I've struggled because the local elders had sufficient pull with my father to stop me completing the final year of high school - and then from going to university.
Had these bright boys kept out of it, I would have gone for a degree in Electrical Engineering - and a large company had already offered to sponsor me through the degree course.
The best I have been able to do since is managing a Power Station, located in a clearing in a malarial jungle - somewhere out on the other side of the proverbial "Black Stump."
(Actually, on the other side of the Torres Strait!)
The job pays well enough - but there are reasons why that this is so:
(i) Like the time last December when one of my crew decided that my skull would look better with a 3 lb hammer driven clean through it!
(ii) Or the time exactly one month later,when the duty Mechanical Fitter tried to wrap a crowbar around his supervisor's neck.
(iii) Or the way in which two of the guys working the opposite roster to me have
gone mad after a month or two on the job
(I just hope the condition is not contagious!)
Even with this; at the time, there were those in the congregation who took exception to the fact that - at the age of 24 - I entered into an adult apprenticeship and learned the Electrical Trade.
By then, 1975 had passed, but "The End" was still near!
After completing the Trade Course, my employer offered to sponsor me to do the Diploma Course in Electrical Engineering.
I was keen to do this.
However, by then I was married, with two children.
My wife insisted (probably quite rightly) that "the children needed a father" - so that was the end of that!
No matter what the well-wishers may say, the best time to learn things is when you are straight out of school.
It is extremely diffcult to pick things up later on - particularly when you have family responsibilities.
Meanwhile, in my present job, I frequently feel the lack of learning that the degree course would have provided - certainly a higher level than what is acquired by pulling cables and crimping Terminal Lugs!
And yes,I do resent the WTS - to the point of regarding them as a hazard in the community.
Jack.
PS:
Lack of advanced learning is not a crutch - just reality.
I would go to university tomorrow if I could find a way to support myself and my family for those four years needed to complete the Bachelor of Engineering Course:
- but then again, I once believed in the Tooth Fairy as well!
Reefton Jack
JoinedPosts by Reefton Jack
-
49
Stuck in a dead-end job because of obeying anti-higher education policy?
by nvrgnbk indid you refrain from obtaining a degree or advanced studies when you had the chance because it wasn't the witness thing to do?
how has this affected your life?
comments, rants, and personal experiences please.
-
-
Reefton Jack
-
108
How Far Up The "Ranks" Did You Go In The Organization?
by minimus inat age 18, i was a regular pioneer.
at 20, a ministerial servant.
at 24 an elder.
-
-
Reefton Jack
Early on, I did several different stints at what they used to call "Temporary Pioneering."
Later, I was a Regular Pioneer.
After getting married though, I wasn't so popular with those that matter!
This was because of the rather Victorian attitude that was (and perhaps still is ) prevalent in the congregations toward those suffering from Mental Illness.
Not that I was mentally ill
(not that I know of, anyway - although my non-JW family were convinced that I had completely lost all my marbles about the time that I agreed to attend my first JW "meeting"!)
Rather, my wife of the time suffered from (and still does suffer from) several long-term psyhchiatric disorders.
(While these weren't caused by her being a JW - the JW lifestyle in no way helped matters, either).
Anyway, the Body of Elders didn't seem to be comfortable with the idea that anyone with a mentally ill wife could also be a Ministerial Servant.
I was evidently on their S##t List for a quite a long time, and wasn't appointed an
MS until I was 35.
I used to conduct the Book Study, and give Public Talks in our congregation.
However, it was not long after that that I began to wise-up to what the WTS was all about.
Jack.
PS:
The only benefit that I have from 28 years with the dubs is having learned to speak in public.
This has come in handy in recent years in facing down a crowd of angry, striking workers - and just lately in dealing with a semi-mutinous workforce; one of whom was determined to put a 3 lb Hammer clean through my skull, before the day was out.
