AlanB

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Posts by AlanB

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  61

  Iraq Al Qaeda link apparently is there

  by Yerusalyim in

  1. social
  2. current

  fox news is putting out a report that the senate intelligence committee has a sixteen page memo detailing the links between iraq and al qaeda going back before the first gulf war.

  this includes monies...weapons...and training going to aq, atta meeting twice with iraqi intelligence (1994 and 2000), and a possible visit by ubl himself to baghdad a few years back.

  it'll be interesting to see how this pans out...even more interesting to hear what the oppossers have to say if this all proves true...you know...the ones who keep saying there's no link between iraq and a q.

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  AlanB

  Well I'm convinced.
  
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  30

  Organized Dub Rave Parties...Easy sex optional!

  by yxl1 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my wife had a long drive home from north yorkshire with her younger brother (who is a dub) last night.

  she was asking him questions about his social life and was very surprised at his response.

  apparently, each week in london some brothers organize raves in various hired nightclubs.

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  AlanB

  Count me in, where do I sign?
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  49

  Holiday decorations on the Kingdom Hall

  by NaruNaruChan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  you know... last year i chickened out... but i'm thinkin there's these two trees in front of my old hall... and they look just like xmas trees... god, wouldn't it be funny if...?

  if we had a mass movement and bunch of apostates went to as many kh in their cities and threw some decorations up?

  i wonder if the dubs would think it's the end of the world!

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  AlanB

  in the UK at least I think it could be construed as inciting religious hatred, which is a big NO NO after 9/11, and lead to police involvement. Be careful.

  I know this scheme does sound very amusing and I am tempted, however...... there may be a point here.

  It would be similar to placing Pork sausages in a synogoue, Beef in a Mosque, defacing any place of worship.......

  Unless it was done tastefully... Hmmmm
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  52

  Were you ever an Elder? Read this Please.

  by Amazing in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi guys, men, former-elders:.

  the last leg of the legal project is afoot.

  it is good, no gooder, no great!!!.

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  AlanB

  who spoke to a new cct. stateing Harold did not have his son in control as he had long hair . So Harold had to step down

  OH MY GOD, We all heard in the UK how bad things were in some congregations but I had not realised it had got That BaD!!!
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  28

  Watchtower Officials Spill The Beans!

  by Voyager in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  two high ranking watchtower officials admit to quite a lot in these official committee hansard documents.

  if you are one of jehovah's witnesses, perhaps you would like to read how two senators take the watchtower officials apart piece by piece.

  especially on the blood issue, several times the watchtower officials walk right into a wall.. the watchtower officials admit that the tax imposed by france could cripple the entire organization.

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  AlanB

  I wonder how the government of AUS would feel now that the WTS said in print that everyone could vote if their conscience allowed it? That would be a 180 position from their 1999 statements:

  Have they !!!!! when was that? Where is that?!!!

  Difficult to keep up with all these changes?
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  33

  prince the witness???????

  by proudassmonkey in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  why the heck is prince a jehovah's witness????

  just curious.. melissa

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  AlanB

  If the music scene is anything to go by this could be the next fashion accessory. Religions go in and out of the scene.

  A few years ago many Muso's were into the Kabbalah, I read an interview with Maddona and she had a very superficial understanding of the subject.

  The Beatles were into Buddhism, Satanism was in vogue in some styles in the 70's, Paganism was in about 5 years ago.

  Perhaps, Book Bag's and Nylon Suits will become the 'new look'.

  Everyone will get on the band wagon, then 6 months later something else will come in and all the muso's who got around to being baptised will be DF, leading to mass CD burnings.

  I have a small recording studio, perhaps I should make an album while its the 'in' thing?
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  80

  This is why I'm Disappointed....

  by Nickey in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it's a public board.

  i was still a jw.

  i came here looking for answers to my questions and doubts.

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  AlanB

  Nicky, (everyone)

  I agree, and have felt the same myself, even though I have been out for more that 10 years now and only recently started visiting this board.

  My initial visits to Ex JW sites I found two categories that I did not wish to associate with.

  - Hate sites. Negitive vibes, there are a lot of JW's I grew up with, very few I still visit at times and are good people, there are hypocrites of course but a lot of them are good people. I will not tolerate this and hatred of ex JW's is as bad in my view as hatred of Jew's, Gay's or other races.

