Posts by Belmont

We called on Christina and son Ben yesterday. Mike is now recovering after his op, but it will be slow going. He has been through a painful ordeal as it took some time for the hospital to decide what was wrong. As it was actually peritonitis, we can only imagine the pain he was in. Anyway, he's on the mend now, and as Chris says, he's a strong man. Ben says they will try to get a laptop to him when he's well enough so he can share it all with you.

30

Do You Think That Brooklyn Is Concerned About Apostafests?

by Englishman in

jw
friends

looking through some of the society's earlier wt's, it does seems as though they tend to see apostates as lonely and isolated people.

i can only find one reference to organised apostates in the wt.. so i wonder how they feel about the recent plethora of fests that are taking place?.

it's certainly having a nullifying effect on the enforced isolation that they like to see resulting from disfellowshipping.

Belmont

Hi E-man Having attended your apostofests and Floridafest, I can attest to the value of meeting others with similar experiences, when we were led to believe we were the only ones with doubts! Your analogy of the soldiers' reunions is so good - I wish I'd thought of that!

125

The day a brother died in my Hall, & the unbelievable events that followed.

by Mr Ben in

jw
friends

this one really freaked me out.

i was so brainwashed at the time i found a way to justify it.

i think i?ve been repressing my anger about this and now i need to vent.

Belmont

Here's another facet of the Watchtower mindset: My sister was at the book study when there was a knock at the door. There stood a man who had broken down in his car, asking to use the 'phone. The brother answering the door said "We can't help you, there's a christian meeting going on here".

32

What's the craziest thing you ever heard at the Kingdom Hall or Assembly?

by Mr Ben in

jw
friends

what's the craziest thing you ever heard at the kingdom hall or assembly hall?

there were lots of crazy ideas coming from elders, co's & do's in my neck of the woods, but one in particular sticks in my mind.

it was the very last circuit assembly at hellerby in yorkshire (hell!

Belmont

DO William Bull saying at a circuit assembly in the early 70s "By the fall of 1975 we shall be in the new order". CO Thomas Lynch saying sisters should not wear black - too Worldly! Assembly speaker Phil Clark counselling school-leavers 40 years ago - "Why train for a job in this system of things soon to end? Choose a job with a future - pioneering." Those youngsters who took that advice are now retired grandparents on the breadline.

27

.....On the Road Again!.....

by Joyzabel in

ok, it's only an hour to go before we move out for the summer!

we are looking forward to seeing several this summer along our journeys.

we will try to post where we are at and if anyone would like to get together for lunch or just to chat.. this weekend steve, salem & i will be in dallas.

Belmont

Bon voyage, Joy and Steve - drive carefully. We're looking forward to seeing you in July and hope you'll be able to stay with us. The room is ready!

47

It's Joyzabel's Birthday!!!

by HICFlyGirl in

jw
friends

yaaaahhhhh!!

it's my mommy's birthday!!!.

we have a delicious meal planned at the angelo's steak house.

Belmont

Happy birthday from England, Joyzabel. O what sinful pleasure in those two words - HAPPY BIRTHDAY - there I've said it again.

38

Englishman's absence

by Englishman in

jw
friends

mike sends his regards and apoligies for his absence for a few days.

he is in hospital having a few tests done and doesn't have access to computer facilities at the moment.. his 'ticker' is misbehaving - i think it must be short of beer!

everything else about him is working perfectly normal - so he has all the nurses running around and is thoroughly enjoying all the attention!

Belmont

Hi HL- Sorry to hear of Mike's sojourn in hospital - WsM no doubt? Hope it's just a false alarm. Very best wishes to you both from the two of us.

63

The Biggest Scandal In Your Congregation

by Hunyadi in

i attended a notorious congregation as a child, the infamous winter gardens congregation!

my cousin and his best friend, both named joe, were elders, my cousin was the po and the other joe was a total loser suck up who wanted to be just like my cousin, joe.

what was even funnier, as i get off point a bit, is that "suck up" joe's wife, cathy, did everything she could do to get her pudgy lil self to dress, look, walk, and talk like my cousin joe's wife, clementine.

Belmont

Because of the pressure to count time and "bring someone in" there were always weirdos being dragged to the meetings who should have been left severely alone. One I remember lived in a caravan with religious slogans chalked all around the walls . This man was seriously disturbed and prone to violent outbursts, and insisted on having a knife on the table while he was having a study.. When he didn't answer the door for his study on one occasion, a neighbour said "you'll find him at the bottom of the garden in a hole. That's where he spends most of his time". When he finally was brought to the meeting, he became besotted with an elderly sister (he was about 35). When told she was too old to have children, he lost interest, and showed his favour to various other sisters by giving them cabbages from his garden. After a few weeks of cabbages gratefully received, one asked why they were so much better than shop vegetables. He said "I use my own water". I remember everyone desperately trying to "show love to a new sheep" instead of facing the fact that he was crazy and probably dangerous.

In that same kh there was a fist fight in the foyer between a widowed jw father and married son who both fancied the same woman. I could go on.....

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.

Belmont

You, Englishman are the first poster on JWD I met. You very kindly gave a list of pubs you frequent, and as one was nearby, we decided to go and look around, having made up our minds to leave quietly if no one fitted the picture of you I had in my mind. In fact, no one there fitted the bill, and we were about to leave when I approached a group of men and said we were looking for someone who called himself Englishman. No one admitted knowing such a man, however, one did leave the pub. We left shortly thereafter, and as we were walking down the street, there was the man returning, with a companion - yourself! We were still a bit cagey in those days - thanks for helping us so much.