Thanks.
I wonder how bored Millennials are to hear about the previous century? I do know, actually, I only have to start telling stories to my own kids. :)
TerryWalstrom
JoinedPosts by TerryWalstrom
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24
I Am Still Here! Another Birthday look back at one helluva lifetime
by TerryWalstrom inwhen the doctor pulled my screaming body out of mom all those 7 decades ago, i landed in a post-wwii world.the world of 1947--compared to today's world--an alien planet.. the world i live in today has nothing in common with the world in which i grew up.. there were no cell phones back then--there were black telephones with a dial-tone and an operator who placed your call.
everywhere you found telephone booths!
a call was a nickel.where did all those telephone booths go?i dunno.where did my whole world go?i dunno.. tv sets were huge boxes with tubes and small screens.
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TerryWalstrom
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25
Political Correctness and Censorship / Banning Books
by TerryWalstrom inbanned books?censorship?.
let’s say you live in a land where the rule is: you can’t offend anyone.okay, fair enough.
let’s take a look at what follows (implicit in this rule).. if you are speaking to 10 people, is it okay to offend 1 in 10?
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TerryWalstrom
A comprehensive "banned" list would be extraordinarily lengthy.
http://www.dorrancepublishing.com/censored-story-five-banned-books/
http://www.bannedlibrary.com/podcast/2016/12/28/nineteen-eighty-four-1984-by-george-orwell
https://www.neatorama.com/2011/09/29/12-books-that-have-ironically-been-banned-in-the-u-s/ -
43
Hidden history of the Watchtower religion
by TerryWalstrom inthe deeper you dig--the less impressive jw’s become!___________________you may think you know the men who are vitally important to the birth of the religion--but chances are good you’ve been kept in the dark.. _____________.
did you know?the 1st case heard by the supreme court of the united states concerning the watchtower society involved a director (an officer) of the watchtower, william franklyn hudgings.. a brief description of hudgings and his character.hudgings was an attorney, quack doctor, self-identified ‘scientist’, a pro-zionist, and religious enthusiast who over the years held various director and officer positions in the watchtower society, and the affiliated people's pulpit association and international bible students association.
at the time of this particular case, william hudgings acknowledged being the corporate secretary of the people's pulpit association and acknowledged that his daily duties included the administrative charge of printing of the watchtower magazine, the bible student's monthly, the kingdom news, and other watchtower publications.. (hudgings was also re-elected to the watchtower society board of directors in january 1919.
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TerryWalstrom
I was thinking about something concerning JW's who've been baptized within the last 25 years.
I don't think they know or care about the nuts and bolts of this religion's origins.
They only know a sanitized caricature offered in passing.
My very own JW best friend (who knew almost everything about the history of the Watchtower) waved it all away airily. He dismissed "Everything that happened before 1919, I don't consider important."
I said to him, "What if a German citizen said to you, 'Everything that happened before 1946, I don't consider important?"
He was appalled at my exaggeration for effect.
I told him, "You know exactly what I'm saying. Dismissing the origins of your religion says to me you can't face facts or make believable excuses. Think about that." -
25
Political Correctness and Censorship / Banning Books
by TerryWalstrom inbanned books?censorship?.
let’s say you live in a land where the rule is: you can’t offend anyone.okay, fair enough.
let’s take a look at what follows (implicit in this rule).. if you are speaking to 10 people, is it okay to offend 1 in 10?
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TerryWalstrom
LoveUniHateExams: Who wanted to ban ANIMAL FARM?
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Ah, tis a no-brainer: the Soviets, of course!
https://pen.org/animal-farm-banned-by-the-soviets-promoted-by-the-cia/ -
24
I Am Still Here! Another Birthday look back at one helluva lifetime
by TerryWalstrom inwhen the doctor pulled my screaming body out of mom all those 7 decades ago, i landed in a post-wwii world.the world of 1947--compared to today's world--an alien planet.. the world i live in today has nothing in common with the world in which i grew up.. there were no cell phones back then--there were black telephones with a dial-tone and an operator who placed your call.
everywhere you found telephone booths!
a call was a nickel.where did all those telephone booths go?i dunno.where did my whole world go?i dunno.. tv sets were huge boxes with tubes and small screens.
