Posts by Terry

i have a legitimate concern that being out of the closet too much will hurt my career or neighborly relations--i know for a fact it probably would.. i'm really cautious about who i tell.. how about you?

Terry

I'm at the stage in my thinking where I simply have to wonder what all the fuss is about.

Why do we feel compelled to go around shouting to the rooftops what our personal opinions are?

Who cares what I think, hope, believe in the grand scheme of things?

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Does an ant proclaim it believes in humans? If it could and did, what difference what it make to the world at large?

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The worst displays of human hubris come when we really start to puff up with self-importance and declare we KNOW

this and that for an absolute certainty.

We DON'T know. Even our most reliable scientific facts are purposely constructed so that they can be falsified if/when

additional insight, evidence, and technology allow further grasp of details.

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I don't know who, what or if anything supernatural exists in the form of a person or mind.

Nobody knows. We are all hoping, guessing, projecting our needs, fears and anxieties into the shape of a superior authority.

Silly!

I take the position that I DON'T KNOW and neither does anybody else. The more people declare sureness, the more I shake my head

and wonder where they get the ego to fuel that smugness.

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Christianity has expressed its devout certainty by splitting again and again and again. There are presently 40,000+ denominations

disagreeing with one another!

Doesn't that create a loud clue about certainty being opinion?

Do I think everybody should think the way I do? Hell no.

Your mileage may vary and that's peachy by me.

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I need a particular Watchtower photograph

by ILoveTTATT in

jw
friends

hi everyone,.

i would like to get a better copy of the watchtower november 15th 1916 copy, where there's a picture of the flowers and everything dedicated to russell when he died.. can someone get a good scan of that?.

.

Terry

"Gone Home?" What an unusual sentiment, if they believed he was going to have to wait for the parousia or whatever the hell it is before he went to heaven.

The 'parousia' was 1874, the rapture 1878 and Armageddon 1914.

But, Russell was treading water on those predictions. The only provable date:10-31-16.

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Why isn't the story of SAMPSON quickly and clearly regarded a myth?

by Terry in

judges chapter 15:.

14 when he came to lehi, the philistines shouted triumphantly at meeting him.

then jehovahs spirit empowered him,+ and the ropes on his arms became like linen threads that were scorched with fire, and his fetters melted off his hands.+ 15 he now found a fresh jawbone of a male donkey; he reached out and grabbed it and struck down 1,000 men with it.+ 16 then samson said: with the jawbone of a donkeyone heap, two heaps!

Terry

Big fan of Victor Mature.

Unless my memory is part hallucination, I remember Victor Mature having a TV repair shop and a small restaurant on--I think--Santa Monica Blvd.

in Los Angeles. His face (likeness) was painted on the window.

This would have been in the 70's and he was born in 1913, so he was getting up in years.

I think his family had owned a restaurant at one time.

45

Why isn't the story of SAMPSON quickly and clearly regarded a myth?

by Terry in

judges chapter 15:.

14 when he came to lehi, the philistines shouted triumphantly at meeting him.

then jehovahs spirit empowered him,+ and the ropes on his arms became like linen threads that were scorched with fire, and his fetters melted off his hands.+ 15 he now found a fresh jawbone of a male donkey; he reached out and grabbed it and struck down 1,000 men with it.+ 16 then samson said: with the jawbone of a donkeyone heap, two heaps!

Terry

Yes, but the "moral" was the fact that he had told Delilah about the secret of his strength in the first place. His downfall was allowing himself to be seduced. Obviously the guy was pretty dumb since Delilah had already betrayed him, what, twice?

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I went back and read the entire tale.

At this far remove, I have to say it is poorly told as a story.

Samson would actually have to be clueless in intellect to fall for the same trick over and over and over again.

The scriptures say Jehovah wanted Samson to be with the Philistine woman because He needed a pretext to take them on.

This doesn't sound like fair play in approving of the affair and then punishing the man for acceding to it.

But then, Old Testament Jehovah could be a real prick.

9

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: "Was Jesus a person of FAITH?"

by Terry in

you are probably wondering if i've lost my mind with a question like this~!.

there is a method to my madness, however.. ________________________.

here is where this query originated; follow closely and comment.

Terry

Runforever: If the idea of Jesus as messiah was so appealing to the majority jews as you say why did and do most of them reject him?

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I'd answer that by quoting an old song title: "Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody ever wants to die."

