TerryWalstrom

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Posts by TerryWalstrom

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  15

  Today is a BIG anniversary for me...but--of what?

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  today is a big anniversary day for me!.

  october 23, 1967, was a monday.

  i stood in front of district judge leo brewster as he sentenced me to six years in federal prison.. .

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  TerryWalstrom

  I found a group (JW's) who seemed eager to accept me. That felt good.
  I was offered a free 'education' in public speaking and Bible information. That seemed benign; especially since I did not possess the ability to overcome my shyness and I'd received no religious mentoring at home.
  Eventually, I had a core group of friends my own age and all were JW's.
  When the issue of military service became the number one issue in my life, I heeded all the advice I was given by my support group (again JW's).
  So, from the above, it's easy to see I was poised to be influenced one way or the other by my JW-centered lifestyle.
  My first glimmer of "Uh-oh!" was in being counseled to NOT ADMIT I was being advised by my leaders in my faith.
  Why was that a dissonant signal?
  For this reason: everything about Christianity / Bible was about open confrontations with non-believers in which the Christian claimed high ground through complete disclosure. The hidden agenda people were the persecutors; the 'bad guys'.
  Now here I was being advised to keep my mouth shut on the one hand and other the other hand--if asked point blank--"Has anybody in your religion advised you to not accept Alternate civilian service?" I had TO LIE ABOUT IT.
  Strange.
  This was the canary-in-the-coal-mine moment.
  The squirmy reason I was given was deflective in part: why give the Wild Beast a legal reason to come after Jehovah's governing body? It was emphasized I needed to take one for the team--all of which would definitely mark me as a 'true' Christian and make Jehovah's heart glad...blah-blah-blah.
  It was a choice which definitely appeared "heroic" and why would I do the opposite unless I was selfishly protecting my own butt at my religion's expense.
  
  Looking back, it is all too clear I was succumbing to undue influence agreeably, making it "MY" choice rather than a coerced decision with social pressure by a group able to accept me as worthy or unworthy of continued fellowship.
  
  Grime encrusts these memories.
• 
  12

  I've Never seen anything quite like this interview

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this interview had me glued in place because i've never seen a q&a go quite like this.i'd love to hear your thoughts on it.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxpgfekem_s&t=973s

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  TerryWalstrom

  I just stumbled on to FallenState site and became glued to the interviews.
  Evasion, deflection, double-talk are NOT permitted to pass by Peterson.
  His questions seem to invite squirming responses :)
• 
  12

  I've Never seen anything quite like this interview

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this interview had me glued in place because i've never seen a q&a go quite like this.i'd love to hear your thoughts on it.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxpgfekem_s&t=973s

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• 

  TerryWalstrom

  This interview had me glued in place because I've never seen a Q&A go quite like this.
  
  I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXPgFEKEm_s&t=973s
  
• 
  15

  Today is a BIG anniversary for me...but--of what?

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  today is a big anniversary day for me!.

  october 23, 1967, was a monday.

  i stood in front of district judge leo brewster as he sentenced me to six years in federal prison.. .

  1. 
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  3. 
• 

  TerryWalstrom

  You guys have brought back memories!
  I was (as far as I know) the ONLY Brother in the congregation who went to prison. One Bro worked for Goodwill Industries and his mom was best friends with the head of the Draft board locally.
  Another thing...
  When I got out on parole, nobody in the congregation ever asked me how it was in prison. Nope. The topic was avoided like a dirty little secret.
  Nobody in our Kingdom Hall wrote me a card or came to visit -- except my best friend...and that was only once.
  The JW girl I was engaged to was asked out by the Brothers ON DATES and she finally wrote me a kiss-off letter and began dating them.
  All of this sounds very 'Boo Hoo' doesn't it :O
  
  Well honestly--what should I have expected? Honor among Dubs?
  Loving concern?
  Isn't the whole idea to actually bring on the persecution?
  Sure it was!
  The young men in congregations were human billboards advertising a holier-than-thou message.
  If anything is rotten--it is the fact the GB got away with it.
  
