Paradise? Was it?

by TerryWalstrom in

paradisewas it really paradise to be in paradise?adam and eve never were held by a mother, never cuddled and sung to with a lullaby nor nursed or coddled with tenderness or any human familial embrace.

the first humans (adam and eve) never learned to toddle surrounded by brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles and grandparents cheering them on.

the entire experience of childhood was excised surgically like a trauma patient awakening from an accident with amnesia.adam and eve were never in a neighborhood with other kids forming friendship bonds for life and exchanging dreams and hopes for a future they were building in their community.

TerryWalstrom

I think our emotions are "informed" by our values. What we involuntarily feel are visceral and palpable signals pointing to what we hold true, valuable, or absolute.

If I'm walking in the dark and see a coil of rope that looks like a rattlesnake, my spontaneous, instinctive visceral reaction will be a jolt of adrenaline and I'll probably jump away. No time to think about it (which is how instinct works toward survival.)
The absolute nature of our understanding of "god" is transmitted to us as kids.
A Buddhist family informs little kids of Buddhist values, a Catholic family inculcates icons, candles, etc. and so on. Our location on Earth is accidental in informing our sensibility and consequently our emotional connection with this "god" of our region and family.
So, it's not REALLY a choice in any absolute sense.
I had only the numinous emotional connection of my grandmother's Catholic experiences as related to me by her.
Then, my best friend (JW) layered on the specifics of JW cult 'data.'
All the above rather a long-winded preamble to saying this:
Left to our own devices, I think without specific indoctrinations we'd all end up with a superstitious view of how the universe 'works'.
My intellect has had to be scoured, and barnacles of Jehovah scraped off.
The emotional component is surgically bereft of any god-value.
I have no automatic emotions.
I see and hear God talk as just so much superstitious/emotional involuntary hocus pocus.
I neither argue for nor against anybody's idea of god.
I'm not interested in that.
I'm interested in people and whether their lives are benefited or crippled by god talk and belief.
Especially is this true of the JW indoctrination.
My specific 'talent' is debunking THAT.
If and when I am able--I am determined to bring a bit of sunshine to those dark prisons and allow some measure of objectivity to an extremely subjective subject.

48

Paradise? Was it?

by TerryWalstrom in

paradisewas it really paradise to be in paradise?adam and eve never were held by a mother, never cuddled and sung to with a lullaby nor nursed or coddled with tenderness or any human familial embrace.

the first humans (adam and eve) never learned to toddle surrounded by brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles and grandparents cheering them on.

the entire experience of childhood was excised surgically like a trauma patient awakening from an accident with amnesia.adam and eve were never in a neighborhood with other kids forming friendship bonds for life and exchanging dreams and hopes for a future they were building in their community.

TerryWalstrom

Fisherman: Sounds to me like you never experienced any real intimacy with God. Or maybe you forgot.
___________

A fair issue to raise and a fair one to answer...
An honest assessment leads me to confess that when I got baptized in 1963 (November 23, day after JFK's assassination) I was 16 years old and only partially spiritual in my understanding of things of a spiritual nature.
I had Jehovah's Witness head knowledge.
But something would happen to me.
Something which made intimacy with God extremely important to me.
At 18 years of age, I registered for the draft and by 1967 I was standing in District Court listening to Judge Leo Brewster bang his gavel after explaining to me I was being sentenced to a Youth Corrections Act "indeterminate" sentence in Federal Prison.
The shortest to longest span of this was 6 mos. to 6 years.
I entered prison in 1967 and received parole in 1969.
IT GOT REAL IN A HURRY!
As a scrawny, shy, virginal Jehovah's Witness, just being in the Tarrant County Jail (before transfer 10 days later to Seagoville Federal Institution)
was a horribly terrifying experience.
I prayed constantly.
The REALITY of God ramped up one hundred fold.
I had a copy of the NWT with the cover ripped off (strange regulation for jail) and I read my Bible and memorized verses and went over the "meaning" constantly.
I was a sponge and all things God were soaking into me for survival and to stave off panic and terror.
Once I arrived in Federal prison and joined about 40 other Brothers, we had 5 meetings each week and special study sessions on the side.
I had become a TRUE BELIEVER.
I was actually a fanatic.
The letters I wrote read like a wide-eyed cult member in every way.
There's no doubt in my mind--I was talking to God (inside my head) day and night and my sense of His presence was palpable.