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The idea of a Messiah has to be embodied to take on reality.

Each person has a standard inside their head of what this embodiment should be so as to recognize when he appears.

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I recall standing in a Las Vegas casino and seeing Sylvester Stallone walking by. I had imagined Rocky to be a kind of

imposing giant. Instead, this was a little guy almost a foot shorter than I was. His suit was baggy, too.

This DISPARITY between my image of him and the reality did not match.

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Besides Jews in Jesus day were entirely unlike Jews today.

Even among Christians today, with 40,000 Christian denominations, each has its own conception of who or what JESUS actually is.

9

A PARABLE for Jehovah's Witnesses

by Terry in

a man buys a parrot from a pet store but returns it the next day.. he demands to see the owner as he places the brass cage on the counter with a loud thump.. "i wanted the best parrot money can buy.

i can afford it!

i'm a billionaire, you idiot!

Terry

I asked my devout, ex-best friend JW in around 1995 if he were willing to write down on a sheet of paper

the most OUTSIDE DATE he considered possible for Armageddon. I asked him if he would write it down

and sign it. Underneath I would ask him to print the words, "IF ARMAGEDDON HASN'T COME BY THIS DATE

I WILL CONSIDER THIS RELIGION AS HAVING FALSE PROPHECY AS A FOUNDATION."

Need I tell you he refused to be trapped into such proof-positive he was an idiot?

It is 19, almost 20 years later!

If I ever see him again, I'll remind him of that :)

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UBER-WITNESS: THE ELITE FORCE . . . a study in how a fanatic is created

by Terry in

at what point in the average person's life does he/she reach a crossroads between purposeful pursuit of a life's goal and mad fanaticism?.

we have all known these automatons; these uber-witnesses.. we might even have been one ourselves!.

the uber-witness can make an excuse for any watchtower mistake at the crack of a whip!.

Terry

Ldrnomo: Ive been recently asked why I kept doing it. I'm not really sure if it was peer pressure, stubbornness or sheer stupidity. It took some time even after the blinders were removed to fully admit to myself and others that it was all a pile of shit and even after being out for 7 years my spirituallity has and is still tainted. I have a hard time believing in anything.

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I think of the birds in the Fort Worth Zoo's 'Rainforest" exhibit.

There is no glass to prevent those birds from flying out of the enclosure. There is only darkness.

The actual habitat has just enough lighting, dripping water, trees and flora to be comfortable enough.

THE FEAR OF OUTER DARKNESS keeps those birds within an invisible boundary.

I often think about that fear.

11

UBER-WITNESS: THE ELITE FORCE . . . a study in how a fanatic is created

by Terry in

at what point in the average person's life does he/she reach a crossroads between purposeful pursuit of a life's goal and mad fanaticism?.

we have all known these automatons; these uber-witnesses.. we might even have been one ourselves!.

the uber-witness can make an excuse for any watchtower mistake at the crack of a whip!.

Terry

In my local congregation w-a-a-a-a-ay back when, there was a brother who was certainly an Uber-Witness.

Brother H. T. Jones, as I recall.

He was built like a cast iron furnace. When he shook hands, your own hand disappeared into his hairy paw

and a sickening crunch soon followed.

His specialty was cornering members and subjecting them to an intense conversation about some aspect of

their service with a view to creating discomfort, no doubt. At least, few came away with joy in their heart but him.

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These sudden appearances were blitzkrieg. Before you could shout inwardly,"OH SHIT!" Brother Jones had you

withering under his steely dolls eyes like Spielberg's shark. There was no wiggle room, only inevitable surrender.

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One day I was walking down the street minding my own damn business when a large truck slowed, made a U-turn and

puttered up beside me as I strolled. My policy--to ignore such predations, of course.

There was a minute of me walking and the truck ominously creeping beside me along the edge of the street.

Presently, the truck sped up just enough to cut over in front of me!

The window rolled down and the monstrous head of Brother Jones appeared like a storm cloud full of thunder and bolts of

crackling electrical malevolence.

He glowered silently. I paused with the no doubt, classic deer-in-the-headlights realization I was doomed.

I waited for a greeting. I could have waited till the sun went down. Nonesuch occurred.

His clipped monotone was abrupt and imperious, "Get in, Brother Walstrom"

"Oh, thanks for the offer, Brother Jones. You see, I'm out getting some refreshing exercise and. . . "

"GET IN."

And I did. (You would have as well!)

