Posts by Ghosthunter

She always calls me at work. I haven't heard from her in almost 3 months. (She never calls anywhere NEAR the holidays.) Mind you, I've been DF'd almost 20 years, and was only officially baptized a year. She calls me and prefaces her conversation, as always, "Hello, it's your mother." I say, "Hi, mom, how are you." The next thing she says, HAS said for the last 20 years, "I was calling to check up on the boys." Mind you, my "boys" are almost 18 and 22. I say, "Everyone's fine, mom." and go on to tell her all the news. She says, "Well, I hate to keep you since you're at work." Like I said, she ALWAYS calls me at work, probably to avoid talking to me for an extended period of time. We talk for a couple more minutes and she hangs up.

There are SO MANY THINGS I want to tell her and share with her but I can't, because I'M AT WORK. If I try to call her when I'm at home, she acts all nervous and distracted and the conversation never goes well. It's like I've trapped her and she doesn't know how to get away.

I hate it. I absolutely hate it. I'm an only child and my mom raised me alone. It was always just "her and me against the world". I was depressed for the rest of the day. It's very hard to be rejected by one's own mother.

I'm not out to make anyone feel sorry for me, I just wanted to "vent" to people that would understand. Thanks.

GH

32

Were you happy as a witness?

by JH in

jw
friends

the few years that i was an active witness, i can't say that i was very happy.

i really didn't mind missing a meeting.

i always felt that a meeting every 2 days for the rest of my life was a little exaggerated.

Ghosthunter

A big NO. Never, ever. I hated the meetings and I hated going out in service when I was a kid, I hated the teasing at school, I hated the guilt, I hated it it all .

I could also never see the point of "living forever" on a paradise earth. Wouldn't you get bored living forever?

37

What does property cost where you live?

by ball. in

jw
friends

i just saw on tv that a 3 bedroom detached property with swimming pool in florida costs the exact same as my 2 bedroom apartment on the coast in england.

i was totally suprised by this.

as there are quite a few american posters here, i am curious as to housing costs in other areas.

Ghosthunter

In Western Michigan, a "starter home" is probably around $130K. We paid $117K for our house, but it is not very big and it is 35 years old. We do live in a decent neighborhood, however. North of us, homes run between $180K and $250K or higher. My question is this: What kind of job(s) do you have to hold to afford a house these days?

GH (moving to a trailer soon)

14

Is it true?????

by little witch in

jw
friends

i read on a jw only site today, that the back cover of the december 23 03 awake shows a picture of a man wrapping a publication as a gift to send.

is this true?

comments?

Ghosthunter

Little Witch,

Send me a private e-mail. I may have someone up here in MI that might be interested in talking to you! My name is real.

GH

13

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

by bisous in

jw
friends

ok, granted i am a newly-transplanted californian to portland....so maybe not a big deal to most.. but i'm told this is unusual for portland....snow has been falling all morning, there are about 3 inches now...it is a soft, feathery dry snow.

i've already been for a few walks ... it is so quiet and muted out especially for a city.

people are out walking (can't drive!

Ghosthunter

Weather forecast says we're getting some major snow on Sunday. It has been unusually warm here in Western Michigan with rain and practically no snow! Of course, the damn storm will hit as soon as we have to go back to work, but maybe we'll get a chance to play in it on Sunday. Looking forward to playing with my 13-month old grand-daughter in it! This will be the first year she will know what snow is!

GH

41

What Depresses You About Jehovah's Witnesses?

by minimus in

jw
friends

many persons express why they are angry toward the jw religion but what gets you depressed, just thinking about it, regarding the witnesses?

Ghosthunter

I get depressed over my lost childhood. We weren't allowed to be children. We were ridiculed in school and told by our parents and the elders that the persecution would make us stronger. It didn't. It made us a bunch of angry adults.

15

Kingdom Melodies: A Method Of Self-Imprinting?

by Englishman in

i'm trying to find a site that contains the actual lyrics of all the kingdom melodies.

i have a theory that many contain words that subliminally influence the way that jw's think.

i believe that the singing and repetition of these words actually results in a type of self-imprinting brain-washing.. if anyone knows of such a site or is able to contribute some typical instances of the afore mentioned subliminal influences i would much appreciate it.. englishman.

Ghosthunter

Is it just me, or does the Kingdumb melody "Move Ahead" sounds an awful lot like the Christmas carol "Home for the Holidays"?

Just an observation.....

17

Demons

by dh in

another post to add to my list of things i wanted to ask ex jw's but never had the chance.. have you ever had any unexplainable experiences or encounters with something paranormal and been told by jw elders that 'it must be the demons' literally, or 'we'll pray to jehovah for help' due to some 'demonic' thing you are going through, being tormented or whatever, if so, what do you put it down to?

do you subscribe to a belief of angels & demons?

do you believe these beings, if they exist can interfere in our day to day lives or do you dismiss anything 'paranormal' as being in the head of the person who thinks it happened to them?.

Ghosthunter

Well, rem, I guess you may have a point. However, it's just like people who have claimed to have encountered aliens. To the rest of us, it seems like crap. But, to those of us who have encountered "other beings" and have also captured them on media, it is a different story.

GH

17

Demons

by dh in

another post to add to my list of things i wanted to ask ex jw's but never had the chance.. have you ever had any unexplainable experiences or encounters with something paranormal and been told by jw elders that 'it must be the demons' literally, or 'we'll pray to jehovah for help' due to some 'demonic' thing you are going through, being tormented or whatever, if so, what do you put it down to?

do you subscribe to a belief of angels & demons?

do you believe these beings, if they exist can interfere in our day to day lives or do you dismiss anything 'paranormal' as being in the head of the person who thinks it happened to them?.

Ghosthunter

Wow! A subject right up my alley!

My father was murdered when I was less than a year old. My father was not a JW, but my mother had been baptized a few years. I had some experiences which I can only describe as paranormal as growing up. When I told my mother about them, she, of course, became very afraid and always blamed the DEMONS . I never felt that "whoever" may have been there was out to harm me, but rather to protect me. I am convinced that my father watches out for me, and now that my beloved grandmother has died, I feel she is around me, too.

That being said, I totally believe that there are good spirits and evil spirits, as well. Are the evil spirits DEMONS ? I don't have an answer for that.

There are just too many legends and stories dating back many, many, MANY centuries that can only be described as paranormal or supernatural. They can't all be "imagination" can they?