Posts by PaintedToeNail

45

Did You Ever Make the Pilgrimage?

by Quendi in

jw
friends

how many of you have ever visited one of the branch offices or world headquarters of jehovah's witnesses?

i was an active witness for nearly thirty years and was associated with the cult for more than thirty-five before finally walking away for good last year.

during all those years i never made a trip to brooklyn bethel.

PaintedToeNail

We went with a bus tour arrange by someone in the cong. The elders in the group actually tried to make everyone sing 'Kingdom' songs, I refused and told my spouse that it was ridiculous-we were already doing something 'spiritual'. The factory in NYC was extremely hot. Our tour guide had the personality of a limp dishrag and spoke so softly no one could hear him. We stood rooted to one spot for at least 10 minutes after he got done talking about it because other tour groups were just breezing by whatever it was and not making it a highlight of the tour. Finally, someone else in our group jumped out into the crowd, and the rest of our group followed, with the guide chasing after us.

Went to the farm several times, very pretty country, rural New York state. Nearby, in the New Paltz, NY area is a wonderful old, Victorian resort called Mohonk Mountain House. They oversee hundreds (maybe thousands-can't remember) of acres of woods and lake(s). There are paths all over and gazebos overlooking the most fantastic scenes in the most unexpected places-perched on a cliff, in a wood glen, hidden little gems. We saw a bear run across a path. There is a glacial lake that is quite pretty and cold. It made the trip to the farm worthwhile.

CJ

90

I told the baptist church pastor that I'm gay!

by TimothyT in

his reaction wasnt as liberal as i hoped it would be.

he said that we needed to discuss it.

however, gone are the days where im putting myself in the firing line and not sticking up for myself.

PaintedToeNail

Tim, thank you for you kind answer, it was very coherent and I can now understand you better.

Quendi-I'm really glad you had a mentor to talk to, that must have been very comforting and reassuring for you.

irondork-there was no disrespect meant when I asked Tim that question, I was truly trying to understand where he was coming from. I'm sorry I offended you or anyone else. My apologies to all who's feelings I may have hurt.

CJ

40

Any Runners Here?

by zoiks in

anyone else like to run?

i started running regularly in the past year or so and am becoming addicted.

participated in my first 5k earlier this summer, a large even with about 2,500+ runners.

PaintedToeNail

Can't run due to a spinal injury and subsequent surgery, but I power-walk everyday for 2.5 miles up and down the Appalachians that my road is built on. The old 'uphill both directions' is true around here. It makes me feel great. Keeps my buns tight too-an added benefit.

CJ

90

I told the baptist church pastor that I'm gay!

by TimothyT in

his reaction wasnt as liberal as i hoped it would be.

he said that we needed to discuss it.

however, gone are the days where im putting myself in the firing line and not sticking up for myself.

PaintedToeNail

Hi Tim, I'm very curious as to why you keep making your homosexuality a huge issue. Are you not more than your penis? No disrespect intended, I'm just wondering. Quendi and some other gay posters don't seem to come across as this issue being so consuming for them.

CJ

12

Barb Anderson's MEMORIES OF MAX LARSON

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

from: http://www.freeminds.org/blogs/musings-of-a-watchtower-insider/memories-of-max-larson.html.

barb anderson's memories of max larson.

theres much to be remembered about max larson, but for me, there were two things that i remember the mostthe wonderful timbre of his speaking voice and his strange-looking, very long eyebrow hairs that grew every which way.

PaintedToeNail

I remember seeing pictures of this man's eyebrows and being intrigued and grossed out. My hubby's eyebrows have started to 'get wild' and I make sure that I trim them regularly to keep them in check. We always joke about Max's eyebrows when it is trim time.

CJ

63

Walkill Bethel Recreational Facility

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

my wife and i just visited some friends over the weekend from another congregation.

these two are both full time pioneers, and also participate in various construction projects around the country.

the husband just got back from a 3 week trip to walkill, new york to help with construction on a new residence building at 'the farm' (does anyone call it that anymore?)..

PaintedToeNail

My biggest question is "what for swimming attire will they wear"? A bikini with a white t-shirt? Bloomers, knee highs and bathing caps? All done in dark colors, shades of Victorian era bathing beauties? Or ugly skirted suits with large flowers? How about the brothers, euro-style trunks, skin tight and showing every, ahem, line? Or American style trunks, with tropical prints and so long and big you could fit two guys in them?

CJ

23

Know any Rich JWs?

by skeeter1 in

i was a poor jw.

lived in the worst part of town.. there were rich jws in our congregation, or so it seemed.

they had businesses, lived in a nice part of town, always a new car, etc.

PaintedToeNail

Awen-what a lovely story about Mickey Spillane, thanks for sharing it.

CJ

118

What does your user name mean????

by karter in

jw
friends

anything ???.

.

karter ...i race go-karts.

PaintedToeNail

While trying to think of a user name that meant something, I glanced at my red painted toe nails, so, having a moment of brain block, I just went with it. Stupid, I know.

CJ

21

I am finally getting my weekends back!

by iclone in

[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng /> </o:officedocumentsettings> </xml><!

[endif][if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>normal</w:view> <w:zoom>0</w:zoom> <w:trackmoves /> <w:trackformatting /> <w:punctuationkerning /> <w:validateagainstschemas /> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:saveifxmlinvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:ignoremixedcontent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext> <w:donotpromoteqf /> <w:lidthemeother>en-ca</w:lidthemeother> <w:lidthemeasian>x-none</w:lidthemeasian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>x-none</w:lidthemecomplexscript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables /> <w:snaptogridincell /> <w:wraptextwithpunct /> <w:useasianbreakrules /> <w:dontgrowautofit /> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark /> <w:enableopentypekerning /> <w:dontflipmirrorindents /> <w:overridetablestylehps /> </w:compatibility> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont m:val="cambria math" /> <m:brkbin m:val="before" /> <m:brkbinsub m:val="--" /> <m:smallfrac m:val="off" /> <m:dispdef /> <m:lmargin m:val="0" /> <m:rmargin m:val="0" /> <m:defjc m:val="centergroup" /> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440" /> <m:intlim m:val="subsup" /> <m:narylim m:val="undovr" /> </m:mathpr></w:worddocument> </xml><!

[endif][if gte mso 10]> <style> /* style definitions */ table.msonormaltable {mso-style-name:"table normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"times new roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:en-us;} </style> <![endif].

PaintedToeNail

It is a wonderful thing not to be stuck going out in field service. Always hated it. Always felt those who said they LOVED it were liars.

CJ

43

Australia Newspaper alerts: JWs likens "defectors to 'contagious deadly disease'

by Gayle in

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/jehovas-witnesses-defectors-cop-a-blast/story-fn7x8me2-1226155212128.

PaintedToeNail

I'm curious what is being said about all the news articles at the various Bethels and especially in NYC. It must have surprised the crap out of them to see anyone complain/protest to the media and get all this publicity.

CJ