Posts by TardNFeatheredJW

107

Remember when assemblies were fun?

by Aphrodite in

jw
friends

i just remembered when i was a kid and we would go to the assembly, it was fun because we got to buy new clothes and put extra effort into looking good.

when we would get there you could save your seats and even save some for your friends, then go off looking for them.. i used to love our circuit assembly because of the food.

it was at the assembly hall and there was a big kitchen, some of my favourite brothers worked in that kitchen, sometimes i was allowed to go in and help.

TardNFeatheredJW

Yes, the orange juice cups did kick ass. If I was really lucky, I'd get one still partially frozen. It was like a slushy.

10

Early 80s Delaware DC at the race track: Apostates kicked out

by TardNFeatheredJW in

just wondering how small a world this is.

experience:.

it was summer (hot one) in delaware, usa, district convention.

Thanks. I did leave about 18 years ago. What brought this back to my mind was another active thread about "fun" at the assemblies, so I started reminiscing, remembered that instance with the "apostates" and realized that some person may actually be here on line (either one of the guys, or someone who knows them). I realized at 13 or 14 that there would be an alternate to being a lifer dub, but it took several years and several other small things to get me to leave. That was just one gem of light that I was given way back when.

Thanks for the kind words, Paul.

38

Are JWs attracting more and more off-center people?

by undercover in

jw
friends

this thread is prompted by the thread about a jw woman who disprupted a funeral.

i don't know the details as i can't view youtube from work, but it did get me to thinking.... over the last couple of decades, at least, i've noticed that more and more 'fringe personalities', for a lack of a better term, have infiltrated the ranks of the everyday jws.

true, jws are themselves a fringe element to normal society, but even within their own communities, there used to be a sense of normalcy, or at least seemed to be.. has the cultic message of the wt society started attracting people with different thought processes over this time period?

TardNFeatheredJW

I've been out for 18.

I personally know of lots of narcissists, "recovering" drug addicts/alcholics, abusers, a few molesters, a whole bunch of control freaks, a lot of lonely people, a few devout and humble (not many), a lot of extreme judgemental types. A few paranoids.

I suspect I fall into the paranoid, lonely type. Not so paranoid anymore (but they are out to get me ).

I know of one guy who was 42 years old and married a girl 18 yrs old as soon as she graduated HS. That was f'd up, but no one seemed to bat an eye.

I know of one guy in who was serving a sentence in Graterford Prison in PA who was dating a young girl from my hall. I worked in field circus with him when he was on weekend furlough. He was convicted for killing a guy in a bar fight. Nice to know that THAT can show up at your door, eh?

I know several pedophiles, one girl my age who's step father diddled her. He kept going to meetings after, but she and her mom were DF'd for some reason. Not sure why, I was young and du(m)b then. I figured it was weird that he was okay and she was a "bad" person.

107

Remember when assemblies were fun?

by Aphrodite in

jw
friends

i just remembered when i was a kid and we would go to the assembly, it was fun because we got to buy new clothes and put extra effort into looking good.

when we would get there you could save your seats and even save some for your friends, then go off looking for them.. i used to love our circuit assembly because of the food.

it was at the assembly hall and there was a big kitchen, some of my favourite brothers worked in that kitchen, sometimes i was allowed to go in and help.

TardNFeatheredJW

I used to love it. Looked forward to it all year.

The CA, I used to work in the kitchen, dishes (the only dishwashing job I would actually like), boxes, cooking as I got older. Then socializing, sitting with friends. It was a blast. I used to hit extras, Buckingham PA and the one out past harrisburg... can't remember the name.

The DC, I really had a hoot. Allentown when I was little, would watch the bands play, talk to people, eat lots of danishes and fruit. Was a loner there, mostly. Then Philly was fun. Hotel across the street, swimming, meet up with friends, work meals. Socialize as I got older.

Then they stopped doing lunches. At that point it sucked. We would head out to BK or some other fast food crap house, but it wasn't the same.

I loved just walking around Vet Stadium for hours during the sessions, I think what I loved the most was that I wasn't knocking on doors.

10

Early 80s Delaware DC at the race track: Apostates kicked out

by TardNFeatheredJW in

just wondering how small a world this is.

experience:.

it was summer (hot one) in delaware, usa, district convention.

TardNFeatheredJW

Just wondering how small a world this is.

Experience:

It was summer (hot one) in Delaware, USA, District Convention. It may have been the last day of the convention, after the Public Address. Year, 1982/83/84? Not quite sure. But I know it was at the Horse Track in Delaware.

