Posts by sparky1

30

Good memories of full-time service?

by fulano in

perhaps not a topic for everybody... mine.. in both sp service in a foreign field in europe , the freedom and helping people to read and write in spanish .

doing a lot of work in the congregations.. in missionary-service.. helping congregations in a third-world country and see good results in family relations.

and the siestas from 13:00 to 15:00..... who has good memories of bethel?

sparky1

"Who has good memories of Bethel?..." - Fulano

I absolutely hated almost every waking second of my Bethel experience! The place was loaded with back stabbing, throat slitting, ladder climbing, hypocritical, boot licking, sycophantic, corporate stooges that were merely god intoxicated religious fanatics. That being said, I met some of the finest human beings I have ever come in contact with in my life at Bethel. Phil Wilcox and Ray Erickson were good and true men caught up in the movement. And I met some truly wonderful 'sisters' from around the country that probably would have made excellent marriage partners for me if I had only been mentally and emotionally prepared to meet their needs. (Of course, I didn't believe the Watchtower Dogma even when I was a Bethelite and so it would have been unfair for me to mislead a potential marriage partner into thinking that I was a real Jehovah's Witness.) The salad and the vegetables were a highlight for me at mealtimes. Other than these positive experiences, I would just as soon forget the whole damn Bethel portion of my life. But of course, our lives don't work that way...we go to our graves carrying the good and the bad.

15

Russian raid on 50 Jehovahs witnesses

by Diogenesister in

there has been a raid on a large jehovahs witness gathering in norilsk, above the arctic circle, according to the moscow times.. a building with 50 jws inside was surrounded by masked, armed special forces forces who burst into the building and demanded they surrender all electronic devices.. i'll link the article but it's obviously going to drive these witnesses deeper into the religion.

not to mention the images conjured up in the report are likely to be used by watchtower as more fear mongering, since its very much like last year's terrifying assembly videos where witnesses were huddled in a field and surrounded with similarly masked, armed men.. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/10/22/russian-special-agents-raid-jehovahs-witnesses-resort-as-crackdown-intensifies-a67855.

sparky1

Cowards will use any means at their disposal to silence those who disagree with them.

15

In Honor of Jimmy Olson October 31, 1973

by sparky1 in

in memory of jimmy olson, i have provided a link to his story below.

many who now post here are new to the forum and i felt it was necessary to honor his memory.

although i never knew him, his brother was my roommate for a time at watchtower farms.

sparky1

"There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide." - Albert Camus THE MYTH OF SISYPHUS (1942 EDITION)

Bumped for newbies and those unaware of the tragic demise of James Olson, ex-Bethelite who chose to leave the Jehovah's Witness religion by taking his own life.

62

Trump Urges Ukraine and China To Investigate Joe Biden and His Son

by minimus in

jw
friends

lol, president trump is clearly putting it out that he’s not too scared of impeachment..

sparky1

"What's really nuts is you think that passes for "fair and balanced"." - Simon

What I said was "for a fair and balanced exchange of ideas, I offer a link to an interesting article..."

I called the article "interesting" and wanted to point it out in order to make the conversation here 'fair and balanced' by offering an alternative viewpoint on President Trump and balancing out the conversation here with an opposing idea. You have mischaracterized my posts before and I really don't care. This is your sandbox and we must play by your rules or leave. Interestingly enough, my business partner is a full on Evangelical Trump supporter as is my carpenter. We get along fine and agree to disagree. Many of the President Trump supporters here could learn that it is OK to disagree and remain respectful of one another with differing ideas.

62

Trump Urges Ukraine and China To Investigate Joe Biden and His Son

by minimus in

jw
friends

lol, president trump is clearly putting it out that he’s not too scared of impeachment..

sparky1

For a fair and balance exchange of ideas, I offer a link to an interesting article in The Atlantic magazine written by George Conway about President Trump.

https://theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/10/george-conway-trump-unfit-office/599128/?

6

Another comment from an Advanced Reader for S. Identity vol. 2

by vienne in

i'm almost done reading it myself.

i'm impressed but since my mom was one of the writers, i am prejudiced.

here is the latest comment.

sparky1

When will volume 2 be available for purchase? Will it be made available on Amazon?

62

Trump Urges Ukraine and China To Investigate Joe Biden and His Son

by minimus in

jw
friends

lol, president trump is clearly putting it out that he’s not too scared of impeachment..

sparky1

"On top of that polls indicate, Trump's numbers are going up." - minimus

Rasmussen Reports, which is usually favorable to President Trump is showing the opposite polling results:

On September 18, 37% of those polled strongly disapproved of his performance.

On October 3 (today), 44% of those polled strongly disapproved of his performance.

On September 23, in a high point for President Trump, he had a 52% approval rating.

On October 3 (today), he had a 47% approval rating.

I believe that the opposite is true right now. President Trump's approval numbers seem to be declining.

His approval index has declined 10 points since September 18 when it was at -1. It is now at -11.

4

Separate Identity vol. 2 - Outline of Contents

by vienne in

i'm still not ready to write a review of my advance copy, but for those who have waited for the second volume of this history of the watch tower's earliest years, here is an outline of contents.. intro and first five chapters.

introductory essay – b. w. schulz.

historical idealism.

sparky1

When will volume 2 be ready for purchase? Will it be available on Amazon?

20

Satan is abyssed for 1000 years and when released, immediately asks...

by The Fall Guy in

... "has brexit been sorted out yet?

".

sparky1

"Where's the toilet? I haven't taken a good sh*t for 1,000 years!

13

Self Limiting Beliefs

by abishephard in

left the jw’s as a teenager; as with most exjws i have struggled throughout the years with being a successful adult.

i have recently starting addressing some of the psychological trauma of my childhood, and i wonder if anyone else here can identify with any of these self limiting beliefs:.

- pursuit of wealth is bad (i.e.

sparky1

Welcome, abishephard. I hope your stay here is productive and that what you have to say will add to the collective wisdom of fellow posters.

I certainly can identify with some of your concerns. When I was a Bethelite in the middle 70's I got some advice from an older gentleman that I took on tour at Watchtower Farm concerning money and wealth. He told me NOT to believe everything that the Governing Body and Watchtower Society says about money. In conversation he told me that he too was a Bethelite back in the late 30's and early 40's. Over and over they were told that Armageddon was coming any day and not to be concerned about money or material things. 'Make sure that you take care of your financial future', he told me, 'since nobody else will.' That was great advice. I semi retired at 47 years old, I will receive 85% of the highest amount of Social Security at 66 years old and I have a very healthy retirement portfolio. I am very grateful for his advice. Over time, your concern for pleasing men in this regard will fade into the recesses of your memory. Get to work on your own financial future and GOOD LUCK to you!

Education and the pursuit of knowledge is bad. Don't get me started on this one! I was blessed with a high IQ and was never able to formally put it to a 'higher' use. When I was in grade school, I had the opportunity to skip 2 grades and advance forward. Unknown to me, my religiously deluded god intoxicated mother would not have any of this! Also, my maternal grandfather was going to pay my way through law school but he died unexpectedly at a young age and that dream perished with him. So what happened to me on the education front? I quit high school in the 70's , pioneered and then became a Bethelite. I too like to read and so after I left Bethel I continued the tradition of being an autodidact. Don't give up on improving yourself in this manner. Life itself is a free education if you let it teach you what it has to offer. GOOD LUCK to you and never stop learning!

I'm sure others here can offer advice better than mine. Pay attention to what the many good and intelligent people here have to offer you and I hope your future continues to get better and better.