david_10

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Posts by david_10

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  27

  JWs Proselytizing on University Campus!!!

  by outnfree in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  imagine my horror as i walked out of my french class this morning to see someone setting up a table, covered in lovely royal blue felt, with two tiers of watchtower literature attractively displayed.

  imagine my chagrin when i realized who the "sister" was who was going to sit outdoors and chat up passersby: my former congregation's po's wife!.

  i am not sure what university policy is in general as regards proselytizing on campus (but i intend to find out).

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  david_10

  Very interesting thread.

  Hi Everyone-------I've been away from the board for a while. Outnfree, don't let it get you down. Just mind your business and have a good day. I think that FranklinJ is right. And Oroborus, too, even though he might be a little condescending about it. (Drop that last paragraph, Eduardo, and your reply would be 100% perfect.) Witnesses are going to "witness" and that's all there is to it. But on a college campus? Not for long. As a young pioneer back in the early 70's and living in a college town, it was occasionally encouraged that we engage in campus witnessing; but the prospect of it made me very apprehensive. I never did it, not even once. As bad as I hated knocking on doors, I would much rather have done that than go up to a person of my own age who was showing some ambition and actually trying to accomplish something. At the time, I didn't know why I felt that way, but I do now: As Oroborus pointed out, I felt socially inferior and unprepared to exchange ideas with someone who was being taught to question everything. So I knocked on doors instead. And how I hated it!

  Do you know what I think is the main motivation of setting up the booth and all? Is this PO's wife a pioneer, by any chance? Even if she's not, she's thinking: "Holy smokes, look at all this free time I can count!"

  David
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  33

  Last Meeting

  by Nosferatu in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for those who have been out for a while, was there anything special about the very last meeting you attended (excluding memorials)?

  was there anything incredibly memorable about it?

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  david_10

  Nominee, best writing on JWD this year (so far)

  Thank you, Willyloman, for your complimentary words-----I really appreciate them. And I'm going to hunt for that book. I'm an avid reader and I know I would enjoy it. Thanks again.

  David
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  33

  Last Meeting

  by Nosferatu in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for those who have been out for a while, was there anything special about the very last meeting you attended (excluding memorials)?

  was there anything incredibly memorable about it?

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  david_10

  I left the organization way back in 1987. Although the build-up that led to my and my family's departure had been going on for a few years, it was in August, 1987 that we attended our last meeting. But I don't remember anything specific about the meeting itself------it was just a regular meeting, I guess. I still drive the old 1974 Plymouth that I always drove to the meetings and that I've owned for over 20 years....it seems to be part of my image and I just can't bring myself get rid of it. It's out-lived every car I've ever had and will probably out-live 2 or 3 more. Now in the trunk of the old Plymouth, the briefcase that contained all the books and magazines and materials that we needed for the meetings still resides, and has been pretty much undisturbed for the last 16 years. It has the study Watchtowers for a few weeks, the Tuesday study books, Kingdom Ministries for a couple of months, songbooks for the family, green Bibles, field service materials, some small toys and Golden Books that we'd sneak into the Hall for our sons who were still babies at the time. Just everything that a witness needs to survive the meetings. Over the years, I've opened that briefcase up maybe 3 times when I've been in a reminiscing mood, and I can't believe that I did all that. But even more than that, it makes me feel very sad. I was raised in the "truth", as was my wife, and our whole life up to that point is in that briefcase, and I get an overwhelming feeling of sadness whenever I open it. I guess that's why I don't look in there very often. It just stays in the trunk of the car as a reminder, I suppose, of the hell that the Society put us through. My 4 kids were pretty young when we left, and I've noticed that they still have some problems from it all, as do I, but all in all, we're doing very well and feel so thankful to be free of it. That's something else that that briefcase reminds me of. Great thread. David
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  63

  Famous Last Words

  by Blueblades in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  sooner or later it happens to all of us.the time comes for us to draw our last breath and pass from this life into the next.over the years history has recorded some fascinating "famous last words"...here are a few.. "i've never felt better".douglas fairbanks,sr.,actor.. "iam about to----or i am going to-----die;either expression is correct".dominique bouhours,french grammarian.. "don't let it end like this.tell them i said something.

