Posts by Tech49

PS.. after re-reading the comments in this and other threads, I am continually impressed at the deliberate, articulate, concise and artful display of ya'lls posts.

Cudos to you all, and thank you for being out there in cyber-space to hear our rants.

27

Education Double Standard

by Tech49 in

jw
friends

this is the kind of thing that really burns me.. .

wtbts holds out an extreme double standard in regards to education.

most, if not all, of you know how they feel about obtaining an education past high school (in the u.s.).

Tech49

I thought I would bring this topic back up to the top, considering the new letter that will be read to the congregations this coming week, asking for help on the Warwick project.

It never ceases to amaze me, that if you just step back and look at things from a different perspective, the double-talk and hypocrisy becomes blatantly obvious.

Tech49

32

Lurkers/faders in the US - a heads up on next week's service meeting (Warwick HQ project to be discussed)

by cedars in

hi folks.

atlantis has very kindly let me see a copy of the aug 21, 2013 letter to all bodies of elders in the united states.. they are being instructed to re-organize the service meeting for the week commencing september 2nd (next week) to include a special recruitment talk to attract skilled volunteer workers for the new warwick hq.. an interesting feature of the letter is its comparison of the project with nehemiah's rebuilding of the walls of jerusalem.

considering the relocation of hq is financially motivated more than anything, the analogy is more than a little bewildering.. here is a scan of the opening comments of the two-page outline, to be given in the next local needs item.... .

Tech49

And what they conveniently forget to mention, out of design, is that they aren't willing to help out with the expenses involved in undertaking the "grand opportunity" to help them out.

I am a business owner, and have a highly sought after skill for new construction projects like this. WT is repeatedly calling my office, trying to get me and 1 of my main guys to come out. In order for me to "help out", I would have to purchase plane tickets from the West Coast at approx $1100 each, and take 1 to 2 weeks off work, out of my office and out of the field. I wont go into the details on how much that is worth, but lets just say its ALOT!

So my "contribution" to the project in Warwick would be several thousands directly out of pocket. In this economy, that's a pretty hard thing to ask of those who are just now beginning to rise up onto their feet again.

Maybe if they chipped in for plane tickets, or something (God knows they have the cash), it might make things more feasible.... even the average Joe Publisher with useable skills can hardly cough up that much cash and time off of their regular paying jobs... Hell, I can't even count service time for my 2 week "vacation" in upstate NY (if you are a Reg Pio you can!).

Its all about DONATE DONATE DONATE GIVE GIVE GIVE. But in the end, all you do is PAY PAY PAY PAY. Stay in their cheap "apartment" dorm rooms, drink cheap coffee, work 12 hr days, and then have to hurry up and get your a$$ home to keep the "worldly" business running before the bills stack up too high and things go sideways. Oh what a "privilege" and a "blessing"!!

No thanks.

Tech49

36

Would You Shun Your Own Son or Daughter For A Million Dollars for the rest of your life??

by Narcissistic Supply in

jw
friends

simply for the money..

Tech49

I know of a couple, must be in their late 50's, early 60's... their 2 kids left the "truth" shortly after moving out on their own. I don't know the exact story, but the short version is this..... this couple, he was an elder for MANY years, up until just recently, have shunned their kids for over 30 years, and now have been shunning their grandkids for over 10.

They don't even know their grandkids. Its pathetic, and just sick. I asked him about his kids and grandkids one time, and he just said "I dont talk about them, they arent in the "truth"."

I honestly dont know how someone could do that, it goes against every grain of humanity that is build into us as warm-blooded beings. Is anyone's children so downright evil that they ignore them and pretend they are invisible for 30 YEARS!!! What did the grandkids do to deserve that kind of treatment?

Recently, I learned that he stepped down as an elder, both of them are basically so mentally screwed up that they can barely function. Ya think !!?

Stupid idiots, think of all the years lost. Wouldnt want to bring reproach upon the Org, now would we?? How about the pain and suffering their "loyalty" has shoved down their familiy's throats. Didnt do any good did it? Oh, and I am sure that this has been such a "good witness" to their kids and grandkids, and all the people they EVER talk to, I am sure they will just RUN to the nearest KH to join these robots. Can you imagine what they say to other people about their parents.. their kids' grandparents??

Mom and Dad will soon die old, miserable, lonely, heartbroken, and mentally Fubarred.

How'd that work out for ya...??

My answer, to the original question, and the answer of the lovely Ms Harper..... No, not in a million years, or for as many millions of dollars you could pile in front of us. Our relationship with our kids is not one to be toyed with and not a bond that will be broken, no matter what mistakes or paths ANY of us take. We have, and will continue to take verbal, mental, and emotional blows for our children. We may even end up "banished." Push come to shove, they are all we have. No organization or edict will change that. Anyone who tells you different, or acts different, is sick in the head.

