Posts by man in black

When I was in HS back in 1977 the son of our PO was really getting deeply involved in heavy drug use. I went along and just drank alot just to fit in. He was hanging around with a group of late teen age users/dealers in an apartment building. I remember one guy from the group whose nickname was "the sarge".

He was one of those special forces guys that are found in the Marines, in fact he would tell everyone how easily he could kill someone really fast, and the method he used and the cause of death would be impossible for anyone to find out.. I was 17, and this guy really scared me, esp. when he was high and or drunk. The PO's son really liked him.

So one night my friend was really hitting the bottle and pills, and a few people and him took off to go to the store to get some more booze and cigs. I got kind of freaked out because of the sarge, and I took this opportunity to leave quickly. I was driving home and like a good/guilt ridden young jw I went over to the PO's house to talk about his son.

He was home along with his wife and other son, so I spillled the whole story to them that night. They all went over to the apartment building and picked their son up. This was a Friday night.

Sunday at the meeting I got the whole "well done", and how "spiritual" I was from all the elders.

Yet the one thing that I remember from that weekend is how ALL of the young teenagers started to treat me like I was a leper.It was a real eye opening experience for me about how "caring" people were at the hall.

And by the way, my friend was df'ed several week later and I did not see him again for over twenty years.

7

attended a jw memorial talk yesterday

by man in black in

after being da'd for two years, i felt it was my duty to attend the memorial talk for an elderly brother who i greatly respected over the years.. i was quite nervous going back to the kh and seeing everyone.. well, my wife and i walked in, and most of the elders we saw just looked away, or acted like we were invisible.

several of our old friends winked, smiled, or waved secretly.

the hall was full, and this elder named jeff renfroe placed us in the 2nd row from the front.

man in black

After being DA'd for two years, I felt it was my duty to attend the memorial talk for an elderly brother who I greatly respected over the years.

I was quite nervous going back to the KH and seeing everyone.

Well, my wife and I walked in, and most of the elders we saw just looked away, or acted like we were invisible. Several of our old friends winked, smiled, or waved secretly. The hall was full, and this elder named Jeff Renfroe placed us in the 2nd row from the front. .

During the talk I was just amazed how confined, and limited the jw way of thinking was. The speaker used the same scriptures used in these talks for over 30 years. The same examples as to why people die. Remember the example of the dented bread tin ? They updated it now to a computer virus, and how it transfers from one computer to another.

The life, family, and times of the person who died were reduced to a small introduction , the rest of the talk was an infomercial for promoting the jw mindset. It was a real eye-opener for me as to how confined witnesses are and how they are not allowed to think, or act on their own thoughts or feelings.

After the talk we were walking out, and I made a real effort to make eye contact with as many people as possible. Most just looked away, but many smiled.

I believe now that when a person leaves the jw religion on their own, and not doing anything that would have been a df'ing offense the congregation develops the thinking that the life of the person who left will just fall apart and it will just be a short time before that person comes crawling back the the kh asking for forgiveness.

Having gone back to the hall just supporting the family of the man who died actually made me feel good, and the way the elders looked at or ignored us I felt that they were nervous because we are still normal. And the people who ignored us more forcefully were the spiritual "men" who are guiding the congregation. I felt bad for many of the kids we knew, now they are teenagers and they seemed torn as to whether they should say something or not. Most just ended up looking away if their parents, or an elder were near,,,, I thought that was really sad that even children could not act on their own feelings.

9

Great Cartoon in Today's Paper

by Magwitch in

.

man in black

good one, Thanks for sharing.

5

Hive mentality

by man in black in

during this holiday break i have been reading about a subject found in the animal world called "the hive mentality".. when you watch bees at work they are totally focused on one thing, protecting the queen, and sustaing her and her eggs.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/hive_mind.

while reading , i could not help but notice how much in common bees, and jw's have in common.

there is nothing outside of the hive.. no big comment from me here, it was just a very interesting read and i thought some of you might enjoy it.. happy new year !.

man in black

During this holiday break I have been reading about a subject found in the animal world called "the hive mentality".