  "pancho villa,mexican revolutionary.. "all my possessions for a moment of time!

  "elizabeth 1,queen of england.. "everybody has got to die,but i have always believed an exception would be made in my case.now what?

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  david_10

  When Voltaire was on his deathbed, his priest urged him to renounce the Devil. Barely able to speak, Voltaire replied: "This is not the time to be making new enemies."

  David
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  167

  Was There Ever A Circuit Overseer That You Couldn't Stand?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i know this has been discussed before but i think a fresh thread on this will be enjoyable.

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  david_10

  Brother Bradshaw. I can't remember his first name. He was a mean bastard. His demeanor during the servant's meetings can only be described as that of an NFL coach chewing out his players at half-time. I half-expected him to pick up a chair and slam it into the wall. Everyone would come out of those meetings all stooped over and looking at the floor. Totally deflated.

  David
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  7

  Difference between Disfellowshipping and inactive/disassociation

  by Scooby in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  do you guys know what the difference is between disfellowshipped/inactive/disassociation?.

  i am not sure which one to do to myself (ha ha)!!!

  i figured your experiences would help me decide which one is right for me as i don't trust i'll get the best answer for me from one of my current jw friends.

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  david_10

  Hello again, Scooby. It has always been my opinion that fading is the best way to leave the Organization. Sometimes you can do it------sometimes you can't. There can be a lot of variables involved, but if you don't have any powerful enemies and if you fade gradually, then you probably can get away. My wife and I left 15 years ago and we've had no problems at all. I've known others, however, who have been hounded relentessly by the same elders that have left us alone. They're unpredictable and you're never sure what they will do. But if you can, try to fade.

  I hope your marriage situation turns out for the best. And by saying "for the best", that may mean ending it. I hope not, but what is is what is. I know exactly what you mean about the pressure young people are under to marry sooner rather than later. And don't think for one minute that you're alone in choosing that course. After all, those raging hormones can't be treated with cold showers for very long and masturbation will cost you your eternal life, so the only choice left is to get married-----usually to the first thing with a pulse that comes along. I was 19 and my wife was 17 when we got married after a brief courtship. She dropped out of school so we could hurry up and do it. This, I firmly believe, is exactly what the Society wants young people to do because it effectively eliminates all life options that kids may have and forces them to stay close to jehovah's organization. The marriages often fail, but the Society doesn't care------They've gotten 5, 10, maybe 15 years of servitude that they probably wouldn't have gotten if the kids had stayed single and gone to college. But sometimes, it works out----------we recently celebrated our 30th anniversary. A lot of ups, a lot of downs, but we stayed together. Sometimes it works out.

  I wish you the best as you try to get everything sorted out.

  David
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  7

  Difference between Disfellowshipping and inactive/disassociation

  by Scooby in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  do you guys know what the difference is between disfellowshipped/inactive/disassociation?.

  i am not sure which one to do to myself (ha ha)!!!

  i figured your experiences would help me decide which one is right for me as i don't trust i'll get the best answer for me from one of my current jw friends.

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  david_10

  Hi Scooby. To answer your question in the simplest way: "Disfellowshipping" is what a judicial committee does to you. "Disassociation" is what you do to yourself. Both have the exact same result: you are shunned. "Inactive" refers to your Field Service activity. If you have not been in service for 6 months, then you are considered inactive. You could have 100% meeting attendance, and still be inactive.

  Good Luck.

  David
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  29

  Postcard from a sick bed

  by ozziepost in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  been very poorly for several days and got very ill sunday night so that yesterday was spent in hospital lots of tests and x-rays.

  the usual stuff.. at the moment i've been allowed home to "wait and see".

  fever is still 40 degrees and i don't even feel i could taste a shiraz!.

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  david_10

  Take it easy, Ozzie, and get well soon.

