Posts by Open mind

61

Hello Everyone...Just Joined Today

by DarioKehl in

i've been reading this thread for some time and finally had the opportunity to create an account.

i am anxious to meet you all and have a support group/active audience over the next crucial months and years following.

background: long-time doubter, giving way to frustration and skepticism beginning about 10 years ago and finally to total admission that this is a cult and that atheism is the way to go.

Open mind

Bit of Skeptics Guide Podcast trivia:

Did you know that one of the early co-host's, Perry DeAngelis (now deceased), was married to a JW?

Freaked me out when I heard him say that.

om

24

Beards vs. Bow Ties: Which is more "immodest" or attention drawing?

by Open mind in

if you were on a hiring panel for a new chair of the federal reserve board, would either a neatly trimmed beard or a bow tie even register on your dress and grooming "radar"?.

i'm talking ben bernanke, (current chairman of the fed).

richard abrahamson, secretary/treasurer of the wtb&ts of pennsylvania since 2000. i looked all over and couldn't find a picture of him, but he's famous for his bow ties.

Open mind

LOL @ brotherdan.

I think his "Mad Scientist" hair stands out the most.

om

61

Hello Everyone...Just Joined Today

by DarioKehl in

i've been reading this thread for some time and finally had the opportunity to create an account.

i am anxious to meet you all and have a support group/active audience over the next crucial months and years following.

background: long-time doubter, giving way to frustration and skepticism beginning about 10 years ago and finally to total admission that this is a cult and that atheism is the way to go.

Open mind

Great first post and welcome to JWN!

Much of what you said resonates with my experiences.

Looking forward to your posts and, perhaps, your podcast.

(Have you listened to "The Skeptics Guide to the Universe" podcast?)

I've been a regular listener for quite a while.

om

24

Beards vs. Bow Ties: Which is more "immodest" or attention drawing?

by Open mind in

if you were on a hiring panel for a new chair of the federal reserve board, would either a neatly trimmed beard or a bow tie even register on your dress and grooming "radar"?.

i'm talking ben bernanke, (current chairman of the fed).

richard abrahamson, secretary/treasurer of the wtb&ts of pennsylvania since 2000. i looked all over and couldn't find a picture of him, but he's famous for his bow ties.

Open mind

Thanks to everyone for the replies so far.

I just remembered another Bethel-approved badge of individuality, but you've gotta have the genes for it:

Eyebrows!

Max Larson & Don Adams really sport some doozies. They certainly could trim them down, but nooooooo. They let those bad boys grow as far as God predetermined they should go.

Here's Don Adams,

Max Larson's are, IMO, the biggest in Bethel, but I couldn't find a decent-sized photo of him.

om

24

Beards vs. Bow Ties: Which is more "immodest" or attention drawing?

by Open mind in

if you were on a hiring panel for a new chair of the federal reserve board, would either a neatly trimmed beard or a bow tie even register on your dress and grooming "radar"?.

i'm talking ben bernanke, (current chairman of the fed).

richard abrahamson, secretary/treasurer of the wtb&ts of pennsylvania since 2000. i looked all over and couldn't find a picture of him, but he's famous for his bow ties.

Open mind

If I were sitting on an interview panel for someone applying for a job that called for conservative business attire, both a beard and a bow tie would register on my radar.

Let's make it a 1 to 10 scale.

1 = Uber conservative: Dark suit, white shirt, boring tie, clean shaven, short neatly trimmed hair, no visible tats or piercings.

10 = Crazy time: Clown suit, multiple tats, piercings, gauging, hair dyed all colors of the rainbow.

On this scale, a beard or bow tie would probably bump the guy up to a 1.5 or a 2. But that just shows a bit of individuality, IMO. It would still be considered acceptable business attire. And whatever number you attach to it, I think bow ties are just a tiny bit (not much) more attention-drawing than beards in current American society.

Anyone from other countries want to weigh in?

om

24

Beards vs. Bow Ties: Which is more "immodest" or attention drawing?

by Open mind in

if you were on a hiring panel for a new chair of the federal reserve board, would either a neatly trimmed beard or a bow tie even register on your dress and grooming "radar"?.

i'm talking ben bernanke, (current chairman of the fed).

richard abrahamson, secretary/treasurer of the wtb&ts of pennsylvania since 2000. i looked all over and couldn't find a picture of him, but he's famous for his bow ties.

Open mind

Mr. Falcon: "Maybe it's just a sub-conscience act of desparation to try to express individuality."

I think you've nailed it in JW world.

JW #1: "Do you know Bro Abrahamson from Bethel?"

JW #2: Blank stare.

JW #1: "You know, he works in the Treasurer's office and always wears a bow tie."

JW #2: "Oh, yeah! I know him."

om

54

To DF'd people: have you gotten your yearly visit? Ever?

by daringhart13 in

jw
friends

i'm really curious how many of those df'd have ever received a yearly visit........ .

Open mind

I don't have the letter to BOEs, but Blues Brother's description pretty well matches what we did.

We would make sure to have a "quarterly meeting" early in the calendar year in preparation for the "Memorial Season" (tm). The PO would rattle off at least a couple names of DFed ones known to be living in the area who he thought were "worthy" of a visit. Here's a few things that would make you "unworthy".

1. Still living in sin. (Playing the Lotto, Smoking once a month, etc.)

2. Blowing your stack the last time you had contact with the elders. This would generally get you at least a 3-4 year reprieve, and a permanent one if you threatened violence.

3. Having Apostate views. (Scum of the earth not even worth mentioning.)

During my last year serving as an elder and 100% awakened to the cultish nature of JWism, I was assigned to call on a nice young man who was deemed to be a good possibility for reinstatement. He was DFed for doing what comes natural with the woman he loved, but had since married her and had a child. I wrestled a bit with whether or not to be the one to call him, but in the end I figured I was actually the best elder for the job. My plan was to be very kind, but to make sure not to heap ANY sort of guilt or judgement on him whatsoever. It was more like "Hey, are you happy with your current car insurance company? Yes? Oh, OK, just checking. How's the job at ________ working out?...."

When all was said and done I'm fairly certain he realized I was just doing a routine job for JW elders, and that I was genuinely happy that he was living a good, productive life free of the JWs.

He's still long gone. Good for him.

om

24

Beards vs. Bow Ties: Which is more "immodest" or attention drawing?

by Open mind in

if you were on a hiring panel for a new chair of the federal reserve board, would either a neatly trimmed beard or a bow tie even register on your dress and grooming "radar"?.

i'm talking ben bernanke, (current chairman of the fed).

richard abrahamson, secretary/treasurer of the wtb&ts of pennsylvania since 2000. i looked all over and couldn't find a picture of him, but he's famous for his bow ties.

Open mind

If you were on a hiring panel for a new Chair of the Federal Reserve Board, would either a neatly trimmed beard or a bow tie even register on your dress and grooming "radar"?

I'm talking Ben Bernanke, (current Chairman of the Fed)

vs.

Richard Abrahamson, Secretary/Treasurer of the WTB&TS of Pennsylvania since 2000. I looked all over and couldn't find a picture of him, but he's famous for his bow ties. He probably sleeps with one on.

(For the record, this isn't Richard Abrahamson)

You can probably guess where I'd go with this if talking to local elders.

om

88

To all you apostates out there - aka failed JW's

by donnye in

by opening this post, you are admitting that you are failures - well done!

lol.

i must say, i have had so much fun on this site - some real laugh out loud moments for my friends and i to enjoy.. no need to respond - i am busy pioneering from tomorrow, so will no longer have time on my hands to sit at my pc enjoying laughing at your pathetic comments.