I am sorry for your loss. I have buried 7 friends this past year and truly understand the pain.
People make their choices but their friends that survive their choices end up living with the pain. {{{ hugs}}}
Uzzah
it happened last thursday, it's only now i can talk about it.
she was only 34, and so beatilful, but she had a problem with drinking, and other substance abuse.
she was found after aspirating in her sleep.... .
I am sorry for your loss. I have buried 7 friends this past year and truly understand the pain.
People make their choices but their friends that survive their choices end up living with the pain. {{{ hugs}}}
Uzzah
in an effort to keep things confidential for a friend, but to provide him with assistance if possible from those who can help, i post this thread.
here is the body of the email that i received today - a follow up from his mention of the same in a phone conversation this weekend.
in an effort to stay 'out of the middle of things', i will forward this thread address to him by email, and i have asked him to watch the thread for your suggestions.
The subconscious is a strange thing. I applaud the efforts to seek professional help.
I have been out for over 10 years but still have dreams about my Bethel life and bethel contacts. My former room mate figured largely in a dream I had last night sitting there sharing a beer with me as othe revents unveiled and I ended up pretending I was still a JW in the dream. I couldn't be more out but yet this dream happened.
I have come to realize that 33 years as part of the BORG is not just going to disappear and will appear randomly in dreams. It is part of who I am and what led me to be who I am and what I believe. Ignoring this is just as unhealthy as being a part of it.
I have stopped being unnerved by such dreams and have come to realize it is simply a reflection of my past being reflected in dreams. It is normal and nothing to worry about.
Would a dream about high school friends unnerve you? If not then why would dreams about JW friends or lifestyles freak you out? Our past is our past. It will resurface in dreams on occasion.
Uzzah
a couple of days ago i was coming home from church, in the afternoon, upon entering the building i saw one on of my neighbours sitting in the foyer, she also attends the same church as i do.
i felt as if someone was behind me and i looked up to see and i was right there was a person and she was a jehovah's witness.
she attended the same hall as i did but a different cong.
OFC: If you told the elders that I would be there to meet with them, the meeting would immediately be cancelled. The elders in your area (East & West) hated me while I was still attending meetings for calling them on not following Theocratic procedures and for their lack of love, lack of shepherding and Pharisee-like rule mongering. Now that I am viewed as an active apostate since doing the Fifth Estate program I really don't think they'd show up which should speak volumes to your neighbour about their unwillingness to 'defend their faith"
without question, the ravyn guiliani interview on the six screens conference call created lots of controversy.
ravyn's experience with sra (satanic ritual abuse) was instantly rejected by so many.
it was as though people pre-judicated her story before she had a chance to tell it.
I've posted this before under other similar threads.
I was at bethel for eleven years. Was friends to a number of the GB and was on a fast track to significant responsibilities and authority including writing some articles for the Watchtower and the Kingdom Ministry.
I have been aware of claims of Satanic Ritual Abuse but have never seen any evidence other than individual claims about it. There was no evidence of any such activity in Brooklyn or in the Canadian Branch during the time I served there.
I belive that those making the claims honestly believe their stories but they are, in my experience, creations of unhealthy minds and those already impacted by mental health disorders. If there has been any actual ritual abuse (which has occurred in society in general) it was done by individuals and never endorsed or hidden by the WTBS, Governing Body or entity of the Jehovah's Witness faith.
Unlike the pedophile issue where the Society took active steps to cover up or hide abusers, there has not been to my knowledge any such cover up by the Society regarding satanic ritual abuse. As one who has had full access to the legal files of the Society I would be in a position to know.
There have been multiple letters sent to Bethel about the matter in some cases by the same person under multiple names which also leads me to believe more about the instability of the individuals reporting such things. I also know for a fact having been involved in the article writing process that no-one who is "channeling messages" would be allowed to influence the writing of articles especially not study articles without there being multiple reviews of the content by several individuals. One article I wrote went through three different 'editors' and was sent back to me 5 times for re-writing before it was eventually published. This while I was an elder and in a trusted position in Bethel. Most unsolicited articles went to the circular file (garbage can) and rarely received much more than a brief scan.
We can certainly be sympathetic to those who have suffered for a multitude of reasons whether it be abuse or mental disorders but it does not add anything to the already heavy arguments against the Society for their isolationist teachings, cultish enforcement of rules and unChristian behaviour/teachings
Uzzah
a couple of days ago i was coming home from church, in the afternoon, upon entering the building i saw one on of my neighbours sitting in the foyer, she also attends the same church as i do.
i felt as if someone was behind me and i looked up to see and i was right there was a person and she was a jehovah's witness.
she attended the same hall as i did but a different cong.
