Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Joined

• started 71 topics
• posted 8,392 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Billy the Ex-Bethelite

• 
  28

  The memorial beauty pageant

  by BlackWolf in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  since the memorial is coming up soon and its about time for me to go shopping for a new memorial ( aka easter) dress, i've realized what the memorial really is for us teenage girls, a beauty pageant!

  the memorial is the day i spend painting my nails, curling my hair, and carefully applying makeup because my mother says i have to "represent jehovah" and look my best.

  in reality its just to impress the newcomers and to compete with the other girls.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  Hey, it's not just the sisters that spend hours getting gorgeous for the Memorial...

  I had to take off the new suit jacket because I sweat profusely when the temperature in the Kingdumb Haul is above 61F (16C). Talk about hotness!
  
• 
  46

  Dan Sydlik

  by done4good in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  morning warship - he was the only restraint and i'm not saying that lightly.

  i know there are a dozen others here who were in bethel back in the early 2000's who know what i'm talking about.

  he actually kept me thinking this was jehovah's org because of his sincerity as if the holy spirit was operating in him.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  I liked Sydlik. While he came across as powerful with that booming voice, he had a hearty laugh and seemed to truly care about all of us. He had a way of making bethel really seem like a family. I remember several of his talks and comments where he expressed genuine appreciation for both the new members and the elderly in the family.

  Many of us met him when we were still "new boys", and instantly liked him. It's been a while, so I can't recall and won't include the exact details of one situation I encountered. Since Morning Worship attendance was required, and you MUST be on time, it meant you had to get there early. And Dan was visiting my location and was quite early. Of course, the coffee was already brewed and waiting, long before morning worship. But it was forbidden to partake... except for Dan. Most of us already knew this custom, but when Dan poured his coffee, one of the new waiters said, "You're not supposed to have coffee before Morning Worship." Dan replied, "Who ya gonna tell?" Some time later, the stupid rule was officially dropped.

  There were lots of other Dan stories like that. He seemed to like order and progress, but he didn't seem to care much for all the rules. And he really seemed to like people. We were really sad when his health problems came along and seemed to age him 20 years in the span of about 9 months or so.
  

  Swingle was a character. I didn't know him as well, but heard interesting stories from others. Barber was really a character. A young bethelite asked Barber for advice about how to decide if the sister he liked was the right one... Carey told him, "well, take her to the beach and see what you've got!" Barry could be funny, too.

  The one I completely disliked was Jaracz. I didn't like his wife either. GB 2.0 is "organization men" crafted mostly in his image.
  
• 
  31

  Do you know what Rahab looked like?

  by ttdtt in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  hello friends - here is a new area in the kids section of the jw website - learn how to draw rahab.. 1st - she was a prostitute of jericho.

  could there be other characters to talk about with our kids?.

  2nd - it says "learn how to draw rahab".

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  They tried to make me draw Rahab, I said "no, no, no!"
  Yes, I got ink, but when I stop and think, you'll know, know, know!

  I don't give a hoot, to sit and draw a prostitute!
  GB says to draw Rahab, I won't, no, no, no!
  
• 
  31

  Do you know what Rahab looked like?

  by ttdtt in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  hello friends - here is a new area in the kids section of the jw website - learn how to draw rahab.. 1st - she was a prostitute of jericho.

  could there be other characters to talk about with our kids?.

  2nd - it says "learn how to draw rahab".

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  

  I think Rahab is the one on the right with the cigarette.
  
• 
  42

  Another 12 yr old df in cong 13 people df in 3 yrs

  by poopie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  wow

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  What does a 12 year old do to get dfd?

  Children have been known to brazenly engage in misconduct like buy ice cream with money that should be donated to Watchtower Corp. and play with Sparlock the Warrior Wizard toys.

  These kids must be dfd to understand how much Hojovah (and his anointed GB) loves them.
  
