Terry

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Posts by Terry

• 
  10

  Serving a cold dish of JW revenge (the punchline is at the end)

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the punchline is: (at the end).

  esther had very long, bright red hair like a disney character and she might have been almost attractive--if it weren't for two things.1.

  she had no chin.i mean, just don't look at her in profile.

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  Terry

  Finklestein: Terry I found your revenge toward this woman immature and irresponsible.
  _____
  
  I can't argue with you on that!
  
  
  I had to grow out of passive aggressive behavior by learning to speak out and talk back.
  It took having to face off with the Draft Board, with the FBI, with police and prison guards to trigger my backbone. But - once I learned the 'art' of speaking up - I found life more substantial.
  
  A DIRECT confrontation is always better (if you can maintain comportment and civility).
  
  If I had it all to do over again (knowing what I now know) I'd say directly to Esther:
  
  "Sister, I'm here because I'm trying to learn how to be with people and have fun.
  I'm very shy.
  Gathering with my spiritual brothers and sisters SEEMED like an opportunity to learn in a SAFE place, in order to observe and gain confidence. I never dreamed I would be devalued for my social ignorance - if that's what you're trying to tell me. Is it? Is that your message to me?"
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  12

  Bewildering Background revealing who stopped slavery in the world

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  bewildering background.

  even among the greatest religious thinkers and moral philosophers of civilizations around the world for 1000’s of years slavery was not considered a moral issue.. only one civilization developed a “moral revulsion” against it very late in its history:western civilization.. abraham lincoln said:if slavery is not considered wrong; nothing can be considered as wrong.. but why did not even the leading moralists among other nations and civilizations reject slavery at all?.

  there is no evidence that slavery came under attack in any other part of the world before the 18th century.

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  Terry

  What is mind befuddling is the awareness that ANYTHING which is bad can be
  tackled, fought, and eliminated by society, civilization, even if it means giving up power over others.
  
  Women went from being property (chattel) to having the Vote.
  In my lifetime, women gained equal status with men. (Some would say, even superiority:)
  

  Smoking? All but wiped out.
  Littering? Unthinkable.
  Recycling? Mandatory.
  
  Civilization has IMPROVED in the last 100 years.
  But we overlook these things with a kind of "MEH!" if we aren't careful.
  
  Tearing it all down and starting from scratch is a lunatic notion.
  Cooperation is the only thing that works.
  
  Currently, this is all but impossible. Alas!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  1

  (The) Friends

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  friends!.

  some friends are like a holiday.

  a favorite pair of shoes.

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• 

  Terry

  
  

  

  
  
  

  FRIENDS!

  Some friends are like a holiday

  a favorite pair of shoes

  a post for kitten fingers to caress
  
  

  Some friends can really wear you out

  with whinging and their blues

  Yet more or less - not worse than all the rest
  
  

  Some friends are chatty cherubim

  and others? - they need therapy!

  these flock like pigeons pooping on my roof
  
  
  

  Fickle friends and loyal friends both casual / aloof

  Over-weaning minions with opinions w/o proof

  With lots of bitter Twitter or too syrupy.
  
  

  Well-meaning blokes who aren't above a goof.

  Knuckleheads and pecker-woods
  
  

  Tiresome? Fire some!

  Who gets your jokes? Who's got the goods?

  Hire some. Admire some.
  
  

  Some friends are like a Gatling gun

  Too cranky - inhospitable

  So wonky or political

  like Limbaugh or Sean Hannity

  they eat away at sanity.
  
  
  

  But then I stop and take a breath

  to realize we all face Death

  And each of us just does the best he can
  
  

  For all the loopy giggling

  and the smattering of niggling

  I find a way to say this simple truth:

  Friends are necessary - and even if it's scary

  we're all like hounds just gnawing on a bone

  I wouldn't trade a single one

  to wallow in the free time

  of my "me" time

  ALL ALONE.

  
  

  For all the EX-JW DUB Friends

  Thanks for being there (ya gang of idiots!)
• 
  12

  Bewildering Background revealing who stopped slavery in the world

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  bewildering background.

  even among the greatest religious thinkers and moral philosophers of civilizations around the world for 1000’s of years slavery was not considered a moral issue.. only one civilization developed a “moral revulsion” against it very late in its history:western civilization.. abraham lincoln said:if slavery is not considered wrong; nothing can be considered as wrong.. but why did not even the leading moralists among other nations and civilizations reject slavery at all?.

  there is no evidence that slavery came under attack in any other part of the world before the 18th century.

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• 

  Terry

  apostatethunder

  I'm afraid Thomas Sowell had the wrong information. Slavery was forbidden in the 16th Century by Catholic Spain.
  ____
  Not sure what you are referencing here.
  