Jack Harper, Tech49

32

Tech 49: the 3 F's...Fading, Field Service, and Friends

by Tech49 in

here we are, the family and i, moving along in our slow journey to freedom.

although they are unaware, for the most part, our ship is slowly veering off course.

not enough to cause attention, not enough to trigger alarm bells, but just enough.. since the summer dc, i have watched carefully, as the new releases remain on the coffee table, in plain sight, not touched, more of a decoration that anything.

Tech49

On another side note, I have been watching our meeting attendance, on a congregation level. According to the figures they take and post on the information board, we are typically at 55-70%. Listening to the group sing songs before, during, and after meeting...... the enthusiasm is not there. Its just gone.

Standing at the literature counter yesterday, several came up and were looking for bibles to place... any bible, any size, any color ???? Nothing. The brothers had called all the congregations in the state, and NONE of them had any bibles to place. WTF??? How is that possible?? The worst part is, the brothers have no anwer to give to the folks looking to get some???!! I thought we were here to promote the HOLY SCRIPTURES ??? Plenty of Bible Teach books, and coloring book WT and AWAKE leaflets on hand, but no Bibles to go with them?? And nice pretty rolly carts on full display at the literature counter.... no bibles in it though......In all my years, I have NEVER seen the entire COUNTRY run out of bibles.

No bibles, anywhere?? Really? REALLY??!

29

New Arrangement: All Can Listen In to Bethel Annual Meeting

by Red Piller in

jw
friends

a letter read at our meeting.. .

our congregation is assigned a location (a nearby congregation) to listen (video, also?

) to the annual meeting.

Tech49

So maybe I am just missing something here. I don't get what all the fuss is all about. Yesterday, at the conclusion of the meeting, they read a letter outlining the local arrangements as to where and when the Annual Meeting was going to be broadcast.

Afterwards, I approached a brother who has served at Bethel, and asked him to help me understand why this is such an enourmous BLESSING??? Whats all the hubbub?

He went on and on about what a GRAND privilege it was to be able to "attend" this meeting... as in the past only those that could obtain a "ticket" through whatever means necessary could have the "privilege" of listening in. "Dont miss it! All of the annointed will be on the program! It is going to be a wonderful, truly life-changing meeting! You HAVE to be there!"

Ummm....... okayyyyyyyyy...... still not getting what all the fuss is about... besides just another way to waste a perfectly good Saturday.

32

Tech 49: the 3 F's...Fading, Field Service, and Friends

by Tech49 in

here we are, the family and i, moving along in our slow journey to freedom.

although they are unaware, for the most part, our ship is slowly veering off course.

not enough to cause attention, not enough to trigger alarm bells, but just enough.. since the summer dc, i have watched carefully, as the new releases remain on the coffee table, in plain sight, not touched, more of a decoration that anything.

Tech49

Here we are, the family and I, moving along in our slow journey to freedom. Although they are unaware, for the most part, our ship is slowly veering off course. Not enough to cause attention, not enough to trigger alarm bells, but just enough.

Since the summer DC, I have watched carefully, as the new releases remain on the coffee table, in plain sight, not touched, more of a decoration that anything. The kids watched the DVD, Ms. Harper and I have not, me more out of protest than anything. They didnt say too much about it, just said how much it was like a movie more than anything, and lacked realism.

In the last 6 months, work has conveniently left my schedule pretty jammed up, mostly by design. This has definitely affected our meeting attendance, mine in particular. I have calculated carefully, and I am at a stunning 30% ! Ms Harper isnt far behind, maybe at 50%. The kids go more, as the oldest can drive, and they have a good time. What is notable, is that no one seems to have noticed..... odd, given that not long ago I was an ELDER !

Field service has been a little experiment of mine. Since about March, I have pretty much quit going. Seems almost WRONG to say that, but it is what it is. I dont turn in any time at all, or very little if my FSOverseer bugs me about it, when he can catch me at the KH. I might then give him the obligatory handwritten "2". Last month I went out on the 1st Sat (still havent turned in a report for that month), when we all meet at the KH as a congregation..... wife and I sent the kids out with their friends, as they wanted to have fun, so we went out for coffee and donuts by ourselves, and pretty much nothing else! Good god, we are just not in the mood anymore. Its so repetitious and bland, we would rather have our toe nails pulled! Again, same story.... no one seems to notice or care.

At the KH, for field service today, the other elders are just soooooo busy doing their elder things... putting the rolly carts together that the Branch has sent to the congregation (3 rolly carts, mind you), and trying to find willing volunteers to drag them around our little city and park... I almost laughed! Jeez, they look like little literature sellers...oh, wait....... Again, Vic and I went on our own merry way, enjoyed scouting the "territory" for a new house to buy! (we are in the market). Pick up the kids at noon, and off we go! A marvelous day!