It felt to me like how a victim might well feel if their soon-to-be murderer tossed them a shovel and

ordered them to dig a hole. . . and make it deep!

Once inside the cab of his truck, he turned only his head on a neck the thickness of a tree trunk.

The impression was like that of an enormous owl.

"Have you made out a daily schedule?" His voice was flat, without a trace of human feeling.

My mind's computer sorted, collated and presented me with context; which was more than Jones had done.

At the previous Service Meeting, a talk was given telling all JW's to create a personal schedule to manage their

every waking moment. The purpose, it was now suddenly clear to me, was to prevent idiots such as myself from

wasting time walking down the street instead of knocking on doors.

I had to decide in a flash of an instant whether or not to play this game with Brother Jones. Some part of me

bristled. I got angry instead of defensive!

"Sure. In fact, I'm scheduled to be about a block from here at this very moment--had you not stopped me." I grinned.

No trace of emotion on his side of the truck!

"When you sit down to make your schedule do you know how you are supposed to start it?"

This was pure condescension. Now I was getting steamed and my better judgment was about to take a hike. I don't

like people whose intention is intimidation!

"Of course. First things first. Second things second. Third things third--well, I think you can see where this is headed."

His eyes narrowed only by a millimeter or so. He had no sense of humor or sarcasm or--well, he had nothing personable to offer.

"You put the things you HAVE TO DO first. Our service to Jehovah is what goes to the top of the list. Everything else goes second."

Parsing this flash of infinite wisdom in my head, I pursed my lips thoughtfully.

"Hmm, where do FOOD, SHELTER, CLOTHING go? All number two? Does it matter which order? What about bathroom breaks?"

I guarantee you, this man did not detect for an instant of time that I was anything but serious . . . and clueless!

He sat there. He. . . just. . . sat there.

I just sat there. I. . . just. . . sat there. That is, until I couldn't take the torture any longer.

"Well, thanks Brother Jones for this little chat!" I grabbed the door handle and swung my escape route wide. Inches away

was sunlight, fresh air, and FREEDOM. . . if only I could make it out alive!

Jones' hairy mitt--I was soon horrified to notice--was now on my elbow. He had SOMETHING ELSE to say!

His voice changed. Perceptibly. I can't say how exactly.

"I have an hour sermon this Sunday at the congregation in Denton. I have to go out of town. I need for you to give it in my place.

The outline is in the glove box."

The expression, "What the fuck" was not in my vocabulary. At least, not at that time. If it were, I could scarce restrain it from my lips

at that moment! I did manage to compose myself long enough to utter the word, "Huh?"

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So, that is why he stopped me. The pretext of counsel on how to make a schedule was just bullshit. It was a Friday and the

sermon was two days away. Lucky for him he saw me.

I delivered the talk in Denton. The title was, as I recall--"HOW PRACTICAL IS THE SEARCH FOR WEALTH."

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Now I ask you, who was the REAL uber-witness in that situation?

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(edited to add: After the hour talk that Sunday in Denton, I was approached by several JW's who praised the presentation

and I particularly recall one brother saying, "How long did it take you to work up that talk, a couple of months?"

I deflected a direct reply. If I told him the accurate answer I'd be accused of showing off. I think I said something

like,"I just followed the outline.")

45

Why isn't the story of SAMPSON quickly and clearly regarded a myth?

by Terry in

judges chapter 15:.

14 when he came to lehi, the philistines shouted triumphantly at meeting him.

then jehovahs spirit empowered him,+ and the ropes on his arms became like linen threads that were scorched with fire, and his fetters melted off his hands.+ 15 he now found a fresh jawbone of a male donkey; he reached out and grabbed it and struck down 1,000 men with it.+ 16 then samson said: with the jawbone of a donkeyone heap, two heaps!

Terry

Apognophos: It's hard for me to understand most of the objections in this thread. Obviously the Witness teaching is that his strength came from God, on the condition that he didn't cut his hair. That was the one thing he had to do to show his loyalty, and he screwed it up.

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I'll have to go back and read the account. From memory, Samson did not consciously agree, choose, decide to have his hair cut.

Yes, here it is.

19 She made him fall asleep on her knees; then she called the man and had him shave off the seven braids of his head. After that she began to have control over him, for his power was leaving him.

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Sidebar:

If a young man in the local Kingdom Hall started growing his hair he could tell the Elders he'd made a Nazarite vow.

I wonder what their response would be?