Just the same, I would readily volunteer that it was a very costly Training Programme in Public Speaking that I did with the JWs! -
3
Going into the Service To Remain Out of the Service Vietnam War How Many?
by uwishufish inin the us the draft was still in effect.
my lotery # was 94 they were calling to # 95. so ah pioneering we will go.
this got you at least co status with the local draft board.
-
-
Reefton Jack
The issue of Military Service was used by some to try and frighten me into becoming a "Regular Publisher of the Good News" (or some other such damned fool JW-ism).
I resisted, figuring that dodging the draft was no motive for trying to get
10 hours + 12 magazines + 1 Bible Study per month entered onto your Publisher Record Card.
The irony of this one is that it was the "brother" who was trying to frighten me with the issue of Military Service who ended up in trouble with the authorities:
- for failing to register for Military Service himself, some three years earlier; when he should have done so.
Luckily for that overbearing smart-a#s# , the National Service Act(1961) was repealed before any action was taken against him.
Jack. -
21
Sex in the Organization
by Save My Soul ini have been associated with the organization for almost 40 years.
i have served and been on several assemblies.
i am now irregular, but still attend meetings occassionally.
-
-
Reefton Jack
Perhaps all the ones that I knew must have been rather straight-laced / boring or something?
Anyway - all jokes aside - in the 28 years that I was with the JWs, I never knew of anything like that happening.
Jack. -
93
It must be "Global Warming"
by Warlock insnow in malibu yesterday.
.
this morning i had to scrape the ice off my windshield and back window.. on the way to work i saw many a frozen front lawn and most cars were covered with ice like mine.. all on the outskirts of los angeles.. it must be "global warming".. warlock.
-
-
Reefton Jack
The fact that Dr. Timothy Ball may be receiving funding from the Oil Industry does not in itself prove that everything he says is incorrect.
Turn matters around, and imagine yourself as a supplier of a product that has attracted negative publicity:
- publicity that you know to be misleading (or maybe just outright bl---y wrong!)
Would you then be acting improperly if you hired expert opinion in to set the record straight on your behalf?
Furthermore, would any positive thing that that person said be automatically wrong, just because you were funding the project?
Likewise with the matter of Global Warming / Climate Change.
Opinions from the likes of Dr. Timothy Ball cannot be dismissed, just because he may have received some funding from oil companies.
To get a full handle on this matter, one has to dig a bit deeper than that.
Please note that I am not here necessarily agreeing with all he says:
- just pointing out that it is surely a rather short sighted approach to automatically reject any contrary ideas Dr. Ball puts forward about Climate Change, merely because he may have received funds from the Oil Industry!
Jack.
NB:
Bearing in mind that this is a discussion about Global Warming / Climate Change
- not cigarette advertising. -
5
The Scholors who have approved the NWT.....
by A-Team ini wonder how the faces of the gb and the pioneers will look like once they see this......
http://www.forananswer.org/top_jw/scholars%20and%20nwt.htm
-
-
Reefton Jack
Thanks for that link, fullofdoubtnow.
While a "pioneer", I used to carry around with me a photocopy of Alexander Thomson's remarks about the New World Translation.
These were liberally circulated amongst all the congregations in the district - although nobody seemed to know where the original had come from.
Anyway,Thomson was described on this photocopied document as being "Advisor to The Queen on biblical languages" (whatever that is supposed to mean - although the dubs took it to mean that he was The Final Word on matters Hebrew and Koine Greek!)
From viewing this Website,though, it comes as no surprise to learn that Alexander Thomson had no formal training in Hebrew or Koine Greek.
(Just like a certain other person whom we all know about).
It seems like Thomson's endorsement is yet another instance of many in the JW world where you just about need the Cat 992 Front-End Loader to clear all the Bull ###t away!
Jack. -
39
ex JW atheists
by Bobhere ini know we were sold a lie in believing god was only dealing with the wt and to obey them is to obey god.
what puzzels me is that in rejecting the wt so many also reject their belief in god.
surely they believed that god existed as witnesses.
-
-
Reefton Jack
Mackin,
I read your remarks with keen interest - namely about why you remained with the JWs.
