Billygoat

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Posts by Billygoat

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  27

  Deepening Saddness

  by Amazing in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i look back on the 1970s with a sense of loss and nostalgia.

  i was a young man, just married, and so much in love with my beautiful wife.

  i had just started my engineering career, and was debt free.

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  Billygoat

  Amazing,

  My father joined the Tower back in 1979 - I was a mere 8 years old. But having been raised in jdubdom, I am as much a fly in their web as you were coming into it as an adult. I have just turned 30, doing the same thing you and HS have already done for years. Looking back with sadness and regret.

  I am thankful that I got out when I did. (At a young 19 years of age.) So I've escaped with youthful years still ahead. But what I mourn are my years as a child. Child slavery was more like it. I cry for that little girl that was mocked at school for being so different. I cry for the loneliness of being the only JW in a whole town! I cry for those lost dreams (being in sports/cheerleading) and lost aspirations (college degree). As childish as some of those losses may be, they are still lost. Some to be found. Some not to be.

  But please know that I look to you and others like Maximus and Kent and waiting for guidance and answers and hopefully to learn from your experiences. So many questions that haunt...

  How can I make up for lost time? What can I do to not lose anymore time? How can I live a fuller life now? Will I ever complete the mourning of those losses? Of that little girl? Those are only a few of the questions I have. Of course you don't have to answer them. But know that there are younger ones like me and Jeremy and so many more that appreciate your knowledge and wisdom and integrity. So your experiences are not a loss - so many like me are gaining from them. You have made a huge impact on me already! Much larger than you will ever realize! A simple thank you is NOT enough, but for now, all I have to give. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

  With Christian love,
  Andi
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  39

  Did Ray Franz write COC out of anger?

  by Brutus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i asked my gf who is a jw but not an active one if she has ever read coc and she tells me she has and that his book was mostly lies about the organization and that's the reason he left was because he was tempted by a hooker and ended up sleeping with her.

  he told the elders what he did because he was looking for help and he ended up getting df.

  later he found out he ended up contract hiv.

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  Billygoat

  Brutus,

  Man you are in my prayers. If you plan on marrying this woman, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, listen to all the comments on this board!!! You have no idea how much heartache being married to a JW will bring you.

  Ray Franz's book was written with a lot of honesty, good documentation/references, and with no anger/hatred at all. I suggest reading it yourself to gather your own viewpoint. But I also was also struck with the lack of hate that it was written with. More than anything Ray sounded sad. But who wouldn't be when you church turns against you after decades of blood, sweat and tears? Your GF has very obviously not read the book. Her lying should be a red flag to you!

  Best wishes,
  Andi
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  71

  Oppression of Women

  by MrMoe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is a bit lengthy, but is a very big issue with me, and that is the issue of women's rights.

  i do agree with women allowing their husbands to make a final decision, being on how women think with their hearts and men think with their heads, making choices often times more logical ones.

  but, the husband according to god is supposed to love his wife as his own flesh.

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  Billygoat

  LOL@Dave - I wish I could say I found them, but that's not true! Haha!

  Andi
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  21

  Prejudice and being a JW

  by MrMoe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  prejudice stems from fear.

  often people are afraid of what they do not understand.

  perhaps jw's are persecuted as they say, but they persecute others as well.

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  Billygoat

  Mr. Moe,

  I've notice this in this thread as well as your other thread about women. You base opinions on what seems like only things you've experienced firsthand.

  It seems - your mother is the typical submissive elder's wife. It seems - you feel your husband get's his way most of the time with decisions. You claim - you are emotional when you're on the rag. So therefore you think then that women are submissive, aren't logical thinkers and can't make wise decisions when they're on the rag. Obviously from other people's post that's not necessarily the truth.

  It seems your father was prejudiced. You haven't seen black brothers as elders. Therefore you think then that JW's won't let black men be elders, all JW's are pretty much racists, and they are more prejudiced than other religions. Obviously, from other people's experiences that's not necessarily correct.

  I'm really not trying to be confrontational with this comment. But widen your scope of vision. You'll see that the world is not just what you see or what you've experienced. It is so much more!

