I attended a class reunion at my home town this weekend. During our dinner, one of my classmates told me he had met a friend of mine, who was visiting his son in Dallas,while he was in line for breakfast at some restaurant. When he told me the man's name and described him, I was baffled by how much this person my classmate had met knew about me and my life. When our reunion ended, my classmate asked me to try and find out who this man was. I told him I would as I was intrigued about the whole affair. Later, when I visited with one of my cousins, who is a catholic, I asked him if he knew anyone, by the name my classmate had given me, who knew that much about me. My cousin told that the man was his sister's husband, an elder in the local congregation. I got the man's cell # and called him. I related what my classmate had told me about meeting and speaking with him about me. He told me that it had indeed been him and then quickly hung up on me. His wife, my cousin, quickly called me back screaming at me that I was not to call her number again and that she did not know who had given me her # but that she was going to find out; where opon she quickly hung up the phone on me. I never had a chance to say a word. She then called her brother and screamed at him for giving me her #. I was angry because this elder, whom I have never seen or met and who will not speak to me, represented himself as a friend/family member of mine to my classmate. This is just hypocritical of him. If jws don't speak to us, I feel that they should not speak about us as if they are our friends or associates. They should not use our persona for whatever reason they choose. I am thinking of writing a letter to his BOE and telling them that if they shun xjws that they should also refrain from using ,our name and/or our persona when talking to our friends or any other worldly person. I am the only one of my siblings or cousins who has a university degree and they admire that. Two of my nephews are bigshots in the borg, one is a DO and the other is a former Bethelite who give talks at the DC. My jw cousins view them as if they were Christ himself and are afarid to do anything to offend them. How do you people feel about jws using your name/pesona when they shun you? Has anything like that happened to you? Would appricate your commets. Am I overreacting?
panhandlegirl
JoinedPosts by panhandlegirl
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58
Stop fighting about Oompa.
by Robert7 ini am writing this because i am so upset about the bickering and fighting that is going on about oompa.
this was an amazing wonderful, peaceful, giving man who never met a strager who is now deceased and you are taking his name and running all over the place with it using it for your own agendas.
he is not a statistic.
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panhandlegirl
I only knew oompa from his posts. Seeing his picture on the board and those on his facebook put a face to the posts. I don't know why people bring other controversies into the threads meant to remember and grieve for him. I do think we are all grieving for him and the pain he endured and the pain his family and friends are experiencing at the loss of him. oompa has begun to represent the pain the borg has imposed on us all. This is not to dishonor his own pain or death, but to honor it. oompa was a unique and special person to many close friends off and on the board. In a certain way, we are all oompa. I join you, his family, and his friends in mourning the loss of Eric.
PHG
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42
How did you feel when you first celebrated Halloween or Christmas
by trujw inwith the holidays amongsts us how did you feel the first time you celebrated the holidays?
the first time i felt like i was in north korea trying to slip pass the secret police.
how weird a wonderful family holiday and i was acting like i just stole the mona lisa..
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panhandlegirl
I was afraid. This is how I celebtated my first Christmas.My daughter had made a large ornament at school, a foam ball pierced with tooth picks and sprayed with fake snow, that we decorated with lights. We placed it on a table and placed our gifts around it. I was afraid to bring a tree into the house to use as a Christmas tree. I also told my family that we should celebrate the holiday without including Jesus; just celebrate it as a worldly holiday. I was afraid to dishonor Jesus. How dumb of me, but it takes a while to discard long held beliefs. After I became a Catholic, I wanted to celebrate Chistmas as a Christian holiday. I even celebrated it by helping at a dinner for the poor. My family and I ate dinner with the poor and not at home. Now I celebrate it as most people do, with gifts, Chistmas dinner and parties with friends. When I can, I attend Chistmas Mass which I find a beautiful thing; I love singing the Chrismas songs at the Mass and during Christmas. I play Christmas music right after Thanksgiving is over, I like to listen to Kenny G play Christmas songs and of couse, Jose Feliciano's "Felic Navidad."
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I would love for you to know my Oompa.... (from one of his closest friends)
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panhandlegirl
I am sorry you lost your friend and I am sorry for all the pain Eric endured. Sometimes the pain is too deep to overcome. I mourn that you no longer have oomph and he doesn't have you.
PHG.
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39
Moment of silence for Oompa
by andys ini can be very emotional about certain things and when i heard about oompa, even though i don't know him i was sometimes in tears about it, i will miss his posts, what i want to do for oompa is to have a moment of silence for him, i know i don't post on here much am more of a lurker but also i want everyone else to have a moment of silence also for our friend and also for all the others who have committed suicide because of the watchtowers policys..
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panhandlegirl
I will light a candle for oompa.
PHG
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630
SAD news about OOMPA......
by redredrose inour friend, oompa, has passed away.
just recieved the news a couple of hours ago, and have almost no details.
it happened today or yesterday, he took his own life.
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panhandlegirl
What a tragic thing to happen. I had no idea he was in so much pain. I am so sorry to hear about his death. I agree we have to help each other
endure the pain caused by this damned organization. May he rest in peace. Thank you redredrose for informing us about the tragedy.
PHG
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18
New sad song: 0940 Our Spiritual Mother
by 9.40am inyou might like our new song on you tube titled '0940 our spiritual mother' about the experience her 'children' have had as jehovah's witnesses.
it's a reworded version of mother (pink floyd) set to new and historic watchtower images.. some who've already seen it have been kind enough to describe it as 'incredibly sad', 'powerful' and even 'poignant'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3krimouav0&feature=youtu.be .
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panhandlegirl
Interesting,disturbing, have to give it a second look.
PHG
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Book recomend: Oranges are not the only fruit
by londonlady ini have just finished this book and cannot recomend it enough!
for most of the book i was very suspisous that the author had been secretly stalking me my whole life.. it charts the story of "jess" who is brought up in a cult like religon, its not jw's but it could be, it sounds almost the same.
its a warm hearted yet incredible story of how her strong charater enabled her to break free from the cult and find out who she really was.. theres some truly excellent lines in it, my favorite being from the mad cult devote mother "you don't need an airing cupboard when youv'e got jesus!
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panhandlegirl
Ordering the book. Lots of reading to do this winter in front of the fireplace drinking wine. Have one more plane ride trip to the old county, Texas, before I can relax and read.
PHG.
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What did you do with all your old publications?
by Dark Fader inso we had spent years building our "theocratic library" of bound volumes, books and other materials.
personally, i boxed everything, taped the boxes closed and threw them in a dumpster at a construction site.. i did actually feel bad though.
that was a lot of paper which could have been recycled!.
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panhandlegirl
I gave my bound volumes to my sil. She died soon after and I guess my jw niece has them now. My husband threw the rest of my books in the trash. I was actually upset and regretted having given my bound volumes away. I
kept some books including the Interliner book and bought the Babylon the Great book on Amazon.
PHG.