I too gave up a full-ride scholarship in architecture, right when CAD was coming on to the scene, late 80's. I loved architecture and engineering, was very good at it..... but turned it down, like a good little WT boy. I knew the next day that I had made a terrible mistake, but was too afraid to do anything about it. 30 years later, here I am.
Tech49
JoinedPosts by Tech49
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47
What did you regrettably not do because you were a Jehovah's Witness ?
by minimus injehovah's witnesses cannot do a lot of things.
i remember pioneers having to quit their jobs because they could not work in a convenience store and sell cigarettes.
i know of a young man who was offered a scholarship to any college or university if he wanted to go to because of his football abilities.
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Tech49
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Skinned and Thrown About.....
by Tech49 inthis is a little long, but stick with me.. if you recall, when the building work was in full swing at the new lakefront villa (warwick), wt was having workers come and they would put them up for a year, or more, while they were providing "volunteer services".
with that, and the impending need for hundreds and hundreds of new khs in the usa territory, the congregations were abuzz with the need for "continued construction volunteers".
recently, as many of you know, wt headquarters has sent pretty much everyone home, and is no longer needing workers at the new warwick site, as the building is mostly complete, with the dedication coming up later this year.
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Tech49
This is a little long, but stick with me.
If you recall, when the building work was in full swing at the new Lakefront Villa (Warwick), WT was having workers come and they would put them up for a year, or more, while they were providing "volunteer services". With that, and the impending need for hundreds and hundreds of new KHs in the USA territory, the congregations were abuzz with the need for "continued construction volunteers". Recently, as many of you know, WT headquarters has sent pretty much everyone home, and is no longer needing workers at the new Warwick site, as the building is mostly complete, with the dedication coming up later this year. And now with the KH building program being shelved, the need for workers is growing even smaller. That brings us to this:
I have 2 brief experiences to relate... both 100% true, and both factual, as I know both parties personally. I have waited a while to tell these stories, but decided its time...
Couple #1 : We are pretty close with this couple. Their kids are grown, so they saw an opportunity. They sold his business, all his construction tools, sold and moved out of their beautiful house, sold all their personal belongings and were ready to be sent wherever the need was GREAT! WORK FOR WT until the END!!! Of course WT accepted their application to help build at Warwick. (we talked with them right before they left, and told them basically to enjoy themselves, but to be careful, dont put all your eggs in one basket, and this may not last very long, blah blah blah). anyways........ Off they went in a blaze of glory and fanfare!!! All giggles, smiles, rainbows, and unicorns!!
They stayed in one of the hotels purchased/leased by WT, for almost 2 years. Yes, you read that right; food, room, and transportation paid for in full for almost 2 years. Again, yes... almost 2 years of free living. They drove to New York from the West Coast, so had their own personal vehicle. During the week, they rode WT shuttles to the jobsite. On the weekends, they explored the countryside on their own (remember, they had sold all their worldly belongings, so had money to burn). They were loving life! Oh, to be needed and wanted! Jehovah was blessing them! They were the glorious shiny examples for all! So spiritual!!! They were treated like royalty !! The work at Warwick was winding down in his field, so they were sent down to California to be "trainers". OH MY GOD GEEhovah is GREAT!!!!
THEN, almost overnight, everything came to a screeching halt. KH program was scrapped, all building work stopped. They were asked to return "home". They came home dejected. No place to live, no belongings, nothing. They stayed with friends. The poor couple was so downhearted and depressed, they related the experience like they had been "fired". Brother elder kept calling his contacts at Bethel..."please give me an assignment" he would ask, day after day after day. He told me later that the brothers in Bethel finally flat out told him... "Look, stop calling us. If we want you, we will call you. We have your number. You are making a fool of yourself. STOP CALLING." He was crushed. Now, he was again just a standard elder/publisher. No longer a glorious needed "bethel worker". No more fancy titles, no traveling on WT dime. Nothing. Now he would have to try and find a real job.
He found a menial job working for another brother. He hates it. He barely makes wages. His boss goes on lots of vacations, has new rigs, the usual. He complains constantly that he got the short end of the stick. He had to buy an old beater truck to get to work. He hates it. He deserves better, he says. They had to live in a shitty loaner travel trailer until they could find a little shitty rental house. They both hate it. He says he hates living in the real world. His wife is so sick and tired of him whining she is about done. Sad situation all around, his spark is gone.