  Andi
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  71

  Oppression of Women

  by MrMoe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is a bit lengthy, but is a very big issue with me, and that is the issue of women's rights.

  i do agree with women allowing their husbands to make a final decision, being on how women think with their hearts and men think with their heads, making choices often times more logical ones.

  but, the husband according to god is supposed to love his wife as his own flesh.

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  Billygoat

  Mr. Moe,

  Sorry sweetie. I totally disagree with you here. I think when I was a JW, your statement...

  I want you all to admit it, males/husbands in the houshold usually get their way in serious family matters. We all know this is true in many cases.

  ...would have been true. The longer I am an ex-JW, the more I see this is the opposite. (And I go to a pretty fundamental Protestant church!) I am seeing more and more that women are the biggest decisions makers in situations that affect the family. Why? I don't know. We are progressing as a world? I DO know that there are MANY women in my life that are VERY logical thinkers. I consider myself one of them. Whether I'm on my period (which are pretty painful!) has nothing to do with it. I think the longer you are away from the JW mentality, the more you will see this. Not just in others, but in yourself as well.

  But if things are that way with you and your hubby - that's great. But that doesn't mean it's the same across the board. Open your scope of vision a little.

  Harmony - amen sister!

  Dave - Your balls are right where you left them.

  Love,
  Andi
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  27

  Being Popular

  by Stephanus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i know what it is to be popular.

  well, to be totally honest, i know what it is to be unpopular, and i know that it feels really bad.

  i therefore assume that being popular would feel really good!

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  Billygoat

  (((Stephanus)))

  Good points Dan!

  Andi
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  76

  Why Are You Here?

  by larc in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the question, "why are you here?

  " is simple enough, and your answer may be straightforward.

  however, when i asked that of myself, i find that my answer is pretty complicated.

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  Billygoat

  I guess I come here for a couple of reasons...

  1. Comfort - it's wonderful knowing someone actually understands the JW lifestyle and how it's a heartbreaking cult.

  2. Education - I want to learn what I can about the history of JWs and see how I can use it to help my family escape.

  3. Help others - if there is anything I can do to educate or comfort another on this board - it is well worth it!

  4. I have a crush on JanH and like seeing pix of his tattoos! Heehee!

  Andi
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  174

  get a life -- 10 facts

  by joelbear in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i thought it would be interesting for people to just post a few things about themselves so we can get to know each other just a bit.. try posting 10 facts about your life.. joel.

  1. i was born and raised in south georgia.. 2. my favorite subject in school was math.. 3. i was in the fulltime service (bethel and pioneer) for 4 years.. 4. my favorite color is blue.. 5. mitch and i have been together over 12 years.. 6. we live in a suburb of atlanta georgia.. 7. we love to eat out and have friends over for dinner and board games.. 8. the only sport i was ever any good at is tennis.. 9. my favorite tv show of all time is the simpsons.. 10. we are both naturists and wish we could lay on the beach naked every day.

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  Billygoat

  Slayer - you are so sweet! Jen does seem very lucky!

  Dan - I heard of that episode! Ewww! I hope that's not what Neil is doing to me. Haha!

  Andi
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  15

  how do i get a divorce when no one has.......

  by jazz in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  commited adultery my wife and i are headed in that direction what should i tell the brothers?

  we are doing so because she just doesnt trust me anymore ?

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  Billygoat

  Hard to say. Not too many details to go on here...

  Andi
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  45

  What should we name the baby?

  by Eyebrow in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am due in the middle of october and my husband and i cannot come up with a name.

  i almost had him sold on venus, until he asked people at work what they thought and he got wierd looks.

  i wanted to name the last baby sidney, but let him name her because he has never gotten a chance to name a kid before.

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  Billygoat

  I've always been partial to different names as well. I love the fact that I'm a girl with a boy's name. Here are a few I've liked:

  Girls:
  Catherine - Carly for short
  Malia - Hawaiian for Mary
  Kendall
  Julia
  Francis - Frankie for short

  Boys:
  Mason
  Blake
  Andrew - Drew for short
  Cameron
  Jacob

  Love,
  Andi