Our meet-up wasn't moving along as smoothly as I had hoped (do they ever?) The numbers of attendees kept dwindling (not that there was a great number to begin with - I was just trying to get a group together at a local restaurant) until it seemed as though I might end up at the table reading out loud from various posts made on jw.com just to keep myself company . However, I knew I could count on SisterLiz, my long-lost friend from the Spanish congregation I used to attend, as well as her mother . Lo and behold - we drove up to the restaurant at the exact same moment. It had been years since we had all seen each other, and only thanks to this board did we know that we had all escaped the clutches of the borg. A rriving a half hour earlier than the others permitted us to get caught up (a bit) with what had transpired between being “true believers” to becoming “apostates-in-the-making”. After awhile, though, we began to think that we were going to be stood up . Was anybody else coming? Fortunately, SaintSatan saved the day and arrived with two ex-JWs who do not post on the forum, and we were later joined by another gentleman, never a JW but had been married to one and went through a terrible court case over child custody (I didn’t get all the details since he was sitting at the far end of the table). He was and always will be grateful to SaintSatan for helping him out (SS may need to give more details on this if he wants to since I did not hear about everything that transpired during the case, just that SS brought a briefcase full of documentation for the ex-husband (wish I could remember his name)) and helped him out tremendously. Totally absorbing conversation - poor waiter, he did a really good job and no matter what moment he chose to walk by and ask if we needed anything else or if everything was satisfactory, we'd be in the middle of listening to someone’s fascinating story and were barely able to wrench our attention away and respond to the waiter, which usually ended up sounding like a hurried, “no, no, no, we don’t need anything, it’s all fine”, waving him away with impatient smiles so as not to miss a word of what was being said (I hope he didn't take it personally - I think we all tipped him pretty well .) I doubt if that restaurant had ever seen a group of people clink their glasses in a toast with such giddy enthusiasm. The freedom to talk as we did, to share pain and sorrow, to be the listening ear as years of borg-induced guilt spilled over in a friend’s tears, as well as collectively wondering at our stupidity for being duped as long as we were by this horrid cult - it was a wonderful, funny, bittersweet evening. Supper lasted four hours. Yup, FOUR hours. I could not believe how long we had sat there and talked. Not once in all my years in the borg did I ever feel so comfortable with people in such a short time. We will be getting together again - SCULLY: take note!!! Mid-November is our target date. Ah, the joy of being free.
Posts by acsot
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2A great time was had - Scully, we're counting on you for next time!
by acsot inour meet-up wasn't moving along as smoothly as i had hoped (do they ever?
) the numbers of attendees kept dwindling (not that there was a great number to begin with - i was just trying to get a group together at a local restaurant) until it seemed as though i might end up at the table reading out loud from various posts made on jw.com just to keep myself company
however, i knew i could count on sisterliz, my long-lost friend from the spanish congregation i used to attend, as well as her mother rriving a half hour earlier than the others permitted us to get caught up (a bit) with what had transpired between being true believers to becoming apostates-in-the-making.
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French Quebec hearing the "Truth"
by JH innext wednesday night at 8pm, will be shown on "r.d.i.
" (reseau de l'information) in quebec a 1 hour program on abuse by the jehovah witnesses.
this is what is written in the tv guide in french: .
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acsot
JH:
Merci pour l'information.Est-ce seulement une traduction du programme Fifth Estate? Ou bien est-ce qu'ils vont faire des entrevues avec des jeunes québécois ?
Nicolas: Si tu viens á Montréal un jour tu me le laisseras savoir!!
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Why did it take so long to work it out?
by sleepy in.
assuming you were brought up as a witness or converted for at least a few years , why do you think it takes so long to work out its not true?.
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acsot
Teejay:
Right on - wish I could have said it that way myself!
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Mission Impossible
by JH in.
do you remember the mission impossible program that aired years ago?.
i loved that program and was always impressed by their sophisticated ways of getting whatever they wanted.. do you think that these guys would have been able to find bin laden and saddam by now?
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acsot
JH: Mission Impossible (for most people) is driving Toronto-Trois Rivieres (sorry no accent marks on this keyboard) in 6 hours!!!!
BTW, you have e-mail !!
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Is the WTS slowly turning into a mainstream religion?
by obiwan ini took this off of xjw_b12's thread.
(hope you don't mind).
