outnfree

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Posts by outnfree

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  48

  Eulogy for My Father

  by Farkel in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  on tuesday, august 4, 2001 at 3:42.a.m.

  mst, duane floyd checketts, 77 died in his sleep due to complications from pneumonia.

  he is survived by his wife bette and two children, douglas checketts, patty smith, and 8 grandchildren.. duane, who was fondly called duke by everyone who knew him was born in farmington, utah on march 8, 1924. his father floyd, was one of 10 children raised in a tiny house built by his own mormon father who immigrated in the early 1860's from birmingham, england.

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  outnfree

  My heart is deeply touched, Farkel.

  It seems your father and mine were much alike -- something I would never had known if you hadn't eulogized him here. Survivors of WWII Pacific action, loyal employees, suffering an emotional loss as a result of the discounting of that loyalty, but dutifully and quietly going through life as honest and decent men.

  It is good to express all these loving thoughts. I agree that should your Dad get the typical WT burial it will be a dry and unloving "you, too, can possibly be resurrected after you die" pitch, with the 'audience' coming away knowing little more of your father than they did when coming in. Terrible how the WTBTS treats mourners as an audience, isn't it? Even when I was witness I determined that I would NOT want a witness funeral for myself. I wanted my family to have the opportunity to grieve.

  We have not only gotten a view of your dad by your loving eulogy, but also a view of you, Doug Checketts. And its a very fine man and loving son that is reflected.

  May your father rest in peace, Farkel, and may you find peace as you struggle on.

  outnfree
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  3

  Watchtower warns Africans on Child-Abuse!!!!

  by Kent in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  problem of child exploitation highlighted .

  the independent (accra).

  april 27, 1999 .

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  outnfree

  Okay, but Kent, this is two years old!

  When I read your title, I thought that the Tower had started a pro-active campaign to cover its butt.

  Silly me!

  outnfree
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  47

  "Special" meeting in October?

  by Esmeralda in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  question.

  my mother told my husband that there is to be a 'special meeting' in october at the local sports arena (same place as dc's are held here) and that "only publishers are allowed to attend" that they will get "special cards" for admission from their local congregation and have to hand them in to get into the building.

  i have no idea if this has anything to do with the "annual meeting" they always have (isn't that generally in october?

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  outnfree

  hee hee hee hee hee

  rubbing my hands gleefully at drachir's wickedly delightful, yet highly improbable, scenario

  Seriously -- could anyone scan a ticket -- removing any possible identifying marks and then maybe e-mailing me info on the "whited-out" parts privately? I still know how to walk, talk and dress like a dub!

  outnfree
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  76

  I Said Goodbye

  by Farkel in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my father was rushed by ambulance from his rest home to st. marks hospital in salt lake city, utah friday, but i only just heard about it.

  i received a call from the floor nurse and she told me he is not expected to live.

  his lungs are filled fill up with fluid and are continuing to fill u with more fluid: he has pneumonia.

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  outnfree

  (((((Farkel)))))

  You are so lucky to have been contacted in time to say those very important words to your dying Dad. (I was not so fortunate.) While this is very difficult for you now, you will be able to pull out that moment and carefully examine it, in all its fullness and emotional richness. In years to come that moment will be a blessing to you. Those tentatively spoken words -- so desperately wanting to have been said long before -- will be among the most important you have ever uttered.

  I am happy that you "said Goodbye", and I am sorry for your pain.

  outnfree
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  34

  Anyone here from Pa.?

  by claudia in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  anyone here from pa?

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  outnfree

  Sorry, Claudia, I'm from Michigan.

  But I used to regularly visit the Montrose, PA KH during summers near New Milford. Is that anywhere near you?

  outnfree
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  12

  This is for those of you who asked for my exp...

  by MrMoe 2 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  it's long, so take a deep breath!.

  ok, this is for those of you who wanted my life experience as a jw, so here goes.. i was born to a beautiful woman/mother who was abandoned by my biological father.

  my mother was raised as a jw and left in her teen years and turned to the baptist church as an adult.

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  outnfree

  (((MrMoe)))

  You are right, there are many here who have dealt with personal tragedy in their lives -- COURAGEOUSLY dealt with it, as you have -- and some of them have already welcomed you here.