  Political attitudes toward slavery and Catholic hierarchy attitudes were intertwined.
  The Church was only interested in converts ultimately and, of course, tithes.
  But it would be a tawdry Church which would condone ill-treatment. Therefore - what could be said to give the proper appearance of Christian mercy?
  
  The 1513 Spanish REQUERIMIENTO was a legalistic proclamation supposed to be read to local populations in the New World, demanding that the local populations convert to Roman Catholicism, on pain of slavery or death, and intended to give legal color to the actions of the Spanish.
  
  The Pope in 1639 (Pope Urban VIII) was a hypocrite.
  He officially forbade the slavery of the native Indians of Brazil, Paraguay, and the West Indies, yet he purchased non-Indian slaves for himself from the so-called Knights of Malta as slaves and rowers for the Papal galleys.
  
  Earlier, Pope Paul III, issued a lengthy Papal Bull decrying depriving Indians of their Freedom - however - an annulment of this proclamation came about because the Royal family of Spain grew very angry concerning loss of revenue (which would mean the Church's share would be dismal as well.)
  
  From time to time The Church would make a fuss about any enslaved Catholic converts to the tune of "We demand reparations" (i.e. $$$).
  
  In 1545, Pope Paul III repealed an ancient law that allowed slaves to claim their freedom under the Emperor's statue on Capitol Hill, in view of the number of homeless people and tramps in the city of Rome.
  
  Jesuits were off-the-chain in regards to the Church at large, ultimately leading to their suppression. These priests were viewed as radicals, even going so far as to provide arms to the natives and joined in pitched battles against slave hunters. This resulted in the suppression of the order in Spain in 1767.
  
  Thomas Sowell's words about opposition to slavery is framed in the context of "civilizations" rather than a hit-and-miss flame up by this or that faction in Church or politics.
• 
  10

  Serving a cold dish of JW revenge (the punchline is at the end)

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the punchline is: (at the end).

  esther had very long, bright red hair like a disney character and she might have been almost attractive--if it weren't for two things.1.

  she had no chin.i mean, just don't look at her in profile.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Terry

  Biahi
  Yes, but when?
  ______
  
  After I shrugged off the challenge to participate or leave I shrugged and more - or - less ignored Sis Esther's rudeness. I didn't storm out. That would signify a pouty weakness on my part. Gradually, I worked my way out of the room into the entrance area. The front room had broad windows and curtain rods with the pull-off decorative end pieces.
  The little tuna bits with toothpick and cracker +olive were just the right size (once the toothpick was removed.
  ______
  PARTY GAME
  Years later, a popular party game was called THE WATCHTOWER GAME which was actually a card trick with Watchtowers substituted for playing cards.
  Johnny and I were a big hit at these parties.
  Nine Watchtower mags were laid out on the floor in 3 rows of 3.
  Johnny would leave the room and the group would decide on one particular WT to be the choice to be guessed.
  Johnny returned.
  I took a broom and pointed one by one to each magazine until he rightly guessed the pre-selected group choice.
  A variation, Johnny would return and immediately identify the group's selection without any words spoken or broom stick pointing.
  This was very popular! Until...some knucklehead accused us of MAGIC!
  
  JW's were really a very superstitious and unsophisticated collection of people - thanks to the Org's silly indoctrination.
  
  (How the Trick was done)
  
  When Johnny returned to the room, he'd glance at me as he walked in.
  My body was a superimposed MAP of the mags on the floor.
  For instance: if the middle mag had been chosen, I would stand with the palm of my hand on my belly button.
  Easy, huh.
  
  
• 
  12

  Bewildering Background revealing who stopped slavery in the world

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  bewildering background.

  even among the greatest religious thinkers and moral philosophers of civilizations around the world for 1000’s of years slavery was not considered a moral issue.. only one civilization developed a “moral revulsion” against it very late in its history:western civilization.. abraham lincoln said:if slavery is not considered wrong; nothing can be considered as wrong.. but why did not even the leading moralists among other nations and civilizations reject slavery at all?.

  there is no evidence that slavery came under attack in any other part of the world before the 18th century.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Terry

  When you start sorting out what you've always "heard" as true from the facts -
  it's pretty much exactly like a JW finding out the Governing Body is nothing but a collection of ass-holey-ness.
• 
  10

  Serving a cold dish of JW revenge (the punchline is at the end)

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the punchline is: (at the end).

  esther had very long, bright red hair like a disney character and she might have been almost attractive--if it weren't for two things.1.

  she had no chin.i mean, just don't look at her in profile.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Terry

  Pull off the end of the rod. Stuff a wee bit o' tuna inside. Put the cap back on.
  Easy peasy.
• 
  12

  Bewildering Background revealing who stopped slavery in the world

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  bewildering background.

  even among the greatest religious thinkers and moral philosophers of civilizations around the world for 1000’s of years slavery was not considered a moral issue.. only one civilization developed a “moral revulsion” against it very late in its history:western civilization.. abraham lincoln said:if slavery is not considered wrong; nothing can be considered as wrong.. but why did not even the leading moralists among other nations and civilizations reject slavery at all?.

  there is no evidence that slavery came under attack in any other part of the world before the 18th century.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Terry

  Bewildering Background

  Even among the greatest religious thinkers and moral philosophers of civilizations around the world for 1000’s of years SLAVERY was NOT considered a moral issue.