"when considering whether to include a pinata at a social gathering, christians should be sensitive to the consciences of others.
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acsot
Just a thought here but doesn't the possibility exist that we are perhaps giving the writer(s) of that article too much credit? We're assuming that they're thinking ahead, subtly changing a hard stance, which may be true, but couldn't it also be true that the thought never even occurred to them? Maybe Br. Whoever just jotted it down 'cause his nephew/niece enjoys hitting pinatas and never figured it meant a shift in doctrinal stance. Maybe Br. Whoever never read about the previous WTS stance on the matter and most others don't care.
I think them dang apostates are more aware of WTS doctrine than many of those in power at Bethel. Couldn't it be that the dear brothers in the writing department are just too stupid to realize what they've done by opening this can of worms???
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Apparently Pinatas are ' no big deal'. What's next? Birthdays?
by xjw_b12 ini always thought the society frowned upon the use of pinatas, if not discouraging the use of them all together.
apparently the wts has decided to avoid insulting the brothers in mexico.
from the september 22, 2003 awake.
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acsot
I mentioned casually to a super-dub JW here at work that since luaus and pinatas are okay, toasting to someone's health is probably okay also. She said "I like that custom"
What? This is the same person who says : "If the Society says jump, your only response should be: How high?"
Has she participated in toasts? Being the stickler she is, I can't believe it, but who knows?
It seems to me that the WTS knows its fighting a losing battle with all of its nitpicking stupidity and is loosening the reins a bit. A little bit, over nonsense. They'll still let babies die from lack of blood transfusions, but it's okay to hit a pinata.
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Just wanted to say "Hi" to all and "Thank You"
by codeblue inhello to everyone of you on this forum.
i am new here...have been reading this site since january of this year.
i have been raised in the truth and published for 36 years...(yes, i have been very timid about posting...because i am new and because i feel i must have something of value to contribute).. since feb. i have seriously been reconsidering this org.
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acsot
WELCOME CODEBLUE!!
you said:
they always condemned the Catholic Church for such things---and now I find out JW's do the same thing???) The letter read at all the congregations the following week never answered any of my pending questions, it seemed like a "sweep me under the rug answer"....not quite what I expected from someone who trained and educated me on how Jehovah wants us to owe up to wrongs and right them
That's exactly how I felt and what I thought. You'll find a lot of people here just like yourself, with the same questions, doubts, horror stories (or much, much worse) and if you're like me you'll realize you're not the one who's crazy after all, or lacking faith - it's the cult that had us in its claws for so long that is the source of our feelings of isolation, unworthiness, guilt, etc.
This a great place. I met Scully for the first time a couple of months ago, and I hope to see her again in the near future. Whereabouts are you from? If you're uncomfortable with state/province, what about country? Canada, U.S.?
Anyhow, doesn't matter where you're from, the welcome mat is out!
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Mouthy is causing a wonderful disturbance in the force.... ;)
by Scully inas she rises through the posting ranks.... to become...... our newest empress!!!.
all hail empress mouthy!!.
love, scully.
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acsot
Three cheers for Mouthy!!
Well deserved Your Empressness! Good thing you got yourself a new computer, eh?
To our favourite surrogate granny/aunt/mommy on the board -
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Off for my surgery
by Lady Lee inwell i am just waiting for my ride and then i will be off.
hope the results are good of the biopsy although i might not find out today.
and yesterday i bought myself two canes - one sleek brass colored folding cane and the other a standard purple floral number weehoo.
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acsot
(((Lee))))
I send positive energy your way! Purple is a good colour for you, use it proudly!!
Good luck and keep us posted!
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Bethel Memories Good and Bad
by joelbear indave inspired me with his story of his week at bethel.
the fish in the pond outside the e building at the watchtower farm would eat out of your hand, very cool.
the fall colors of the mountains with the morning sunshine on them outside the dining hall at the farm were spectacular.
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acsot
Thanks for posting Joel. Imagine - markers and towels bring on the rage of the higher-ups at Bethel. And these are the people who supposedly will get through the most horrendous tribulation the world has ever seen and be tortured and god-knows-what-else and never squeal on their dear brothers or sisters. I hope the poor souls in Malawi and other places never have the opportunity to find out about the crud dirtying many of the breathing spaces in Bethel.
Incredulous, pitiful and maddening.