Posts by John Aquila

I really enjoyed your experience on waking up. At one point I did the same thing. I prayed and prayed to God to give me an answer if the JWs had the truth. Of course I got no answer. I guess I was expecting a voice or something like that. So I kept researching and learning about 607 BC. The more I learned the more I realized I had been tricked, not for a few years but for a lifetime. That’s hard to swallow.

Recently I had a Jw friend who was in a minor accident, not anything serious but by the time he reached the hospital he needed blood badly. Long story short, the elders convinced the wife no blood and he died. My friend could have easily lived another 20 years and enjoy his wife, kids, and just life in general. Now the wife was convinced to pioneer as if that will help. And I see other JWS wasting their life going door to door, attending tons of meetings and conventions.

I sometimes wonder if my prayer was answered. It’s one of those things that I can go either way. Yes he did-no he didn’t. One thing for sure, that organization is a dangerous place to be in. You can lose your life literally or lose your life, (time wise by wasting it)

Either way, I’m still glad I found out even at 60.

48

The shift: from follower to wanting to leave

by paradisebeauty in

this week has been the week when my whole way of thinking shifted.

i still cannot believe how this can happen so fast.

over a period of seven days i went from not even imagining that i could ever not be a witness to wanting to get out of this organisation.. .

John Aquila

You are going to need time to regroup. Lots of time. Don't get any JWs involved at this point. When I learned TTATT it was like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A67lyBRPevM

40

What if we could bring down the WBTS?

by derangedjdub in

what would be your plan or ideal reason the walls came crashing down?

John Aquila

All the JWs I know would say:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76zvneuosaI

57

Is it common for old men to marry young JW?

by adjusted knowledge in

jw
friends

i left in the 90's and marriage partners were similar in age at my former congregation.

i ran into a former jw friend from my childhood.

i haven't seen him in 15 years.

John Aquila

Ugh, at 25 with 2 children I still looked very young. I had more than one CO ( 45+) have someone introduce me to them. One CO followed me everytime I got up before he had someone introduce us. He was looking for a young virgin. (pervert)

What if the CO had just waken up to TTATT, secretly played the powerball lottery and won 650 million dollars, 300 million after taxes. And was just attracted to you and wanted to disappear from the organization and travel the world and live the life of the Rich and Famous? Would that change your view?

57

Is it common for old men to marry young JW?

by adjusted knowledge in

jw
friends

i left in the 90's and marriage partners were similar in age at my former congregation.

i ran into a former jw friend from my childhood.

i haven't seen him in 15 years.

John Aquila

I said this before, the borg is a paradise for men, young and old.

OK James you convinced me, I'm going back.

girls who like to party 013 Crazy pics of partying girls

26

Reports of lower memorial attendance

by thedepressedsoul in

i have heard a lot of reports from kingdom halls in the area that there was less than last year, for both time slots.. we had the first time slot and we were down 50+/- compared to last year.

last year we had the lobby full of people standing and this year we had empty seats and no one standing.

we ran out of parking last year and this year we made it.. like i said i am hearing quite a few reports of this from halls in our area.however, somehow the number seem to inch up every year.

John Aquila

Somehow assemblies, conventions, baptisms seem worse every year and yet the number inch up.

Reminds of the movie Jakob the Liar (1999)

Synopsis:

During World War II in Nazi occupied Poland, poor Jewish café owner Jakob ('Robin Williams') takes action to fight the incredible depression and suicide throughout the ghetto, Jakob tells fictitious news bulletins about Allied advances against the Nazis. These lies keep hope and humor alive among the ghetto inhabitants.

36

Calling all lovers of Jehovahs and His Christ

by vinman in

i must say that i have always loved jehovah and his son jesus christ.

i have a 12 inch diameter telescope.

i would go outside and listen to the psalms that praised to my god.

John Aquila

I would praise and thank him for all the wonderful things he has done for me.

Like what?

I used to praise him and thank him for this since I was 15 years old.

(John 11:26) and everyone that is living and exercises faith in me will never die at all. Do you believe this?”

I’m headed towards my 70s and still getting old. Many of my friends who use to thank him and praise him publicly and regularly all their life are all dead.

One of my school buddies who never became a JW and has never believed in God or Jesus, has smoked, drugs, womanized and has been a heavy drinker, inherited several millions from his aunt and is healthier than me. Who should he thank?

3

How much do you love Spam?

by John Aquila in

i not sure how popular it is in other parts of the world but in my part of the world, it is not popular at all.

if you had to climb a ladder to get to it you would have to climb over steak, ham, fish, chicken, tuna, bologna, and a few others meats before you get to spam..

i have not seen a spam commercial since the 90s.

John Aquila

I not sure how popular it is in other parts of the world but in my part of the world, it is not popular at all. If you had to climb a ladder to get to it you would have to climb over steak, ham, fish, chicken, tuna, bologna, and a few others meats before you get to Spam.

I have not seen a spam commercial since the 90s. And if I mention I’m buying a can of spam, I won’t get a call from my friends for a couple of weeks.

Yet, it does not matter if it is a small convenient store or a huge supermarket, they all stock up with plenty of Spam. And despite all the bad publicity and jokes, Spam Lives.

I was talking to a few JW friends that still talk to me. And from what I am hearing, most use field service as a coffee excursion. Very few are going in service door to door. It’s all telephone, email, carts, stands at universities.

In the old kingdom hall I used to attend they now have phone witnessing and emailing, Monday thru Friday from 10am to 3pm. According to some of my jw friends, for a whole month no one went out in door to door Mon-Friday, except to do RVs. Now my neighbor who is a jw, age 76, told me no one is abiding by the blood doctrine in the stickiest sense anymore. She said it’s a matter of conscience and people are more balance. She said, “You can always repent if you make a mistake” An elder told me the same thing, "Take and repent"

There are very few meetings now, only twice a week and very few attend the mid-week one. No one makes a fuss anymore. The elders take turns missing meetings during the week. And conventions are only one day, and very few attend the broadcast. And a lot of jws use the 3 day regional conventions as a means for vacation. I found out several families who attended last summer and only attended one day and spent the rest on vacation. Lots of brothers I knew who were elders in other congregations are now only attending the meetings once on Sunday every few months and the memorial just to keep the family intact. They have no problem sending their kids to college anymore and if the kids join sports, no one cares.And they are picking up things that I never would have thought of back then. Golfing, motorcycling, learning to fly, etc.

What’s interesting is that they have 12 persons in my old KH ready to get baptized at the next assembly and they are adults. But the way I see it, what's the big deal? They don’t have to go door to door, just telephone witnessing a few hrs. a month. And it’s actually fun to do telephone witnessing at the KH during the week. They order pizza, drinks, pastries. The young ones especially love it since other young one visit each hall to meet other single guys and gals. Meetings are not really a big deal anymore. They really don’t have to worry about the blood issue. I would have loved this arrangement when I was single and young.

What’s funny is that when the Circuit Overseer visits, the telephone witnessing for the week is cancelled. Everyone keeps quiet until he leaves and then it’s back to normal. No one says a thing and rocks the boat.

I believe the WT is dismantling all by itself. Their priority now is to keep their loyal customers who will continue to buy their product. And if they can entice new customers who can’t afford to buy anything else but their SPAM, then why not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6LDpYeTb0o