Someone, with a bit of insight, should have recognized the situation: a proud, grown man, humbling himself to make a comeback. Sometimes, "rules" need to be relaxed a bit in favor of empathy and judgement. But, the whole JW thing is based on a myriad of talmud-like rules, some made locally on the fly, by brash, unqualified "elders."
Posts by TMS
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36Brother & Sister-in-Law Return to Kingdom Hall After Two Decades, Quickly Get Stumbled
by TMS init was a mild surprise, learning that a brother and sister-in-law had began re-associating with jehovah's witnesses after at least 25 years of being away.
the couple, of hispanic ethnicity, are in their early 60's, with their five children all grown and independent.
the family had been considered nominal jws, infrequently attending meetings, rarely in field service, but using the annual convention as their family vacation.
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Brother & Sister-in-Law Return to Kingdom Hall After Two Decades, Quickly Get Stumbled
by TMS init was a mild surprise, learning that a brother and sister-in-law had began re-associating with jehovah's witnesses after at least 25 years of being away.
the couple, of hispanic ethnicity, are in their early 60's, with their five children all grown and independent.
the family had been considered nominal jws, infrequently attending meetings, rarely in field service, but using the annual convention as their family vacation.
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TMS
It was a mild surprise, learning that a brother and sister-in-law had began re-associating with Jehovah's Witnesses after at least 25 years of being away. The couple, of Hispanic ethnicity, are in their early 60's, with their five children all grown and independent.
The family had been considered nominal JWs, infrequently attending meetings, rarely in field service, but using the annual convention as their family vacation. The children went to college if they wished. All the boys played high school football, one enjoying some notoriety and marrying a cheerleader. The father remained extremely close to his non-JW family, frequently holding large parties over the years with music, dancing, bbq and beer.
Our brother-in-law was not well educated, but extremely hardworking, running a plumbing business for 40 years. He did the plumbing on several local Kingdom Halls for free and did work for various JWs over the years free or well below cost.
At the couple's second or third Kingdom Hall meeting since coming back to the organization, our brother-in-law learned about a special work day at the Kingdom Hall the following Saturday, to mow grass and trim bushes. He showed up on Saturday ready for work, but was informed that those duties could only be performed by approved JWs "in good standing."
We've since learned that our brother-in-law and, and to a lesser extent, our sister-in-law were stumbled by this rejection in not being allowed to even mow the Kingdom Hall lawn.
Hopefully, they will reconsider things and not waste the rest of their lives in such a high control, rule-oriented cult.
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OMG, My 18 Nephews & Nieces Are Such Creative Double Life JWs
by TMS into briefly state this: we were hardcore jws, my siblings, my wife and her two sisters.
we have 18 nieces and nephews among us from late 20's to 55. only one is a card-carrying, practicing jw and he's had his problems.. what's hilarious, is that most of the 18 in the next generation would still identify themselves as jws to the rest of the family, but all are leading double lives extraordinaire, doing exactly what they want to do.
most would be honest with me and have been.
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TMS
To briefly state this: We were hardcore JWs, my siblings, my wife and her two sisters. We have 18 nieces and nephews among us from late 20's to 55. Only one is a card-carrying, practicing JW and he's had his problems.
What's hilarious, is that most of the 18 in the next generation would still identify themselves as JWs to the rest of the family, but ALL are leading double lives extraordinaire, doing exactly what they want to do.
Most would be honest with me and have been. They know my position and that I have no interest in causing them congregational difficulty or upsetting their financial support from their oblivious parents. Most use substances from marijuana to heroine, sleep with whoever they wish and do not believe in JW dogma.
They laugh at their parent's silly adherence to this high-control religion and those who have children are not bringing them up as JWs.
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An Odd Request from Our Ex-JW Son
by TMS inmy wife and i, both out of the religion for nearly twenty years, live in the same border town as our 44 year old only son.
we have scant contact with our numerous jw relatives, although a handful of clever "double life" nieces and nephews socialize with our son.. we care for our six year old grandson weekdays while our single parent son makes a living.
we've been infinitely better grandparents than we were parents, primarily because of our exit from a high control cult, but also because of life experience.
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TMS
doc, simon, others:
The retelling of these Bible stories makes them seem exactly what they are; myths. Although a bit rusty, I did venture into Adam & Eve with my grandson. When I got to the tree of knowledge of good and bad, I didn't name the fruit. . . so JW of me. My grandson said: "I think it was an apple." I have no idea where he heard that or if it was an original thought. When I got to the cherubs whose flaming swords would prevent re-entrance into the garden, it all seemed so silly. And why would the soil just a few feet away from the garden's entrance be so terrible that growing things became such a drudgery?
