Posts by Funchback

Thanks to all who have shown an interest in my story. Again, I hope it helps all of you who are in a similar situation that I was in only a few weeks ago. It's been a long journey and my story is about half-way through. By the way, there was poster on here named DIAMOND who seemed to be in a parallel situation as me. Anyone know what happened to him?

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The reason why I wanted to be a protector for my little brother was because of what happened to me and my older brother when we were kids.
You see, we had a cousin (about 5 years older than me) who was abusive toward me and my older brother (4 years older than me). This cousin was not a JW, by the way. Fortunately, I was never sexually abused by him (or anyone else). However, there is a strong possibilty he may have sexually abused my older brother (he definitely was very physically abusive toward my older brother. Unfortunately, my older brother (now an Elder) refuses to give details about what happened to him.

Learning To Be a Witness

I actually got used to not celebrating birthdays and holidays. The only thing difficult was explaining to my peers why I didn't get any gifts. You know the standard JW response: "We give gifts all year round. We don't need a designated day to give gifts."

Remember that family that was mentioned in Part One? They moved to the Poconos, remember? Well, it turns out that they were JW's. So, whenever we'd visit them, we'd go to their Kingdom Hall for the meetings. Oddly, this family didn't really "act" like most JW's. The father cursed frequently. The oldest of the ten children (a female) married a hippie-type. The oldest boy (there were two boys and 8 girls) was in a rock band. They didn't go to the meetings regularly if I recall correctly. Still, I loved that family. I think they live in Arizona now.

My first congregation was two blocks away. For whatever reason, my mom decided to go to a suburban congregation (about a seven minute drive from the house) after being at the first congregation for only a few months. This is where I met badwillie. He and I became great friends really fast. He was my "good" association. We have a comical chemistry that is matched by very few.

One day, at the age of 10 or 11, my family visited my original congregation. It was there that I ran into a former schoolmate. His name was Chris. I was so happy to see that there were actually other kids that I knew growing up who were also JW's! Chris and his mom invited me to go to Great Adventure (Six Flags). Yipeee!!!

The First Negative JW Experience

I go to Chris' house and spend the night (because early the next morning we were to go to Great Adventure). That night, Chris asks me what I would like to do (keep in mind were both only 10 or 11). I said, "Whatever." He asks me if I want to wrestle. I wasn't a wrestling fan but I said, "Okay". He excuses himself before we begin to wrestle. About two minutes later he returns. He is buck-naked with the exception of a sheer silk curtain wrapped around his waist! I said, "I don't want to wrestle!" He got dressed and we both never uttered a word about what happened. I just found out at my last Circuit Assembly from the woman who studied with my mom that Chris is a practicing homosexual. I can vouch that he had those tendancies AT LEAST as early as the age of 10.

BRIBES

I hated field service (still do)! But, one especially nice elder took great interest in me. He was a very sincere and caring man. Almost every Saturday I asked to work with him. Why? Because he would always take me to Friendly's afterward (it's a restaurant that specializes in ice cream!). Yes, service equated to food and fun afterward. As an adult, I used this same tactic with young ones in my congregation. Not to bribe them to go out in service, rather so that they can have fun and so that they and I wouldn't have to go door-to-door for two hours. ("11 o'clock is here. Who wants to go to Friendly's???")

My First Bible Reading

Being a kid, I never studied for the meetings. I was never prepared. Yet, they encouraged me to join the school. The Friendly's elder wrote out my entire talk for me. I practiced it over and over again. When the time came to give the talk, I was confident yet nervous. I went up on stage and did a pretty good job. The brother ended up counseling me, though, because I was chewing gum the entire time. I didn't even realize it. So much for encouragement. I ended up getting teased by my friends and adults alike. Going forward, I never chewed gum and gave a talk at the same time again! However, Friendly's elder would write my talks for me for my next several talks. I think he did this because my mom wasn't inculcating good study habits in me. The elder must have realized that if he didn't write the talks out for me then I'd never give a talk. When I was a young adult, I asked him why he would write my talks out for me. He said he was only giving me an outline of what to say. I told him I read his talks verbatim when I delivered them. Eventually, I learned how to write my own talks! LOL!

Tomorrow, Deaths of Loved Ones

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9

Brian's Exodus from the JWs - Part TWO

by Funchback in

part i is here: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/7/58849/1.ashx

again, this is a re-post from march 2002. however, i have some exciting updates that will be revealed within a few days!

my mom was studying with a woman named cheryl who lived around the corner from us.

Funchback

Part I is here: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/7/58849/1.ashx

Again, this is a re-post from March 2002. However, I have some exciting updates that will be revealed within a few days!

My mom was studying with a woman named Cheryl who lived around the corner from us. Cheryl's daughter was the same age as me. Her name was Jennifer. Jennifer studied with me out of the 'My Book Of Bible Stories'. I didn't view it as a study, though. After each chapter we would act the parts out. It was kind of fun. Jennifer and I never became good friends but she was nice.

Dilema's

As my mom and sister started to really get into being JW's, my life slowly began to change. We now only semi-celebrated the holidays.

My last celebrated birthday has arrived. I was under the impression that I was no longer going to be celebrating my birthday. For an unknown reason, many kids from my neighborhood were hanging around with me outside of my house. My mom called me and my friends inside. To my total surprise (and my friends were all in on this!!!) my mother had a birthday party for me! I remember she had an ice cream cake (mint chocolate chip) and I also remember she handed out packs of Fruit Stripe gum. Amazingly, I can't remember what gifts I received.