Couple #2 Basically the same situation, although they did NOT sell everything to work at Warwick. They too spent almost 2 years there, were sent home when she was diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer (of course they just could not understand why WT wouldnt help them with any type of treatments). They too are bitter and angry, although they would never admit it openly. Only in confidential talk do they admit to being angry, yelling at one another constantly behind closed doors..etc. They are not happy at all, and everything you see on their faces is a facade. They too absolutely HATE being in the real world. They want and expect to be coddled and be provided for (he has been an elder and a pioneer for decades). They figure they are almost "owed" something for their efforts.
In the end, both couples got tossed aside when WT was done with them. Both couples are "pillars" in the congregation, and are deeply hurt (I dont know if thats the right word for it) by how they are being treated.... or are NOT being treated. Its as if WT put them on this big shiny pedestal, and now they realize the pedestal was made of fairy dust. They both had great big titles, had parts at the assemblies about what shining examples they are, gave talk after talk, experience after experience of their marvelous travels.... and now they are just lowly plebians, laity class, rank-and-file. They were both so brainwashed into thinking that their labors would be until the END, that they would be taken such good care of for all eternity...... that now real life is just a crushing reality.
Oh WOE IS ME, WOE is ME!
Mrs Harper and I just shake our heads and smile. "I told you so" might be a little mean, but so appropriate. Fools, grown-assed men and women, fools.
Jack Harper, TECH49
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2017 Yearbook released
by bohm ini saw this on reddit:.
https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/5mlgsm/2017_yearbook_of_jehovahs_witnesses/.
overall the numbers are better than last year (1.8% growth compared to 1.5% last year -- as i predicted ;-) ) with an increase in all major figures including 1300 more congregations (i assume this is not physical kingdom halls?).
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Tech49
I think there is more to the numbers than most realize. We all know that WT blatantly skews the numbers in different ways, sometimes downright making stuff up...ie. counting every single breathing body as an attender, "publishers" as young as 4 or 5, "baptised" ones as young as 8, etc etc. And now the number of "annointed" ones is skyrocketing, when by all accounts it should have been going down.
The point I am trying to make is this: For all the deficits we see, and decreases in publishers and congregations.... this is the BEST CASE SCENARIO. WT does everything and anything it can to make the numbers look good. We will NEVER know the real numbers, because, as we all suspect, they are no doubt much different than portrayed. For example, we will never know the real number of individuals leaving, fading, or DF'd. We can extrapolate, but its only an educated guess. WT would NEVER let that figure out. For all the tens of thousands of hours it takes to gain one baptismal candidate (usually a family member anyway), its pretty pathetic. Its all just busy work.
If the USA stats show things running flat, ..its worse than that. A big decrease in CANADA, ..its worse than that. And they know it.
Again, the point is with all the number crunching, fact twisting, country-bundling, congregation-adding, hour-dropping, this percentage, that percentage, etc etc...... these numbers that are finally published and that you see are the BEST CASE SCENARIO, as good as they could make things look, as shiny as they could polish the turd.
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FWD: let's get JW's propaganda out of Disneyland
by jacobm innot sure if this has already been submitted, but we need exjws to mobilize on this.. from: https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/5kzyfn/lets_get_jws_propaganda_out_of_disneyland/.
posted by: sweetpotatopeachtree .
i submitted the following on the disneyland facebook page (link below) on december 19th after seeing jws peddling their cult propaganda at downtown disney in anaheim, ca.
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Tech49
Seriously? IN Disneyland? Jeez o pete. Complete facepalm. How utterly embarrassing. Sometimes people need to just stop and think before they do this kind of crap. Stupid is as stupid does. (Guarantee you wont see any GB members working that booth!) And yes, ToMo DID mention Disneyland SPECIFICALLY in that talk.
Come on kids, we are going to Disneyland.... no, not to have fun, but to sit at a booth and watch everyone else have fun! Praise Jah!!
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Kingdom Hall Renovation Question: Who Pays?
by breakfast of champions inso last night it was announced at the local hall that the ldc had decided against building a new hall, and that the existing hall would be "renovated.
the prospect of a new hall has been dangled before this congregation for at least 10 years now.
in fact, the congregation had already purchased property, had approval from the rbc for a new hall.