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An Odd Request from Our Ex-JW Son
by TMS inmy wife and i, both out of the religion for nearly twenty years, live in the same border town as our 44 year old only son.
we have scant contact with our numerous jw relatives, although a handful of clever "double life" nieces and nephews socialize with our son.. we care for our six year old grandson weekdays while our single parent son makes a living.
we've been infinitely better grandparents than we were parents, primarily because of our exit from a high control cult, but also because of life experience.
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TMS
Saename: "Was it the request from your son (to teach his son some Bible stories) or the request from your grandson (to play Minecraft) that you found odd? The title indicates the former, but I, being an atheist, don't find it odd at all, so I'm in need of clarification, it seems."
The title mentions an "odd" request from a son. The grandson asked to play minecraft. Hope that helps.
For others who read my short article, the request to relate Bible stories and discuss the theories of creation/big bang seemed odd because our son, like us, is a former JW. Since none of us continue to believe the Bible, it never occurred to me that it would be important to just know common traditions, myths and theories about the origin of life, just to understand what others are talking about and their point of view.
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An Odd Request from Our Ex-JW Son
by TMS inmy wife and i, both out of the religion for nearly twenty years, live in the same border town as our 44 year old only son.
we have scant contact with our numerous jw relatives, although a handful of clever "double life" nieces and nephews socialize with our son.. we care for our six year old grandson weekdays while our single parent son makes a living.
we've been infinitely better grandparents than we were parents, primarily because of our exit from a high control cult, but also because of life experience.
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TMS
My wife and I, both out of the religion for nearly twenty years, live in the same border town as our 44 year old only son. We have scant contact with our numerous JW relatives, although a handful of clever "double life" nieces and nephews socialize with our son.
We care for our six year old grandson weekdays while our single parent son makes a living. We've been infinitely better grandparents than we were parents, primarily because of our exit from a high control cult, but also because of life experience. We've successfully conveyed a sense of being loved, security and self-esteem to this young one, who was rescued from a desperate, drug-challenged early life with his bio mother. I should add that we used Christmas as an excuse to buy him a laptop during his kindergarten year. Somehow, without much help from us, he learned to read in short order.
The son calls daily and we typically share notes about our strategies with the young one. Sometimes I'm asked to supplement or reinforce a concept our son is trying to convey. A couple days ago, my son said: "Dad, Jack and I have been talking about the difference between a theory and a fact. We touched on the big bang theory and the theory of creation. He should know both, right? Oh, by the way, could you teach him the basic Bible stories? I don't want him growing up not at least knowing the details of what other kids are being taught."
This was new ground for me and enlightening. I explained the Big Bang and the concept of a creator without pushing either theory on the grandchild. I found myself also explaining that each church feels "their God" is the actual Creator, the "true god," referring to the Baptist Church across the street, the Pentecostal Church on the next block, the Catholic Church downtown and the Jehovah's Witnesses who come around from time to time.
What a relaxing, unemotional discussion it was. Jack laughed at the thought that each church thinks their god is the true one. After about a half hour of semi-serious talk, he said: "Grandpa, do you think I could play Minecraft now?"
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No Reason For JWs To Go To The MIdweek Meeting (CLAM)
by JW_Rogue ineverything that is done at the midweek meeting can now be done at home.
the videos are online, the first talk is scripted, the bible highlights are scripted.
you could get the same experience by just reading and watching the material from your tablet.
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TMS
Actually, I suggested back in the 80's, when I was still a braindead JW elder, that the assembly program could be on video, shown at the Kingdom Hall, saving individual JW families hundreds, even thousands of dollars. I cited the radio hookup for convention overflow and annual meetings as the precedent.
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My Pseudo-Education Hasn't Hurt Me None, I Can Still Read the Writing on King Belshazzar's Wall~Part III
by TMS inbefore i go to extreme south texas, let me acknowledge an early influence that gave me self-worth, self-assurance, self-esteem and the feeling that i was as good as any damn person on this planet.. larry ranch, my congregation servant in renton, washington(home of boeing aircraft), was on my dad's judicial committee.
my dad had sexually molested my sister, sandy, repeatedly.
my dad got probation from the judicial committee.
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TMS
Before I go to extreme south Texas, let me acknowledge an early influence that gave me self-worth, self-assurance, self-esteem and the feeling that I was as good as any damn person on this planet.
