Reefton Jack

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Posts by Reefton Jack

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  71

  ARE YOU PRO-UNION OR ANTI-UNION?

  by Mary in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  would you rather work in a unionized or non-unionized environment?

  the place where i work recently voted 'no', we don't want a union in here (after being harassed by a very large union for the last 5 years).

  there were some who voted 'yes', but the majority of us voted 'no' and those that were pro-union are quite pissed off that the rest of us 'fail to see the light'.

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  Reefton Jack

  At different times, I have been a union member:
  - either it was compulsory; or, in the interests of keeping the peace, it made a lot of sense.
  
  However, after working several years in management, my enthusiasm for unions cooled somewhat!
  For a 24 hour period in mid-2005, I had to be escorted around by an armed policeman
  (i.e. one carrying a Hechler and Koch submachine gun).
  
  The union wanted to go beyond calling a strike:
  - one of its key strategies was to black out the whole district, a community of 16 000 people.
  Fortunately the power station's staff listened to reason; after it was pointed out that striking was one thing, but switching off the power supply was quite another issue.
  Such action would have caused economic loss to the local business community, not just to the company.
  (As well as generating its own electricity, PNG Forest Products also doubles up as a power supply company. Its two small hydro-electric plants are the sole source of electricity for the Wau and Bulolo districts of Papua New Guinea.)
  
  To avoid blacking out the entire district, the Mechanical Workshop Manager and I , between us, manned the power station's Control Room for that 24 hour period.
  After that, and a similar occurrence six months later, my view of unions has been a tad jaundiced!
  
  
  Jack.
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  27

  Did You Experience Shunning By " Cliques" in Witness Congregations ?

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the american heritage dictionary defines the word clique as , " a small , exclusive group of friends or associates .

  " further in the synonym section under the word " circle ", it says about the word , " clique " a clique is an exclusive group, usually social and often participating in activities from which outsiders are barred .

  " it quotes john lloyd , a writer - " the narrow, often self- perpetuating cliques which control our lives, living standards and leisures.

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  Reefton Jack

  I think that being made aware of the existence of cliques was the beginning of the end for me.
  Prior to that, I still had the idea that - warts and all - this was still "The Truth."
  
  And yes ----- I did experience shunning by those that imagined they were superior creatures!
  
  
  Jack.
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  41

  only part of meeting you enjoyed

  by martinwellborne in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for me it was bible reading, where you could express your own opinion, in line with present truth of course.. pre the change it was awful listening to some fool telling you his opinion of bible highlights.

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  Reefton Jack

  None of it!
  
  Jack.
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  32

  WTS Higher Education Policy

  by besty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a couple of topics recently have made me think about exactly how cynical are the wts when it comes to their higher education policy for the rank and file.. first one was mavie's about her forthcoming jc which prompted me to flick through richard dawkins the god delusion.

  dawkins quotes from a study published in mensa magazine 2002; .

  "of 43 studies carried out since 1927 on the relationship between religious belief and one's intelligence and/or educational level, all but four found an inverse connection.

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  Reefton Jack

  Sure,reading the Awake magazine IS the equivalent of having a university degree:
  -as long as the degree you want is a Bachelor of Stupidity!
  
  Jack.
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  55

  What Was Your Standing In The Congregation?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  were you "loved"?

  well respected?

  considered a "loser"?.

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  Reefton Jack

  Early on::
  -I threw away the opportunity to go to university.
  - I next let them talk me into walking out on my apprenticeship.
  -Then, I "pioneered."
  That made me flavour of the month !
  
  After that I woke up to myself:
  - I never made it to Uni.
  - However, I did go back and complete my apprenticeship.
  Did some in the congregation draw the daggers at me for that!
  
  And you know something ------ I don't b#####y care!
  
  
  
  
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  Re-Appointment as an Elder or Servant

  by MARTINLEYSHON in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  were you at any time after being removed, or resigned as an elder or servant tempted to reach out for the position a second or third time?

  if the answer is yes, for goodness sake put me out of my misery and tell me why?.

  be kind because i have not posted for a while.

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  Reefton Jack

  Yes...
  ----- there was a time when I moved to a congregation that had just 2 elders, and no Ministerial Servants:
  - and these two elders were praying for an MS to move in, and give them some relief.
  
  But,then, there was also a time when I believed in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy as well!
  
  Jack.
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  45

  Obsessed Ex-JWs----Are You One Of Them?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  are you consumed by your having been a witness?

  are you very angry all the time because of your jw past?.

  have you ever thought about recieving professional therapy?

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  Reefton Jack

  Obsessed - no.
  
  That, however, does not stop me from taking a swing at them at every opportunity that arises!
  
  
  Jack.
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  32

  Is There Something Specific That U Regret Not Doing Because You Were A JW?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  did you want to belong to a social club but couldn't because it was "worldly" and witnesses don't get involved with the world?.

  did you not go to college simply because witnesses say it's bad?.

  did you deprive your kids of things because you were a "good jw"?.

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  Reefton Jack

  Top of the list for me was being stopped from doing the Engineering Degree course at University.
  For good measure, the bunch of ultra-fanatics I was with pre-1975 even succeeded in getting me to throw in my apprenticeship.
  - fortunately, I was able to pick that up again later, although the price I paid was high.
  
  Aside from that, at 16 years of age I was a promising long distance runner - but I never dared even dream of pursuing athletics!
  
  
  Jack.
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  27

  The Most Influential Events in Your Lifetime

  by XJW4EVR in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  aside from leaving the watchtower, marriage(s) date(s), birth of children, what are the top three events that were the most influential in your life?

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  Reefton Jack

  1) Starting High School almost 40 years ago.
  
  2) Going to work in a 3rd World country 17 years ago
  (Because of WTS-induced bans on education, could not get a decent job anywhere else).
  
  3) The death by accident of my only son almost 10 years ago.
  
  
  Jack.
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  27

  The Most Influential Events in Your Lifetime

  by XJW4EVR in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  aside from leaving the watchtower, marriage(s) date(s), birth of children, what are the top three events that were the most influential in your life?

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  Reefton Jack