There was a couple men, one in a light blue suit, I think, who stood up and started shouting, I was sitting too far away to know what was said, but I recall them being quickly swarmed and hauled out of there. It was surreal. I think one of their cars broke down on the way back from the convention, because someone in the car I rode in saw their car broke down and my co-rider laughed as we drove by. I didn't laugh.

I suspect that maybe someone on this board was there, one of the men, or knows who it was. I just want to say thanks, as that experience was probably the earliest experience I had with knowing there's a way out of dubs. I was probably 12 or 13 years old. They would have probably been from pennsylvania, as their car would have been heading the same direction as the traffic from my congregation.

If anyone recalls this or knows something, please feel free to PM me.

Thanks.

29

Handbill for 2010 District Conventions

by dozy in

the wts has announced the usual handbill invitation "campaign" for the conventions this year.

i haven't seen a copy but i assume that it will be similar to the one for congregation meetings and from previous years.

the usual 30 per publisher allocation.. i seriously wonder about the efficacy of these campaigns.

TardNFeatheredJW

I remember in the 70s doing this in philly. They used to reserve part of one of the mornings for this activity. We were supposed to distribute locally.

52

JW disrupt a funeral service (Watch and Comment)

by sacolton in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jutihhsoou8.

TardNFeatheredJW

I apologize if I seem abrupt, but the weasel wording of "suggestions" then hearing from JW or even some not-yet-deprogrammed xdub that "let's be honest there's no df-ing for this or that" line. That's the key to the subtle mind control cult. They don't have to write "YOU WILL BE DF FOR THIS OFFENSE", they just need to suggest that it's not favored by JW Borg, and say "conscience" matter, which will imply to others that your conscience is not yet developed if you decide to go against the grain. Then, if you "stumbled" some mindless tool, and you grab the attention of the elders and don't kiss their a$$ properly, you will eventually get marked, then sooner or later the day will come.

52

JW disrupt a funeral service (Watch and Comment)

by sacolton in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jutihhsoou8.

TardNFeatheredJW

@ TheOldHippie -

Let's keep this honest, shall we? A "suggestion" that it is "not recommended" leaves a person open for being considered spiritually sick, weak, or otherwise compromised. It will end up being a matter for the BOE's conscience if a single person complains. Could it lead to DF? Absolutely, if the person rubs the BOE the wrong way during a "counseling" session. To be very strict, a JW shall NOT involve themselves with interfaith movements or other church religious services.

See below, do they mandate DF? NO. Is it possible? Certainly. You, sir, should keep it honest.

Watchtower 2002 15th May Questions from Readers "Would it be advisable for a true Christian to attend a funeral or a wedding in a church?"

'Our taking part in any form of false religion is displeasing to Jehovah and must be avoided. A church funeral is a religious service.... How unwise to expose oneself to such pressure!'

Each individual Jehovah's Witness when deciding for themselves would 'respond to the directions of the slave as we would to the voice of God' (W57 15th June p370).

"If the occasion involves a close fleshly relative, there may be additional family pressures. In any case, a Christian must carefully weigh all the factors involved. Under certain circumstances he or she may conclude that no difficulties would arise from attending a church funeral or wedding as an observer. However, the circumstances may be such that by attending, the likely injury to one's own conscience or to that of others would outweigh the possible benefits of being present. Whatever the situation, the Christian should make sure that the decision will not interfere with his preserving a good conscience before God and men."

EDIT: I do know of one man who was inactive for years, then got married at a church of "christendom". He was DF'd for doing that.

20

What They Tell a CO

by WalkTall in

jw
friends

did it ever bother any of you that you and your family were talked about to the co during the elders meeting with him?

and for those who have been elders, my question is: how much do they tell him?

for some reason, it has always bothered me that this man, who is a complete stranger really, is informed of family or personal situations through the lense of elder's opinions.

TardNFeatheredJW

Oh! P.S. the color combination of yellow and black was once considered to be the "liveries" of the Devil... ["The Complete Book of The Devil's Disciples" by Leonard R. N. Ashley, page 253]...

So much for highlighting the WT.

52

JW disrupt a funeral service (Watch and Comment)

by sacolton in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jutihhsoou8.

TardNFeatheredJW

My ex's grandmother (a pioneer for many years) died, and her husband (non-believer) held the funeral during a district convention. No one from the hall showed up. Just one family from another hall. Very sad.