Larry Ranch, my Congregation Servant in Renton, Washington(home of Boeing Aircraft), was on my dad's judicial committee. My dad had sexually molested my sister, Sandy, repeatedly. My dad got probation from the judicial committee. He should have been disfellowshipped. Repentent? My sister had to keep her room barricaded years after the initial offenses to prevent "dad" from raping her. Sandy, to this day, is as loyal and faithful a JW as you will find.
But, more on Larry Ranch. Brother Ranch worked for Smith Brothers Dairy in Renton. On weekends he drove a Mercury Station wagon in field service as if it were a milk truck, racing to the door and then hitting hard on the brakes. Someone would get out of the car and share the JW message. He had the Ford "Ranch Wagon" insignia added to the chrome. Ranch was a true believer. I've seen on the internet how he engaged in religious debates and seminars and promoted the JW religion until his death in 2002. This guy, despite the flawed belief system, treated me and my sister as if we were something of substance. He praised me as if I were a genius, JW extraordinaire and good guy.
Between Larry Ranch and Joe B. Barnett, despite no college, I had enough self-esteem to accomplish anything.
Oh, BTW, Ranch had three kids, Christine, Cathy and Daniel, all senior citizens now. Cathy, I would have married you and you likely me, but how would that have worked out now with me an evil apostate?
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My Pseudo-Education Hasn't Hurt Me None, I Can Still Read the Writing on King Belshazzar's Wall~Part III
by TMS inbefore i go to extreme south texas, let me acknowledge an early influence that gave me self-worth, self-assurance, self-esteem and the feeling that i was as good as any damn person on this planet.. larry ranch, my congregation servant in renton, washington(home of boeing aircraft), was on my dad's judicial committee.
my dad had sexually molested my sister, sandy, repeatedly.
my dad got probation from the judicial committee.
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TMS
Before I go to extreme south Texas, let me acknowledge an early influence that gave me self-worth, self-assurance, self-esteem and the feeling that I was as good as any damn person on this planet.
Larry Ranch, my Congregation Servant in Renton, Washington(home of Boeing Aircraft), was on my dad's judicial committee. My dad had sexually molested my sister, Sandy, repeatedly. My dad got probation from the judicial committee. He should have been disfellowshipped. Repentent? My sister had to keep her room barricaded years after the initial offenses to prevent "dad" from raping her. Sandy, to this day, is as loyal and faithful a JW as you will find.
But, more on Larry Ranch. Brother Ranch worked for Smith Brothers Dairy in Renton. On weekends he drove a Mercury Station wagon in field service as if it were a milk truck, racing to the door and then hitting hard on the brakes. Someone would get out of the car and share the JW message. He had the Ford "Ranch Wagon" insignia added to the chrome. Ranch was a true believer. I've seen on the internet how he engaged in religious debates and seminars and promoted the JW religion until his death in 2002. This guy, despite the flawed belief system, treated me and my sister as if we were something of substance. He praised me as if I were a genius, JW extraordinaire and good guy.
Between Larry Ranch and Joe B. Barnett, despite no college, I had enough self-esteem to accomplish anything.
Oh, BTW, Ranch had three kids, Christine, Cathy and Daniel, all senior citizens now. Cathy, I would have married you and you likely me, but how would that have worked out now with me an evil apostate?
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"Where Is Jehovah In All of This?" My Wife, July of '93
by TMS inthe title above is a question asked by my wife seemingly hundreds of times in 1993, the year our only child was disfellowshipped.
the entire story exceeds the reasonable limits of this forum and i have to suppress the urge to write it.
instead, i will give little snippets, what a certain elder said at this or that point, how jehovah's organization treated us, how we handled our gradual awakening to, yes, "the truth about the truth.
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TMS
The title above is a question asked by my wife seemingly hundreds of times in 1993, the year our only child was disfellowshipped. The entire story exceeds the reasonable limits of this forum and I have to suppress the urge to write it. Instead, I will give little snippets, what a certain elder said at this or that point, how Jehovah's organization treated us, how we handled our gradual awakening to, yes, "the truth about the truth." Perhaps, as a JW or ex-JW, you will recognize some of the attitudes, approaches and policies we experienced, leading to our eventual freedom.
Judicial committees are typically formed during meetings of the elder body. The one involving our son and another young brother was no different, with one important exception. Immediately, after the elder's meeting adjourned, the judicial committee meeting commenced. Our son and the other young brother had been waiting in the wings, so to speak, for the elder's meeting to end. I was later told that things were orchestrated that way to prevent me, the boy's father, from "coaching" my son into displaying or faking 'acts befitting repentance."
This post is turning into exactly what I didn't want it to become. . I need to rethink this. It's difficult to simply blurt out situations without creating some context. . . . . . . . . . later