  David
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  28

  I'm disfellowshipped, and I will partake at the Memorial.................

  by Fruitcake in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  well, nisan 14 is rolling around again, and i am going to partake at the memorial.. when i was a goodstanding jw last year, i really thought of the relationship i had with the christ, and partook, and they all had a cow.

  but i had a good standing, so they pretty much left me alone.... well, surprise!!

  i am now disfellowshipped, and some inner voice tells me to go back there one last time and partake, i am not doing this to be a pain, but to show the new congregation that i had belonged to, who i am, and to give others the courage to examine themselves, and their personal relationship with the christ.. i believe disfellowshipping is unscriptural, so i am confidant!!

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  david_10

  Let me try to bring a little balance into this. I'm with wednesday : these stories sound a little made-up to me. But whether they are or aren't, I don't find them very funny. Don't get me wrong-----------nobody despises the WTS more than I do, but crashing the Memorial is a total waste of time and if you think that you're going to get the faithful witnesses to sit back and think about their misplaced faith, you're wrong. In fact, you're going to be doing exactly the opposite and drive them deeper inside. Everyone will just think: "Those crazy, vile apostates!!! See there----"Mother" is right. Where else can we go if we leave the protection of Jehovah's Organization?" I say : Leave 'em alone and let 'em do their thing. Some will eventually figure things out. Most won't. But re-inforcing their already strong persecution complex isn't going to help a single one find his way out.

  That's all I wanted to say. Thank you.

  David
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  42

  Are You Ashamed Of The Way That You Disciplined Your Child?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  most articles in the publications recommended physical punishment, (corporal) when disciplining children.

  the scripture says that "he will not die" if you beat him.

  so many parents literally beat their children.

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  david_10

  Minimus, you say that the Society would never recommend child abuse, but I'm not so sure. They would certainly never use the word "abuse", but the end result of what they do recommend is the same thing. It amounts to abuse. I was born and raised in the organization and my dad was the Congregation Servant, as they were called in those days, and the Congregation Servants, and all the servants for that matter, were under a lot of pressure to set the right example for the flock in everything from going out in service to keeping their kids in line. And the Circut Servants, as they were called in those days, were not shy about lowering the boom on any Servants who were not setting a "good" example. As a result, my 2 brothers and I were always getting to take a trip outside. I can remember that as we were driving to the meeting, I would get this sick desperate feeling, knowing that I was only about 15 minutes away from getting the first of 2 or 3 whippings before the night was over. I still frequently drive that route and down that street-----------the same old houses are still there, the same dips in the pavement are still there, the old Kingdom Hall is still there although it was sold years ago and turned into a senior citizens' center. The neighborhood around there hasn't changed much in the last 40 years or so. And to this day, when I'm driving down that street, I still get that same sick desperate feeling that I got as a kid. It is a vestige of my childhood that will never go away. And of course, when I made the transition from child to parent, I took that attitude of child-raising with me and put it into practice on my own children. After all, I turned out good, so that proves this arrangement has Jehovah's blessing. It's shameful and there's not hardly a day that go by that I don't feel guilty about it.

  Normally, I always enjoy Ozzie's postings on everything he talks about, but this time, I must strongly disagree. (Ozzie, are you listening?). He says that it is drawing a long bow to blame the Society for whipping our kids. Well, just exactly where did we get the idea that it was OK to discipline our kids with with violence. This has been a theme that has pervaded organization mentality from Russell's time to the present. Whip your kids and scare them into serving Jehovah. I don't have have any publications with me to prove this point, but I do have a songbook right here in front of me. Even in the songs, the message is loud and clear. Example: # 164 Children - Precious Gifts From God The first verse says: "......our children are a possession to train and teach. They are gifts from God. He says 'Use the rod.' " EXACT quote. What are they telling parents to do? They are saying that it's OK to whip your kid and then sing about it, for Chrissake.

  This has been a very good thread, and I have enjoyed all the honest and candid responses (yes, even yours Ozzie.) For me, anyway, it has even been cathartic and cleansing to be able to write about it.

  David