Posts by Whiskeyjack

10

Crazies in the kingdom hall ... but I understand them.

by ithinkisee in

there are some people (ex-elders) in my hall that are turning really creepy ... falling in and out ... in their 50's ... .

people say they can't understand how they used to be these cool elders, and now they are totally weird.

their kids are around my age and it is killing them to see their "previously elder father" falling in and out of the truth.

Whiskeyjack

I agree with LHG. I have little pity for these seniors (including my parents) since they like to preach to others about critical thinking and analysis of their religious leaders/organizations but aren't allowed to exercise those human thinking obligations in reference to the "organization".

I've heard many stories about older people developing depression problems and doing their best to hide it ( as discussed in other threads). They have a lot of gall calling themselves christian (would Yeshua recognize this lot as his people?) given what's written (whether you believe it or not) about his behaviour and attitudes towards hierachies and human interaction standards.

This was the last generation (in the Developed World) buy the org.'s "message" hook, line and sinker.

W.

38

When you see a JW or two on the street, do you ignore them or speak tothem?

by Rod P in

jw
friends

most of the time i just walk on by.

i just can't be bothered, and they are not going to believe what i say anyway.

besides, should i tell them i am disfellowshipped, which may scare them away?

Whiskeyjack

In Toronto, one will often see little old ladies holding up a pair of mags on the sidewalk. Most can't speak English passably ("good magazine, you read?") and just stand there like the proverbial bump on the log. I usually resist the temptation to grill them on the street and embarass them (the low quality of their service gets my blood up) and most of them aren't interested (nor capable) of dicussion anyways.

It's funny that I still get annoyed with "cheaters" in service!

W.

27

What's the last good fantasy or scifi book that you could'nt put down?

by Leander in

so what's the last fantasy/scifi book that you read that was just so good you could'nt put it down until you were done reading it?

i need a few recommendations, i'm in the mood for a good book.. for me the last really good scifi book was orson scott card's "ender's game".

for a long time i avoided this book because i thought it was aimed at a younger audience, but after hearing so many people praise it i finally took a chance on it.

Whiskeyjack

I'm one of those people who'll accidentally stay up all night reading a book.

George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire and Steve Eriksen's Malazan series are the current "class" of the fantasy genre. Eriksen's work is magnificent in scope ( he has a background in anthropology) and has a great Pantheon of Gods.

For Science Fiction, Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy is a must read. The story lags (no cliffhangers) but a lot of amazing information!

W.

55

Did You Ever Think The "End" Was Going To Happen In Your Lifetime"?

by minimus in

jw
friends

although i was considered an exemplary jw, i never really could see it happening.

still don't.

Whiskeyjack

Yes, the big "A" was always "around the corner" when I was an adolescent in the org. I never applied myself at highschool (big regrets now!). I even remember reading all those articles about the concentration camp experiences of military age JW men and thinking that I'd never be old enough to worry about that!

As I got older, I thought it odd that many JW's saved for retirement (often elders) since it seemed a definite sign of "lack of faith" to do so. My dad was lucky he got a partial pension from work or they'd be in dire straights right now. I shudder to think about the plight of "faithful" seniors in the org. over the next decade.

Maybe the society will get their congs. to shoulder this financial burden (or let'm eat dog food)?

W.

68

GIVE AN EXAMPLE of the best writing you've ever read

by Terry in

is there one line of prose or poetry that stopped you dead in your tracks and haunted your mind for days on end?

is there a line, a paragraph or a book that feeds your soul and there is no end to its craving?

share it with all of us.

Whiskeyjack

Nothing profound but I've always had a wish that I could have thanked George MacDonald Fraser in person for his Flashman Papers series and for the McAuslan chronicles. This man's sense of humour and history helped keep me sane in an increasingly autistic world.

It just goes to prove that good things can come from Scotland after all!

W.

13

Precident for elders to have two sets of rules. One for us and one for them

by kwintestal in

i was thinking about this for some reason this morning.

it seems that elders or elders' family are able to get away with quite a bit, while those who aren't are hung.

so how is that any different then things in the ot?.

Whiskeyjack

It's sad that this little hierarchy can't even follow the "rules"!

As I've posted earlier, my cong. was famous for our PO's kids and it took my dad (a lowly MS) kicking up a lot of organizational "stink" to get the "rules" applied to this fellow as he applied them to others over his tenure.

I remember many post event "smearing campaigns" (never participated but I was out of the social loop!) after somebody "broke-down" and spilled some beans. I found it repulsive and sad that so many kids had to learn to work with that sort of social system in their developmental years.

W.

.

40

Governing Body talk in Holland - GB decisions are Jehovah's decisions

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

it seems that few are aware of it, but the whole talk here is posted.. http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/viewtopic.php?t=2337&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=45.

seems like holland is having problems with jw authority.. thought i'd paste a few comments from the board before pasting the talk, so you can get an idea of what is happening.... --------------------------.

thanks for the update from holland.

Whiskeyjack

I'm not sure if I'm getting my history wrong but isn't Dutch society in general hostile towards large organized religions as a result of their experiences in the sixteenth century religious wars?

I remember a news item years ago about a Dutch band that released an anti-Catholic song called "popee yopee" which created a furore all over Europe but not in Holland. Anyone else remember it?

W.

19

Was Anyone Reinstated But Felt Marked?

by love2Bworldly in

jw
friends

just wondering if any of you experienced what i did years ago when i was reinstated.

although people were excited about my reinstatement and said things like "welcome home", i could tell when i would see people i used to be close to--that they still treated me differently, almost like i had a disease or something.

maybe it's because i was married to a non-jw and had a baby by then?.

Whiskeyjack

A perpsective from the other side...

I recall how many JW's would feel varying degrees of resentment at reinstated ones "who've had their bit if fun" and came back to their congs. while they themselves "followed the all the rules" (as we all know, no easy task!). The result was a diminished relationship with those weak ones often for years until they proved themselves (chastity, abstainance, public humiliation, etc...) worthy by "suffering" as much as the rest of us.

I remember the tale of the prodigal son and remember thinking that the "good" son should have left home after the way he was treated by the father in the parable!

W.

19

Suicide among Jehovah's Witnesses

by cruzanheart in

this topic has been covered many times, in many different ways, but let's open this for discussion: if the witnesses allowed an elder per congregation to be trained as a "pastoral counselor" as other religions do, would that make it more bearable to be a witness and play by their rules?

would it lessen the number of depressed, suicidal people who feel they have no reason to live?.

nina

Whiskeyjack

Training would seem like a good idea but how to incorporate it when the org.'s officers don't want to deal in the "reality" of the actual private lives the members of their comgs. are having to lead (youth double-lifers, people hiding depression problems, spousal abuse, etc...) to maintain what status they have?

JW's are not meant to be happy or content in this "system of things" aside from the "satisfaction" they recieve as Jesus' (which means the FDS of course) christian soldiers. Any attempt to start addressing these kinds of issues would imperil the authority of New York when those trained elders try to make an impact in their respective congregations.

So JW's with such problems had better continue their best to "hide" their problems and deal with them on their own or clandestantly seek professional/competent help. In the case of depression, this means a lot of unnecessary suffering will continue (speaking with some personal experience!) for those soldiers who follow orders to the letter.

W.

16

When the Society started to derail? - I love history

by amen in

this was taken from thebiblestudents.net the original group of russel.. how truth are these comments?

wow!

the watchtower is into apostacy.. any new one who still believes in the watchtower should take a look at this.. .

Whiskeyjack

Thanks for posting this Amen! Great read. Have any background info. on these fellows?

W.