Posts by Sour Grapes

21

The inner workings at Bethel in the 70's

by Sour Grapes in

while doing some research, i stumbled upon a blog written by a former bethelite.

his name is john bechtel.

the blog is several years old.

Sour Grapes

While doing some research, I stumbled upon a blog written by a former Bethelite. His name is John Bechtel. The blog is several years old. Once I started reading it I couldn't stop. I guess what goes on at Bethel doesn't stay at Bethel. He was one of Bethel's young rising stars and his experiences as a young Witness were both funny and sad. Climbing the ladder at Bethel, he ended up on the Writing Committee. No doubt some of the spiritual food that we received in the 70's, which I assumed were almost like direct dictation from God himself, were written by John. He certainly believed and practiced carpe diem during his stint at Bethel. I found his early childhood experience as a JW to be fascinating because I too had my childhood taken away from me because my mother answered the door one Saturday morning and gave one thin dime to an old 70 year old Witness for the Watchtower and Awake in the late 50's.

I would like to post a link to his blog. Here it is: http://www.johnbechtelblog.com. To start at the beginning of the blog you have to go to the right had side under "Archives July 2009" and go to the bottom of the page. After doing some digging, I was able to find his contact information on another website http://www.greatplainsdrifter.com. It appears John, after leaving the Truth™, has had a successful life.

I would imagine that there are many on this forum who remember him from Bethel.

Sour Grapes

66

THE LINGERING SHADOW OF '75

by Terry in

none of you are old enough to have been there, i suspect.

i had been in prison two years as a jw conscientious objector when the exciting news about 1975 spread like wildfire.i was paroled from prison in 1969 and immediately began pioneering.

the pressures began mounting throughout the organization.

Sour Grapes

Being a JW in the late 60's and early 70's was invigorating. We knew we had the Truth and Armageddon was only a few short years away! The mantra was "stay alive till 75". Our congregation grew like crazy. On many Sunday mornings, there was standing room only at the back of the Kingdom Hall. Sisters were looked down upon if they got pregnant in 1974 or 1975 because of the hardship that their babies would have to experience in a few short months.

I told my Bible students that if they were not baptized by October 1975 that they were going to die at the Great Tribulation. Several told me that JW's have a history of failed prophecies. I guaranteed them not this time. Look at how bad the world conditions are and 6,000 years of mankind's existence proves that Jesus will in the fall of 1975 begin his 1,000 year reign.

At our circuit assemblies, 6 years before 1975, we had a large poster board display to the right of the stage with how many months until October 1975. Every 6 months we got more excited as this countdown continued and the number dwindled much to the excitement and giddiness of the Witnesses.

At the first circuit assembly in 1976 the poster board was gone, not a word was spoken about it. It never happened. I wish they would have a poster board at the assemblies now with how many months have passed since October of 1975. We would be approaching the 500 mark.

But I guess that we should fear not because once again the end is near so don't buy any green bananas. It is on the horizon, right around the corner, so close that you can almost taste it. One elder recently told me how bad the world conditions are and they have never been this bad thus proving just how close the end is. I told him world conditions were a lot worst during WWI and WWII. His brain could not handle that thought process and he changed the subject.

Sour Grapes

3

Worshipping the Governing Body

by Sour Grapes in

it is very obvious that jehovah's witlesses worship the faithful and discreet slave.

during last sunday's washtowel study, everyone bowed before them for the excellent job they did in translating the new bible into so many languages and for the direction they give to the congregation.

(i guess i sorta thought that jesus was in charge of the congregations.

Sour Grapes

It is very obvious that Jehovah's Witlesses worship the faithful and discreet slave. During last Sunday's Washtowel study, everyone bowed before them for the excellent job they did in translating the new bible into so many languages and for the direction they give to the congregation.(I guess I sorta thought that Jesus was in charge of the congregations.) So much praise for so little mention in the Bible. During the concluding prayer the brother mentioned them three times and all Jesus got was "in Jesus name amen." It is embarrassing.

Sour Grapes

18

DF'ed arrival/departure times at meetings

by dubstepped in

jw
friends

i didn't want to derail another thread, but something said made me wonder.

i know that i noticed df'ed people come in right when the meeting started and leave right when it left most of the time.

is that some sort of actual rule?