  - Petty Sites. I really do not care what the WT June 15th 1895, half way down paragraph 15 on page 20. When compared to the scripture about the colour of jesus sandles says. I dont have time for it.

  On the other hand..... There are some good sites out there with a positive attitude and can be supportive. I generally find this one on the whole to be good, although at times I do get concerned. We must remember We do have some responsibility.

  - We must consider how first timers will see what we say. We do not wish to confirm all their fears.
  - We must consider that the posting guidelines clearly state.... Inciting hatred on the basis of race, religion, gender, nationality or sexuality or other personal characteristic. Religion applies to JW's as well.
  - We do ourselves a dis-service if we post lies, If I read something that I may later wish to mention to my JW family, I want to be sure of my facts rather than be accused of reading apostate lies.

  Lets not fall into the apostate stereotype. If we believe we are right in our decision to leave the JW's then lets prove them wrong by posting with respect and honsty.

  Sorry to get all heavy..... A
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  1

  Any Experiences of growing up with Ex JW Fathers?

  by AlanB in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a thread i posted to a week or so back created some interesting comments.

  there is something bothering me that perhaps some here may have experienced and can help with.. as outlined in an earlier post, i was a jw, married, had children, the whole thing fell apart, i eventually left, went into exile, faded and gained contact with my children.

  (concise version of history).

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  AlanB

  A thread I posted to a week or so back created some interesting comments. There is something bothering me that perhaps some here may have experienced and can help with.

  As outlined in an earlier post, I was a JW, married, had children, the whole thing fell apart, I eventually left, went into exile, faded and gained contact with my children. (concise version of history)

  I now have two early teenage boys who I see reguarly have a good relationship with. They live with my ex and are surrounded by her family, all JW's. I do try not to counter indoctrinate them, yet do not wish to see them make the same mistake as I did.

  When I was growing up there were a few children who had Ex JW fathers. I know they were only talked about by the adults in hushed tones, the children were pitied in a morbid sort of way. We as children knew these fathers were evil.

  I have no idea what it is like for my boys to grow up in this environment, I have no terms of reference.

  Does anyone here have this experience, how did you view your father? what helped? what did not? did it affect your conciences? Any advice?

  I welcome any perspectives you wish to give me...
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  19

  who has the highest "rank" on here

  by stillajwexelder in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  ok - some of this may be personal and some may not want to answer - -i know there are loads of ex-elders and one or two serving elders on this board, there is at least onn ex-missionary on here also -- are there any ex cos dos branch -- there is obviously at laest 1 ex-bethelite -- can some one clue me in what "rank" sorry to use that phrase it truly angers me really -- are people who are able to speak on this board

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  AlanB

  I had the privilage of handling the microphones during the Watchtower, which was a pain because I had to pay attention.

  I guess that proudly counts as the lowest rank, with the exception of the sisters of course. <ducking>

  A
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  39

  New Divorce Rules ???

  by jazbug in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a friend of mine is getting a divorce because her husband is questioning the wts...he's sick of the cover-ups...in light of a new elder abuse case here.

  she says she can't lie with someone who is going to talk against the wts..so i asked her how she could get a divorce for those reasons.

  evidentally, the co came to talk to her and because she can't get govt.

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  AlanB

  Well its all mind games.

  I was brought up in the WT and married an elders daughter when I was 22. Total nightmare, we were too young and I had no idea about life, myself or women. Inevitably the marriage was a total disaster, although on the bright side I do have two great boys.

  I think she realised the marriage was not working before I did, I was totally oblivious to the problems. In retrospect the best thing she could have done, was announce it was not working and leave. Guess that was not an option in this case.

  Insteat she knew she needed to construct a case that would be plausable to her family and the congregation. She became more and more uncooperative, deliberately provoking reactions from me. Eventually, without my knowledge he father, the PO of her congregation called a meeting with our elders and presented a dossier detailing every petty little thing I had done over the past 2 years. Nothing serious, things like expressing opinions that were slightly out of line, sometimes getting annoyed, drinking perhaps as many as 2 beers when I come home at night, that sort of thing. I was active in ministry, good standing etc. Each account was dated and timed. he was a petty minded git at the best of times.

