Posts by ZazuWitts

47

Let's have a baby shower!!!

by Julie in

jw
friends

as most of you know one of our long time posters, "mommy"/wendy, is expecting a baby in the very near future.

as some of you may not know (and i hope she doesn't plot my murder for discussing it) wendy is going through some real tough times.

she could use a few things for the baby considering getting by with two other children is difficult enough!.

ZazuWitts

Hey Waiting,

Thanks for e-mailing me about this thread - I haven't been on the board as much lately, and had missed this one too...so thanks much!

I too live near an outlet center, and in addition there is a new consignment shop, 'baby' goods only, that recently opened near our home. I'll check that out too. I'm all for getting more bang for the buck!

Excellent idea about not forgetting young Miranda and Tim. All children deserve to feel special, and with the new baby, this is just the right time to extend a little 'special' thought to them too...I can 'picture' their delight and sweet smiles even now.

It just goes without saying, that Wendy will appreciate any of our efforts, no matter how small...or large. I've so often thought of we 'exes', with children who for all practical purposes, often raise our kids without any 'specialness' from their own JW grandparents.

Once, my oldest daughter said to me, "I know I had grandparents on both sides, but never felt like I REALLY had any."
She fully understood about birthdays and holidays, but felt that at least a high school graduation merited perhaps a simple acknowledgement. Soooo, sad for all of in this boat.

Angharad's mum is one of the rare exceptions, she even went and spent time with Ang and the boys while Simon was in Canada spending important time with his father. Her dad also refuses to shun, and consequently Simon, Ang, and the boys are able to go visit. Her parents get 'high marks' in the TRUE love mode, putting family before legalistic dictates of the WTBTS.

But I know Wendy doesn't have such acceptance, her limited contact with her own mother, is generally peppered with 'critical and hurtful' remarks.
And though Wendy has tried to contact her dad, via his personal attorney, her dad hasn't bothered to reply.

Thanks Julie for bringing this to our attention. Wendy and I have gotten out of the habit of e-mailing each other, and I wasn't fully aware of her current situation.

Wendy, hope this last month goes smoothly - I only wish I were geographically nearer, to offer hands-on help to you and the babes.
(((((Hugs and Love))))) Grannie Zazu

13

Latest article from Stephen Bates

by Ivor Hope in

jw
friends

thought you might like to see stephen bates latest article in the guardian.witness on the watchtower .

stephen bates.

guardian.

ZazuWitts

Being in the States, I can't go out to purchase a copy - so I'm sending an e-mail to:

Emily Bell
Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]

Thanking them for publishing Stephen Bates' "Witness on the Watchtower" as a commentary/reply to JR Brown's letter to the Guardian.

13

Latest article from Stephen Bates

by Ivor Hope in

jw
friends

thought you might like to see stephen bates latest article in the guardian.witness on the watchtower .

stephen bates.

guardian.

ZazuWitts

Thanks, Ivor

I'm continually impressed with Stephen Bates! He cuts right to the quick, IMO.

He sees right through JR Brown's 'smoke screen' and attempt to distance the WTBTS from this tragic case.

Furthermore, he picked up on the fact that the WTBTS publications quote from the "Guardian" in their typical self-serving fashion, often actually misquoting and twisting the original intent of the written word.

Can't you just imagine Brown's dismay when he sees this article! He'll probably regret that he wrote it in the first place, because Bates has now exposed the WTBTS 'theocratic warfare' strategy in even further damaging detail.

For those of us so-called apostates, we are fortunate to have this champion for truth on our side. Bravo to Stephen Bates!!! Keep calling it as you see it.

48

Today is my birthday

by TR in

jw
friends

anyone want to give me cyber hugs and kisses?.

tr.

"yk is his name, false prophecy is his game"

ZazuWitts

TR, Wishing you a VeRY HaPPy BIrthDAY.

Just practice those hugs and kisses TR.
As with anything, practice helps.

In the meantime, ((((Hugs)))) and
xxxxxxx, are being sent your way.

I just love ya, in case you didn't know it!!!!

19

A Gentle Stir Or Shake 'Em Rigid?

by Englishman in

jw
friends

just lately i seem to be encountering the occasional jw partaking of a bevvy or two in my local pub.

so, i was wondering, what would i do if a dub came in for a pint of lunch and then, after noticing me, activated his implanted shun-the-apostate chip?

actually, i know exactly what i would do, i would tell him to eff off and use a different pub.. so it was, that on tuesday night, around about 9.