Sour Grapes

My ex wants to be reinstated and was going to a hall for 6 months that had 3 congregation's. She would go to the one of three depending on her work schedule. She asked one of the elders how long it would take to get back in? He told her the 6 months of attendance doesn't count because she has to go to one hall all of the time. Can you feel the love?

15

Proof of Jehovah's fast moving chariot!

by Sour Grapes in

at the meeting sunday, the brother giving the "public talk" (no one from the public is ever there) was talking about how the organization is moving so fast.

as proof of this he held up the new field service time slip.

yep, that was plenty of proof for me, a smaller time slip to guilt the congregation to use their tablets in service to show video's.

Sour Grapes

At the meeting Sunday, the brother giving the "public talk" (no one from the public is ever there) was talking about how the organization is moving so fast. As proof of this he held up the new field service time slip. Yep, that was plenty of proof for me, a smaller time slip to guilt the congregation to use their tablets in service to show video's. I would imagine that in less than 2 years you will be criticized if you dare place and count magazines.

Sour Grapes

121

Hey ya'll! My first post. Please help. In need of advice/comfort.

by Stepford Wife in

jw
friends

hey ya'll!

i have been lurking for years on this site and others but never had the courage to post anything.

actually i was afraid of posting on an apostate site in the event i was wrong.

Sour Grapes

The elders wanted to make a sheparding call on me and I told them that I do not want one and to please respect my privacy. So far so good. It is a shame that one can not just stop going to the meetings without fear of not being able to talk to witness family members. It is a truly sad religion run by men whose every word is viewed as coming from the mouth of God.

I wish you the best. If you talk to the elders be careful what you say because it will be used against you.

65

JW Expressions We Hate

by Socrateswannabe in

jw
friends

i was browsing through stuff on jw.org recently and ran across some expressions that really grate on my nerves: loyal love, loving-care, and loving-kindness, as in: "please exercise loving-kindness toward your servant.

" who talks like that?

they must be relics of the fred franz era.

Sour Grapes

unbaptized publisher

service group

stand if you are able to sing

65

JW Expressions We Hate

by Socrateswannabe in

jw
friends

i was browsing through stuff on jw.org recently and ran across some expressions that really grate on my nerves: loyal love, loving-care, and loving-kindness, as in: "please exercise loving-kindness toward your servant.

" who talks like that?

they must be relics of the fred franz era.

Sour Grapes

During the WT Study "Have I missed any hands?" Are there any new hands?

Blood guilty™

Soon™

Very soon™

Rapidly approaching™

Sooner than we think™

Last days of the last days™

I guess I better not buy any green bananas.

My favorite one of all times is from 52 years ago. "The end is so close™ that you won't finish high school." I would like to tell those two elders that I finished high school, my children finished high school and several of my great grandchildren finished high school. The only problem is the two elders died of old age. I am sure if they were alive they would say, "Yes, but just think how much closer we are now."

65

JW Expressions We Hate

by Socrateswannabe in

jw
friends

i was browsing through stuff on jw.org recently and ran across some expressions that really grate on my nerves: loyal love, loving-care, and loving-kindness, as in: "please exercise loving-kindness toward your servant.

" who talks like that?

they must be relics of the fred franz era.

Sour Grapes

Receive Jehovah's blessing.

Shepherding visit.

Get my hours in.

The end of this system of things.

(After someone dies who wasn't a JW) Well, at least now he will be resurrected.

Our spiritual paradise.

(after a meeting) Tell your wife we missed her or is your wife sick?

Let's go in service together.

Jehovah will bless your efforts.

49

"If I wasn't born a JW, I would never have become one."

by OneEyedJoe in

i've seen it mentioned by a few on the forum that at some point there was a realization that had they not been born a jw, they never would've converted no matter how many times the jws tried to study with them.

this was my experience too, and i'm wondering how universal it is for those that were born-in but eventually left.

i think i started having this thought (more specifically that if i were not born a jw, i would surely have become an atheist by now) in my late teens.

Sour Grapes

All of the above shows why the Borg is pushing the baptisms of children.