  I was never invited to this meeting and had no opportunity to defend myself. The elders in our cong thought it was petty and although they did have a word with me about it largely ignored it.

  Some weeks later we were at her parents home and I overheard a conversation with her mother in the kitchen, her mother said "Just keep on reporting it and trust in Jehovah". By this time I was getting very paranoid, although it could be argued that if your fears are correct, that is not paranoia, rather realisation of the truth. I eventually set up a recorder in the house to record a conversation between my ex and her mother. (not too proud of that but needs must).

  The tape revealed a strategy and in their opinion I was no more than the son of satan himself who would surely die at Armageddon. Of course someone who expresses opinions of his own, drinks the odd beer, listens to music, and sometimes gets a little annoyed (my primary sins) is obviously the sort of people who should be condemned to the second death.

  I discussed my findings with the elders and while I was at work one Monday morning spoke to my ex. When I got home she had packed herself and the two children up and left.

  We then went through a charade of my visiting her and the children at her parents house each weekend where we were "sorting things out". In retrospect I was totally nieve, I went along with this because I believed it was the right thing to do and I missed my children. I was still an active JW.

  There then followed a number of attempts to trap me into grounds.

  - Firstly she asked me to withdraw my regualar payments to her bank (she did not work) I told her that I still intended to support the children. She ordered me to stop the payments and so I did. Two weeks later I was served with a Non-Support court order. This turned out to be a scam to get social housing and to attempt to get elders approval for 'willfull non support'. I contacted my lawer and we got the order stopped, of which she was angry, she missed out on social housing points by 1 point, and lost out on the elders approval.

  - Following that my phone would ring late each night. No one was would speak. This annoyed me to start, however in the end I would leave it off the hook reasonging that I had nothing to hide and I may as well run their phone bill up. I suspect this was in an attempt to see if I had any women in the house, which I had not. I mentioned this to a local elder, who was attempting to 'help' me, although in retrospect he was allied with my ex. Suddenly the calls stopped.

  - Finally she cooked up some story to the authorities that she believed I was dangerous and secured a place in a womens refuge. Remember this was weeks after she had left and I had not been round there and I had not stepped out of line once. She then attempted to demonstrate to the elders in her congregation that she felt she was in danger. I am not sure how this went down, however it must have had little effect

  Eventually after 18 months, I started to get on with my life, no women yet, but I was travelling and starting to realise that I was happier without her even though I saw less of my children. I eventually spoke to her about sorting out the mortgage on the house and she smiled in a weird sort of way and said, "you have got your life in a right mess and you cannot get out of it can you?". I thought watch me.

  Stuff the watchtower rules, I am going for a Divorce.

  I applied for a divorce and had the inevitable lecture from the elders.

  Within 4 days I had a letter from her lawer stating that she was withdrawing contact with the children. No reasons were given and I had to go through 9 months of painful, expensive legal processes to gain access. by which time I had had enough of the WT and the way I had been treated that I was definatly OUT.

  Since then she has done everything in her power to attempt to stop me from having any contact with the children other than that granted by the courts. She has even lied to the children and their schools stating that contact is strictly controlled and restricted. This makes out that I am some kind of ax murderer, when in fact 'I' applied for contact and the courts found in my favour.

  I moved to a new town in excile, best thing I ever did, its like my life before was someone else.

  She did attempt to shop me to the local congregation once, they took little interest. So I am not DF, more a rapid fade followed by excile. This pisses her family off seing as her sister was DF a few years ago for leaving her husband and children and running off with another man, she eventually married him and they bother came back so I guess its OK now.

  She once destroyed some books I gave the children, entirely suitable childrens books. She destroyed them telling them (then aged 4-6) that as they had been in my home they could be possessed by demons. My youngest child told me he thought it was rediculous. He quoted this some time later as his reason why he thought there was something wrong with the JW religion and he wont be one when he gets older.

  So I have two children about to enter teen age years. I do not try to counter endoctrinate them, however I do try to give them a very broad view of the world and hope they know they at least shall have the alternative option of leaving with my support if they ever need to.

  An opportunity that I never had when I was a teenager.