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TerryWalstrom
When the doctor pulled my screaming body out of mom all those 7 decades ago, I landed in a post-WWII world.
The world of 1947--compared to today's world--an alien planet.The world I live in today has nothing in common with the world in which I grew up.
There were no cell phones back then--there were black telephones with a dial-tone and an Operator who placed your call.
Everywhere you found telephone booths! A call was a nickel.
Where did all those telephone booths go?
I dunno.
Where did my whole world go?
I dunno.TV sets were huge boxes with tubes and small screens. Images were black and white.
It was an idiot box. It still is.
A "computer" was a Science fiction trope and in reality, consisted of vast rooms full of blinking lights and hardware.Men wore hats, women wore stockings with a black seam down the back.
Everybody smoked cigarettes. Everywhere!
There was "easy listening" music filled with lush melody.
Movies were vivid storybooks filled with comedy, song and dance, and noir.
Only sailors, convicts, and primitive tribal communities had tattoos.
Kids said, "Yes Sir" and "No, Ma'am".And so on...
I've lived in several worlds on different planets--not literally, but essentially for all the extraordinary dissonances, customs, attitudes, and ethos. (Good word "ethos", look it up.)Today--what world is this?
Have I lost the thread?
Who knows their next door neighbor anymore?
Who spends time sitting on the front porch in the evening in a swing, sipping ice tea and waving at the folks across the street?
Who reads actual Literature?
Who buys paintings or objet d'art?
Who knows the classical music repertoire?
Who is conversant with dates, names, movements in human history with any certainty?I was there when TV arrived and the first commercial jingles were created.
I lived in the radio soap opera era.
I was there when Bebop lived side by side with West Coast jazz and the Big Bands faded as Rock n' Roll was born.
I lived among Beatniks, Folk singers, Doo-Wops, Hippies, and the birth of the Long Play record and the death of the 78 shellac platters.The year I was born, the transistor was invented. (1947).
I was 7 years old when the first transistor radios were sold (1954).
The very first satellite went into orbit when I was 15 years old. (1962)
I was 18 years old as 8 Track tapes were all the rage.(1965)I was 22 years old when man first walked on the moon. (1969)
I was 32 years old when the Sony Walkman revolutionized portable music. And it was just a cassette player!
By 1975, the first mass marketing of Video Tape Recorders was sold at about a thousand dollars each.
The personal computer was barely a dream in the future!So what? What point am I making?
If you aren't 70 then:
I'm from a different world than YOU are!My ways are not your ways.
My thoughts and feelings and ideas and opinions are just plain weird to you because you haven't lived my life and can't imagine my lifetime.I've seen people become famous, fade, and pass into obscurity.
I've heard fearful predictions for the future which turned out to be absolute hogwash.
I've seen the rise of horrible political leaders who later fell.
I lived through a great many wars and spent time in Federal Prison, a religious cult, four marriages, and produced 7 children.
I've been a Nerd, a religious fanatic, an artist, a composer, a writer, husband, father, best friend, and generally a pain in the ass.BUT I AM STILL HERE!
It isn't MY world--it is your world.I AM A LIVING TIME MACHINE.
When I speak--you are getting a message from another era.Just try to remember that--will you?
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25
Political Correctness and Censorship / Banning Books
by TerryWalstrom inbanned books?censorship?.
let’s say you live in a land where the rule is: you can’t offend anyone.okay, fair enough.
let’s take a look at what follows (implicit in this rule).. if you are speaking to 10 people, is it okay to offend 1 in 10?
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TerryWalstrom
BANNED BOOKS?
Censorship?Let’s say you live in a land where the Rule is: You can’t offend anyone.