  I would like to welcome you as well.

  I have enjoyed many of your posts, and I especially liked the compassionate response from NathanNatas (who is usually cracking me up )!!!

  Thanks to him, your name brings back fond memories of watching Larry, Moe and Curly in black and white on school day afternoons with my little brother who was also a big "Three Stooges" fan.

  Peace,

  outnfree
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  18

  New to the Forum

  by wokeup in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hi to all in the forum.

  i am new here and would like to briefly share how i arrived here.

  i was born and raised a witness.i'm in my 40's and married.i had some doubts as regards to some docrinal teachings and changes in the 80's.

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  outnfree

  Welcome, Allen!

  I'm a little bit slow with this, but I was away from my computer (or vice versa) for a few days, and I'm only now catching up.

  This is a marvelous place: chock full of insight, empathy and information.

  Nice to have you here.

  outnfree

  Par dessus toutes choses, soyez bons. La bonte est ce qui ressemble le plus a Dieu et ce qui desarme le plus les hommes -- Lacordaire
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  29

  draft letter - editorial comments?

  by wasasister in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the following is the first-draft of a letter i would like to send to the society.

  any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

  (don't worry, i've developed a thick-skin.

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  outnfree

  Lilacs!

  See? Even if wasasister says "No, thanks" or "I've got it covered", that is why I LOVE this board!

  It's a fine letter, Wasasister!
  Thanks for sharing the final (or close) version.

  outnfree

  Par dessus toutes choses, soyez bons. La bonte est ce qui ressemble le plus a Dieu et ce qui desarme le plus les hommes -- Lacordaire
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  141

  JW Kids Leave the Organization: Facts

  by Maximus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the october 1 watchtower 2001 features articles on training children "properly" and dealing with a "prodigal child.

  the latest inside u.s. figures reveal that 86% of jw children leave the fold, with some 29% who eventually come back for reasons of family ties, most never "reaching out.

  " that means over half leave permanently.

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  outnfree

  I used to literally cry at the Kingdom Hall when they would play the songs that dealth with faithful youth because my children were not there. Faithful sister, wife of an unbelieving mate, dragging children alone to conventions all over the country so as not to create even more tension at home, reading Bible stories as bedtime stories, promoting my children's making a progressively firmer 'stand for Jehovah' at school each year, trying to conduct positive Bible studies (when they often deteriorated as Dave007 hilariously noted in another thread), dragging them to meetings, packing daily texts in lunch bags or reading them in the car together on the way in to school in the morning, crying when my children [early days] were not allowed to attend the Memorial with me, crying when my children [latter days] when my children didn't WANT to attend the Memorial with me (after several years of attending out of guilt at making me feel badly)...
  I finally got to the point where I would dread sitting through the talks on ANY assembly or convention program aimed at "Our Youth" and FINALLY got to the point where I actually voiced to the elders at a shepherding call how nice it would be if some of the experiences told at assemblies & conventions about successful JW youths were experiences of youths raised in divided households!!!
  GUILT?
  YOU BET Jehovah's Witness parents are inundated with it. Tidal waves of guilt because we must be doing SOMETHING wrong not to have the result the Society kept assuring us would be the result of our diligence!

  I am so thankful that I am gone, the guilt barriers are removed, and the relationship between my children and I is now genuine.

  And the figures here cited seem about right to me. There are very few children that my kids grew up with in the Kingdom Hall who are still associating with the congregation -- fewer still who have made the choice to dedicate themselves and be baptized as Jehovah's Witnesses. Even the ones in second and third generation families. They are either outright rebelling or just 'marking time' until they can leave their parents' homes. (Praise Jah?)

  outnfree
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  48

  Coming to Toronto this month? Sign in here!

  by peterstride in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hey all,.

  just to get an idea as to how many people are coming to toronto for the next apostofest, in case i need to make reservations at various places...all because the toronto international film festival will be taking place on the same weekend!

  when you let me know if you're coming, also state on which day you'll be arriving and which day you'll be departing.. thanks, .

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  outnfree

  Oh, NO! Gwen,

  I'm sorry to hear that. I'll miss meeting you and do hope that your "unforeseen circumstance" resolves itself favorably and soon!

  out