  I've tried diligently to track down my closest friends I made inside the prison but only a few are still alive! ( JW lifespan is an interesting topic.)
  
  I know former JW inmates who have never told a soul in later life.
  For some self-punishment reasons I always explained to employers where I went and why.
  I still get pushback and I don't blame anyone for feeling that way.
  I wasn't any good to anybody, I accomplished nothing for anybody by being confined.
  Plenty of kids went off and got killed or crippled. That's not my fault, of course--but sorting out what's "honorable" is certainly a damned can of worms. A Jihadist who straps on a bomb is just another version of me back then--as far as profound 'belief' in a cause. Lucky for me I wasn't THAT.
• 
  15

  Today is a BIG anniversary for me...but--of what?

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  today is a big anniversary day for me!.

  october 23, 1967, was a monday.

  i stood in front of district judge leo brewster as he sentenced me to six years in federal prison.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  TerryWalstrom

  Thank you for kind words and genuine solidarity on this, my friends.
  
  I remembered about an hour ago how Judge Brewster counseled me before sentencing.
  This is a rough recall of what he said:
  "I'm going to give you 10 days to change your mind, young man. I'm sending you to Tarrant County Jail to think this over. AT ANY TIME during those 10 days you change your mine--just send word to me and I will have you out of there and in a civilian hospital job inside of an hour."
  
  Of course, the way I heard this was a huge Satanic test!
  It's laughable now. Sort of.
  
  Once I arrived at Seagoville Federal Correctional Institution, I discovered several other Brothers had been offered an ex-tend-ded "change your mine" proviso, too.
  One of those Brothers actually DID change his mind in the middle of the night. (I think his name was A.C. Williams). He was outta there before morning.
  This was taken pretty hard by the rest of us!
  I later heard rumors about Brother Williams--but--I don't believe any of them so I won't repeat them here.
  I view what he did as a sign of intelligence now. Back then? Ohhhh noooo.
• 
  15

  Today is a BIG anniversary for me...but--of what?

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  today is a big anniversary day for me!.

  october 23, 1967, was a monday.

  i stood in front of district judge leo brewster as he sentenced me to six years in federal prison.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  TerryWalstrom

  TODAY is a big ANNIVERSARY day for me!

  October 23, 1967, was a Monday.

  I stood in front of District Judge Leo Brewster as he sentenced me to Six years in Federal Prison.

  Why?

  The United States of America V Terry Edwin Walstrom

  for violation of the Universal Military Training and Service Act.
  (Case CR4510)

  But...but...the maximum sentence under the law is 5 years!

  Ah yes, but you see--I was only 20 years old at the time and Judge Brewster's sentencing fell under the Youth Corrections Act which allowed 6 mos. to 6 years sentence.

  So?

  So once every six months I'd go before a Parole Hearing board for review (and refusal, as it turned out.)

  
  

  If you know me, you know this story backward and forwards. I wrote about it in my 1st book, "I Wept by the Rivers of Babylon".

  
  

  How do I view the entire episode in my life these 51 years later?

  One point needs to be made.

  Conscientious Objectors were ALLOWED by law to refuse induction under the proviso they spend at least 2 years working for the community as ALTERNATE service.

  I, on the other hand, belonged to a "cult" who told me I could not perform alternate community service.

  I was advised against my own best interests.

  Undue influence.

  Consequently, I WASTED 2 years of my life under the false impression I was serving God when, in fact, I was serving a false religious organization who didn't give a sh*t about me, the community or the law.

  Once each year, on October 23rd, I get to rethink my decision back then.

  I'm not bitter--but--I'm still pissed off at the hubris of the Watchtower organization.

  These fallible men have changed their "true" teachings over and over and over during the last half-century while the good-hearted folks who believe their every utterance suffer the consequences.