Okay, fair enough. Let’s take a look at what follows (implicit in this rule).If you are speaking to 10 people, is it okay to offend 1 in 10? 1 in a 100?
1 in a 1000?If you say anything Important about something vital you’re guaranteed to offend at least 1 person. It is a given.
What would this mean?
You’re not going to be able to say anything important ever because the rule will stop you.
Which--if you’re honest--is the same as saying 1 offended person’s feelings are way more important than the other 999 people who want to hear vital things spoken (and written) about important topics.Yes--this HAS HAPPENED before and it will happen again!
If you scoff--why not take a look at the surprising books BANNED by offended authorities in schools and libraries.
1. TARZAN of the APES (Edgar Rice Burroughs)
Why? Obviously, Tarzan and Jane were living in sin! Duh.2. Where the Wild Things Are ( Maurice Sendak)
Why? Because the character, Max, was punished by being sent to bed without dinner.3. The Diary of a Young Girl, ( Anne Frank )
Why? “It’s a real downer,” said Alabama State Textbook Committee4. American Heritage Dictionary
In 1987, for example, the Anchorage Alaska School Board banned this dictionary for its "objectionable" entries — particularly slang words, including "bed," "knocker," and "balls."5. The Lorax, ( Dr. Seuss )
Why? The logging industry was offended by the anti-deforesting plot line.
6. Little Red Riding Hood, ( Trina Schart Hyman )
Why? Culver City, California school board objected to the cover illustration "Showing the grandmother who has consumed half a bottle of wine with a red nose is not a lesson we want to teach,"
7. Hansel and Gretel, ( The Brothers Grimm )
Why? In 1992, two self-proclaimed witches claimed: “It gives witches a bad name.”
8. Where's Waldo?, ( Martin Hanford )
Why? The book was banned in Michigan and New York because of a sunbathing woman suffering a wardrobe malfunction the size of a pinhead in a corner of one of Martin Hanford's drawings.
9. Twelfth Night, ( William Shakespeare )
Why? School authorities in Merrimack, New Hampshire objected: jolly cross-dressing and fake-same-sex romance were deemed in violation of the district's "prohibition of alternative lifestyle instruction," and copies of the play were pulled from schools.
10. James and the Giant Peach, ( Roald Dahl )
Why? In Wisconsin in 1999, the book was banned because of concerns the spider licking its lips could be interpreted as sexual.
11. Charlotte's Web, ( E.B. White )
Why? A parents group in Kansas decided that any book featuring two talking animals must be the work of the devil, and so had E.B. White's 1952 work barred from classrooms. “ Showing lower life forms with human abilities is sacrilegious and disrespectful to God." (What about the talking serpent in Eden? Hmm.)
12. Harry Potter series, ( J.K. Rowling )
Why? The pastor of St. Joseph School in Wakefield, Massachusetts, deemed their sorcery-heavy storylines inappropriate for a Catholic school.
13. The Grapes of Wrath, ( John Steinbeck )
Why? “Communist values.”
14. Animal Farm, (George Orwell)
Why? Anti-Stalin themes. *(Yes, the murderer of 100 million people was once an ally during WWII).
15. Catcher in the Rye, (J. D. Salinger)
Why? “Sexual references.”
I could go on and on--but the point is made, I think.
If our rule becomes: You Can’t Offend Anyone, you’re not going to be able to say anything important, create something novel and surprising ever because THE RULE will stop you.
Just 1 overly sensitive soul who objects will prevent the 999 others from reading Charlotte's Web or looking for Waldo.