And speaking of friends, did I tell you that ours ALL seem to be shallow, fickle, and mostly just plain stupid. And VERY CONDITIONAL. No one seems to look past their own noses, unless of course you step out of line, and as long as you don't raise a stink, they dont seem to notice the ENOURMOUS, HUGE difference that MY life has taken in the last 12 months. Nothing. The elders havent said a word, even our "friends" cant seem to notice the forest for the trees. But they arent our friends anymore. I see them in the "clicks" that we are no longer a part of. Just because of a title. Makes me ill.

As a part of my little social experiment, I have purposefully invited several families over, at different times throughout the summer, for dinner, a bbq, or just beers on the back deck. Multiple times, I have maneuvered the situation so that I would be alone with 2 other elders, just to see what kind of conversation we would have, what kind of "encouragement" would be uttered, or even just questions about our family, our (Ms Harper and my) thinking and difficulties. My little experiment has yielded the expected results..... NOT ONE THING has EVER been asked about us, nor have I been offered ANY kind of encouragement or even been asked about my OBVIOUS change in meeting attendance and field service activity. NOTHING. Idiots.

Get this.... in the last 15 months, I have gone from giving Assembly parts, public talks twice a month, Service Meeting parts every week, just at the least.... to 1 bible reading and 2 5-minute talks from the Reasoning Book. A total of 13 minutes of stage time in 1 1/2 years. Havent been invited to offer a prayer for the congregation, not once in that time. Not that I mind, now, but come on..... did not ANYONE notice a change? These guys have their heads so far up their rear ends, and so focused on making sure their rolly carts are in good order, they don't see what is happening right in front of them.

I am saddened, not for myself, but for those poor publishers that need so desperately to be needed and wanted.

On the upside, I really am beginning to see the very faint stirrings of activity in the minds of my children. My daughter is a thinker. Her mind dwells on things for days at a time, and we have some really deep conversations. This one will awake! It will take a little time, but she is very analytical, and focused. She sees hypocrisy a mile away, and is starting to ask a few questions that will shortly take her down the rabbit hole.

Ms Harper and I are very happy where we are at, and with where we are going. Most times, we dont talk openly about the obvious path we are on, and I see why. Her mind can't handle it quite yet. We dance around the obvious, like lovers in the night air, swirling and bending to the music in the moonlight....Often, her mouth opens, and out spews the parroted jibberish that we are so used to, almost as if its on repeat..and then she just stops and looks at me... she knows what she just said, and she now knows how utterly silly it sounds. She wont admit it yet, but she knows.

We both know. And we dance.

Jack and Vic Harper

Tech49

47

Overlapping Generations: A wacky kool-aid thread

by RayPublisher in

another wacky kool aid thread for your reading pleasure from the hardcore dubbs on jw talk dot net is here if you want to read it:.

they wax philosophical, they curse this horrible old world, they gently try to project how soon the big a will come, and then swoon when someone quotes a tidbit from a gb member that they overheard.

warning: those with weak stomachs do not read!.

Tech49

Well crap......

Get me some meds then......

36

BOE Letter: Re: Safety precautions when attending spiritual programs

by pixel in

i know atlatis will bring this letter to the forum.

i just wanted to paste it here and bold the most hilarious, weird thing fro the letter.

the bold part that i added made me lol.. .

Tech49

AdamH:

Completly agree. Even when the Revelation book came out, as confusing as it was, it was "challenging" to study it, with all the prophecies to be explained. Many nights you would go home from Book Study with your head reeling..... even when I conducted it! I still have my original copy, that has been studied 3 or 4 times at the book study over the years. It's kind of like looking back at your HS Yearbook, looking thru it and the notes that were made.

Granted, the "understanding" of much of it changed over the years, and most of it is still speculation anyways.

But I remember really trying hard, and studying hard~

Nowadays its ..... Read paragraph,...... answer question to paragraph....... what do you need to do different....... you're a slacker.........Even many of the questions now are FEELING based instead of intellectually based.... ie: "What do you look forward to? How does Jeremiah's experience fortify you? How are you affected by this new understanding?" etc etc.

There's no meat in anything, no logical development of a particular point......just lots of PICTURES, fewer pages, coloring books and connect-the-dots(wtf?), HUGE margins, LARGE fonts, SIMPLIFIED versions of everything, and emotional MOVIES with dramatic, unrealistic acting to move you to actions based on guilt. My kids, in their teens, even see it......... More and more I see everything based on EMOTION, and FEELINGS geared toward the uneducated.... not logic, or sensibleness.