  In the last couple of years, the Watchtower has gone to court for failure to report child abuse and they've LOST MILLIONS of DOLLARS in fines. This corruption is KEPT SECRET.

  Current members are instructed NOT to read or believe anything negative.

  So yes--I'm pissed. Still.

  I have good friends inside this false religion who will never know the depth of duplicity and corruption of their "only true religion."

  That simply saddens me.

  
  

  Happy Anniversary? No. Not so much.
• 
  7

  How to start your day

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was sifting through some old daily musings i'd written and found one of my favorites from back in 2015. i thought i'd share it with you._____.

  a day in the life.

  i took a hot bath this morning.

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  TerryWalstrom

  eyeuse2badub I hear what you're saying and learned simply to get the "coffee of the day" which is (Praise Jeebus) under two bucks.
  The fact that it tastes awful helps me nurse it a lot longer rather than gulping savory, robust, goodness.
• 
  7

  How to start your day

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was sifting through some old daily musings i'd written and found one of my favorites from back in 2015. i thought i'd share it with you._____.

  a day in the life.

  i took a hot bath this morning.

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  TerryWalstrom

  Starbucks really has the least flavorful coffee. When I was in Paris and Madrid a couple of weeks ago, I had the finest tasting coffee ever.
  Probably because they don't use African sources. That stuff is bitter through and through.
• 
  7

  How to start your day

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was sifting through some old daily musings i'd written and found one of my favorites from back in 2015. i thought i'd share it with you._____.

  a day in the life.

  i took a hot bath this morning.

  1. 
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  TerryWalstrom

  I was sifting through some old daily musings I'd written and found one of my favorites from back in 2015. I thought I'd share it with you.
  _____
  

  A DAY IN THE LIFE

  I took a hot bath this morning. Then, after making my bed and saying "Good Morning" to my roommate, Sana--I jumped on my bike and headed off to breakfast.
  Sound exciting enough for you yet? Stay tuned!

  The Dixie House family restaurant seems to cater to defunct older men which makes it great for breakfast. At $3.99 it's hard to beat sausage/bacon, eggs, toast, cream gravy, hash browns, strawberry preserves and coffee. (Okay, coffee IS extra.)

  Still not exciting enough? Hang in there . . .

  I didn't realize it was 59 degrees when I got on my bike after that hot bath! Immediately my shoulders became sore. I was baffled. That is, until I remembered having the territorial battle to the death on Saturday morning with two vicious biting dogs! Swingng that bicycle back and forth must have wrenched a muscle--or something--(that's what older people always say: "I wrenched" a muscle."

  So, after breakfast I headed for Starbucks, my home-away-from-home where I commence my writing for the day.

  As I was sitting down, a fellow of about 45 smiled at me and spoke:
  "How are you feeling this morning?"
  "My shoulders are sore from fighting with a couple of stray dogs. I think I wrenched my neck."

  He smiled and nodded. Then, he stood as I sat. He turned to face me and asked me another question:
  "Do you believe in the power of prayer?"
  ___________

  Now any of you who know me realize I have a wide range of quips, comebacks, parries and thrusts at my disposal from a lifetime of smart-assery. But--I thought I'd be diplomatic--for a change.

  I answered the way a politician answers: without saying anything.

  "I was baptized in 1963 and I'm no stranger to prayer. I'm 68 and still alive in good health." (How's that for a diplomatic answer?)
  So the man grins. He asks yet another question while still standing in front of me gazing down.

  "Do you acknowledge the healing power of Jesus Christ?"

  Well now, I was in such a good mood this morning, I just didn't feel at all like screwing around and spoiling this inquisitive fella's morning.

  "How could any man who professes Jesus Christ deny his miraculous powers of healing?" (See what I did there?)
  ____________

  Now comes the part you've been waiting for. The good fellow with the ordinary face and kindly smile stepped closer and reached out and laid his hand upon my shoulder right there in the middle of Starbucks!