_____________POLITICAL CORRECTNESS means well--but the unintended consequences are TOO DIRE.
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43
Hidden history of the Watchtower religion
by TerryWalstrom inthe deeper you dig--the less impressive jw’s become!___________________you may think you know the men who are vitally important to the birth of the religion--but chances are good you’ve been kept in the dark.. _____________.
did you know?the 1st case heard by the supreme court of the united states concerning the watchtower society involved a director (an officer) of the watchtower, william franklyn hudgings.. a brief description of hudgings and his character.hudgings was an attorney, quack doctor, self-identified ‘scientist’, a pro-zionist, and religious enthusiast who over the years held various director and officer positions in the watchtower society, and the affiliated people's pulpit association and international bible students association.
at the time of this particular case, william hudgings acknowledged being the corporate secretary of the people's pulpit association and acknowledged that his daily duties included the administrative charge of printing of the watchtower magazine, the bible student's monthly, the kingdom news, and other watchtower publications.. (hudgings was also re-elected to the watchtower society board of directors in january 1919.
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TerryWalstrom
Our environment brings pressures and tests affecting our survival to which we respond. We must adapt somehow.
At a particularly vulnerable time of my life, I needed what Jehovah's Witnesses were offering.
Mind you--just a wee bit of it and certainly not ALL.
Like a Venus Fly Trap...the nectar carried a heavy price.
Instinctively we seek when we need. The raw materials of our experience provide
only so much and no more.
We each took what was there and paid whatever penalty came with it.
In the case of JW's...we were devoured. -
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Science Fiction--Undue influence--Mind Control
by TerryWalstrom ini have been asked repeatedly, "how and why would you use science fiction and the history of jehovah's witnesses to explore the serious problem of mind control?
"how can you get jw's who may be waking up to dare to consider they may be subject to undue influence?i noticed early on with jw's--almost all of them are big science fiction fans!the same is certainly true of scientologists.as to "how"?
this chapter deals with the central plot point.. white house 1908. roald amundsen (arctic explorer) stood speaking softly in the oval office of president theodore roosevelt.. “newspapers call this the heroic age of exploration.but this word hero—that kind of word misunderstands the very nature of a man.”.
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TerryWalstrom
I learn something new every day.
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Science Fiction--Undue influence--Mind Control
by TerryWalstrom ini have been asked repeatedly, "how and why would you use science fiction and the history of jehovah's witnesses to explore the serious problem of mind control?
"how can you get jw's who may be waking up to dare to consider they may be subject to undue influence?i noticed early on with jw's--almost all of them are big science fiction fans!the same is certainly true of scientologists.as to "how"?
this chapter deals with the central plot point.. white house 1908. roald amundsen (arctic explorer) stood speaking softly in the oval office of president theodore roosevelt.. “newspapers call this the heroic age of exploration.but this word hero—that kind of word misunderstands the very nature of a man.”.
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TerryWalstrom
ILLUSION 1876
Back in Pastor Charles Russell's hotel room, Nelson Barbour took the measure of his new partner. The young man had already taken the measure of Barbour.
Russell smiled disarmingly at the older man.
"Brother Barbour, in answer to your question--the date of our Lord’s arrival is an illusion—but, not a lie."
"What is it you’re trying to tell me, young man?”
"I've hearkened to the voices of many strangers and I’ve squandered my Father's money. I’ve wrongly believed predicted dates were proved beyond any doubt—only to see hopes dashed. Frankly, I’m fed up with chasing my own tail in circles. I mean to accomplish something huge in this world."
Barbour moved to the canopied bed in Russell's hotel suite, seating himself on its edge picking at lint on his gabardine pants.
Barbour was exhausted. He listened with grim fascination as the young man spoke."May I ask the reason for such unsettled views?”
Russell strolled over to the window and cast his eyes evenly at the cityscape. Off in the distance, a building had caught fire. He wondered how much warning of escape poor souls trapped inside might have had. Would they get out in time or perish in their sleep? He shook his head sorrowfully.
“William Miller, God rest him, convinced thousands in his day. True believers stood watching the skies for Christ’s return to Earth in 1843. What happened to those simple folk with all their faith and certainty? Overnight, true believers became a laughing stock. Newspapers called it The Great Disappointment, don’t you remember? But--what they failed to see, I see most distinctly--what he got wrong served to wake up sleeping Christians and put them---and me--on alert. The time of the End is at hand.”