  Only ONE civilization developed a “moral revulsion” against it very late in its history:
  Western Civilization.

  Abraham Lincoln said:
  If slavery is not considered wrong; nothing can be considered as wrong.

  But WHY did not even the leading moralists among other nations and civilizations reject slavery at all?

  There is no evidence that slavery came under attack in any other part of the world before the 18th century. (In Europe).
  What irony! The leading western slave traders became the leading advocates for the abolition of slavery!

  Who objected to ending slavery? Africans, Arabs, Asians and other non-Westerners.
  
  

  Prepare to be Surprised...
  
  

  In the Western part of civilization, it was conservative religious activists who spoke out in earnest.
  (People of the “religious Right” as would be said today.)
  This history would NOT be considered politically correct to speak of aloud in today’s climate of discord. In fact, it is ignored.
  
  

  Slavery did not die out quietly. No no no.
  There was fighting to the bitter end.

  Pro-slavery lost only because Europeans had gunpowder to back up the embargo on transport of slaves.
  Yes - men with guns stopped slavery.
  
  It may sound like propaganda - but the historical facts are clear enough.
  It should make us gasp with disbelief that the fact remains, it was Imperialism with its colonization and military law which began driving out slave traders!
  
  

  Ever heard that before? No, didn't think so

  It was the British who stamped out Slavery throughout the Empire.
  (Which included ¼ of the world!)
  Pressures and actions against other nations strangled the slave trade over time.
  
  The British navy destroyed the ships of anyone transporting slaves.
  The British government pressured the Ottoman Empire to end its slave trade in Africa.

  America stamped out slavery in the Philippines. The Dutch stamped it out in Indonesia.
  The Russians in Central Asia and the French in Caribbean colonies.
  Germans in East Africa hanged slave traders on the spot; summary executions.
  
  

  Repeat: no NON-WESTERN nation shared this animosity to slavery which began to develop in the Western world in the late 18th century.
  
  This continued without pause up through the 20th century.

  It took this long (over a century) because the NON-WESTERN nations bitterly resisted.

  Non-Westerners found the arguments against slavery to be incomprehensible inasmuch as the slave trade went as far back as human memory.
  
  

  This was viewed as an assault on their economy.
  Indeed, this was the same argument the Bible belt agricultural labor states raised before the Civil War in the United States.

  New American Standard Bible
  Ephesians 6:5-8
  5 Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;
  6 not by way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
  7 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
  8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
  ____________________

  IRONY

  Think of how many ironies are found stacked one upon the other.
  Religion was not against slavery.
  Philosophy was not against slavery.
  Non-white nations were not against slavery.
  
  

  Slavery was slowly extinguished by Imperialists using military force!
  In America, after the Civil War,
  It took roughly 100 years for Equal rights laws to begin to turn the tide in the U.S.
  
  

  "In 1964, on the floor of the U.S. Senate, Democrats held the longest filibuster in our nation’s history, 60 days. All trying to prevent the passing of one thing. The Civil Rights Act."

  (Russell Long of Louisiana, Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, Herman Talmadge of Georgia, John McClellan of Arkansas and Richard Russell of Georgia.) There should be a distinction made in exactly who was blocking the bill. The majority of Democrats who opposed the 1964 Civil Rights Act were from Southern states; some Democrats in non-Southern states did support the bill.
  ________

  Summary

  
  
  All people of all colors in all nations from time immemorial
  engaged in slavery until about 1800 years after the birth of Christ when - who? The people you'd least expect to oppose slavery began a 200 years push to end it (being fought every step of the way.)

  Never before in history has race relations been so badly distorted as in 2020.
  
  Taking the time to look back on how progress has been made (and by whom) is absolutely necessary to our generation.
  Together we solve problems through cooperation - not through propaganda.

  _____
  All the above is distilled from the writings of Thomas Sowell
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w0X71d9Z08
• 
  10

  Serving a cold dish of JW revenge (the punchline is at the end)

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the punchline is: (at the end).

  esther had very long, bright red hair like a disney character and she might have been almost attractive--if it weren't for two things.1.

  she had no chin.i mean, just don't look at her in profile.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Terry

  THE PUNCHLINE IS: (at the end)

  Esther had very long, bright red hair like a Disney character and she might have been almost attractive--if it weren't for two things.
  
