Wow does this bring back memories! I was a young teenager and went to the Quincy Massachusetts Kingdom Hall. Our meeting started at 3:00 o'clock and during the break I would go out to the car and listen to the Boston Red Sox on the radio. Many, many times I came back in late for the Watchtower Study and was pinched and glared at by my mother over and over again. By the way, I was too old by then to be taken out to the coat room and be knocked silly with a wooden spoon. Ahhhhhhh the memories.....................growing up in Jehovahs loving organization.
sparky1
JoinedPosts by sparky1
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52
How many remember the 15 min break Between the Public Tlk and WT Study?
by Wasanelder Once inas kid i remember a break of 15 minutes between the public talk and the wt study.
all the new ones and "weak" ones ran out to smoke.
loved to see the attendant round them up to come back in when the droning began again.
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DRAPETOMANIA is a word you need to know: it has been applied to YOU!
by Terry indid you know there once was a word used to describe the desire of black slaves to run away from their masters?.
did you know it was described as "mental illness?".
do you know where this view of runaway slaves originated?.
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sparky1
New Light Terry.............
"he is puffed up [with pride], not understanding anything, but being mentally diseased over questionings and debates about words." 1 Timothy 6:4 New World Translation Revised 1994
"he is puffed up with pride and does not understand anything. He is obsessed with arguments and debates about words." 1 Timothy 6:4 New World Translation Revised 2013
I was involved in this discussion on Huffington Post and was amazed at the sheer ignorance and inabilty to think and reason of the current crop of Jehovah's Witnesses. My contention is that this scripture was changed in the new revised version of their bible in order to PREVENT ex Jehovahs Witnesses from suing the Watchtower Society on the grounds of 'religious hate speech'. More moves from the Legal Dept. of the Society to burnish up the image of Jehovah's Witnesses to people that don't know any better.
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What is the biggest regret or source of resentment because of being a Jehovahs Witness?
by stuckinarut2 ini'm sure we could all write long paragraphs about this question, but in a few words, what is your biggest regret, or frustration in life due to being a witness?.
what missed opportunities did it cost you?
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sparky1
Regrets............here is my list.
1. Not being able to graduate High School in the 10th grade because my fanatical JW mother thought it would be too hard on me to skip grades when I was younger. Then when I got to the 9th grade my guidance counselor refused to allow me to take 10th, 11th and 12th grade English during Summer school so that I could graduate 2 years early. I had enough credits in the 9th grade to graduate High School and was only missing the required High School English courses. So I quit school and became a Pioneer.
2. Becoming a Bethelite at 19.
3. Not going to college. My Grandfather wanted to pay my way through Law School. I wanted to become a Doctor and go to Medical School.
4. Not getting married and having children. This was the early 70's after all. Just wait a few more years and you can marry someone that survived Armageddon and you will know that they love Jehovah! And your children will be born into perfection!
5. Not seeking professional help for my life long depression until I was 50 years old!
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What role (witting or unwitting) did HAYDEN C. COVINGTON play in the Watchtower DF policy flip-flop?
by Terry inwhat if i told you three presidents of the watch tower corporation at one time held the following to be true?.
excommunication (shunning/disfellowship) is used by false religion to stifle honest inquiry.. ironic?
well, duh!.
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sparky1
As a side note, Hayden Covington was the only member of the Other Sheep class to serve on the Govering Body (or governing body if you prefer)!Most current Jehovah's Witnesses have no understanding of this fact.
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Doesn't the ARMAGEDDON teaching foster a MORBID view of the future?
by Black Man ineven when i was dyed-in-the-wool j-dub, i felt the armageddon teaching was one of the most morbid concepts to be hammered into the psyches of jws.
think about it, only jws would survive this catastrophe, which translates to roughly .001 percent of the population would survive while everyone else would die a horrible death.
that includes people who do good things and are good people, but are just not jws.