Barbour stared intently at the back of Russell’s head as he spoke. He rubbed his eyes wearily. The young man was a troubled soul; a wealthy troubled soul.
"But--Charles, I heard you in your sermon tonight--you spoke of a Martian plan to thwart the kingdom of our Lord. I must confess I’ve never heard of anything like this before.”
Russell pivoted his head wild-eyed. There was a sad, pleading tone of confession in his voice.
"I’m anointed with whispers of the Lord. . . prompting me.”
"Brother Charles—I too have such whispers, but I simply don’t have the funds to be effective as you are.”
"All funds necessary are securely in place since I've come into my majority. I have been afraid until now that mine was a lone voice crying alarm at the midnight hour in the wilderness."
"What did you mean when you spoke earlier—an illusion is not a lie?”
"A magician says, ‘Watch this’. and distracts you from what’s really happening. Satan is such a conjurer. Miller was used by the conjuror--misled, but Miller didn’t lie—he simply allowed you to fool yourself trusting him. ”
"I see. I see. But--more to my point--Charles, I’m losing subscribers who are fed up with promises and disappointment. Your Mars idea is sensational and attention-grabbing—isn’t that really what this is all about?”
"Brother Nelson—the churches use fear of Hell to motivate members. We can do better. Our Lord deals in signs and wonders and moves in mysterious ways. His plan is brilliant but very subtle.”
Nelson Barbour stood and straightened his necktie flashing a wary, serious smile.
"It sounds like we are about to embark on a life-saving work; an expensive work."
Outside the hotel a fire wagon raced by, clanging its alarm. The clatter of horse hooves upon stone streets rose and fell away with furious tumult. Crowds eagerly followed in the wake of its passing, drawn by the novelty of advertised disaster.
“Make no mistake; I’ve inspected dozens of charts: I've examined dispensational, chronological and even a Great Pyramid chart revealing prophetic dates preserved in stone measurements! The so-called trick is getting people excited the way William Miller did.”
Outside the hotel, the clattering fire wagon receded into the distance. Logs in the bedroom fireplace crackled and tossed sparks with sputters and smoke as if in protest. Russell’s face caught the red flickering light. His eyes burned with an inner fiery zeal.
“Nelson--my conscience is on fire. What I need are fellow pilgrims to assist in the subtle work.”
“Okay. Okay--but Charles--Martians—they’re not mentioned in the Bible.”
Barbour cocked a skeptical eye toward the Pastor who scowled reprovingly.
“Use your wits! Martians are actually demons!”
Russell frowned admonishingly. Barbour brightened.
“Oh, I get your meaning—in for a penny, in for a pound, they say. The subtle language on your part, Russell. It is the hook we've been searching for. In for a penny, in for a pound.”
Rusell pursed his lips with wry weariness.
"Yes—your penny and my pound it would seem!”
Barbour grinned sheepishly.
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3
An excerpt from my book (The Monorails of Mars) an allegory of the Watch Tower religion
by TerryWalstrom inexcerpt from my bookthe monorails of mars______ ______ ______.
military attaché geoffrey leonard interposed his body between the brit and the alien immediately in a formal manner of one who snaps to duty and attention when a high-ranking officer enters the room.. “forgive my manners mur-dok, this is jack clayton--“.
“ahh yes—of course—the kaliban exterminating brit who can get the lazy natives whipped into form!”.
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TerryWalstrom
ILLUSION 1876
Back in Pastor Charles Russell's hotel room, Nelson Barbour took the measure of his new partner. The young man had already taken the measure of Barbour.
Russell smiled disarmingly at the older man.
"Brother Barbour, in answer to your question--the date of our Lord’s arrival is an illusion—but, not a lie."
"What is it you’re trying to tell me, young man?”
