Posts by TerryWalstrom

17

A QUICK STORY for you

by TerryWalstrom in

gallery memoriesit was 1982.. california summer.. the entrance of creative galleries.. the limousine arrived and she emerged.. there is a word i’ve been saving for the sort of story i’m about to tell you.

she debouched from the limo.

(she deserves a special word.).

TerryWalstrom

In the ten years I lived in California I constantly came across these former character actors, singers, celebrities, writers, directors in grocery stores. I could compile quite a list. These were very famous "in their day" but who didn't get hired any longer.

What is weird in such encounters is this. They are so familiar to me, I feel like I know them. The natural tendency is to speak to them.
Very often--more often than not--such a greeting startles them.
That only tells me they've grown accustomed to being ignored.

You see, in California, there is an unwritten rule. You don't intrude on celebrity. That behavior is for tourists and paparazzi. Live and let live.

So, it is like coming across a bald eagle or a platypus. Endangered species.
Working as I did in an Art gallery, I took advantage of a non-threatening opportunity to have casual a conversation now and then.
Some were crazy; others were skittish; still others were stupid.

A cultural trove of sadness and desuetude is what I'd call it.
Having been famous is not unlike having survived a tragedy.

38

JWs destroy archaelogical artifacts

by John Doe in

jw
friends

thousands of years old.

this makes my blood boil.. http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/jehovahs-witnesses-destroy-ancient-indigenous-temple-in-mexico-20160628-0009.html.

TerryWalstrom

A similar "scare" developed when it was reported that Sirhan Sirhan (murderer of Robert Kennedy, JFK's brother) was from a Jehovah's Witness family.

There was a fearless and searching inventory of congregations for any supporting evidence followed by a blanket denial.

JW's cannot afford any public outcry which equates them with the Islamic iconoclast group which destroyed ancient shrines.
The ability to get out ahead of a negative story and spin it is really important.

I find the reasons given why it could not have been JW's very unimaginative and unconvincing. They need to try harder than, "We translate or propaganda into foreign languages, therefore we must be very inclusive in our superstitious taboos."

3

Interesting times-does anyone speak for rational debate anymore?

by fulltimestudent in

australia's coming to the end of a long election campaign, marked as usual by mistruths and half-truths by both of the main contenders for government.

i read today of d. trump's promises to bring back us industry and then saw this clinton tweet:.

trump has some interesting things to say, but why does he try to con some of the poorer people in the usa, in this way?

TerryWalstrom

I've been disgusted with Politics a long, long time. I don't buy into the idea that 300 million people are best served by a person only 150 million agree with. That guarantees half the country is always pissed off, disaffected, negative and ready to undercut the leader.

The structure of our Political contests are downright silly.
The people who vote are usually ignorant, misinformed, emotional, and motivated by their worst instincts.
Until every ballot contains a box marked NONE of the Above, we are stuck with the lesser of two evils.

Let us face a truly condemning fact:

If you vote for the lesser of two Evils; you are still choosing Evil.
Any choice which compels you to choose Evil is a decision best abandoned.

18

What were the Bible Students expecting in 1914, after all?

by EdenOne in

skimming through old watch towers, i encountered this statements on the 1914 january 1st edition of the watch tower (vol.

xxxv, p.5373), in the article "views from the watchtower":.

"so far as our judgement goes, the year 1914 is the last of what the bible terms "gentile times" [...] the end of their "times" marks the date for the beginning of messias' kingdom, which the bible declares is to be ushered in with a great time of trouble, just such as we see impending.

TerryWalstrom

During the Millennium, the Kingdom authority and power of God through Christ and the church will be exercised amongst men; and yet they will not see it with the natural eye, but merely with the eyes of their understanding."

What an imagination as well as a talent for seemingly saying something without saying anything.
The only check or restraint on the FDS wild imaginings has been the actual disproof of failed events. And even that barely slows them down.

5

Jehovah's Witnesses and Education - old foes

by EdenOne in

i was skimming through old numbers of the watchtower and came across this interesting bit.

under the headline "ungodliness and discontent", the article claims:.

"[...] we have more than once called attention to in these columns, namely, that the spread of education, and increase of wealth, are not tending to make mankind happier, holier or more content, but rather the reverse.

TerryWalstrom

Sounds like Category Error.

Education isn't the same as knowledge.

Schools, colleges, tutors, Gurus, etc. are delivery systems of ideology and propaganda all too often.
I see so many extreme college age students who are ignorant of what they have been carefully taught to "hate."
That isn't education of a useful nature. It is a program for indoctrinating useful idiots.

9

EXISTENTIAL topic: Why is Paradise or Heaven the solution to anything?

by TerryWalstrom in

gather around the campfire, boys and girls.. i have a little journey for us all to take together.. long, long ago in this universe not so far away .

.we were told a story.______________once in timeless nothingness, there existed a timeless being we now call god.whatever "perfection" is or was--god was.

god was perfect.. but wait--that's not all!and here is where the story begins!.

TerryWalstrom

I have to confess I've never believed in heaven beyond mere acknowledgment that it "exists" as a conceptual term.
The idea of Paradise seems ok--but--unless I have identity as a separate thinking entity with my own thoughts and tastes, I may end up having to "conform." Gee, I never liked that.