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sparky1
"The first thing brought forth by the study of any religion, ancient or modern, is that it is based upon Fear, born of it, fed by it-and that it cultivates the source from which its nourishment is derived." - Upton Sinclair
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The Governing Body told two Elders to call !!!!
by Phizzy ina friend from the other end of the country just 'phoned and told me that a couple of days ago two elders knocked on his door.
he has been out for four or more years.. they told him it was c.o's visit, and the governing body have asked them to call on those whom they no longer see at the k.hall.. i guess this is an easier "field" than knocking on doors that never open, or where they are told "not interested".. my friend bill though, was not such an easy call.
apparently he managed to get in about 1914 being rubbish, the bible not being the word of god, because we cannot trust it, 1919 being rubbish as to the choosing of the fds and several other telling points.. i liked particularly that he said to them they were rather hypocritical asking householders to examine their faith, when jw's were simply not allowed to !.
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sparky1
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha !!! I got my visit on Sunday April 6th the week before the Memorial. If my visit wasn't so FUNNY it would be SAD. Come to think of it, if it wasn't so SAD it would be FUNNY. Let me set the stage for this comedic/dramatic/farce. First you have Elder #1. He is very sincere, kind and loving; an all around nice guy that wouldn't hurt a fly. His wife left him for a woman (non-witness) and is now a commited Lesbian. Three of his four children want nothing do do with the Witnesses but one son is a Ministerial Servant. Elder #1 is not very worldy wise but sometimes he can make a sharp observation. Elder #2 is an ex-Hippie. Graduate of Wentworth Institute in Massachusetts. Not very bright and lazy to the extreme. He forgets that years ago when I was still active he came to me for marital advice. It seems that his wife had little interest in sex and he was frustrated to the MAX. All three of his sons are active witnesses and his wife is a Pioneer. They put on a good front as a model Witness Family. He is known in the community for his 'sharp business practices' and is always late in paying his bills. Actor #3 is me. Ex-pioneer, ex-Bethelite, ex-Ministerial Servant and brother that turns down the position of Secretary to the Body of Elders because I didn't want to be appointed an Elder. Here is the scenario as it unfolded albeit in condensed form:
Elder #1: Hello Sparky. The Governing Body through the Circuit Overseer has instructed the local elders to call on inactive ones and convey the deep love and concern that the Governing Body has for all Of Jehovahs Sheep, especially those that have slowed down in the work over time.
Sparky: Shakes Elder #1 and #2 hands. Thank you for taking time to come and see me. I am in the middle of my lunch as you can see but I appreciate you conveying this to me. Won't you please sit down.
Small talk and chit chat ensues for a few moments and then Elder #1 must proceed with his canned speech.
Elder#1: I would like to read to you Hebrews 6:10. (Everyone here is familiar with this text so I won't quote it.)
Sparky: Laughing.............Ha ha ha ha you won't believe this Elder #1 but that scripture was used in my Personal Review after I finished Bethel Entrants school.
Both Elders brighten up! Oh yes.....we remember that you loyally served Jehovah in Bethel. You must have many experiances that you could share with us. ( You are damn right I could but I doubt you could stomach what I had to say!)
Elder#1: You are not alone in this congregation. We have a total of 14 in our hall that are inactive. The Circuit Overseer told us that we are within the national average. (He said this like he was proud that at least we were not in worse shape that other halls.)
Sparky: (With a straight face) That number seems a little low to me. After all there are somewhere around 8 million active witnesses worldwide and more than double that number attend the Memorial each year. As you know from looking around our hall at Memorial time there are only a few faces that are newly interested ones and the rest are unbelieving family members, hangers on and those who are no longer active. I am sure that it is the same in other halls.
Elder #1 and #2 in unison and looking at each other: Hmmm.....maybe.
Elder#2: You know Sparky the times are very urgent. Armageddon is almost upon us.
Sparky: Yes Elder #2 I am sure something is up. You know the first time I laid eyes on you almost 40 years ago I was giving the Instruction Talk at the Thursday night meeting. If I recall correctly my talk was on the urgency of the times.