ZazuWitts

Englishman.

You've posted your 'strategy' before, and I've always appreciated it. Makes me laugh, too. Yes, I've entertained the idea of using this approach. Especially the concept of just letting it rooooll out in one run-on paragraph sort of reply. Sound simple and quite effective, imo. I think it might be something I would consider with certain people JW friends/or acquaintances from the past, people who are no longer part of my social network.

And, I know larc has entertained having a drink with my sister's husband, and possibily using a similar style.

I frankly admit though, that we have a few other relatives whom I feel would immediately react with an all-out shunning. Maybe I shouldn't care, but occasionally we do have an opportunity to visit with them and I like to keep that door open.

9

The BIG YELL at the KH

by ZazuWitts in

jw
friends

i was about age 12, already bored with the routine of sunday talks, and the 'tower' study.

i had had about two years worth of enduring the repetitive meetings, as a consequence of my parents' conversion.. one sunday turned out to take a decidedly exciting direction.

we were at the kh early in order for my ms stepdad to tend to his duties before the 3:00 public talk.

ZazuWitts

Angharad,

So, true any little thing that could break the boredom, was a good thing.
Haha, when I was starting to nod-off during a meeting, I used to pray that a minister would happen in and cause another round of excitement.

Brit-Boy, that was funny about your boss smoking outside the KH. Yes, I can just imagine they held you responsible for his actions.

We had one truly eccentric sister that believed cigarette smoke could enter the pores of your skin and cause a demon visitation??? At any rate, if she was exposed to cig smoke, she would insist on returning home quickly, convinced a quick shower would avert the old demons. Then she would prance about naked to 'air' her pores...'because demons don't like fresh air'. Her husband once told this and commented, "It ain't a pretty sight." It was the very first time I heard that expression.

9

The BIG YELL at the KH

by ZazuWitts in

jw
friends

i was about age 12, already bored with the routine of sunday talks, and the 'tower' study.

i had had about two years worth of enduring the repetitive meetings, as a consequence of my parents' conversion.. one sunday turned out to take a decidedly exciting direction.

we were at the kh early in order for my ms stepdad to tend to his duties before the 3:00 public talk.

ZazuWitts

David,

"Deer in headlights" is a good description. In fact, at least in our congregation, it seemed that if even a JW just walked it, unless the person was known by someone, people were quite suspicious; there was quiet murmuring, 'who are they,' 'does anyone know them,' and my favorite 'why are they here?' Mind you, this was during the time when we would leave a leaflet with people at the door inviting them to a 'free public talk.'

I recall a time when two extremely attrative young women showed up at our KH; they were on their way to Florida, had exited the highway just to make a Sunday meeting. They stood around the coatroom for many minutes, finally took the initiative and introduced themselves as sisters from an area a few hours north of us.

The married women in our congregation were staying close to their husbands that day - you see we had had a couple of brothers that had gotten involved with younger sisters, quite the scandel.

Celia, I was never privy to extactly what went on in the libary, only knew that it stemmed from questions the minister had from listening to the public talk. He apparently had the audacity to voice his own thoughts on scriptual interpretatin of some JW belief. I don't remember what the talk was about that day...too distracted by all the excitement I think.

C

9

The BIG YELL at the KH

by ZazuWitts in

jw
friends

i was about age 12, already bored with the routine of sunday talks, and the 'tower' study.

i had had about two years worth of enduring the repetitive meetings, as a consequence of my parents' conversion.. one sunday turned out to take a decidedly exciting direction.

we were at the kh early in order for my ms stepdad to tend to his duties before the 3:00 public talk.

ZazuWitts

I was about age 12, already bored with the routine of Sunday talks, and the 'Tower' study. I had had about two years worth of enduring the repetitive meetings, as a consequence of my parents' conversion.

One Sunday turned out to take a decidedly exciting direction. We were at the KH early in order for my MS stepdad to tend to his duties before the 3:00 public talk.

Imagine everyone's surprise when a minister of 'Christendom' walked into the Kingdom Hall. He was still attired in his Sunday service garb, collar and all. Everyone's eyes were 'bugged' out, for sure. A total hush fell over the place.

