetime of reading the WT and AWAKE.

And they have the balls to tell their faithful followers not to pursue education or better themselves in anything of this world.

It's totally sickening and now I'm pissed just by thinking that I was led to the slaughter for 30 plus years.

Oh well.....I'm doing just fine now in my life!

HappyDad

15

Former JW's on Ankerberg show Sun Oct.16-2011

by koolaid-man in

jw
friends

http://www.ankerberg.com/ should be good.... 6 part series..

HappyDad

I watched the show today on channel 40 in Pittsburgh. It was very good as all of Ankerberg's shows are. I then scheduled the follow up shows to be recorded on the DVR.

Joan Cetnar still looks very good for her age and it was nice to see Doc Bob on the show also.

The only thing I felt was wrong was when Joan said the WT also predicted 1995 as another date for the end of this system.

All in all, if any JW was watching (as I did years ago and had my mind challenged) they would have to THINK! Unless they are so brain numbed that they couldn't comprehend anything, they would watch more and start to research.

HappyDad

32

Secret Elders Meetings & Armaggedon Checklists from FDS ...

by Hairyhegoat in

the faithful slave has put out a list of things they think jw's should have on hand, due to the closeness of armaggedon.

if jw's dont have such a list they can ask their local elders for a copy of such.... .

does anyone know about such a list ???.

HappyDad

What the heck? Decades ago we were told that all we needed was Jehovah's organisation, the Bible, and belief that the angels would deliver us from any and everything that came against us "true" believers.

Hmmmmm.....guess reality has hit Brooklyn or wherever they are hiding now!

HappyDad

105

I've lurked a long time: JW's produce some of the most paranoid humans

by Unlearn in

jw
friends

i'll keep this brief for now.. long time lurker (4 years or so).. born-in, elder, used on district level (last talk i gave before i left was the baptisimal talk), and lots of hard time put in...before i finally made the move to split.

it's a long stoy, much like many of yours...but with it's own little interesting twists.

more details in the future, perhaps.. as i said, ive lurked here for a while.. its funny: for a long time i'd only come on late at night.

HappyDad

After reading all of Unlearn's posts so far......all I can say is WOW! This reminds me so much of myself that it is uncanny. Thanks Unlearned for being so forthright. It has been awhile since this forum has had someone come forward with the openness that you have put here.

You are what makes this forum keep us coming back to see what is happening with the rank and file lurkers such as you have been....and as I was at one time.....and as many others have been.

Much of your story reminds me and brings back memories of what I used to be......an elder just like you putting up with the same stuff!

Thankfully, I've been out for over 10 years now and I need these reminders from time to time.

I wish you success in your new life and thank you for sharing.

Keep telling us more. You are an excellent writer...something I am not able to do.

God bless you and your family.

HappyDad

49

told my parents to never ever tell me they love me again....

by oompa in

jw
friends

...i told them in a very serious sitdown in their living room....said..."because if you cant show it then it does not count...that is not real love no matter who tells you it is....because it is how it makes me feel that determines if it is love....not if you just say it...and me and my sons do not feel that love at all now"....and i stayed calm and talked slowly and barely shed a tear as i held them back...and i had asked them to not say a word but just listen...dad said they would as long as it was not about religion as i knew he would.

this was two of the worst days of my life in a row..i told them the pain me and my boys feel from their shunning is worse than if they had died...that then i could grieve naturally and move on because that is normal....grief helps you cope...my grief is different because they choose to act like i am dead and normal grief does not seem to work on that.

i shared an epiphany with them i had about mens rules vs gods great idea of dna (but no i am not sure about a god anymore)it went kinda like this:.

HappyDad

I'm sad that you have to go through this Oompa and my thoughts are with you. Let's hope that something sticks with them to crack their thinking process.

HappyDad

12

passing a resolution

by stillin in

is that not one of the most hellish things performed during the service meetings?.

HappyDad

I remember one elder back in the 1980's who voted no to a resolution about money going for something. He made a valid point that the amount was way more than our "poor" congregation could afford without the rest of us emptying our wallets. He was put down and alway looked at as a trouble maker for not being agreeable. He remained an elder until his death in the late 1990's but the rest of them never trusted. I got along just fine with him until I fled that cong. in 1997.

HappyDad