Posts by Bungi Bill

44

Another Shooting Massacre

by whathehadas in

http://abcnews.go.com/us/santa-barbara-shooting-suspect-calls-loneliness-darkest-hell/story?id=23855994&ts=true.

Bungi Bill

The example of Switzerland does require some further discussion when it comes to firearm violence.

With a firearm possession rate of 45.7 guns per 100 people, it does have one of the higher rates of firearm ownership in the world. (Although in the case of Switzerland, the term "ownership" is rather elastic. At least 420 000 of these firearms are the SG 550 assault rifles on issue to Switzerland's citizen soldiers, and which each militia member is required to store at home - albiet, though, without the ammunition).

It is frequently stated, that, despite these facts, Switzerland has a low rate of firearm violence. In actual fact, its rate of 0.77 firearm-caused homicides per 100 000 of the population is rather high for a developed country. Furthermore, the other developed country that has a similar rate of firearms ownership to Switzerland, i.e. Finland, has also a similar rate of firearms-caused homicides.

Bill

56

Anyone recall asemblies actually being fun?

by tim hooper in

jw
friends

when i was a wee lad, there was a carnival atmosphere at assemblies as this old footage will show:.

.

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/witnesses-baptised/query/jehovahs+witnesses.

Bungi Bill

They never, ever, were my idea of fun!

Bill.

43

How Many Had Chronic fatigue syndrome?

by OnTheWayOut in

jw
friends

chronic fatigue syndrome refers to severe, continued tiredness that is not relieved by rest and is not directly caused by other medical conditions.. did you have many congregation members, particularly pioneers, that said they had " chronic fatigue syndrome" ?.

that's their "get-out-of-jail-free card.

" they were free to cancel anything at anytime and it was their legitimate reason for not doing anything that didn't involve field recruiting.

Bungi Bill

At one stage, both my wife and two teenage daughters were all diagnosed as having CFS (then referred to as ME, and earlier than that as "Tapanui Flu")

Their illness was genuine, too - my wife, in particular, would have dearly wished that she was merely faking it! As a consequence, I am less than kindly disposed towards those who hold that CFS is a bogus illness.

Around the same time as this was going on, it was estimated that at least 5% of the publishers in our circuit were afflicted with the same complaint.

Significantly, in the now 20 years since I broke with the JWs, I have not known even one person who is suffering from this illness. During the eighties, ME was often described as the "Yuppie disease." A better description might be the "Dubbie disease."

Bill

84

One thing about this site that bothers me

by keyser soze in

jw
friends

the constant references to 'window washers' as something derogatory.. i understand the context of it-that most jws are uneducated, and unqualified to do much more.

but sometimes the references seem snobbish, almost mean-spirited.

one poster, on another thread, essentially referred to window washers as 'losers'.

Bungi Bill

The jantor in a college works harder

than the professors, but at 55 or 65 the professor can retire with a large income from his pension

while the janitor labors on.

Well put!

Back when I left school, popular JW mythology had it that "you got paid more for unskilled work for than skilled work." (This was at a time when the borg was even stopping kids from entering into an apprenticeship, because "The End was too close"). However, it did not take me too long to observe thet, around the work place, skilled workers were pulling almost double the money I was getting, and expending about half the energy!

Bill.

76

What is the biggest regret or source of resentment because of being a Jehovahs Witness?

by stuckinarut2 in

i'm sure we could all write long paragraphs about this question, but in a few words, what is your biggest regret, or frustration in life due to being a witness?.

what missed opportunities did it cost you?

.

Bungi Bill

That is an easy one to answer:

- being currently about halfway through an Advanced Diploma course in electrical engineering, and very much what is now described as a "Mature Age Student."

(At the same age as I am now, my father was counting off the last few months until his retirement).

So, yes, for their anti education stance alone, I curse the WTS / GB (or whatever else you want to call them) all the way to bloody hell - and then back again!

I would also add to this my regrets that the religion of the JWs is very family unfriendly - not JUST the shunning policy, although that certainly plays a part. I now cringe when I recall the things I made my children endure, out of blind obedience to that a of twerps in New York, and their imagined direct telephone line to God.

Bill

20

Any strategies to deal with elders who just don't like you?

by toto555 in

so any ways to deal or cope with elders who just don't like you (you didn't do anything wrong or they're just making stuff up about you) assuming that you can't leave?

especially when it comes to for example becoming appointed as an elder.

or are you pretty much "dead in the water" if the elders are determined to like you despite reasonable efforts to win them over.

Bungi Bill

From the point of view of somebody who has been "out" for 20 years, the good old two fingered salute sounds to me as good approach as any!

Bill

31

Aren't You Glad That You Are Out Of The JW Religion?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i am so happy to be out of the cult.

i would never go back!

i don't know some still could accept this religion, be here, regularly and not just get out..

Bungi Bill

I'm certainly with you there:

- My oath, it is a "happifying" expereince to be clear of that lot!

Bill.

20

Give me some examples of 'good lawyers'.

by LogCon in

for some strange reason when i previously asked to give me examples of how evil attorneys are and then reworded to give me examples of evil lawyers, many misinterpreted that i was labeling all lawyers as evil.

i simply asked a question.

i did not state or imply anything.. now, without labeling all lawyers as good, what examples do you have of 'good lawyers'?.

Bungi Bill

My step brother is a lawyer, so I guess I would have to give him the benefit of the doubt and class him in the "good" category (family loyalty and all that!)

Bill.

11

2 Jdubs at a door

by whathehadas in

jw
friends

this video was posted on a viral site.

there's 2 witnesses who are put on the spot by a very simple and thought provoking question.

i read quite a few of the comments posted on this video and most of the people are critical of the jw and you can tell that some have researched about the cult.

Bungi Bill

This could be just me, but I would have classed that response more in the category of "baffle with bull$h#t if you cannot blind with science", rather than thought provoking.

Still, though, a much more sophisticated way of getting rid of them than the one we popularly encountered in our territory (Logan City, QLD, Australia)

i.e. "#U&K OFF OUT OF MY PLACE - AND DON'T COME BACK!"

Bill

1

Brad Scott, Santa Rosa, CA, JW

by Athanasius in

jw
friends

brad scott, a local jw character, passed away the other day.

he was famous locally for his street witnessing.

since i left the jws in 1984, i'm not aware of his present status as a jw.

Bungi Bill

I can hardly believe this.

For several years in the mid-1970s, Brad Scott lived in Australia (where his mother was from).

During part of that time, I shared a flat with him. To hear that he was recently found dead in his apartment at age 60 has me utterly and completely gobsmacked!

Bill.