"I've hearkened to the voices of many strangers and I’ve squandered my Father's money. I’ve wrongly believed predicted dates were proved beyond any doubt—only to see hopes dashed. Frankly, I’m fed up with chasing my own tail in circles. I mean to accomplish something huge in this world."
Barbour moved to the canopied bed in Russell's hotel suite, seating himself on its edge picking at lint on his gabardine pants.
Barbour was exhausted. He listened with grim fascination as the young man spoke."May I ask the reason for such unsettled views?”
Russell strolled over to the window and cast his eyes evenly at the cityscape. Off in the distance, a building had caught fire. He wondered how much warning of escape poor souls trapped inside might have had. Would they get out in time or perish in their sleep? He shook his head sorrowfully.
“William Miller, God rest him, convinced thousands in his day. True believers stood watching the skies for Christ’s return to Earth in 1843. What happened to those simple folk with all their faith and certainty? Overnight, true believers became a laughing stock. Newspapers called it The Great Disappointment, don’t you remember? But--what they failed to see, I see most distinctly--what he got wrong served to wake up sleeping Christians and put them---and me--on alert. The time of the End is at hand.”
Barbour stared intently at the back of Russell’s head as he spoke. He rubbed his eyes wearily. The young man was a troubled soul; a wealthy troubled soul.
"But--Charles, I heard you in your sermon tonight--you spoke of a Martian plan to thwart the kingdom of our Lord. I must confess I’ve never heard of anything like this before.”
Russell pivoted his head wild-eyed. There was a sad, pleading tone of confession in his voice.
"I’m anointed with whispers of the Lord. . . prompting me.”
"Brother Charles—I too have such whispers, but I simply don’t have the funds to be effective as you are.”
"All funds necessary are securely in place since I've come into my majority. I have been afraid until now that mine was a lone voice crying alarm at the midnight hour in the wilderness."
"What did you mean when you spoke earlier—an illusion is not a lie?”
"A magician says, ‘Watch this’. and distracts you from what’s really happening. Satan is such a conjurer. Miller was used by the conjuror--misled, but Miller didn’t lie—he simply allowed you to fool yourself trusting him. ”
"I see. I see. But--more to my point--Charles, I’m losing subscribers who are fed up with promises and disappointment. Your Mars idea is sensational and attention-grabbing—isn’t that really what this is all about?”
"Brother Nelson—the churches use fear of Hell to motivate members. We can do better. Our Lord deals in signs and wonders and moves in mysterious ways. His plan is brilliant but very subtle.”
Nelson Barbour stood and straightened his necktie flashing a wary, serious smile.
"It sounds like we are about to embark on a life-saving work; an expensive work."
Outside the hotel a fire wagon raced by, clanging its alarm. The clatter of horse hooves upon stone streets rose and fell away with furious tumult. Crowds eagerly followed in the wake of its passing, drawn by the novelty of advertised disaster.
“Make no mistake; I’ve inspected dozens of charts: I've examined dispensational, chronological and even a Great Pyramid chart revealing prophetic dates preserved in stone measurements! The so-called trick is getting people excited the way William Miller did.”
Outside the hotel, the clattering fire wagon receded into the distance. Logs in the bedroom fireplace crackled and tossed sparks with sputters and smoke as if in protest. Russell’s face caught the red flickering light. His eyes burned with an inner fiery zeal.
“Nelson--my conscience is on fire. What I need are fellow pilgrims to assist in the subtle work.”
“Okay. Okay--but Charles--Martians—they’re not mentioned in the Bible.”
Barbour cocked a skeptical eye toward the Pastor who scowled reprovingly.
“Use your wits! Martians are actually demons!”
Russell frowned admonishingly. Barbour brightened.
“Oh, I get your meaning—in for a penny, in for a pound, they say. The subtle language on your part, Russell. It is the hook we've been searching for. In for a penny, in for a pound.”
Rusell pursed his lips with wry weariness.
"Yes—your penny and my pound it would seem!”
Barbour grinned sheepishly.
____________