20

My Issue With the Kingdom Melodies

by humblepotato in

jw
friends

the organization really has some talented people in it.

seriously talented.

artists, musicians, animators, and any other creative venue you can think of.

TerryWalstrom

Persons without knowledge, experience, acumen or creativity are in charge of Artists who are all of the above.)

While I was serving time in Federal prison in the late 60's, the 40 brothers inside decided to stage our own assembly. I was the Music servant. (We didn't have Elders back then.)
The theme of the assembly mimicked the free world assemblies being held outside.
Long story short;
I composed (what I think and everyone else thought was) a very good song titled: Following the Fine Shepherd as the End Draws Near.
We rehearsed it (the bros who had instruments) and the consensus it was a winner :)
Excerpt:
"Jehovah God above, we owe you all our love; you are our shepherd and we follow you.

Though Satan demands, that we must compromise; we'd sooner face death than be wrong in your eyes.

Now and forevermore, we fear not Satan's roar;
You are our shepherd and we follow you. . ."
____
However . . .

Just to make sure we were not "running ahead" of the Society, our version of an Elder, Tollie Padget, had the traveling Overseer (Circuit Servant) who visited the prison once a month, preview and decide the matter of each presentation on our "assembly" program.

Guess what?

Brother Bourgeois disapproved only MY song.
Why?

About a month previous, his step-daughter (whom I had dated on the outside) wanted to be added to my Visitor's list, but Brother Bourgeois had told her she could not visit because the incarcerated brothers could be a bad influence.
I wrote him a personal letter filled with scriptures and made the error of quoting Proverbs 18:3 "Anyone replying to a matter before it is heard, it is a foolishness for him and a humiliation."

He had his pride aroused and he sent me a rejoinder letter that pretty much excoriated me for attacking one of Jehovah's anointed. Yeah, he was anointed!
________

To appear neutral and Theocratic the anointed brother excluded my song because "He had prayed on the matter and Jehovah's spirit had 'told' him it wasn't reverent and respectful."

So. . .

that's how things can go.

62

How do you deal with depression?

by BlackWolf in

jw
friends

i'm currently going through a bout of depression and my eating disorder has gotten worse.

ever since my parents actually told me that they are going to kick me out when i turn 18 i've felt kind of hopeless about my life.

my parents won't take me to the doctor because the psychiatrists won't have my "best interests" aka jw crap in mind, because really that's the root of all my problems.. i'm wondering if any of you guys have any advice with dealing with depression?

TerryWalstrom

This is just me talking; a personal experience. Hearsay.

I fought depression for many, many years and did not know what it was or why it was. This was due to the fact I would never acknowledge it was depression. I was just "moody."

But, I wanted to take a run at a wall with my head. That's exactly what I fantasized doing.
Anyway. . .

It finally grew to such serious proportion I wondered where it would all end? (Or where I would end.)

One day, I was listening to the radio and there was a discussion (I think it was on NPR) about St.John's Wort. I decided I would try it because it was over-the-counter and I have a phobia (almost) about drugs (prescription) although I have taken antibiotics on rare occasions.

Cut to the chase.

I ended up trying 4 different brands and only one of those brands "worked" for me.
My symptoms simply went away.
If I couldn't get that particular brand, they symptoms would come back.

I skeptically assumed I was experiencing a placebo effect. Yet--that one brand did work and the others didn't. So--I dunno.

Here is the bottom line.
This may sound a bit fuzzy.
But--I learned where that feeling of "normal" was inside my head. I sort of staked it out and memorized it so I could find my way back.
Then, I dropped the pills and did just that.

It has been about 18 years. The depression has not returned (and that without pills.)
I seem to always (well 97%) be in a jovial mood--even when I 1st wake up.

Make of it what you will.
It is just a testimonial and not evidence of any sort.
I'd tell you the brand of St.John's Wort but I won't.
Validate your own experiment.

18

What were the Bible Students expecting in 1914, after all?

by EdenOne in

skimming through old watch towers, i encountered this statements on the 1914 january 1st edition of the watch tower (vol.

xxxv, p.5373), in the article "views from the watchtower":.

"so far as our judgement goes, the year 1914 is the last of what the bible terms "gentile times" [...] the end of their "times" marks the date for the beginning of messias' kingdom, which the bible declares is to be ushered in with a great time of trouble, just such as we see impending.

TerryWalstrom

According to Franz (same recording) Brother Russell clapped his hands and exclaimed: "The Genital Times have Ended. . ."

Really? Genital?

Fast Forward to 31 minutes and 35 seconds.

Ha ha ha. He does admit they did not have the facts for a true interpretation of events. Also, he confessed they were short-sighted.

18

What were the Bible Students expecting in 1914, after all?

by EdenOne in

skimming through old watch towers, i encountered this statements on the 1914 january 1st edition of the watch tower (vol.

xxxv, p.5373), in the article "views from the watchtower":.

"so far as our judgement goes, the year 1914 is the last of what the bible terms "gentile times" [...] the end of their "times" marks the date for the beginning of messias' kingdom, which the bible declares is to be ushered in with a great time of trouble, just such as we see impending.

TerryWalstrom

Listen to this recording and hear the oracle himself tell you exactly what the Bible student were expecting in 1914.

FRED FRANZ

Fast Forward to 10 minutes and 55 seconds in.

". . . the end of the world, the end of the system of things . . ."

https://archive.org/details/DecisionMyLifeStoryByFredFranz