Posts by SnakesInTheTower

3

RIP Ben Hana --- Blanket Man

by Black Sheep in

wellington's blanket man, ben hana, died suddenly yesterday, his final act in public being to wave to passers-by from the footpath outside wellington hospital.

ben was the black sheep of a strick jehovah's witness mother.. may he rest in peace.

wellington's blanket man 'lived life his way'.

SnakesInTheTower

WEIRD about the mother being a witness. As to Blanket Man ... Mental illness is a sad sad thing.

Snakes (Rich )

45

Snakes = Married

by SnakesInTheTower in

it has been over a month and a half since i have even been on the board, and that really only to ask about gps units (got a tom-tom) and mention the new job.

way too busy with life - post jw now 4 years.. of course, the new job has benefits, health insurance, etc.

(including unlimited use of the company car for personal use and the company pays for the unlimited gas for about a $25/week out of my check -- huge benefit) and this has enabled toni and i to finally after a two year engagement, to get married.

SnakesInTheTower

It has been over a month and a half since I have even been on the board, and that really only to ask about GPS units (got a Tom-Tom) and mention the new job. Way too busy with life - post JW now 4 years.

Of course, the new job has benefits, health insurance, etc. (including unlimited use of the company car for personal use and the company pays for the unlimited gas for about a $25/week out of my check -- huge benefit) and this has enabled Toni and I to finally after a two year engagement, to get married. We got hitched July 27. Outside under a nice gazebo sounded like a good idea when we rented it -- the day of the heat index was 109 and close to 100 F at 10:30 in the morning when the ceremony happened. Had about 25 people, mostly her family, but my best man was a fringe JW and the officiant is a close friend who is a non-denominational preacher - and yes, he used scriptures. lol. My JW mom did not have a problem with that - so she said.

After a fast BBQ picnic reception, we were out of there by noon because it was so damn hot. Toni had college class that evening, so no rest for the weary.

The pics of the wedding are on Toni's computer, so as soon as I transfer them to mine I will post a few here.

I have this place (JWD) and the people here to thank for getting me out of the JW mindset and into a place where I could open up my heart to someone very special - it would never have happened without this support. For that gift, I thank you.

To those trying to leave the Watchtower, it is not easy. But it is worth it to get your life back (or get one if you did not have one as was my case).

Snakes (Rich ) and Toni and Hunter

43

I have a question on the Circuit Accounts Scam thread

by gubberningbody in

jw
friends

i didn't want it to get buried and i'd really like to know.. so i knew pretty much what he was saying was true, but what i don't get is how the creative accounting works.. i mean you have to show expenses on the ledger - and i mean real expenses, like the co/do expenses along with receipts.. you have actual costs for the power coming into the building.

the paper supplies and cleaning supplies.

the vacuum cleaners and mops and other sundry items, and you have to have receipts for all that.. i also know that when you made a "donation" it was off the books at the circuit level as far as accounts were concerned.. but how is money not being accounted for?.

SnakesInTheTower

I used to have access to quite a lot of the behind the scenes goings on at the local assembly hall - including getting to see the actual books. They had an elder from a local congregation come in once a week to enter and pay actual bills and generate reports for the local Assembly Hall Committee members.

I was able to see the reports that the "per publisher" amount was based on. Not something the average elder was allowed access to. It was not just the standard utilities, supplies, etc. There were amounts in every accounting category that went into the running of the assembly hall property. This amount was totaled at the end of the year. The next years "per publisher" amount was based on the total amount of publishers using the assembly hall (as reported to the society in those monthly service reports -- ah, now we know why it is important for those field reports to be in from so many publishers - dilute the "per publisher" rate). So if there were 150 congregations with 15,000 publishers. Let's say there was a $7.50 per publisher rate. take that times 15K = $125,000 * 2 times per year (CA and SAD) = $225K per year in just those donations. If the assembly hall is paid for, shouldn't this be enough? Nope. There were deep pocket brothers that also made large donations to the assembly hall or paid for expenses (or like kind donations such as landscaping supplies) themselves.

So the per publisher rate was only a small piece of the overall money pie. I can tell you that donations outside of the assembly hall (CO/DO expenses, WT money, etc.) was recommended by the CO/DO and rubber stamped by the "business meeting" of elders at the assemblies. I only once ever heard it questioned.

The assembly hall I attended was well maintained and there were lots of "extra" things going on in the background -- dinners for the committee, COs and DO;s etc. I have commented on this crap before, this thread just brought it back to mind.

Glad I am so done with that.

Snakes (Rich )

19

2 years ago today

by coffee_black in

jw
friends

2 years ago today, my grandson began his walk from orlando fl to washington dc to publicise the plight of homeless children.

he was 14 at the time.

wow, how time has flown.

SnakesInTheTower

outstanding. can not believe it has been 2 years.

Snakes (Rich )

10

Recommendations for GPS units

by SnakesInTheTower in

i start my new courier job soon.

great benefits, full-time, company car provided.

for a small monthly fee ($25/wk) i get unlimited personal use also.. my future supervisor during the interview highly recommended that i get a gps unit.

SnakesInTheTower

I start my new courier job soon. Great benefits, full-time, company car provided. For a small monthly fee ($25/wk) I get unlimited personal use also.

My future supervisor during the interview highly recommended that I get a GPS unit. He stated that I might get last minute route changes and it would come in handy for rerouting. I will be driving day and night, so screens have to be readable during both times.

Any recommendations on what you are using? Thanks for any advice.

