Posts by Fatfreek

21

who (pant) ... mountain (pant) ... cycles (pant) ...

by Simon in

oh boy, my legs are burning!.

we bought mountain bikes last weekend and have been out every other day or so.

today we went without the kids on a much further ride up some steep hills and along some lovely pathways.. i used to ride road bikes a lot (10-20 years ago) and go on 5-6 hour rides with groups but this is very different ... i need to keep practicing and will then think about getting a nice cervelo or something to do the jasper to banff ride.. for now, i'm happy to just get home each time!

Fatfreek

I'm on the South side of 68 and ride from 10-12 miles per (non-golfing) day on my mountain bike. For golfing days that means some 5 miles of hilly walking (there are still a handful of walkers at our club) and ball-striking.

I don't think it's bad for an old man who had bypass heart surgery in 1990. I renetly wore out my first (1992) bike (a $400 model) and believe it or not, found a decent replacement at Wal-mart for $139.

Here in South Arkansas my riding season is when the temperature is above 70 degrees F., from March through November. In March my biggest problem is getting used to a sore butt. Yes, I've tried different seats.

The following photo was published several weeks ago in TIME. Note what these Tour de France riders are doing prior to a large hill climb in order to strengthen their lungs.

Len Miller

10

Anybody remember when southern congregations were integrated?

by Texman55 in

as i think i recall, this happened in the fall of 1972. i was living in atlanta at the time, where it was a nonissue, there was a very pretty black girl who was very popular in the congo there.

but back in my much smaller hometown, there were still black congregations when i started studying in 1970....totally separate khs, totally separate circuit assemblies.

not sure if they had a separate co...probably not.. in fact my great uncle, the eccentric old guy nobody in my family had much to do with....been a jw for ages but not very popular in the kh either....had a little house directly across the street.....moody, cranky old cuss, but very independent thinker too in a weird kind of russelite way....he got df'd around that time and i think it had something to do with the integration issue.

Fatfreek

I remember stopping to visit with him once and him castigating the "yankees" and their newfangled ideas about things....he might actually have said "damnyankees" lol.....meaning the CO and the Brooklyn big boys etc......course he also wrote books of poems and self published them.....really baaaad poetry that went on for days....all about god's coming kingdom and how you should only eat "natural" foods, etc etc etc. Lot of non-WT-approved ideas there. Poor old fellow, I felt sorry for him, all shriveled up and bent over with arthritis....age 80 something.....but he had such a hard nosed personality, not a lovable old cuss at all, just an ol cuss....sad.

Don't misjudge your uncle too quickly. His ideas on natural foods, etc., may have found their source from early predecessor of Awake! magazine. Rather than non-WT-approved ideas, writers of that periodical (Golden Age) actually promoted many of the dietary teachings of Professor Ehret, a self-proclaimed Doctor with very radical ideas. You may want to check out this link .

Len Miller

6

The changeover to today's disfellowshipping -- 1944

by Fatfreek in

if my search backward through watchtower pages is correct, the may 15, 1944 issue was the doctrinal turning point of the disfellowshipping procedure.

prior to that, a behavioral problem of some member was placed before the company (today's congregation) and it was decided by the democratic process.

i don't know whether it was a show of hands, an audible voicing of ayes and nays, a paper ballot, or what.

Fatfreek

If my search backward through Watchtower pages is correct, the May 15, 1944 issue was the doctrinal turning point of the disfellowshipping procedure.

Prior to that, a behavioral problem of some member was placed before the company (today's congregation) and it was decided by the democratic process. I don't know whether it was a show of hands, an audible voicing of ayes and nays, a paper ballot, or what. As you can imagine it must've been extremely embarrasing for the accused. It probably wasn't much fun for anyone in the audience -- kind of like throwing stones in ancient days. Okay -- perhaps some folks thrived on that kind of thing.

The following brief excerpt is is from that issue, page 151:

...This brings up the questions: Is there anything in the Bible as to disfellowshiping brethren and as to a congregation’s taking a vote to have this done? ... In times past those words of the Lord have been interpreted to this effect: That, where one member of the church sins against another, the matter is, after due process, to be brought before a whole congregation. There it should be discussed and argued out. Then a vote should be taken by stretching forth the hand of each member of the congregation in a democratic-voting manner. Thus the congregation must indicate its determination of what should be done with the one found guilty.
Putting such a meaning into our Lord’s words, however, has served to cause more controversy and disruption among congregations in times past than almost any other thing.

Following that, it was argued that certain ones in roles of authority within the local congregation would be better suited to performing the dastardly task.

What surprises me is that the change was done on Knorr's watch and not Rutherford's. Recall that Rutherford had already passed away some two years earlier on January 8, 1942.

Len

12

Ed Dunlap Describes His Experience In The 1980 Bethel Purge (2 Part Audio)

by Jeremy C in

up until the purges that took place at brooklyn bethel in 1980, ed dunlap had served as the registrar and one of the senior instructors of the gilead school.

dunlap was one of the victims of the witch hunts that took place in 1980 and was disfellowshipped for "apostasy", along with members of the translation department.

in raymond franzs book crisis of conscience, ray franz discusses ed dunlaps experience in detail.

Fatfreek

I found Randy's audio copy of Dunlap's tape to be quite good. I listened in its entirety through my earphones.

I found his introduction interesting. Risking redundancy, I thought it would be helpful to jot down the timeline of his history up till 1980.

