William Penwell

Joined

• started 122 topics
• posted 3,095 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by William Penwell

• 
  12

  Scientology loses Tax Exempt status in Netherlands!

  by talesin in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the hague court has made this ruling ......... i searched, and no topic showed up, so hope this is not 'old news'.. if a cult loses its tax-free status, does anybody care?well, yeah!

  *pumps fist in the air*.

  it's about time.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  William Penwell

  It is about time and hope this is just a start to get take away other cults tax exempt status.
  
• 
  16

  Born to Be Conned - The New York Times

  by paul from cleveland in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  born to be conned - new york times.

  when people want to believe what they want to believe, david sullivan, a professional cult infiltrator, told the commonwealth club of california, a public affairs forum, in july 2010, they are very hard to dissuade.

  and the reason it happens (and often happens to the most intelligent people) is that human nature is wired toward creating meaning out of meaninglessness..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  William Penwell

  Holy $shit!! Awesome article. Nobody, nobody thinks they are joining a cult. They believe they are joining a group that promotes 100% health, eternal life, perfection, perfect world.....cheating death whether it's by resurrection or living through the big A. You see, that's how people get duped, nothing more than a mirage.

  The dubs and most religions appeal to humans fear of death. Growing up as a dub we were made to believe we would not see death but live through that big A into a paradise earth, only to find out over the years it was all a big lie.
  
• 
  55

  "High" education

  by Esmeralda001 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  did any of you guys disregard the wt recommendations and pursue a career.

  if you answer "yes": was your journey easy?

  are you happy with the end result?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  William Penwell

  I would have to say yes and no. In the early 70's the 1975 push was on and so I did not apply myself as I was brain washed into going into the full time ministry work. As it goes this was an eye opener for me as I seen first hand the hypocrisy from some of these so called full time ministers, that turned me off. In the long run they did me a favor as this was the start to me questioning the organizations claim as the spirit directed organization. Years later after I was married and had to work full time to support my family I started to take night school courses to upgrade my skills. This eventually ended me up getting a better job, all be it not the work I would have preferred but at least I was able to a good living where I could be able to build up a pension and retire early. Now I pursue my first love in the entertainment industry, not as a career but as a hobby. This is something the borg always frowned upon but I am doing it for myself and not to make anyone else happy.
  
• 
  96

  Special Pioneer Couple Living at a Kingdom Hall In Miami FL, get the dreaded Letter

  by James Jack in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  just got a phone call from an older sister saying that a couple that got re-assigned from bethel 4 years ago to live at their kh apartment as special pioneers, just received a letter saying "as of january 2016, your special pioneer assignment will be discontinued".. they live in a south miami kh(snapper creek congregation).. this couple had only served in bethel for 15 years before they were sent out into the special pioneer work.

  they are now in their mid 50's and the sister said that they have to find part time jobs to support themselves.. the older sister (does not have a pc or internet), says that the couple are just devastated!

  .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  William Penwell

  I am glad I decided to study chemistry and then get an MBA. I'd be well and truly screwed now if I took the advice of the CO's......

  Yeah I worked for 36 years for the same company with a good pension plan and I am able to retire and live comfortably. Even though I did not have a great paying job as we were told not to get a higher education, I had a good paying job. It is funny though if I was still in the organization that they would have their money grubbing hands open for donations. If I would have listened to the organization I would have nothing
  
• 
  96

  Special Pioneer Couple Living at a Kingdom Hall In Miami FL, get the dreaded Letter

  by James Jack in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  just got a phone call from an older sister saying that a couple that got re-assigned from bethel 4 years ago to live at their kh apartment as special pioneers, just received a letter saying "as of january 2016, your special pioneer assignment will be discontinued".. they live in a south miami kh(snapper creek congregation).. this couple had only served in bethel for 15 years before they were sent out into the special pioneer work.

  they are now in their mid 50's and the sister said that they have to find part time jobs to support themselves.. the older sister (does not have a pc or internet), says that the couple are just devastated!

  .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  William Penwell

  I am just so glad I did not get sucked into the SP bull 40 years ago. Lets not forget the society pushed that the end was just around the corner and you had no need to plan for your future. Now the reality is that after all these years of banging on doors and doing what the society ask of you they are abandoned.
  
• 
  44

  evolution

  by piledriver in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  can enyone explane why someone who's dissfelowshipt said they now belve in evolution has anyone heard this explane please

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  William Penwell

  What made me finally know that the WT was full of crap was the fossil evidence. They would say that this earth was only thousands of years old but the fossil evidence proves that life on this planet is millions of years old. Also as far as evolution, if we are not related to other life forms, why does all life share about 50% of the same DNA?
  
• 
  72

  The bridge burning has begun.

  by sparrowdown in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was feeling particularly hopeless about the whole jws being assholes thing and sick to death of pretending so ....

  i rang my sister and told her that i no longer believe jws have the truth and the phone went silent, when i asked her to say something she just said if that was the case then she would have to hang up on me and then proceeded to indeed hang up..

  so i texted her back immediately with fu..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  William Penwell

  Stay strong and stop doing it to make other people happy. It should be how you feel. No surprise she is cutting you off. Even my family even though I don't speak out against the religion, treat me differently if we ever meet up a family functions. I feel since my parents are now both gone we are all slowly drifting apart. It was my parents that kept us all together with family gatherings and visits etc.
  
• 
  180

  What is the most bizarre counsel you received as a JW, from a JW?

  by Funchback in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  there were many addressed to me.

  for example, i once had a sister tell me i was gambling because i liked playing skill crane (the machine where you have to try to pick up prizes like stuffed animals) at the arcade.

  i then fired back a her: "you saw the r-rated movie 'backdraft.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  William Penwell

  Did anyone ever hear the stupid story about the kid in a hall who was sleeping on the floor between a row of seats? He woke up crying because his Barney plush toy woke him up and ran out of the hall laughing?

  I never heard of this story but it sounds like a variation of the Smurf doll urban hoax story. I read it on here years ago. It goes something like this, "Smurf doll was sitting on one of the seats at the KH when about half way through the study, the Smurf doll got up, said enough of this shit and walked out". I recall the poster saying that at least that Smurf doll had more sense then the dubs to sit through the BS. lol
  

  Well, the manager (a JW) refused to eat any of them. But one of the other workers there (also a JW) would take a knife and scrape the Christmas icing off of the cookies and then eat them (I guess that made them less pagan).

  Yeah they are so inconsistent with what they practice. I knew one elder that said if you offer me Christmas candy I would eat it. I recall a story where my ex was out in service took out a holiday chocolate and started to eat it and a sister had a shit hemorrhage. So inconsistent.
  
• 
  180

  What is the most bizarre counsel you received as a JW, from a JW?

  by Funchback in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  there were many addressed to me.

  for example, i once had a sister tell me i was gambling because i liked playing skill crane (the machine where you have to try to pick up prizes like stuffed animals) at the arcade.

  i then fired back a her: "you saw the r-rated movie 'backdraft.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  William Penwell

  One that comes to mind for me is when some would not eat holiday candies, chocolates foods etc. Once again the Watchtower being wishy washy on the subject where two dubs would read the same article and get two different meanings. This led to infighting amongst the rank and file dubs. The elders fall back line is always, well if it should make someone stumble then maybe you should do it.
  
• 
  12

  Your Baptism Pics

  by kairos in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  from the most important day of your life.... .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  William Penwell

  I now know I should never have being baptized as I did not understand all the ramifications of being a baptized JW. If I would have waited till I got out and worked in the world and educated myself it would have been different.