• 
  44

  Too many partakers in the org? Help is on the way!

  by Billy the Ex-Bethelite in

  1. social
  2. humour

  is someone in your congregation confused?

  coming soon to the local congregations:.

  anointification neutralizer100 suppositories.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  It's that time of year again!

  Time to give this thread another BUMP!
  
• 
  41

  Long time lurker, first time poster ...

  by LettMorrisSplaneit in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i finally had the guts to create a profile to be able to post.

  i've been lurking for a few months and have read all your experiences and comments dutifully.

  you have been a great help in my process of waking up from this cult posing as the one true religion.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  Welcome!
  

  I'm 42 now. I feel like the best part of my youth/life has been wasted.

  That's about the age I woke up and started posting here. Took me a few years to get out and I went off to university and got my degree. I've lived more and felt more youthful in these few years after age 42 than I did in all the previous JW years of my life.

  I still struggle with the "obligation" part of it. JW life is all I've known, it's second nature to do all the JW routines.

  While I was at university, I got free counseling with a psychologist. I think it helped me build self-esteem. So much of my self-worth hinged on my value to WT. Now if they want my time for their tired "routines", they'll have to be prepared to pay me $45 per hour before I'll even talk to them.
  
• 
  127

  The people are mobilizing Mr Drumpf

  by Simon in

  1. social
  2. current

  protesters shut down a trump rally.

  massive numbers of people are out in chicago and have shut his event down.

  there were scuffles inside the event.. despite his lame attempt to pretend the violence he instigates is nothing to do with him it's clear that it is as the cnn quotes during the last event showed only too well.. this doesn't happen at anyone else's events - candidates have even given up the stage to protesters, not called for them to be beaten and punched.. trump is an ugly person and this is just a small taste of what a future under his rule would be like.. shame on the gop for not kicking his ass out.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  Personally, I don't think that Trump had any intention of appearing at the event.

  The protesters at UIC did exactly what he wanted them to do. Pictures can now circulate among his supporters showing "real americans" getting attacked by crowds of minorities and liberals.
  
• 
  22

  I no longer feel smart as a JW, I feel dumb...

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i don't want anyone to take this the wrong way but i use to at least feel smart as a jw.

  when i went to thursday night meetings, i at least felt like i was a student, that i was learning how to speak publicly, i could prepare my own comments, i could answer points that i learned from the weekly bible reading.

  i even feel like an "idiot" studying for the meetings.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  When I went to Thursday night meetings, I at least felt like I was a student, that I was learning how to speak publicly, I could prepare my own comments, I could answer points that I learned from the weekly bible reading.

  Judging from your OP, you are also a good writer! You're still smart. It's the organization that's gotten dumb. It's a 19th century apocalyptic sect that has survived into this 21st century by evolving. After all of their failed prophecies and now all the information on the Internet, they can't attract intelligent new recruits. So they have to go with "simplified" everything and appeal to emotions rather than intellect.
  
• 
  38

  A faded JW about to see the Circuit overseer

  by pleaseresearch in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  so my mum who is in and really is finding it hard that i have left and faded.

  shes asked me if i want to the the circuit overseer next week.. i have never met him and this is more my mum wanting me to get my problems i have with the organisation out.

  but should i share everything i've learnt or what?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  I dealt with some COs during my fade, but I knew how the game was played. My circumstances were very different from anything "normal". In my case, the first was an a$sho!e of a CO when I was still an elder who helped start my fade. Then we had a sub-CO who was "nice" and requested to meet with me privately. Turned out he was a rather condescending prick and made it easier for me to continue my fade. Then yet another new CO requested to meet with me privately. He actually admitted the local elders were idiots and he asked me for advice. He left the circuit just a couple of months later. Yes, it was something I said.

  At this point, I would never meet with another CO, nor would I encourage anyone else to. Why bother? The bad COs will only make you hate WT more. The good COs will just tell you jokes or listen sympathetically if you talk. They are just WT middle managers, nothing more.