Posts by coolhandluke

i was reading this to a friend of mine and that is what brought it back up. some days i really think i've gotten it all out, the programming that is. other days i feel so steeped in it and wonder if i'll ever be not caught between two worlds. ahhh, the human struggle

37

Hi,you might know my big sister..

by Firefox in

im 19 and im still going to meetings.ive been sort of unhappy for a while.my older sister left the truth about 9 or 10 years ago.my brother was on her heels a couple of years later.ive been told that they were weak,selfish,posessed and drug addicts.i knew this wasnt true,they were both brilliant and caring of me.i havent spoken to them in at least 3 years.alot of gossip still circulates about them,especially sarah.she intimidated everybody and i suppose this is how they feel superior.. im rambling,sorry.im just overwhelmed.i ran into sarah at a walmart and she was radiant.i chatted her ear off for an hour and she hugged me when i cried.i told her i wanted out,that i know something isnt right but i m so scared.she suggested some of teh online groups to help.i guess she went to thomschat but thats not there anymore.she said my struggle would be different than hers because she never believed in the witnesses.i did.any advice or books to read or whatever you suggest,i just want to learn.she said crisis of conscience would probably help.okay thanks..

coolhandluke

i know your sister very well. when we were friends she spoke of all of her siblings often with perhaps a twinge of sadness at being estranged from you but always with a smile and always with a longing. read crisis of conscience. look around yourself critically. remember that this is your life and yours alone. you have the right to make any decision you wish. but there will be consequences. you must however do what it is that makes you happy. the most informed person on an honest day can only tell you with certainty that you have one 'go-round'. make the most of it even in its infinite brevity. if you need help i know that sarah will do whatever she can for you. i know for certain that your brother jeff will do the same, he's got a big heart.

coolhandluke

30

you call it cognitive dissonance. i call it pain

by coolhandluke in

jw
friends

when i was growing up i never watched cartoons.

i didn't play with other kids who were not of the same faith.

i didn't curse.

coolhandluke

i had to revisit this. sometimes i cycle back around to all of the thoughts in this post. it still feels raw

27

IP Cometh

by IP_SEC in

jw
friends

to clearwater florida in the spring for a week.

no im not joining the church of scientology.

i've got a skool to go to.

coolhandluke

but you get drunk and try to feel me up

... not that i'm complaining

9

For the sake of fair play

by coolhandluke in

jw
friends

i have this problem.

i think that justice and right and wrong are universal concepts that every man of every faith can embrace - to bastardize a line from the boondock saints.

perhaps this is jw in origin, this expecting everyone to play from the same deck with no jokers and no wild cards.

coolhandluke

Baba, even if there was and I did, I'd share it. That is just how I am. I might have to tell him just like that. "Look Joe, I'm tired of hearing how you made this bounty on me coming in here to solve problems that you've had for the past 2 years. Either give me half, take me to a hella expensive dinner, or quit talking about it. Those are your options."

So I'm not crazy for feeling this way? Thanks Baba.

9

For the sake of fair play

by coolhandluke in

jw
friends

i have this problem.

i think that justice and right and wrong are universal concepts that every man of every faith can embrace - to bastardize a line from the boondock saints.

perhaps this is jw in origin, this expecting everyone to play from the same deck with no jokers and no wild cards.

coolhandluke

I have this problem. I think that justice and right and wrong are universal concepts that every man of every faith can embrace - to bastardize a line from The Boondock Saints. Perhaps this is JW in origin, this expecting everyone to play from the same deck with no Jokers and no Wild cards. Perhaps this is my problem of being a recovering elitist who thinks that everyone should be held to his own standard. I really don't know. Some insight would be appreciated.

I have a job. I love my job. A friend recommended me for this job. It was my qualifications that got me the job though. I endured a barrage style interview, 3 groups of two people at a time for a total of 4 hours and then an hour long phone interview with the Chief Technology Officer. I am well qualified and have been told multiple times that I filled a need for them that wasn't being attended to by the existing staff. If I am absent from the office for more than 3 hours they notice and I get my ass chewed even if I am absent for legitimate reasons because they've begun to depend on me. Here is my beef. My 'friend' who recommended me for the position made a referral bonus of $3000 on my hiring payed half at signing and half after 90 days. He has mentioned this to me on more than one occassion. He is like my at work wife. We work closely together. I listen to him bitch, advise him, watch his department when he is gone, help him craft emails to his wife when he screws up, solve problems that he has no concept of how to confront. He needs me and I need him. But it pisses me off to no end that every time he mentions this 3k he has never offered me any of it nor has he even taken me to dinner as he promised. Have I reason to be irritated or is this a case of 'Luke stop sweating the small shit and just worry about the bigger picture.'?

18

White vs Black vs Grey (Gray)

by coolhandluke in

jw
friends

when i was a young man everything was black and white, good and evil, you see?

but then i grew to find that there was only grey" ~ anonymous character.

in the days of dogmatic reasoning i knew that i had the truth.

coolhandluke

as most often Penguin we are in agreement. and thank the rest of you for your lessons in grammar. i'll be sure to mention that bit to this child as i explain to her that her mom isn't crazy, has good grammar and is just trying to explain away her fears.

18

White vs Black vs Grey (Gray)

by coolhandluke in

jw
friends

when i was a young man everything was black and white, good and evil, you see?

but then i grew to find that there was only grey" ~ anonymous character.

in the days of dogmatic reasoning i knew that i had the truth.

coolhandluke

rebirth: i can so very very much appreciate your viewpoint and method of parenting. good on ya

18

White vs Black vs Grey (Gray)

by coolhandluke in

jw
friends

when i was a young man everything was black and white, good and evil, you see?

but then i grew to find that there was only grey" ~ anonymous character.

in the days of dogmatic reasoning i knew that i had the truth.

coolhandluke

i agree with you as well chickpea. the thing is that this new mom has recently become religious at the birth of her child. whereas before she did drugs and broke other "commandments". she now is closed minded and rigid. i understand that she's just afraid of not having answers to questions that her daughter will have. but that is part of the human experience. i hated when i asked my mom questions and i could tell that she didn't know but made up an answer anyway. it pissed me off. i'd rather her have told me that she didn't know rather than essentially lie to my face. it made me respect her so much less.