  1. She was awful
  2. She had no chin.
  I mean, just don't look at her in profile. That's what I mean.

  I, on the other hand, have a magnificent chin. Consequently, we were foreordained to become natural enemies.

  She was Esther Brown. Sister Brown to all JW's.(Jehovah's Witnesses).
  When her husband died she discovered he was well-insured suddenly very wealthy.
  More so than ever before.
  
  Now let's pause a second... A JW sister with a husband who has money is UNDER HIS CONTROL. Without that husband ...the wheels come off the cart. You see?
  Repressed emotions give way to unbridled freedom; as in the license to be a real shit.

  Unlike most of the members of our local congregation, Esther lived the high life.
  New, sleek cars, sparkly bracelets, and frequent trips to exotic lands set Esther and her daughter apart from mere mortals.

  She was, on her best day, awful. (Yes yes, my opinion. But not only me.)
  I said, her BEST day.
  
  Her daughter was even worse, IMHO. A real Princess. Entitled. Snooty. A champion brat.

  We were Jehovah's Witnesses and it was 1960.
  The religion was a wee bit different than today. We could have picnics and parties back then.
  
  Esther Brown threw lavish parties! Big show-offy parties.

  I was invited even though painfully shy.
  (Esther was required to invite EVERY JW, you see.) No wallflower left behind policy.
  
  I was a wallflower.
  My best friend, Johnny Santa Cruz was the opposite. He was loud, funny, and knew how to create a vortex in the Space-Time fabric of the Universe.
  I sat in his shadow whispering one-liners which he'd repeat and get big laughs.
  (I played the role of Cyrano.)
  I guess you could say I was an apprentice to Johnny, under-study for the role of LIFE OF THE PARTY.
  "How does he managed to be the center of attention?" You may well ask.
  I wondered scientifically whilst quietly making it my scheme to achieve a breakout performance someday.

  These JW parties inevitably devolved into parlor games and I never participated.
  Too shy.
  So... I'd been caught sight of and was about to made an example of.
  
  Sister Esther Brown singled me out. At a quiet moment, she stood in front of one and all and pointed to me and spoke in a "stage whisper" (so everyone could hear).

  "If you're not going to join in with the rest of us, Terry, why do you even bother to show up at my party?"

  _______

  Red-faced embarrassment stunned me.
  All eyes on me.
  Today I'd have a quick retort--not so back then.
  I shrugged like the big loser I truly was.

  However...inside my limbic gland, I plotted revenge...a dish best served cold, as they say.
  ________

  Shortly after my being "called out", I slunk away and walked home from the festivities. I was oddly satisfied with myself and the time-bomb prank I'd deposited on the way out.
  
  

  Fast-forward a month or so.
  Esther Brown, self-important Sister Brown, was complaining about how she would have to sell her house. Oh, how she loved her house--but it had become uninhabitable!

  Real Estate agents couldn't even show the house until the problem was solved.
  Not until her furniture was moved into storage did an improvement commence.
  Sister Brown and her snotty daughter went on a trip to China in the meantime...remaining for a month.

  The house sold.
  Sister Brown returned--with a NEW HUSBAND!
  He was a Chinese Jehovah's Witness.
  We all shook his hand (secretly feeling sorry for his destiny.)
  Well, can you guess?
  He had a strong personality and ruled over his wife with a hand of iron.
  She meekly obeyed. (Freedom wore off?)
  Wow!

  They built a new home.
  Out of storage came the old furniture.
  A horror of horrors! The old "problem" was back!
  
  You see--there was an incredible STENCH which would not
  go away. A sort of Old Testament plague.
  Perhaps it was DEMONS!

  Professionals were brought in to determine the cause.
  Not the sofa.
  Not the curtains.
  Not the mattresses or rugs or pillows.

  That only left the curtain rods...big brass curtain rods with the end pieces removed revealing putrefying contents.
  Revenge is a dish best served ...with tuna.

  (I got the idea from a funny book I'd read).

  HAPPY ENDING (read on ...)

  Sister Esther Brown had a long and happy marriage to her second husband, Brother Wang Chin.

  Yes!
  Finally, Esther had a Chin.

  ______

  
  
  
• 
  22

  What is REALLY behind the destruction of the Postal Service? I decided to research it ...

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i don't know about you - but i never know when i'm being lied to or told the truth any longer.

  partisans are tribes warring on truth.

  i decided to see what i could find out historically and this is what i've come up with.

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  Terry

  Anony Mous19 hours ago

  I hear the "the USPS is forced to pre-fund their retirement" argument all the time. The fact is that EVERY business in the US since Enron has been forced to pre-fund their retirement.
  ____
  
  Yes, yes - but we are talking about 80 years in advance!