Posts by TMS

30

Are you a writer?

by Hortensia in

i think that at least a few of you are writers, maybe more.

i mean honest-to-god working-for-money writers, writers with a small "w" rather than a capital "w." my experience is that writing is a lot like theater: a few stars at the top making the bucks, a middle level with lots of people who work hard and don't make much, and then a lot more hopeful people at the bottom who are trying to make a living writing with no luck so far.. tell me about it.

what kind of writing do you do?

TMS

After 50 odd years as JWs, my wife and I settled into a city of 250,000 on the U.S./Mexico border with the typical problems of poverty, political corruption, border violence, immigration issues, etc. We eventually gravitated toward a political watchdog group focused particularly on voter fraud, corruption, nepotism in the local community. When the watchdog group splintered into factions, I checked out Google blogger, finding the setup easy even for someone with limited computer skills.

With our area suffering from a weak, frightened print media, the blog took off from the onset. I wrote about politics, getting frequent tips from locals, but I included several articles on cults, both political and religious(always including Jehovah's Witnesses in the mix), atheism, pacifism, war, human interest. Almost immediately, my wife and I were invited to almost every political function which we always documented with pictures, video and commentary. While we did not seek notoriety, it came to us. We are recognized everywhere we go. Our blog and three others are must reads by many in the community. Two of the other blogs sell political advertising, with one blogger writing articles for money($700 for a short blog article). We have resisted that to preserve our objectivity but do make a few hundred a month with AdSense.

The freedom to write about anything is exhilarating. Since August 4, 2011, I've written 606 articles with nearly a million pageviews. Perhaps, I should mention that two of the other three bloggers are professional journalists with long newspaper careers, while the other is a lawyer. None suspect that I'm an ex-cult member with a high school education.

35

Judah Ben Schroeder - where is he now????

by dreamgolfer in

did he ever get his law degree (old thread) does he practice law?.

or did he take over his in-laws sell cars to the wtbts dealership?.

what happened to the book ?.

TMS

My recollection is that he was involved in human rights negotiations on behalf of JWs in some eastern European country in the 90's, possibly through their NGO capacity with the UN.

Like James Woods, I recall at KM School in Pittsburg in '69 that, after classes, Schroeder would quickly change into casual clothes and be tossing a baseball with young Judah Ben, who appeared to be about 12 as all the KM students walked to their cars. I recall, thinking even then as a true believer, that the event was obviously staged to give us all a lesson in good parenting.

tms

5

Jehovah's Witnesses and The "Mentally Diseased" - Is it projection?

by fade_away in

if this is not the epitome of irony, i dont know what is:.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urbxtvuat1g&feature=related.

they call those who simply don't agree with their totalitarian dogma "mentally diseased" when there is documented evidence that points out that they are simply projecting their own issues on a group of others they deem "undesirables".

TMS

Honestly, the video comes across as a pseudo-scientific smear job, cherry-picking isolated quotes from the studies. I have no doubt JW mental illness is higher than non-JW, but 10 to 17 times as frequent? Come on! Witnesses have a deeply ingrained disrespect for mental health professionals. They go to the elders with their problems and to Jehovah in prayer. That would certainly be reflected in any interview. When the video started talking about misinterpretation of scriptural passages, it betrayed a sort of sectarian point of view, not appropriate for an unbiased study.

What I can identify with is a higher rate of mentally ill, mentally-challenged folk becoming JW's. Those were our Bible studies, ex-brothers and sisters! lol As far as poor employment history is concerned, that's simply the religion in many cases, not individual mental health. That's the window washer/elder syndrome.

Before JW's can be analyzed accurately, they have to be understood. I don't think this video interpreted the studies with understanding, but simply an agenda.

tms

17

ABC News Runs This Headline: "Calif Jury Awards $28M in Jehovah's Sex Abuse Case"

by TMS in

jw
friends

at least "the name" is being kept before the people..

TMS

At least "the name" is being kept before the people.

18

Occasional feelings of sadness about the JW experience

by Mr Facts in

do you feel occassionally sad when you flash back at your life as a jw, may be you occassionally become overshadowed by regrets and bitter feelings and not knowing exactly what caused it.. some regretted wasted life while others regretted being trapped in what they feel was a cult.

do you experience anything similar.

how do you usually surmon up courage to stand up and forge ahead?.