Snakes (Rich )

24

Recording a Judicial Committee Hearing

by Olin Moyles Ghost in

i was reading the thread about hoboken's jc meeting and started thinking about the rule prohibiting recording devices in such meetings.

has anyone on the board tried to challenge this rule?.

on its face, the rule is absurd.

SnakesInTheTower

I know this thread was a year and a half ago... my how technology and pricing has changed:

http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/dvr-pen.html

http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/mini-spy-camera-stick.html

If I ever get called to a JC, and I can be bothered, it would only be to record the JC and post it.

Snakes (Rich )

ps...donuthole... i know this thread is old... I wish you had recorded that JC... from where I was sitting both during your JC and the appeals, it was ridiculous and shows how asinine the Organization was/is. Your fate was sealed before you walked in.

22

Funniest Thing to happen during a meeting?

by truthseeker1969 in

i am sure all of us have laughed at something that happened at the kingdom hall or assembly.. the first one i can think of is a brother giving a talk on voting and saying " why is it that men sit iin pubs and discuss how bad the economy is and the cost of everything and yet when the 'erection" (election) comes up they never do anything about it.. my brother in his best beavis n butthead voioce said " huh huh he said erection".

we sat for the next 45 mins trying hard not to laugh.. of course, i got the look from the elders and the talk about not laughing.. .

SnakesInTheTower

outsmartthesystem:

thanking his mother for coming with him....only that wasn't his mother....it was his wife.

My experience is the reverse: this happened to my mom.. I was the visiting speaker and my mom came with me. When the chairman, who did not know me at all, thanked me after I finished, he thanked "Brother Bailey and his wife" for coming to the congregation. This was a very small congregation, maybe 30 people there. A couple of people who knew me well snickered. Others had no clue.

My mom, of course, was very pleased. The WT conductor was a good friend of mine. He knew better. Of course my mom answered often during the WT as she always does. So it was always "Sister Bailey." At the end, the WT conductor again thanked me, this time saying, "Again we thank Brother Bailey and his very young looking mother" for coming all this way (about an hour). That got a good laugh from those not in on the joke. My mom couldn't stop bragging about that for a bit.

My mom is 67 and she still looks quite young. My brother posted a pic of her on FB the other day, I hadn't seen my mom in a year. My mom is still beautiful after all these years. My dad, he knew what he was doing. I wish he were still alive to see how well she is doing. (However, he might be pissed about me not being a JW anymore).

I am sure I can think of other funny things that happened, just no time at the moment.

Snakes (Rich )

35

Where the need is great

by noontide in

jw
friends

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wow, havent been around here in a while and it's nice to see some familiar names as well as new ones.. .

well, its that time of year again when some members of my family decide that they need to go preach where the need is great.

SnakesInTheTower

Let me give an example of a formerly covered area that is technically not "need greater" area (as it is assigned to congregations) but nonetheless is not covered often, for good reason.

Years ago two rural congregations, Hillsboro and Gillespie, IL closed and merged into a new KH built in Litchfield, IL, the biggest town in between them. Not enough publishers to support two small congregations. They spent a bunch of money, along with help from nearby (and wealthier) congregations to build a brand new KH. Things were never right there because the problems from the first two congos came right along to the new merged congo. They never grew. The territory was hostile (this was the same town where JW's were tarred and feathered and their cars pushed into Lake Litchfield back in the 40's.), everyone has a religion, and no one is changing. Religion runs deep in families, and they aren't going to change to a marginal cult.

With the tanking economy, a few of the working (both elder and secular work) men moved away, leaving a bunch of old, retired, and poor elders left. The CO had the place closed and scattered everyone to surrounding KH's. "Surrounding" is a loose term. The congo that I was an elder in at the time inherited the two old incompetent (but kind) elders that were left. They should never have been reappointed. They were but in title only. They and their wives had to drive 40 miles each way to go to meetings and FS. OLD people driving when they could barely see at night. And we were the closest KH. Others were assigned to Jerseyville, Alton, Vandalia, Auburn, and Taylorville. All a 40-45 mile driving radius.

Litchifeld was divided up between everyone. My rhetorical question, relating to the opening post, is --

What are the chances that the JWs are going to find ANY interest in Litchfield, AND get the bible study to progress enough to travel 40 miles EACH WAY three times a week (Sunday, Thursday, and Saturday) for meetings and FS?

Zero. So now there is a big hole in Illinois. Let's hope it expands. The above listed congos are not even covering their closer in territory annually let alone going further out. Why the hell would someone travel that far for the JWs? With the price of gas at $3.50-$4.30 per gallon recently?

Here is to more Kingdom Hall closings. Cheers.

Snakes (Rich, of the "formerly one who worked those rural areas" Sheep Class)

1

Endless shampoo prank (VIDEO))

by SnakesInTheTower in

just made me laugh - pranks too often hurt people, this was funny i think - especially since the kid's face is not shown.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pkqe8fm2uw&feature=player_embedded.

snakes (rich .

SnakesInTheTower

just made me laugh - pranks too often hurt people, this was funny I think - especially since the kid's face is not shown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PKQE8FM2Uw&feature=player_embedded

Snakes (Rich )

17

Flyer for this summer's assembly

by loosie in

i saw the flyer today for the summer assembly.

it talks about how people are ruining the earth.

in the upper left corner are the "evil" ones one man smoking, i think the other was drinking and then a pic of a dead seagull.

SnakesInTheTower

here is a better alt * version of what you scanned:

* I found my vomiting smileys -- on a previous DC thread. LOL