Posts by Bendrr

40

Long assemblies

by freedom96 in

jw
friends

there have been a couple of postings lately about long assemblies.. does anyone remember these, or maybe even attended them?.

i was just a young child in the early 70's and something tells me i remember a long assembly, but don't remember if it was 8 days.. how long were they exactly, and what times.

what the hell did they talk about???.

Bendrr

I can remember when district conventions were 4 days long. And when they served hot food too.

Mike, who's still a young buck.

5

two threads in one sitting...i'd best get busy with housework or something.... i'm relaxing and enjoying conversation about the holidays when i had to remember this is a site for former jw's, or mostly anyhow.

last holiday season someone reminded me that not everyone has family to enjoy this time of year with, and it made me sad.

sorta like those bitter-sweet times that life sometimes gives us.

Bendrr

What a sweet thought, Granny Linda.

When I first got fired from the WTS, I spent quite a few holidays alone. I'd go find a bar open on Thanksgiving and they'd usually have a big buffet-style Thanksgiving dinner for us losers. That actually was pretty fun. Christmas I'd spend alone, it was just another day off. Although I would get depressed and miss my family. You know, you never get over the loss of family when you're df'd no matter what.

Several years ago I was "adopted" by the family of a guy I worked with so since then I've always had a place to go; and not just like a guest or feeling out of place when I do go, we're close. Their kids have spent the night at my place many times and we don't knock on each others doors, we just go right on in the house. Now I'm reunited with my older [half] brother so I had to turn down the invite from the adopted family for Thanksgiving to go over and eat with my brother and his family. Christmas is going to be hectic, since I've got 2 families to spend it with.

But you know what? It's all worth it. I wouldn't trade all the Christmases in the world for "The New System".

And I'll tell you something else. Granny Linda made a good point here. There's some who come to this board who may be spending the holidays alone. If you are and you want to talk to someone, I'd like to make myself available.

Mike.

11

Happy Thanksgiving to all - & Thank You.

by nativenyr23 in

jw
friends

valis' last topic really made me think about something and i have to say this:.

i'm thankful to all of you.

my new friends....that have gotten me thru some really tough times.

Bendrr

Thanks for the thoughts Native, I can see you're going to have a great Thanksgiving no matter where you are.

Sometimes it ain't blood that makes a family, it's love. When I read or hear people say what you did it reminds me of what the holidays really are about. They're not about money, even though TV commercials would have you believe otherwise. They're not pagan orgies like the Watchtower would have you believe. They're about family and love. So enjoy the hell out of every Thanksgiving and Christmas you can with whoever you can, even if they aren't your family! You'll never regret it.

Mike.

24

Was it normal to have so many meetings?

by JH in

jw
friends

how many meetings a week, do you think we should have had in order to be reasonable and not overdone?

maybe 30 or 40 years ago, when woman didnt work, or when life was a little easier, that all these meetings every 2 days was ok, but today with life being so stressful, and with all the time it takes commuting, is it normal to still have so many meetings.

nothing changed in the last 50 years as far as meetings go.

Bendrr

It's a way to control the membership they already have. 5 meetings a week, plus the time required to study for the meetings, and the study is not from the Bible, it's reading the same publication that will be covered at the meeting. Then add to the meetings the field service and the time required to prepare for that.

The preaching work has become woefully outdated. Just imagine the success the Witnesses would have right now had they swallowed their pride and expanded the "Kingdom Work". Suppose a Witness could count his or her time spent volunteering for some community service like Meals on Wheels or Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Not only would they be doing something that helps people now ("in the Old System") but all those volunteer activities would also provide them ample opportunity to witness to people. Actually those activities would provide more opportunity than knocking on the doors of houses where most people aren't home, won't answer, or don't want them there in the first place.

But no, the Kingdom Hall doors are going to stay locked and the building empty unless it's time for one of those 5 weekly meetings and the preaching work is going to continue to be restricted to knocking on doors and selling books and magazines.

Mike.

7

Let's Have a Joke / Gag Thread!

by SpannerintheWorks in

i know you've heard them before...but here goes...!.

two guys are playing darts when 2 nuns walk in, order a drink and sit down near to the dartboard.

mr. bullseye has always fancied a .

Bendrr

What did the snail say when he rode on the turtle's back?

Wheeeeee!

O.J. Simpson dies and goes to hell. The Devil himself gives O.J. a tour.

Satan: "So O.J. you like golf don't you?"

O.J.: "Oh yes! I love golf!"

Satan: "Well you'll like Mondays then. We have over a thousand 18-hole courses, better than any on Earth. Say! Do you like parties?"

O.J.: "Well of course! I love to party!"

Satan: "Then you'll just love Tuesdays! After you finish golfing, you can go to any of the parties we have. Endless tables of food, open bars, dancing, women, you'll be in heav-oops! I mean you'll have a blast!"

pause

Satan: "Tell me, O.J......How do you feel about fat hairy gay men?"

O.J.: "Not my bag, man. I don't like fat hairy gay men"

Satan: "Well, you're not going to like Wednesdays then."