  I don't know how you'd react to this--but I was suddenly having a great fun time! Where else but Texas can you get breakfast for under $4 plus your shoulder healed in Starbucks for free?

  The next thing I know, this stranger summons his inner Benny Hinn and raises his right hand to Jesus as his left hand finds the sore spot in my shoulder unbidden, and he commences to beseech the miracles of heaven to flow into my anterior musculature as a soothing Balsam from Gilead. Or something.

  His recitation, which included some rather colorful vocabulary usage such as "vexing affliction" and "unwarranted encounter with beasts of the field," and capped it off with a hearty "In the blood of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ." (To which I joined in with a magnificent and stentorian "AAAAA-MEN!"

  I was sucking up the numinous powers of celestial succor like chocolate milk through a straw! It's the most fun I've had since I found a $20 bill in the pocket of an old pair of pants.

  My benefactor was interrupted by another man he'd been waiting on, and they immediately went off to another part of Starbucks to talk 'bidness'.
  And that was that!
  Except, it wasn't. . .

  My shoulder instantly improved and the pain in my neck vanished as sure as I'm sitting here--no shit!

  Now isn't that dandy?

  Post Script:
  I just sneezed. A lady sitting to my right smiled at me and offered a warm, "God Bless You!"

  I can see this is going to be one of the good days!
  
  _____
  I remember that guy but I never saw him again--or the two dogs that bit me.
• 
  22

  Considering God's 'failure'

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  jehovah's "failure".

  we humans never seem to consider god in terms of anything but power and ability.

  the idea of 'failure' is preposterous.. .

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  TerryWalstrom

  I once read someplace that mankind has passed through four stages of World Views as to how life really is and how to deal with it.

  Stage 1 is SUPERSTITION
  Thunder, lightning, earthquakes, winds, and nature itself was anthropomorphized (humanized) into ghosts, gods, spirits, etc.
  with unseen powers and these entities had to be appeased.
  Magic words, incantation, and elaborate astral / astrological concepts developed to predict and comprehend the mysteries.
  Stage 2 is RELIGION which built superstitious ideas into a BIG STORY with causes and effects and RITUALS for gaining favor with the gods.
  Stage 3 is PHILOSOPHY whereby rational thinking and logic were applied to naturalistic, mechanical, reasonable guidelines for thinking within limits sought to codify the world, mainly to answer the question: What do we know and how do we know it?
  Stage 4 is SCIENCE (additionally technology)
  The age of measurement and testing cleaned out much of the crap which crept into philosophy and religion and a remarkable METHODOLOGY arose: the Scientific Method.
  Falsifiability was a brilliant conception: Truth Statements must be stated in such a way they can be tested and falsified by contrary proof and facts. Nothing was sacred when everything was testable.
  
  The New Testament relied a great deal on the writings of Plato and much of Jesus' character borrows heavily from Socrates (especially answering a question with a question) and Neo-Platonic philosophy is all over New Testament structure and 'reasoning'. In fact, Aristotle was a huge influence on the writings of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas were huge fans of Greek philosophy and of Aristotle.
  
  The result was a weirdly impressive systematic theology which made Christianity appear to be founded on a much higher level of superstition than previous efforts.
  
  Unfortunately, after the Reformation and Renaissance science grew by leaps and bounds and overtook Catholic theology and the crimes against Galileo and other scientific genius dimmed the reputation of religious superiority and marginalized educated arguments into mere fluffy apologetics.
  
  The Watchtower religion fooled the hell out of me and I was pretty intelligent--but scientifically uneducated--and consequently a pushover for the "plausible" authority of Bible Verse smackdowns.
  
  The first important thing I did when I left JW's was to educate myself in Philosophy and Science which pulled that curtain WAAAAY back and revealed the tiny frauds scampering about in the Governing Body pulling levers and making scary authoritarian sounds.
  
  GAME OVER
  
  Jehovah God now stands naked and shivering in the cold light of constant disproof of His silly pronouncements.