The dilema's that I would face came from me wanting to celebrate holiday's and not being able to, having to make new friends and ending existing friendships, knocking on the doors of strangers with strangers and not wanting to, and, lastly, believing that I would never make it to the age of 16 because of this imminent Armageddon thing.

About My Dad...

My dad wasn't thrilled about us (me, mom, sister, and older brother) studying with JW's. However, he didn't strongly oppose. My dad used to smoke 2 to 3 packs of cigarettes a day. He was an intimidating man. He looked a little like a better looking Andre the Giant. He never beat us. He rarely spanked us. He could simply give us a look or a yell and we would behave like angels!

Ironically, my dad studied with the Witnesses when he was a teen. He gave talks and even helped build a Hall on Broad Street in North Philadelphia. He had some doubts about it being the 'truth' so he never got baptized. His best friend, a JW, cut his ties with my dad when my dad din't progress as a JW. This bothered my dad for many years to come. More irony, today (2002) this 'best friend' of my dad's has been DF'd for years.

Not Sticking To The Rules

Surprisingly, my mom didn't force me to end my associations with my non-JW friends. I was able to hang out with them, sleep over their house, play games, etc. Perhaps my dad had something to do with this, I really don't know. At the same time, I made new friends at the Hall. Happily, badwillie and I became great (best?) friends.

At the hall, I was Biggs the JW kid. At home with my non-JW friends I was just as 'worldly' as the next kid (minus the celebrating of holidays and birthdays). I even used profanity. I also used to sneak out on Halloween and go trick or treating! :o)

Fight The Power

Being extremely light-skinned, I was the target of a lot of bullying. Sometimes I had to fight 5 kids at once. Sometimes I'd win the fights, sometimes I'd lose. Either way, we always made up within minutes after the fight.

A few months after I turned 9, my mom and dad told us that they were expecting another child. I wanted a baby sister in the worst way but we had to settle for a boy.

I loved being a big brother. I changed diapers, gave baths, did some feeding (using a bottle!), and babysat. I vowed to never allow my baby bro to get picked on. I was going to be his protector!

Why the need for a protector?

Soon you will learn the answer to this question.

23

My Name is Brian and I'm OFFICIALLY an Ex-JW - Part I

by Funchback in

i have major updates on my progress of leaving the jw religion.

for those of you who are at a point in your life where i was a year and a half ago, i hope my story helps.

first, though, i have a request for simon: i have e-mailed this request two you at least twice in the past and i have asked you publicly on this forum this request: please, please, please merge my old posting names of 'mister biggs' and 'mister 8iggs' with 'funchback'.

Funchback

To all who have asked: As soon as I'm allowed to start a new thread I will give you Part 2.

DIM- You will just hafta wait and see what my status is.

23

My Name is Brian and I'm OFFICIALLY an Ex-JW - Part I

by Funchback in

i have major updates on my progress of leaving the jw religion.

for those of you who are at a point in your life where i was a year and a half ago, i hope my story helps.

first, though, i have a request for simon: i have e-mailed this request two you at least twice in the past and i have asked you publicly on this forum this request: please, please, please merge my old posting names of 'mister biggs' and 'mister 8iggs' with 'funchback'.

Funchback

Just an FYI...

I am NOT the one sitting on my sister's lap in that photo. I'm the one on the right!

28

It's a Small World After All

by Prisca in

jw
friends

how many of you came to this board, only to find others you knew when you were witnesses?.

perhaps you didn't know the other person had left.

or you knew they'd left, but had lost touch, only to be reunited here?

Funchback

Let's see...

All of the following knew each other by way of the troof:

Funchback, badwillie, DIM, and Nikita.

23

My Name is Brian and I'm OFFICIALLY an Ex-JW - Part I

by Funchback in

i have major updates on my progress of leaving the jw religion.

for those of you who are at a point in your life where i was a year and a half ago, i hope my story helps.

first, though, i have a request for simon: i have e-mailed this request two you at least twice in the past and i have asked you publicly on this forum this request: please, please, please merge my old posting names of 'mister biggs' and 'mister 8iggs' with 'funchback'.

Funchback

Aztec, bebu, Prisca, and beryl...

A big THANK you to you all!

23

My Name is Brian and I'm OFFICIALLY an Ex-JW - Part I

by Funchback in

i have major updates on my progress of leaving the jw religion.

for those of you who are at a point in your life where i was a year and a half ago, i hope my story helps.

first, though, i have a request for simon: i have e-mailed this request two you at least twice in the past and i have asked you publicly on this forum this request: please, please, please merge my old posting names of 'mister biggs' and 'mister 8iggs' with 'funchback'.

Funchback

Nikita... Oh, snap! You're RIGHT! I will call you tomorrow, I promise!

Aztec... Yes. Unfortunately (for Nikita) we are sibling's. Can you believe that just two years ago I was shunning her? Sheesh! I really hate the JW religion!

20

Latest WT has some Awesome Points for Struggling JWs to Consider

by Funchback in

this is long but i hope it is well worth the read.

for those of you who are still active as jws (be it due to your own will or because you are trapped), please consider the october 15, 2003 wt entitled, 'how can i make wise decisions?

consider these points that come straight from the 'faithful & discrete' mouth:

Funchback

Singing Man... First of all, welcome to the forum! It's always nice to see a new face! You said:

I deceived him and his family with the rubbish in the Awake magazine of 1974 and I feel stupid for it.

Don't beat yourself up over it. Unfortunately, like all of us, you were doing what you thought was right. Besides, like the article aboves mentions, the people you "deceived" are responsible for their own actions.