Mike

10

My First Xmas Tree!!!!!!!!!

by Bendrr in

jw
friends

i've been enjoying christmas for several years now but have never put up a tree.

not that i have any lingering feelings against one in my home, it's just that i've never felt a tree or decorations to be of any importance compared to what christmas really means to me.

i could care less about the tree, it's how tight the gifts for the kids are packed under it.

Bendrr

Not a bad idea Lilacs, considering my apartment opens up to a truly spooky basement.

Hey, how about everyone else post their 'First Christmas Tree' stories?

Mike.

10

Forgot to Mention (Meaning of Xmas)

by Bendrr in

jw
friends

in my xmas tree post i got sidetracked with the joke gift story and forgot one crucial point.. what christmas means to me.. i didn't really get into christmas immediately after i got fired from the wts.

it wasn't until several years later that i was befriended by the family of a coworker at midas.

his kids and i just took to each other.

Bendrr

In my Xmas tree post I got sidetracked with the joke gift story and forgot one crucial point.

What Christmas means to me.

I didn't really get into Christmas immediately after I got fired from the WTS. It wasn't until several years later that I was befriended by the family of a coworker at Midas. His kids and I just took to each other. So one year they invited me over for Xmas day and I bought the kids a couple of videos for a collective present and delivered said gift in a paper bag. The looks on their faces when I came in the door with a present was all it took and from then on I've gone all out for those kids.

Not long after leaving the dubs in 92, I tracked down my real father's family. Among them is my [half] brother Joel. Not long ago Joel told me about Chrismas with our father. Every year until our father died, there was always a present under the tree with my name on it. I never got the presents, never met my father, never had a Christmas as a kid for that matter. But in a way I did have Christmas as a kid even though I didn't know it. Because in spite of all those years my mom and stepdad kept me hidden from him and talked trash about him, he never forgot about me. He'd go every year and buy a present, wrap it, put my name on it, and put it under the tree.

It's got me crying as I type this thinking about that. And now knowing that, Christmas is even more special to me.

Mike.

10

My First Xmas Tree!!!!!!!!!

by Bendrr in

jw
friends

i've been enjoying christmas for several years now but have never put up a tree.

not that i have any lingering feelings against one in my home, it's just that i've never felt a tree or decorations to be of any importance compared to what christmas really means to me.

i could care less about the tree, it's how tight the gifts for the kids are packed under it.

Bendrr

I've been enjoying Christmas for several years now but have never put up a tree.

Not that I have any lingering feelings against one in my home, it's just that I've never felt a tree or decorations to be of any importance compared to what Christmas really means to me. I could care less about the tree, it's how tight the gifts for the kids are packed under it. I don't see the decorations and symbols, I see the happy faces on the people I care about.

This year I decided to add a few magic points to my Christmas spirit. I bought a tree and some lights. Not a real tree. A real tree ain't gonna fit in my little coupe, and it definitely would suffer severe defoliation on the high-speed ride home. I bought a *faux* tree. A 3-foot-tall -- and let me tell you that these folks use the term "foot" very generously -- fiber optic tree. Well it's a start right? Hey don't knock it, once plugged in this little synthetic sapling is actually very pretty. And in the next couple of weeks when I finish shopping and the presents are packed and stacked tight, it will look 100 feet tall.

Ok, so I also had to 'neck it up a little too. I bought a 100-light stringer and put it in my apartment's unique ground-level skylight. I really learned to hate string lights in the half hour I spent trying to fit in flasher bulbs to get the damn thing to blink. I finally surrendered and settled for just having all the lights stay on. Put both tree and lights on a nifty little timer I bought at Lowe's and spent another 20 minutes trying to program it. Luckily, I already know how to program a VCR so I was slightly ahead on the learning curve.

Maybe next year I'll get a bigger tree.

I'm still tossing around the idea of buying some Christmas decorations and putting them up at the local Kingdom Halls one night. If I do, I'll be sure to take pictures to share.

Next step is wrapping up the shopping for the kids. No pun intended. Unfortunately I seem to have run short on ideas for a joke gift for my adopted nephew. I think I've told this one before but bear with me if you've heard it. Three years ago I gave him a Playstation. Put it in a Flowmaster Muffler box and gift-wrapped it. He tears off the paper, gives everyone a "what the hell is this?" look and tosses the unopened box aside. The next year I gave him another Flowmaster Muffler box, this time with an actual Flowmaster Muffler in it. When the paper came off, Josh just started laughing and said "you're not gonna get me with that again!", opened the box and again gave the "what the hell is this?" look. Last year he got a box 4 feet tall wrapped in 3 layers of pink Barbie gift wrap. Inside that box was another, also gift-wrapped. Then another, and another, and another, until he had to go through 7 boxes for his prize. Which was a Barney book that quickly hit the floor while he choked back his tears. Of course I'd cut out the inside of the Barney book to conceal the Harry Potter Playstation game he wanted.

This year I fear for my life, literally. Josh is now 12 and almost as big as me. I shudder when I think of the retaliation his fiendish little mind is plotting and realize that I can't seem to come up with something to top last year. His mom and dad are no help, I know they've got his back this year. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Mike.

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