Posts by Sam Beli

14

I Attended a Christian Convention last weekend

by Prisca in

jw
friends

when i was a jw (born and raised), i was lead to believe that the clergy class of christendom was some elite class who ruled over the meek and mild sheep of the congregation; that they wore fancy robes to do their services in, and generally were every bad thing the wts told me they would be.. they lied.. i attended a christian convention just this last weekend.

it was a non-denominational one, meaning you didn't have to be of a certain faith to attend, neither were some of the speakers who participated.

however, the organisers were from the anglican (church of england) religion so the communion on sunday was conducted according to anglican tradition, but i'll get to that later.. one of the things that hit me first was that you were allowed to wear what you liked.

Sam Beli

Thank you Prisca for sharing your experience. I can confirm that “worldly people” in general and religious persons in particular are no way near as bad as the WTS portrays them to be.

I have not attended as extensive a religious function as you have, but awhile back I did go to a prayer breakfast lead by a well known clergyman in the USA. A few prominent politicians were sponsors of the event. It was one of the few times in my life that I had been in such an environment. With my long history as a JW, it felt strange to be there, but it also felt good. The messages were positive and seemed heartfelt. Everyone around me thoroughly enjoyed themselves and seemed to have their spiritual outlook improved by the experience.

I’ll do it again, sometime; you will too probably, right?

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Solomon

4

C.O. Sunday Talk

by Mister Biggs in

jw
friends

i am sharing some points from the notes i took.

for the most part, he brought out some good biblical points.

what i'm sharing with you, however, are hard for me to take with a wink and a nod.

Sam Beli

You quoted your CO as saying the following:

“Let our speech identify us as being different...as servant's of God.”

This, of course, is to help make JWs different

“We should not speak disparingly about someone who doesn't share our beliefs.
Never should we lose the quality of humility and modesty.
Never show a superior attitude.
Be respectful to others.”

These remaining bits of advice are good suggestions for Christians, but the CO’s masters do not follow this advice.

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Solomon

26

And they talk about love?

by Xena in

jw
friends

with the 4th anniversary of my parents death looming and the anniversary of their last wedding anniversary party where my family was together and happy for the last time just being past ....i was feeling kind of depressed and wanted to reach out to what family i have left.

i sat there and debated in my mind if i should do it...should i try and reach out to my sister..see if i could reach her across the barrier of the jw religion.

should i try to remind her that we are sisters...we were sisters before we became jws and we will always be sisters.

Sam Beli

Hello again Xena,

I am so sorry to learn of your pain. The anniversary of the death of loved ones is always painful. My wife has taught me that from what she experiences when the anniversary of the death of her kid sister rolls around. Your sister’s lack of natural compassion at this time is a sad commentary on the JW outlook.

You have demonstrated to me personally a kind, caring attitude and I appreciated your thoughtfulness when I missed the recent dinner. I always wanted a sister (I had no brothers or sisters), but grew up alone and by myself in a JW household! Ugh! Anyway, if you ever again need someone to “talk” to (an old guy type) feel free to write. I promise more empathy and understanding than you received today during your phone call. Your sister just doesn’t know what it is like to grow up alone. I hope she, someday, understands what a treasure you could be to her.

I am confident that here and elsewhere you will find friends worthy of your time and attention.

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Solomon

62

How Long A JW ( Baptised )?

by hillary_step in

jw
friends

i frequently read on this board that somebody has 'been a jw for over 25 years' and then learn that they are in fact 25 years and three days old.. i am very easily confused, in fact i actually got inside a car of similar color to my own recently and spent at least five minutes with a furrowed brow trying to force my car key into its ignition, fortunately, i realised my error before i was arrested.

so, just to humor me, can you all post how long you were/are baptised jw's?.

thank you -- hs.

Sam Beli

“Born Into The Truth,” baptized at age 7 at the insistence of my “Society Man” dad. He had urged me at age 6 to do it, but I expressed concern, so he backed off. The next year he pressured me again and I didn’t think I dared to resist him again. I made a valiant effort for over 50 years to be a “good little witness,” all the while sensing that something wasn’t right.

Faced with the blood issue a few years ago, I learned from discussions with HLC members just how unloving, unconcerned and hypocritical WTS policy makes it’s representatives become.

Served as a MS and then an elder for 20 years from about 1955 onward. I have been fading away for 15 years; haven’t been inside a KH in years.

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Solomon

87

Mother's Letter To Start Off The New Year...

by silentlambs in

jw
friends

i received this letter from my mother over the weekend, it came with a card and a special note to my children.

i plan to let them read it someday, not today..... silentlambs.

december 20,2001 .

Sam Beli

Bill, may I be frank (I have received letters from my dad with a similar tone. He is an 80+ year old “Society Man” with whom I can have no substantive discussions on any subject. Like you I get nowhere with him)?