Then I was sexually attacked and I went into a kind of recoil and shock.
Even though Jehovah had obviously deserted me at the moment I cried out to Him for help--I made excuses. I was stunned and brooding but putting on a happy face. Stoic. Good sport. Look Ma--no hands!

By the time I received parole and returned to my congregation in Fort Worth, Texas, I had split into fractured parts. The public side of me was the brave little Witness, faithful and true. I became a Pioneer.
And...
I slowly started losing my mind.
_____
So, that's my answer, Fisherman. I have been very intimately involved with God and I got a really good glimpse of Him.
Because I was there for Him and He wasn't there for me--I slowly turned my anger on myself rather than blame Almighty up above.
I was a walking, talking case study in cognitive dissonance.
____
Then, one day--I decided to escape.
I packed my JW wife and 3 little ones in a 1970 Ford Maverick and drove to California to pursue a career in Art.
It took 7 or 8 years for my separation from Jehovah and his mighty band of Witnesses to come to fruition because I slowly faded (with several relapses).
Finally, I got my "divorce" from everyone and everything JW.
There have been many years of healing.
I never have quite recovered from rape.
Go figure.
But--I decided I'd spend the rest of my life trying to help other Dubs get out or at least wake-up.

It was around 1989 when I was lying in bed one night praying that I suddenly myself WOKE UP and realized the painful truth: I was just talking to myself.

48

Paradise? Was it?

by TerryWalstrom in

paradisewas it really paradise to be in paradise?adam and eve never were held by a mother, never cuddled and sung to with a lullaby nor nursed or coddled with tenderness or any human familial embrace.

the first humans (adam and eve) never learned to toddle surrounded by brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles and grandparents cheering them on.

the entire experience of childhood was excised surgically like a trauma patient awakening from an accident with amnesia.adam and eve were never in a neighborhood with other kids forming friendship bonds for life and exchanging dreams and hopes for a future they were building in their community.

TerryWalstrom

Things we accept as absolute are never thought of analytically again.
Think of it like currency. We are handed a $20 and pocket it without a care.
Counterfeit?
Um, gosh--I never thought to check!
"Fool me once--shame on you, etc."

32

Interesting conversation with JW friend

by Jules Saturn in

i was withh a friend of mine who is a jw still and for whatever reason we started talking the bible.

i asked him about lazarus and how is that when he died he paid the price of sin, but then jesus resurrected him.

and i asked him "where is lazarus today?

TerryWalstrom

None of the Witnesses are big "thinkers" because it is done on their behalf.
Jehovah pours "Truth" in one end of the pipe and it comes out the GB pipeline on the other end.
Except-- it is never exactly the same--because, if it were, it would never need adjusting or brightening.
The same is true of Bible stories which, by accretions in the retelling, grew ever more miraculous beyond any rational basis. After all, think how much hyperbole is contained in the simple words:

John 21:25New King James Version (NKJV)

25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

35

Leah Remini Scientology series might tackle Jehovah's Witnesses in season 3

by jp1692 in

i've seen comments by some on leah's expose on scientology: aftermath.

she actually won an emmy for this show.

rumor is that she might take on jehovah's witnesses in season 3. .

TerryWalstrom

From an "insider":
"A&E has been attacked legally so badly by Scientology that they held off writing the first check for our JW series because of fear of JW litigation..."

48

Paradise? Was it?

by TerryWalstrom in

paradisewas it really paradise to be in paradise?adam and eve never were held by a mother, never cuddled and sung to with a lullaby nor nursed or coddled with tenderness or any human familial embrace.

the first humans (adam and eve) never learned to toddle surrounded by brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles and grandparents cheering them on.

the entire experience of childhood was excised surgically like a trauma patient awakening from an accident with amnesia.adam and eve were never in a neighborhood with other kids forming friendship bonds for life and exchanging dreams and hopes for a future they were building in their community.

TerryWalstrom

Once we accept and believe anything, we don't actually THINK about it any longer

from a critical or analytical aspect. We move the "as is" around this way and that as a "given."
Taking a step back, as though just presented with information, with fresh eyes as it were, we are likely to astonish ourselves with what suddenly looms menacingly to shake us away from unquestioning acceptance.

48

Paradise? Was it?

by TerryWalstrom in

paradisewas it really paradise to be in paradise?adam and eve never were held by a mother, never cuddled and sung to with a lullaby nor nursed or coddled with tenderness or any human familial embrace.

the first humans (adam and eve) never learned to toddle surrounded by brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles and grandparents cheering them on.

the entire experience of childhood was excised surgically like a trauma patient awakening from an accident with amnesia.adam and eve were never in a neighborhood with other kids forming friendship bonds for life and exchanging dreams and hopes for a future they were building in their community.