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Tech49
I know, firsthand, of 2 perfect examples of the latest "arrangement" for remodel and larger expenses. 1 KH needed a complete new HVAC (furnace and AC unit) system, as the current one was over 30 years old and no longer cost effective to repair. Another KH needed new carpet and chairs....same scenario. Both KH's sent request to the LDC to do the projects. Well over the $5000 funds-on-hand, mind you. Request was sent to LDC for funding. LDC came back and said..... if you raise at least 50%, then WT will fund the remaining amount, but you must repay via extra "contributions".
Thinking of the carpet and chairs situation, as it is most recent. No total funding amount was ever disclosed to the congregation, just a "large cost". No other accounting information, no "funds on hand" figures, or "this is how much we need to come up with". Just..... "we need more, if this project is to go forward". Then a letter was read recently from the LDC. Basically it said "congratulations, you have reached at least 50% of the cost, and WT will cover the rest. Please make your continued contributions to cover the remaining balance in the NEW box to be located at the rear of the KH." No one knows what said "balance" is however..... all the figures and numbers are a mystery. Even the elders dont know... they say "the LDC is handling all that, so not too worry!".
On the HVAC project at the other KH, funding was delayed until the congregation could come up with more than $15,000, then no further updates were given, just "remember brothers, we need to keep contributing, so that there might be an equalizing"!!
So the congregations and the elders are completely in the dark as to the actual total amount that has been contributed toward each project, or when the contributions have been sufficient to cover them, and when the flock should stop making donations. The money just keeps on coming, and no one tells them to stop. Pretty convenient, right?!
Complete and utter trust is given to this new LDC arrangement, to just keep funneling money to momma.
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Elder/MS requirement for marriage talk? (Wedding not in KH)
by respectful_observer inokay team,.
some family friends who are engaged are getting some flack around the particulars of their wedding ceremony (surprise!
"strain out the gnat, gulp down the camel", and all that).
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Tech49
I will chime in on this one, as I have a recent first-hand experience with this very thing.
A young couple I know wanted to get married. They asked an elder in their congregation to perform their ceremony at the KH, he agreed, and all was well. Shortly thereafter, other elders got their knickers in a wad, and didnt feel it "appropriate" that the kids get married in the KH, as they were too young (he was 19, she was 18). Quite the arguments went round and round, until such a ruckus was stirred up that the original elder pulled out, and the body decided that it would not be "appropriate" to have the wedding at the KH, and no elders or servants would be available to give the talk...... because such a commotion had been stirred up. NOT because the kids had done a single thing wrong, or been "unclean" in any way..... just because too many busy bodies got in a fight about the whole thing.
Needless to say, now this poor couple was upset, confused, and completely lost. My wife and I agreed to help them.
Here's what went down: They kept their original wedding date. We had them meet with a Justice of the Peace in a small, informal setting, just to perform the real legal ceremony and sign the paperwork. Then, the next day, we had the "ceremony", where everyone was invited, at an alternate location that we had helped them rent at the last minute....and I gave the wedding talk. I used the WT outline, very loosely at that! Everyone in attendance said it was the best talk they had heard in a long time! Now, mind you, I am no longer serving as an elder. And we had some in the wedding party that were NOT JW's. We had decorations, played music...It was a great day, the kids got married, pictures were taken, there may or may not have been some good whiskey passed around....a good party was had by all! Good clean fun, no one got out of control, it was a very decent and dignified event. Only 2 other elders in attendance, from another hall. None of the local elders were there. So sad.... but whatever, didnt want to spoil the day for the new young couple.
Fast forward about 2 weeks. I get pulled into the "back room", because of the huge "concern" for what went on. I was not "qualified" to give the talk, they said. That devil ALCOHOL was present! WORLDY people were in the wedding party!! OMG!!! People (who had not even bothered to attend) were so stumbled! How dare I circumvent the "brothers". I WENT OFF! I used some choice language, and basically told them to mind their own business! They couldn't be bothered to support the couple previously, and so it was none of their business who was or was not at the ceremony, or who did or did not perform the ceremony! And I certainly did not need anyone's permission to speak at the ceremony, and perform a "mock" ceremony. I did not tell them that we had done the legal stuff the day before, it was again..none of their business.
So ya, we got a ton of crap for that one, but in the end it was worth it! It was a bright shiny day for the young newlyweds, without an "elders" thumb micro managing the whole event!