Elder #2: You have a good memory Sparky. I don't remember that specific talk but I do recall that you had many parts on the Service Meeting and the Theocratic School. We don't speculate on dates anymore but we do know that Armageddon is almost upon us.(He really said this!)
Sparky: Yes Elder #2 that is true. Witnesses don't speculate about dates anymore. How is you Volvo wagon working out. Any trouble with it. My Volvo sedan has electrical trouble in heavy rain.
Elder #2: Ha ha ha. (chuckles to himself)No I don't have any trouble with the car at all. It is my Armageddon car!(He really said this too!)
Sparky: You know Elder #2 I remember when you had an old Ford Falcon and you told me that it was your Armageddon car. That was almost 40 years ago too.
Elder #2: Yes Sparky.......I have had 5 Armageddon cars but this is my last one!
Elder #1: Well Elder #2 I think we should go now. Sparky needs to finish his Lunch and it is rude for us to interfere with his Luchtime. We hope to see you at the Memorial and if there is anything we can do to help restore you to you former activity we are here to help.
For me it was a half hour of cheap entertainment. I hope any of you posting here that get a Shepherding Call this year can have as much of a laugh as I did.
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Were you 'alive in '75' and how was that year for you?
by punkofnice ini was a junior borgite in 1975. i remeber looking at the calendar at work in october and thinking: 'armageddon isn't here yet.....and it doesn't feel like it will be here anytime soon either!'.
i was surprised that jehovah hadn't obeyed the superior command to bring the big 'a' as instructed to him by fred franz.
how dare god disobey the jw leader!!!!!.
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sparky1
In the Fall of 1975 I was still 'serving' at Watchtower Farms and was a Ministerial Servant in my congregation. The mental and emotional pressure
was more than I could bear and I had my first 'nervous breakdown'. Needless to say, 1975 was not a very good year for me.
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Warren Schroeder from Bethel on Freddy, Kline and the apostate books!
by Dogpatch inhaving problem pasting this...
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sparky1
AK-Jeff,
Marvin Olsen was my first roomate when we were newboys at Watchtower Farm in '74. He seemed 'zombie-like' even then. After losing his brother, I think the family 'mantle' of full time service passed to him by default. He was a nice guy though and would never do anyone any harm.
Peace
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Bro. Schroeder dies
by bythesea ini just received this news from a bro who has connections in bethel.... .
bro albert d schroeder died at 10:30 am new york time today at brooklyn bethel...he was 94 yrs old.. he was born on april 7, 1911 in saginaw, michigan and entered bethel service in 1932. he was appointed a member of the governing body on december 18, 1974. bro schroeder's life story appeared in the march 1, '88 wt pages 10-17: entitled: "my life in jehovah's spirit-directed organization.".
i don't know if the "today" means it was actually today...as i can't be sure when my friend received this news... but anyway, another of the old guys bites the dust.. .
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sparky1
Hi,
Does anyone know if Judah Ben Schroeder is still an active witness or has he left the organization to persue a 'worldly career' as a lawyer? I knew him casually in the 1970's when I was a Bethelite serving at Watchtower Farms. He really seemed like a levelheaded young man that was not caught up in the idea that he was 'better' than everyone else because of who he was.
Thanks,
Sparky1
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Bro. Schroeder dies
by bythesea ini just received this news from a bro who has connections in bethel.... .
bro albert d schroeder died at 10:30 am new york time today at brooklyn bethel...he was 94 yrs old.. he was born on april 7, 1911 in saginaw, michigan and entered bethel service in 1932. he was appointed a member of the governing body on december 18, 1974. bro schroeder's life story appeared in the march 1, '88 wt pages 10-17: entitled: "my life in jehovah's spirit-directed organization.".
i don't know if the "today" means it was actually today...as i can't be sure when my friend received this news... but anyway, another of the old guys bites the dust.. .
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sparky1
Hi,