TerryWalstrom

PARADISE

Was it really paradise to be in paradise?

Adam and Eve never were held by a mother, never cuddled and sung to with a lullaby nor nursed or coddled with tenderness or any human familial embrace. None at all.

The first humans (Adam and Eve) never learned to toddle surrounded by brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles and grandparents cheering them on. The entire experience of childhood was excised surgically like a trauma patient awakening from an accident with amnesia.

Adam and Eve were never in a neighborhood with other kids forming friendship bonds for life and exchanging dreams and hopes for a future they were building in their community. There was no playing with dolls wither friends, no trips to the beach or picnics with school chums. Hell--there was no kindergarten, elementary school, Jr. High proms, dances, football games or ballet lessons.

Adam and Eve didn't learn nursery rhymes or sit in their Daddy's lap and read bedtime stories or get tucked in and kissed goodnight.

Adam woke up naked and stranded among animals with no companion and only invisible voices directing him.

Like a blind man in social darkness completely deprived of human touch.

He did not grow up among little girls or lovely teens or older women in a natural life cycle of beauty and age.

He never saw his Mommy kiss his Daddy. THERE WAS NO MOMMY. Daddy was invisible.

What love might mean between people was never modeled in front of his eyes.

He did not select a choice of mates among many nor enjoy the attention of those vying for his notice.

Adam was surgically anesthetized and his own body rummaged for spare parts.

He awoke to the only human he'd ever seen: Eve. Obviously a clone (i.e. also a man if you follow science :)

What being a man or women IS naturally follows from the experience acquired as an infant, toddler, teen, young adult and such.

The first "marriage" (where was the ceremony recorded?) was an arranged mating with no choice involved and certainly no selection. Adam "chose" his own rib to marry! Yipes.

How is this being HUMAN at all?

Is it any wonder their first and most important choices were dysfunctional?

I mean: really? Is this PARADISE or a ridiculous fantasy story passed down from primitive minds?

11

Conversation with an Exorcist

by TerryWalstrom in

jw
friends

starbucks exorcist______________.

location exterior : the patio of starbuckstime: 9 amcast:lou : media / news analyst, religious fundamentalistterry: gadfly, writer /crow apologist, big mouth know-it-alledgar the crow: spawn of satan________________.

our scene begins with two men at separate tables working on their laptops.lou is a man of about 60. he recently moved from new york to texas to start his own videography business.

TerryWalstrom

I wonder what happened to that guy? He certainly hasn't returned to the previous location. I should check and see if he's uploaded any new videos to YouTube.

8

My First Job before Armageddon (1975)

by TerryWalstrom in

jw
friends

my first job before armageddonprologue: i left texas in 1974 and headed west to california to search for a job as an artist.

i didn't want to spend the rest of my life toiling for minimum wage as a janitor jehovah's witness.it was the year before 1975. as a jw, that should be a scary year.

not for me!i was determined to escape from all the influences of crazy people and to start living a real life.and now the story begins...______he was a tall man with a full and kinky black beard, glasses, and pretentious poseur pipe.. his name was jim rakey (rhymes with "flakey") and he belonged to a cult dedicated to the eternal truth: atlantis (the lost continent) would rise again from the sea as the enlightened government for all the world.

TerryWalstrom

"Do you feel lucky? Well--do ya, punk?"

23

What actually happened AFTER Jesus zoomed up into the clouds and disappeared?

by TerryWalstrom in

what happened after jesus zoomed up into the sky?for a while, he was expected to return rather quickly.in the meantime, there was the “great commission” and evangelism to be tended to.. the jesus believers were meeting in people's homes.

members of that community would take turns using private homes to gather.

thus, they went house to house.. these footstep tracers of jesus (they called themselves akolouthontes "followers" or some called themselves mathetai or "learners.

TerryWalstrom

The investigation launched by Papias indicates if nothing else, those who were eye and ear witnesses didn't have their stories straight. Or--if they did have their stories straight, those who passed along a corrupt version differed substantially from each other. Be that as it may, it didn't take long for definite factions to militate against one another's opinions, stories, interpretations, beliefs, and doctrines to the point it was deadly, chaotic and subsequently necessary for Superior Authority to step in and demand some document of agreement (Apostle's Creed.)

TerryWalstrom

Posts by TerryWalstrom

John 21:25New King James Version (NKJV)