Orangefatcat:
If she comes after you just ask whether or not her husband was forced to self-register on the child (sexual) abuser list in order to avoid prosecution. That will likely shut her up.
"Brother P" was just one of dozens of JW pedophiles I knew about when I worked in the Legal Department and which also motivated me to be part of the CBC's Fifth Estate program here in Canada exposing Child Abuse & the JW's
Uzzah
does anyone know if the gb members in brooklyn have bodyguards?.
if so, how many?
and....do they carry any protective devices or weapons?.
OUTLAW: I don't think Maximus will be joining anoy more EXJW boards. Also the "cane-patrol" ceased after Knorr. though I know a few Bethelites who would dream of taking a bullet to protect a member of the GB. I used to be one of them.
"If you are going to have to die on this side of Armageddon what greater honor could there be but to die protecting one of Christ's brothers."
Scary eh?
does anyone know if the gb members in brooklyn have bodyguards?.
if so, how many?
and....do they carry any protective devices or weapons?.
.
But there are other measures in place so I am not suggesting anyone actually try this as it is illegal and of no real value to anyone except to feed the persecution complex of the avid JW.
Post script - I am recognizing the potential danger of posting this information so thought better to remove it. I do not want to be putting ideas into people's heads.
i've been living in a sheraton the last 4 days because i got flooded out and due to the severe storm, lost power.
unbelievable few days!
As tempting as the opening may be Mary.... LOL
Spoke with my family in New England. Many around them have been without power now for 4 days as a result of the ice storm. I am heading there next week to help them with cleaning up the fallen trees etc.
Fortunately two years ago I set them up with a generator wired into their homes so the furnace, sump pump, fridge, microwave and coffee maker still run. I also bought them a battery free no-frills corded phone that actually works during power failures so they can keep in touch. They got their power back today but it was really an non-event for them except for my kid brother who was going through internet withdrawl. It is just my step mother and kid brother there so I am glad they were at least warm and could heat meals.
Be prepared for emergencies folks. It can make even these small incidents much less painful.
does anyone know if the gb members in brooklyn have bodyguards?.
if so, how many?
and....do they carry any protective devices or weapons?.
They had "handlers" but no real body guards. I was travelling with a well known and respected Canadian member (Jack Nathan) of the annointed to Brooklyn one year. Being that I am rather tall and large Ted Jaracz and Dan Sydlik joked that they were bothered that Jack had a personal bodyguard and they didn't.
So they had brothers assigned to their well-being but not bodyguards per se.
The closest thing they had were the wannabes that sate at the front or corners of the stage.
On a side note I used to train security guards and custom agents. I also did building security reviews for some fairly well-known industries. I couldn't help but have some fun with my old room mate at Bethel in charge of security. They already viewed me as a potential threat, so last time I saw him I discussed how I was hired to breach security for my clients to prove where the gaps were in highly secure facilities. He looked a little concerned. So I continued talking about the high tech measures that can be cracked and how the Canadian Bethel really should do a review since the random motion detectors and door alarms just don't cut it against serious intruders.
I am certain he was off furiously writing memos to the Branch Committee about how I was threatening to breach Bethel security. I still snicker at the paranoia even now.
Like I could be bothered.
Uzzah
mine is saturday at a nice country club... my boyfriend is taking me, though it's not his cup of tea.. he's a really great guy.. our company christmas party used to be at the omni parker house in boston...very formal.
http://www.omnihotels.com/findahotel/bostonparkerhouse.aspx now it's at the country club...nice, but not quite the same ambiance.
tonight i have an association holiday party... (csi...construction specification institute) it's being held at the ica (institute of contemporary art) in boston.
Yep and have supported it the past three years as well. In fact it is an excuse to pull out the tuxedo as I have MC'd the Company party each year.
It is a great opportunity to show corporate leadership, have some fun and at the same time privately snub my nose at the years of not enjoying the good will that bubbles to the surface this time of year.
It is amazing to me that some of the dolts that sit on the senior management table don't get it. This is an opportunity to be visible as a leader and they are quite content to sit in the corner like every other employee. Works for me. All in attendance view me as the next Provincial General Manager while those who really want the job sit quietly in the background.
Uzzah in a tuxedo and santa hat - HO HO HOing it all night long and setting the pace for future career aspirations