When you watch bees at work they are totally focused on one thing, protecting the queen, and sustaing her and her eggs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hive_mind

While reading , I could not help but notice how much in common bees, and jw's have in common. There is nothing outside of the hive.

No big comment from me here, it was just a very interesting read and i thought some of you might enjoy it.

happy New Year !

28

What emotions have you been coping with?

by mochamint22 in

i wanted to dedicate this posts to just talking about the emotional scars we all have had or maybe still have.

was there a gap of time between you thinking you didn't want to continue and actually, consciously, deciding to no longer continue as on of jws?

it's amazing to me the strong hold this religion puts on you.

man in black

when I left it seems that I developed an inferiority complex because of the shunning thing.

Then I came to this site and began reading, and researching and developed a boldness about the wtbts that really helped me.

Now it is a slow, smouldering burning anger .

Seeing firsthand how this religion goofs people up just gets me going every time.

This past week I was able to visit with one of my sisters, she was raised a witness but left at 16, now she lives in Kentucky and has two wonderful

children. Not married yet,,,, they are working on it.

Anyway, she made the comment about when our Mom died two years ago one of her longtime friends who became a witness sent a card explaining the condition of the dead, and what she should do. (translation: go back to the KH asap)!

Her comment to me was " I appreciate the card, but at that time I needed a friend. Not an instruction manual as to how I should go to her church".

7

Papua New Guinea Witnesses praised for risking life during Witnessing! Idiots!

by Witness 007 in

port moresby in p.n.g is a very violent dangerous place.

some witnesses told me how much the witnesses on this island "love jehovah.

" "every time they go witnesing they think it might be the last time..." due to the crimes, killings, and kidnappings, but these idiots still go door to door as ordered!!!!

man in black

yes, that is crazy. But it seems to be something that the witnesses hold up like badge showing everyone their spiritual maturity.

here in the USA in Chicago there is an area called Cabrini Green. it is ( or was, this housing project was recently torn down) a very very crime ridden area. Shootings, drugs, rapes, etc are everyday things that happen. You did not want to be lost in this area EVER.

Well, in my old congregation several sisters would drive 2 hours to go and do some "special" witnessing several times a year in this project area.

Imagine ( looking at reality, I'm not being racist) several well -dressed white middle aged women going door to door in a 100% black,poverty and crime infested, high rise apartment complex.

In fact I remember them telling the cong. that the elevators were broken and they had to walk up and down several stories in each building.

They would come back home crowing about how "spiritual" they were, and what an excellen example they were setting for people to reach out and do more witnessing.

I could appreciate their zeal and courage, but come on, they all had families with young children !

Talk about putting your head in the mouth of a lion.

I would sit in the audience and just cringe,,,,, would you be talking like this if you had been shot/raped/or mugged ?

52

What was your first vehicle? (pics!)

by sabastious in

jw
friends

mine was a 1986 ford courier i got after working a summer and obtaining $600.00.

it was a beater and i named him earl.

like this one just white and more zombified:.

man in black

No wait,,,, this is the car that I wished would have been my 1st car since I was 5 years old......

Now back to reality, my 1st car was a 1978 Oldsmobile Omega, exactly the same body/color, and wheels as this one :

8

JW Funeral experiences / suggestions ?

by man in black in

jw
friends

i just read in the paper today that an elderly man who was off - on as a witness recently died.. i was friends with his kids back in the 70's, so i am considering going to the memorial.

it will be on new years day.. since i am da'ed, and have not been inside a kh for around two years, what kind of reaction should i expect ?.

i am well aware of the shunning, but will i be treated like a criminal once i step inside ?

man in black

I just read in the paper today that an elderly man who was off - on as a witness recently died.

I was friends with his kids back in the 70's, so I am considering going to the memorial. It will be on New Years day.

Since I am DA'ed, and have not been inside a KH for around two years, what kind of reaction should I expect ?

I am well aware of the shunning, but will I be treated like a criminal once I step inside ? Would approaching his adult kids and offering condolences

be accepted or is even this human emotion tightly controlled by the elders ? I really don't know the status of his kids inside this religion at all.

Thank you in advance for any comments / suggestions.