The PO approached the minister; it turned out he was interested in purchasing the NWT and an interlinear translation. Money changed hands and the minister even offered a further donation, due to the modest cost that was requested for the materials. He was pointed to the contribution box at the rear of the KH and I saw him place money in it. The PO asked if he would like to stay for the public talk, and surprisingly the minister accepted.

I'm telling you, it was quite a novelty and many people, were turning in their seats to watch the gent sitting there and even looking up scriptures.

At the end of the public talk, the minister appeared about to leave the KH - but when he passed the library decided to enter. The WT study proceeded, but people were often turning to look back and see the man still in the library.

After perhaps 20 minutes or so had passed, the PO arose and went back to the library.
There was the faint sound of normal conversation that could be heard. Then one voice got louder, it was our PO. The mic handler turned up the volume...now you know what that is like...people were commenting accompanied by 'squeaks and squeels.'

The PO got even louder, truly yelling, yet the minister never once raised his voice.
Two or three other MS's went back and entered the library. A brief few minutes of quiet followed - then more YELLING by ALL of the JW's. Not once did the minister truly raise his voice during all of this.

The minister got up to leave and offered his hand to the JW's - only one of them shook it, and I'm sure later regretted that he did because his own daughter later informed me that he had been chastized for doing so.

The Tower study resumed, but afterwards the congregation was asked to stay for a bit. All of the men that had been in the library, then met privately for a short conference.
Then the PO took the stage, with a still sweat-beaded brow, and led us in a short prayer. When he finally addressed us about all he had to say was that Satan finds many ways to deceive, and that the minister was Satan's tool, one who wanted to deny the 'truth' and persecute Jehovah's followers. Whooo, scary, and we all sat there nodding our heads in agreement. What puppets we were.

That was definitely the most excitement ever in our stodgy, 'anointed-filled' KH. Once a drunk staggered in during the TMS after leaving a local bar, shouting "Jesus Saves."
He was quickly, but gently, escorted out.

But the big YELL, was a topic for car-groups for a long, long time...of course, with the proper JW spin put on it...and don't you know it was the JW's who were definitely essentially 'whispering' and the demon-inspired minister who had been engaging in the yelling. So, funny because my one good friend in the congo and I used to wager as to when Brother 'B', a library participant, would bring up the big YELL story to a car-group of newer publishers. At that point, he definitely had his own unique take on the incident. Why, he hadn't been able to say anything at all while in the library, because he had 'laryngitis' - forgetting altogether that he was the one who gave the public talk that day! All he had been able to do what offer silent pleas to Jehovah to rescuse them from this spawn of Satan. LOL

54

I Went in Field Service Yesterday!!

by Valentine in

jw
friends

i must say i thoroughly enjoyed doing streetwork for the first time in my life!!.

it was really cold here in chicago yesterday,snow clouds looming in the sky.

about 10 am i decided to run home for my cofee break.. as i rushed down the main street,walking quickly,i saw 2 groups of jw's w/ their mags on the main street near home.. i haven't seen any around my territory since last spring.. humph i thought.. i double-timed it home,bundled up,grabbed my stacks of silentlambs posters and ran back to the main street.. i stood on the corner,several feet ahead of them and started saying hi to passers by.

ZazuWitts

Tina,

I've got the BiGGesT GRiN plastered on my ol' face...can just visualize you ga!. Great effort on your part...heh,heh, heh!

11

Here's my sad but true story

by TweetieBird in

just discovered this thread by going to who's who.. i guess i'll add my life story.. born and raised a dub, i didn't really mind being a witness but always had a secret desire to celebrate christmas, birthdays and halloween.

they always looked fun.. had a really fun time during the teen years, had some great friends and we did our share of partying, but never really got out of hand.

i was, for the most part, pretty good.

ZazuWitts

Tweetie,

Thanks for your personal story. I know it will be a help to some who may be just now be entertaining doubts.

We were already out when Franz wrote COC, primarily due to coming across some Rutherford's books at a used bookstore.

But, truly Franz's book still was a great revelation as what actually goes on with the governing body. I recall having a true gut reaction, when I learned these so-called spirit inspired governing body members actually 'voted' on issues of all sorts. You could be a governing body member and actually have an extremely different interpretation of scripture, or an opposing viewpoint re any sundry isusue, but if your thoughts/interpretations were out-voted, then you simply complied with the majority. I was shocked! But it clarified so much at the same time.