I would think long and hard before sending your letter for several reasons:

1. You seem to contradict yourself when you say to them “don’t talk about JW doctrine” because you claimed above to have never challenged JW doctrine. They will not understand that stipulation. Besides, it might be interesting if they do talk about such matters with your children. Children have a way of zeroing in on the heart of issues sometimes. It could be valuable to both parties.

2. As true as your statements are about “Society Men’ being hypocrites, and about the WTS being a cult, and about mind control being an impediment to clear thinking among JWs, these words will only antagonize them further.

I am no expert, Bill, in these matters, but I know something about what does not work. I have tried some of these statements on my parents and it only made matters worse.

My dad sent me a letter over a month ago and I have not read it yet. My wife glanced at it and asked me not to read it, because she knew it would upset me too much. It is full of so much hate. Some day I will read it, but for now I am trying to “kill them with kindness.” Kindness probably will not work either, but at least I am feeling better about treating them that way.

Maybe some day they will see it my way …., but probably not. Mean time, they have the joy of living in their fantasy world. Destroying that world of theirs is more than they can probably take.

We know the real truth and we are the bigger people if we show them continues kindness, even in the face of their abusive treatment of us. If there is a God, he will judge these and all matters in his due time.

P.S. Bill, we all respect immensely your work on behalf of the Silent lambs.

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Solomon

1

The Open Letter

by LoneWolf in

jw
friends

this is the letter that caused such a startling change in the difficult situation we were in at the time.

its the situation recounted in ruminations --- parts 3a and 3b.. .

an open letter to the chip-house employees.

Sam Beli

Looking forward to the next episode.

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Solomon

24

To all North Texas Posters...and other apostates!

by Billygoat in

happy holidays everyone!

hope this season has been good for and to you!

some of us thought it might be fun to have a "get-together"...haha...before the end of the year got here.

Sam Beli

Thanks for asking Xena. I sure had planned to attend, but a last minute problem arose, dang it! Sure sorry to have missed meeting all you wonderful folks.

Do plan another one soon and keep me posted.

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Solomon

15

The UN and YMCA

by larc in

jw
friends

the un and the ymca,.

according to the wt, the un is the scarlet colored beast of revelation with 7 heads and 10 horns and religions that cooperate with the un are the harlot that rides the beast.

now, despite this belief, the watchtower and bible and tract society decided to take a ride on the beast for ten years.

Sam Beli

Hello Larc,

I often wondered at the WT hypocrisy on this issue. You are correct., of course, about the YMCA taboo for JW boys. At the same time, the WTS would rent YMCA facilities in which to hold baptisms for local Circuit Assemblies (this in the days before Assembly Halls when Circuit Assemblies where held in school gyms or similar places).

My little boy BS detector’s alarm was going off when I saw this practice, years before I faded away.

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Solomon

33

Bethel Doctor--Is it me, or was this odd??

by Sherri in

i was at bethel with my now ex-husband in early 1982. at that time, they did a tb test as part of the physical when you started.

mine came out positive for exposure (though i did not and have never had tb), probably because i had worked as a receptionist in a hospital x-ray department.. the weird bit is that the bethel doctor insisted on giving me a gynacological exam.

as i was only 22 at the time, and butt-stupid, i went ahead and let him.

Sam Beli

Please do not be alarmed, Non Pulmonary Tuberculosis is uncommon in otherwise healthy people, but to have a more complete picture of the disease information can be found here: http://www.sp.uconn.edu/~terry/Spring96/WebTB2/Groups/Group8/Final.html#Introduction

A more general source of information can be found here from Columbia University: http://www.cpmc.columbia.edu/resources/tbcpp/

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Solomon

33

Bethel Doctor--Is it me, or was this odd??

by Sherri in

i was at bethel with my now ex-husband in early 1982. at that time, they did a tb test as part of the physical when you started.

mine came out positive for exposure (though i did not and have never had tb), probably because i had worked as a receptionist in a hospital x-ray department.. the weird bit is that the bethel doctor insisted on giving me a gynacological exam.

as i was only 22 at the time, and butt-stupid, i went ahead and let him.

Sam Beli

This thread is interesting, but there are a few misconceptions said above. It has been correctly stated that TB is a communicable disease. It is often spread by the coughing of an infected person and those within six feet of the person coughing are in danger. Talking and sneezing also can spread the disease to others nearby. Being a receptionist in an x-ray department is a low risk occupation, IMHO. Sitting in a theater, in front of an infected person who coughs is far more risky.

While lung infections with TB are the most common they are certainly not the only type of TB infection. Bone infection with TB also occurs. If anyone is interested, I can look-up other types of TB infection.

If your skin test turned positive for the first time a chest x-ray and possibly sputum examinations may be in order. One does not usually get a positive skin test without having been infested. Most of us ward-off the disease and do not become ill as a result, but get it checked, please.

For more information here is a link from the World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/gtb/

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Solomon