Posts by Reefton Jack

22

IT'S OFFICIAL!!! Fewer wars and less deadly

by steve2 in

jw
friends

here's a thought-provoking news report that you won't see quoted any time soon in any watchtower publication:

(source: the age, an australian newspaper, re-published in the dominion-post, wellington, new zealand.

october 19 2005):

Reefton Jack

Steve2,

I thought that your last post on this subject was right on the button.

You also handled very well those that were trying to change the subject (Talk about a mouth full of razor blades!)

It was just fortuitous for the WTS (and only for the WTS, mind - for those that might be trying to quote only part of what I am saying) that WWI broke out when it did:

- They were able to then successfully camouflage the failure of their prediction of 1914 being the date for Armeggedon.

- Instead, they were able to twist the facts around - and present it like they always predicted 1914 would see the beginning of the "last days."

While dubious about much of the content of the book "Thirty Years a Watchtower Slave", it was certainly correct about one thing - i.e. the WTS capitalised on the upheaval that WWI caused in Europe.

Jack.

PS: The JWs always have an answer to everything. Unfortunately, it is usually the wrong one!

13

Anyone here from New Zealand?

by bledback2life in

hey everybody!!

*feins a nick riviera (a la the simpsons) accent* .

i'm new to these forums.

Reefton Jack

Welcome Bledback2life.

I'm from NZ, also - however, my alias is not quite a geographical pointer!

Jack.

48

so what are the "anointed" you know/knew like?

by nowisee in

there were two quite old females in my congregation.

sweet.

but then they died.. i met several members of gb.

Reefton Jack

I only ever knew two who made this claim;

- one was a nice old lady.

- the other was notable only for his arrogance.

Jack.

39

Did You Regularly Read The Watchtower & Awake?

by minimus in

jw
friends

elders were supposed to set the lead so that the rank and file would follow suit.

i generally read the watchtower thoroughly but seldom did i read the awake.

were you faithful readers of those rags?

Reefton Jack

I was an avid reader of both, from the age of 11 to the age of 39:

- No doubt the main reason why much of my life has been so <^&^>ed up!

Some are on record as having heard that "reading the Watchtower and Awake magazines gives you the equivalent of a University Degree."

If so, all the reading I did of those two rags ought to have gained me at least half a dozen college degrees. - Instead, about all I got from reading that nonsense was a Diploma in Stupidity!

Jack.

27

You had BETTER pioneer when you get out of high school

by Bonnie_Clyde in

we weren't at the circuit assembly this weekend but a friend told us the circuit overseer made this very strong comment.

didn't even say anything about learning a trade.

Reefton Jack

"We have passed that corner - now Armegeddon is so close that we can see it!"

I can recall an elder make a very similar statement in a public talk back in 1991, just after the outbreak of the First Gulf War.

Shall we award him a Bachelor of Stupidity - together with that Circuit Overseer under discussion?

Jack.

45

So, are you, by nature, and introvert or extrovert?

by onacruse in

jw
friends

mulan's thread, and simon's post thereto, got me to thinking about this, especially in terms of what i might be today, minus the influence of the wts.. by nature, i was always an introvert.

early on (age 10 or so), i immersed myself in mathematics, physics, chemistry...the "pure" sciences, devoid of "worldly" meaning...just the plain and simple facts, thank you ma'am.

i'd stay in my room and study stuff until my mom had to literally grab me by the ear and say "craig, go outside and blow off the stink!.

Reefton Jack

Onacruse: I don't know that I would agree with you on that one.

Some animals are very social - for example, horses (an animal that I had a lot to do with between the ages of 10 and 18, while growing up around farms).

Horses always seek the company of other horses, and get restive when separated and put on their own. What is that but extroverted behaviour?

Jack.

20

What do witnesses fear?

by joelbear in

jw
friends

destruction?

naah, they know that this is really never going to happen to them.. the obscure threat of "displeasing jehovah"?

no, he isn't really real to them.. social disapproval?

Reefton Jack

joelbear hits the proverbial nail right on the head in identifying "social disapproval" as what JWs fear the most.

And no wonder - the WTS procedure makes this inevitable:

- Nobody is supposed to have friends outside of the congregation.

- So, cut someone off from the congregation (either formally or otherwise) and they are left with nowhere.

Jack.

45

So, are you, by nature, and introvert or extrovert?

by onacruse in

jw
friends

mulan's thread, and simon's post thereto, got me to thinking about this, especially in terms of what i might be today, minus the influence of the wts.. by nature, i was always an introvert.

early on (age 10 or so), i immersed myself in mathematics, physics, chemistry...the "pure" sciences, devoid of "worldly" meaning...just the plain and simple facts, thank you ma'am.

i'd stay in my room and study stuff until my mom had to literally grab me by the ear and say "craig, go outside and blow off the stink!.

Reefton Jack

I once though that I was by nature an introvert.

However, I have since come to realise that I was by nature in fact quite an extrovert:

- Upbringing beat that out of me, and environment added to the change-around.

This happened before I ever became a JW, but that certainly didn't help.

Jack.

14

ANYBODY STILL HAVE A WITNESS MENTALITY?

by stillAwitness in

o.k so i am living the "double life" i suppose.

but its funny how sometimes i still catch myself doing or saying things that only a "really spiritual" preason would.

like the other day when i saw a cute tank top on sale but it said "libra" on it.

Reefton Jack

My first reaction to this question was 'I bloody-well hope not!"

Then Justin's reference to "the real me" rang a bell:

- because recently, I have spent a lot of time just trying to discover (maybe more like "re-discover") just what the "real me" is.

- which is not exactly an enviable situation to be in when you are in your fifties!

- In trying to re-discover what the "real me" is, I have tried to reflect back to what I was before the WTS madness took hold (being 34 years ago, though, this is difficult).

So maybe a residual Witness Mentality is still there - in ways we may not be aware of - and mostly would not like if we did.

My thoughts anyway,

Jack.

34

Being raised a witness has it's benefits...

by Princess in

jw
friends

i actually have several reasons why i don't resent my witness upbringing, but it sure came in handy today.. last year i posted about helping 50 kids run in the seattle kids marathon at my daughter's school.

the event was a blast and while it was a ton of work, seeing the joy on the kids' faces when they crossed the finish line made it all worth it.. this morning i spoke to the entire student body at my daughter's school at their monthly spirit assembly.

if i hadn't been raised a witness, giving talks from the time i was five, i never would have attempted such a thing.

Reefton Jack

Sixofnine - I beg to differ with you there!

Nothing that I did before becoming a JW - nor anything that I have done since leaving them - have done anything for my public speaking skills.

These days, I do use the skills I learned on the Ministry School (flawed as these may or may not be).

Once again, though - I stress that this is the ONLY benefit that I took away from the WTS Madness.

- Also, I would repeat: - it was a frightfully expensive course in public speaking!

Jack.