TMS

Rather than being overcome by an occasional melancholy mood from an unidentified source, with over 50 years in the cult, I know exactly where my where life went. It's not difficult to go back to critical junctures and see what steps could have and should have been taken. There are silly ways to rationalize things: I could have died in the Viet Nam War or from a drug overdose had I not been a JW or born in a different era, different country with different parents. None of that takes away the ache of a wasted life.

Both my wife and I probably needed some counseling when we exited the religion, but we would never have submitted to it, didn't believe in it and still don't feel that outide this board, much real therapeutic interaction exists for ex-JW's. I have greatly benefitted from my 11 years on this board, although I'm a very infrequent poster now. When I retired in 2004 I found myself living my entire life over again in my dreams with many of the conversations, the anger renewed in my mind. I do sleep more peacefully now, but nearly every minute I'm aware of being and ex-JW.

Quite by accident about 2 years ago, my wife and I found a slight niche we could fill in our community. After receiving some notoriety for stopping a corrupt, backdoor deal by our city, I started writing a blog with my wife contributing pictures and video. We began to receive anonymous tips about corruption, bribes, rigged bidding etc. in our area. In a weird alternate universe, we now work together much as we did as JW's for many years. Without being too trite, this sort of gives our life direction and purpose.

My wife and I differ about whether or not to share our JW background. She believes in total openness, while I can't think of a single situation that benefitted by revealing my former religion.

I'm sorry, Mr. Facts. I forgot the question.

tms

2

Lamenting All the Sparlock MIssed Out On Growing Up JW

by TMS in

jw
friends

there are too many individual activities to enumerate, but all of the extra-curricular, bad-association oriented activity that taught life skills, people skills and survival skills are symbolized by sparlock.

scouting, ballroom dancing, exchanging valentines, sports, chess, clubs and school politics are just a few.. academic achievement is another.

jwism undermines that, to be sure.

TMS

There are too many individual activities to enumerate, but all of the extra-curricular, bad-association oriented activity that taught life skills, people skills and survival skills are symbolized by Sparlock. Scouting, ballroom dancing, exchanging Valentines, sports, chess, clubs and school politics are just a few.

Academic achievement is another. JWism undermines that, to be sure.

Money management.

Choosing a life partner from the large pool, not the tiny, restricted entrance pool. Getting to know that person before committing.

Enjoying life's pleasures without guilt.

Just a few of the Sparlocks missed.

23

After Reinstatement

by NewChapter in

jw
friends

i never had anyone close to me d'fd when i was still in my jw daze.

but i know that once it happens, good friends are crushed and desperately want that person reinstated.

when they are reinstated, there is a lot of (quiet) celebration.

TMS

The father in the parable of the prodigal son called for a party as he saw his son returning. Jehovah's Witnesses impose restrictions that are closely monitored until "privileges" are restored piecemeal. So, unlike the parable, there is no celebration, let alone forgiveness. The Society imposed, elder enforced restrictions create a climate of cautious tolerance of the reinstated person.

The reinstated person is, at best, "spiritually weak," and you know how JW's are cautioned against close association with such ones.

Some time ago the Watchtower caution JW's against clapping when someone's reinstatement was announced. "They haven't proven anything yet," was the implied message and I think that's the spirit in which reinstated ones are received now.

32

Pioneers and Their Way of Counting "Time"

by Eiben Scrood in

jw
friends

in the congregations in my area there was an expression to the effect that 'there's counting time and then there's the way pioneers count their time'.

the watchtower's guidelines were pretty strict on when time could be counted.

some pioneers followed it and others didn't.. on particularly motivated young man comes to mind, he would work full-time or close to it and pioneer.

TMS

There was a hilarious thread on this a few years ago.

Two examples I remember: One brother lived on the fourth floor of an apartment building. He woke at 6am, opened his window, allowing a "New World" tract to fall gently to the ground below. Field service time started, he took his shower.