Many times I have wondered if the elders (even the members of the Governing Body)necessarily believe everything that they are saying.
You have answered that one for us - and I thank you!
Also, for a long time after breaking with the JWs, I had intense feelings of
self-loathing - that I had fell for the lie for so long.
Your account gives some understanding of why people may stick with this cluster###k
(expletive deleted!) even after seeing through it for the charade that it is.
(For the Record:
I finally gave it away when I got to the point of not being able to carry on with the charade anymore -unfortunately, it cost me my family).
As for athieism:
- I am not much into labels, and I keep an open mind on this matter.
However, in the 12 years since I told the WTS what to do with their idea of "The Truth", I have not seen anything to convince me that "god" is not some man-made idea, cooked up to control others.
However, I have experienced certain events that are not possible to explain by science (rational thought?).
For example:
In mid-2003, when I was managing a power supply system in Papua New Guinea, I returned to my office one afternoon to discover that my key-ring was missing.
Consequently, I re-traced my moves of earlier that afternoon; starting with the hydro-electric plant at the lower end of the valley.
When I failed to locate the missing keys at that location,I set out up the vehicle track to the station at the top end of the valley.
As I left, the staff at the Lower Power Station notified the Upper Station by radio-telephone that "The Boss' was on his way up to them ; looking for a set of missing keys.
On arrival at the Upper Power Station, I went frantically searching the building for where I might have misplaced the keys.
Meanwhile, the security guard went straight to my Toyota Hilux Double Cab truck, opened the rear door, and found the missing key ring lodged tightly up under the corner of the rear seat.
(Evidently, these had been shaken loose from the clip on my belt, and then further shaken backwards by the jolting of the vehicle as I progressed uphill - along a rough track that would almost shake the fillings loose from your teeth!)
Interestingly, when I questioned the security guard about how he found the missing key ring, he told me that " as soon as he heard the radio call, he knew that this key ring as lodged up under the right hand corner of the rear seat".
I am always open to suggestions
- BUT : how can that be explained by anything other than the paranormal?
My thoughts anyway (from a raggedy-arsed electrician)
Jack. -
5
Remember the "cliques" at the KH?
by new boy init really is amazing how many there are in every congregation of 100-120 people!.
i was in a the " father is dfed (or unbelieving mate) but the mom and kids are in" clique.
that is a real fun one............not!.........got into the "full time service or the rest of you are not doing enough" clique.
-
-
Reefton Jack
Unfortunately, the cliques are the thing I remember most about JW congregations.
The one I belonged to seemed to be called "The Elders' S###list"!
Jack. -
30
Weak in the Faith = Lose Privilages
by RULES & REGULATIONS inhave you ever lost any privilages due to being spiritually weak?
i wasn't going out in servive as much,not commenting and wasn't married to a witness.
i was taken off the ministry school talk # 2,couldn't pray for the congregation,was taken off the sound equipment,couldn't pass out literature,couldn't receive a blood card and finally couldn't receive any books because i wasn't considered part of the congregation.that was fine with me.. what were the signs you received from your congregation telling you that you were weak in the faith?.
-
-
Reefton Jack
Once again, the sole gauge of a person's spirituality is that column on the Monthly Report card that is entitled "Hours."
"Sick" wouldn't be too strong a word to use to describe that way of looking at things.
Jack. -
14
Those who are 50+, do you remember that there was an ice age coming?
by Bonnie_Clyde ini distinctly remember this from my childhood.
i believe lots of concern and i suppose it was from the scientific community.
now it's global warming, and i'm hearing that 99.9% of the "creditable" scientists believe it.
-
-
Reefton Jack
I remember this well.
In the late 1970s, there were several very severe winters in a row in the Northern Hemisphere.
This led to a lot of dialogue - ranging from rational discussion to outright scare mongering - about another Ice Age.
Others here are free to have a go at me for saying this - but it is one of the main reasons that I am hesitant to get too excited about current talk about Global Warming.