1933, began his association with the Watchtower.
1935, Baptized, then pioneer work
1943, Bethel service began
1944 - 1954, filled in at times for CO's, then to Gilead in So. Lansing. Married.
1954 - 1958, Bethel, answering mail
1961 - 1973, Gilead teacher after its move to Brooklyn
(1966 - 1973), More time in writing dept. than in Gilead
1973 - 1980, Writing department, working on Aid to Bible Understanding with Ray Franz (and others?)
1980, left Bethel in May following disfellowshipping.

I apologize for some holes in my timeline but thought it would be helpful nonetheless.

Len

22

I'm thinking of that WATER4GAS offer -- you tried it on your vehicle?

by Fatfreek in

jw
friends

i first got this utube video showing a news report on a $1,200 device add-on to your vehicle.

basically, it injects a small quantity of hydrogen into your fuel intake port which reportedly increases your fuel efficiency -- some 60% and more.

the florida tv station set up its own testing of the device (hydro4000.com) on one of their vehicles and reported before and after economy results.

Fatfreek

Thanks all for not letting me get roped into another scam. My 21 years in the WT scam was enough, thank you very much.

James is right about Mythbusters. In addition to their great Discovery channel show, they have a similar web site. Here's the link to their take on the scam.

This other link is to our government's Consumer Affairs alert to U.S. (that's you and me)

Len

22

I'm thinking of that WATER4GAS offer -- you tried it on your vehicle?

by Fatfreek in

jw
friends

i first got this utube video showing a news report on a $1,200 device add-on to your vehicle.

basically, it injects a small quantity of hydrogen into your fuel intake port which reportedly increases your fuel efficiency -- some 60% and more.

the florida tv station set up its own testing of the device (hydro4000.com) on one of their vehicles and reported before and after economy results.

Fatfreek

I first got this uTube video showing a news report on a $1,200 device add-on to your vehicle. Basically, it injects a small quantity of hydrogen into your fuel intake port which reportedly increases your fuel efficiency -- some 60% and more.

The Florida TV station set up its own testing of the device (Hydro4000.com) on one of their vehicles and reported before and after economy results. An outstanding report from mainstream media.

At the present cost of gas one can pay off this system in less than a year.

Still scary.

With a bit of Google searching anybody can find alternative do-it-yourself systems (or have your mechanic do it with easy to understand instructions) using off the shelf hardware for less than $200. A prominent online fellow sells his instructions in the form of two eBooks that can be downloaded for less than $100.

A few questions I had was, How much water? Perhaps a quart of distilled water per 1,000 miles. A teaspoon of baking soda to act as a catalyst.

Does it destroy your engine, valves, etc. Not according to reports.

How long does it take an ordinary person to install? Less than an hour.

How much maintenance attention? Less than 5 minutes per week.

I'm tempted. What do you think?

Len Miller

501

Warren Schroeder from Bethel on Freddy, Kline and the apostate books!

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

having problem pasting this...

Fatfreek

A great tale, Tom. Thanks for taking the time to share.

Len

20

BOGUS ORIGINS of Watchtower core beliefs DESTROYS FDS claims

by Terry in

when william miller (baptist farmer turned theologian) predicted the 2nd coming of christ in 1843/44 a large segment of america's population believed along with him.. miller was invited to preach in church after church.

he gave his points in sermons demonstrating the nearness of armageddon.

perhaps a hundred thousand devout christians waited for the end.

Fatfreek

Once again, an excellent thread, Terry.

Mark Twain was one of Russell's contemporaries though I suspect the liklihood of Twain knowing of Russell was far less than the reverse. While Twain didn't use the term plagiarism in the following quotation, what he said gave me pause in view of the theme of this thread:

In religion and politics people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination, from authorities who have not themselves examined the questions at issue but have taken them at second-hand from other non-examiners, whose opinions about them were not worth a brass farthing.
- Autobiography of Mark Twain

Len Miller

501

Warren Schroeder from Bethel on Freddy, Kline and the apostate books!

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

having problem pasting this...

Fatfreek

...the interpretation was entirely different. I don't remember the specific character represented, but in one view the character represented Jesus Christ, in the other it was Satan the Devil, so it was not a minor adjustment.

Oh, I remember that one. It was the subject of a question I've posted here to see if someone remembered the book, but there were no replies.

It seems that I can remember pasting replacement text (perhaps from a Kingdom Ministry) over the old text before our Tuesday bookstudy. Several of us looked at each other with raised eyebrows as we noted the drastic teaching reversal.

As an aside, there are thousands, based on the view count, who've enjoyed this thread. It has amazed me that so many had prominent positions of responsibility at Bethel and Gilead in the early 80's and are now out and looking back and sharing these great stories.

Before it's all lost to fading memories and for posterity, I'd like to see an organization chart that includes all you folks and others. It's only possible with input from you old timers. If any of you old timers agree and are willing to help, I'd be willing to do the drawing -- then post back into this thread.

It would help illustrate to the lurker, including current JW's, that their structure is not much different, if any, than any of the businesses of what they call "this old world".

Len Miller

501

Warren Schroeder from Bethel on Freddy, Kline and the apostate books!

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

having problem pasting this...

Fatfreek

PS for the uninitiated, the G in G-job means "Government". I am not sure where that came from, but Richard Wheelock told me that. I would be interested in how outside work got that name.

That brings back memories. In the late 50's when I was cutting my teeth as a machinist apprentice I noticed one of the journeymen working a strange shape in the vertical milling machine. Always curious, I approached him and asked what it was. He said, "it's a government job", and said no more. Being a novice I sensed I was treading on sacred ground.

My bench buddy saw the whole thing and when I returned to work he smiled, catching my puzzled look. He came over and whispered, "government is code for us, young man. We're members of the government, aren't we? -- as he winked.

Len