Another brother mentioned that just after he had signed up to auxiliary pioneer, his car broke down. He reasoned that his car was a necessary tool in Kingdom service. It took him all month to rebuild the engine, but he reported that time on his monthly report.

tms

46

How Did/Has the WTBTS Affected Your Social Skills?

by ABibleStudent in

good or bad?

how did/has the wtbts affected your social skills, social development, and/or how you interact with other people?

i have many questions about different social skills that i will ask either after other people post to this thread or to keep this thread active.

TMS

It's a mixed bag really. I'm not a ballroom dancer, but that is true of many men. Much of social etiquette is simply common sense, graciousness. Many years of pioneering and as an elder and, of course, public speaking, made me sort of a conversationalist and at first I tried a bit too hard to prove that I belonged. Now, I/we mix easily with professionals with advanced degrees, judges, lawyers, public officials and we show an interest in them.

It's almost morbid to say this, but all those years on judicial committees taught me how to ask questions. I write a blog, which is a must read for people in our city of 200,000. I would have answered this question differently 10 years ago, but now I see that the JW background is sort of an advantage in social settings. Of course, we're not on the same financial footing as any of these people, but we don't act subservient. The publicity, coverage and possible criticism we are capable of gives us a certain standing in this community and the people skills we employ are largely from JWdom.

tms

34

"I worked hard as a Ministerial Servant and all I got was this lousy drinking problem!"

by Mr. Falcon in

i was driving home the other evening pondering the past couple of turbulant years for me and my family.

i reflected back on my appointment as a ministerial servant and my attitude, beliefs and thinking at the time.

i thought about the subsequent misery that being a servant brings once the the glow wears off and people stop "commending you on your fine spiritual progress.

TMS

TMS - That was an incredible story. Ya know what the problem is? If I try to share it with my wife, I'll be met with......"you actually believe that? It came from an apostate website! He is obviously making it up!" It is so sad that you cannot get them to see anything outside of their Truman Show type bubble
The story was not embellished in any way, simply accurate. When the appointment letter was initially read to the body of elders, one of my fellow elders could see the anguish on my face and tapped me on the shoulder, saying: " a little disillusioning, huh?"
Here's another incident that happened about 20 years later. I was in a large metropolitan congregation with 11 on our elder body. One of the elders confessed to an emotional affair with his secretary, a young JW girl. He confessed that she had become an emotional confidante and that they had kissed. Two elders were assigned to investigate, sometimes called an exploratory committee. Subsequent to their report, no judicial committee was formed, but the brother was removed as an elder.
About six months later, we were assigned a new circuit overseer. A couple of us noticed that the new circuit overseer and the former elder were a bit chummy, but thought no more about it. On the night the circuit overseer meets with the elders considering, among other things, new recommendations for ministerial servant and elder, this former elder's name was put into play by the circuit overseer himself. He was not on the list of brothers we elders submitted for consideration. During an excruciatingly long meeting, the circuit overseer described how remorseful this brother was, that they had had private meetings where both men had shed tears. He wanted the brother to be recommended again as an elder. This was a very experienced, older elder body, not easily moved. Many concerns were expressed about the effect on the congregation, the effect on this young JW girl and her immediate family, etc.
In the wee hours of the morning, a sort of compromise was reached. Two elders would approach this young woman and her parents, asking if they would be stumbled if this former elder was reappointed. The circuit overseer insisted that be handled before Sunday, the last day of his visit. The two brothers reported in our brief meeting with the circuit overseer after the Sunday meeting that the family indicated they would not be stumbled. The CO added the name of the former elder to our list of recommendations.
Two or three weeks later the appointments came back, The former elder was reappointed, but there was more. An accompanying letter named him as City Overseer. He was also named as Assembly Overseer for the circuit and named as head of the Hospital Liason.
For several years, leadership roles continued this brother's way. He became a substitute Circuit Overseer and a Kingdom Ministry School Instructor. He even gave the public talk at a District Assembly which is unusual for a congregation elder.
Then, more problems surfaced. He owned a small company that sold cell phones, beepers and the associated plans. Several brothers who worked for him noticed that their employer F.I.C.A taxes had not been paid. After an investigation, the brother was again removed as an elder.
Where was the holy spirit in all of this?
tms