Bottom line... anyone can PERFORM a ceremony. You may have to have the actual legal stuff done at the courthouse. And dont let anyone dictate to you otherwise.
Jack Harper, Tech49
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Indoctrination or Education? Grooming Minds
by Tech49 indear friends,.
i came across this video a while back.
after thinking about it for some time, i wanted to share.
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Tech49
Dear friends,
I came across this video a while back. After thinking about it for some time, I wanted to share. Please take a look, as it very succinctly highlights the problems with indoctrination of children, and people in general.
For any lurkers out there, please take a minute and really think about this one....
Jack Harper, Tech49
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RBC Used Tools Liquidation - 80% Off Cost!
by thedepressedsoul inhas anyone else received this email?
"items priced to move, up to 80% off cost".
i'd post the email but i worry they put secret identifying marks on it somehow.
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Tech49
Seems to me they had another tool liquidation sale a year or two ago, selling off RBC stuff. If I remember correctly, there was a website link to the items for sale. I also remember looking at the used, overpriced tools and thinking "sheesh, I could pick that up at Home Depot for the same price, or LESS!"
Up to 80% off..... I doubt it. As someone commented previously.... WT would not leave that much money on the table, out of the kindness of their hearts. Sounds like used-car salesman tactics to make money on stuff cluttering up the storage shed.
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Are GB accountable for deaths for changing policy ?
by Chook inexample blood factions, organ transplants.
suicide from disfellowshipping , breaking up family's with old oral sex policy.
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Tech49
I tend to agree with Simon's comment early on. Ultimately, it is OUR personal decisions that we live with. However, the caveat to that is how our decisions are influenced.
We had a teenage boy in our area recently commit suicide. JW parents, they weren't super-strict, but no doubt his upbringing and the pressures of being a witness were a factor. Should we blame the GB? Maybe, to a small degree. But again ultimately, a larger degree of blame lies on the person making the decison to pull the trigger, including the parents, as they are intimately involved with their childs life, and maybe could have done things differently??.
I have seen several JW suicides over the years, and they all have similarities, including OTHER influences outside JW life.
Alot of it boils down to whom you trust. Do you trust 7 men in New York with your life? I dont. They dont know me and my family. They dont know real struggles, they dont know real family issues and how to cope in the real world. They are spoiled, pandered to, and are put on pedestals, whether they admit it or not. They grow fatter by the day, while spewing out "new light" just to keep up the facade of the "man behind the curtain". They could care less if I live or die. In my humble opinion, that is disgusting.
I firmly believe that we all need to take responsibility and take care of ourselves, and look at WT presented information (if that is where you are at in life) and "truth" very objectively. As has been said many times, "truth" does not change. WT does.
No sane person would EVER give themselves over mentally, without question, to an organization, or a group of men. Those who are NOT entirely sane.....just might.
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Video about boy to not play violin?
by Crazyguy init looks to me as though they are saying don't play at a higher level because your then in competition?
so if i'm correct what if any bible scriptures can be used to back up this anti competitive idea and are there other scriptures showing the opposite?.
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Tech49
This has been touched on, but I wanted to make sure it was brought out in full.
Has anyone seen the videos of the songs that are made by WT.? They feature a full orchestra. Many hours are spent by the brothers and sisters at Bethel to put together these instrumental pieces. We are told to APPRECIATE the great gift we have been given with these musical symposiums. Where did they all learn to play so well? Was it just High School band? I seriously doubt it. How many went to a formal, "higher education" program to enhance their skills? I would venture out on a limb and say ALL OF THEM!
So, playing the violin, or bass, or trumpet, or cello, or flute, or trombone, or guitar, or harp, or drums, etc etc..... for WT music-making is ok....... but encouraging your children pursue their interests so that they can make a living with something they enjoy and are good at...is wrong?
The blatant hypocrisy is so obvious!!I posted this same comment on another thread, sorry for the double post, but this issue brings up so many feelings from my youth. I personally was dissuaded from pursuing higher education in the 80's at something I was so unbelievably good at (not music), and I could have had a full 4-year college scholarship. I vividly remembering sitting in my guidance counselor's office and telling her.."yes, I will NOT be attending college, I have other interests." She had a stack of offers and scholarships on her desk, all I had to do was fill them out. It was a lie, and I tried so hard to convince myself that it wasn't. But I was faking it, I hated that those words came out of my mouth. All she could do was shake her head, and do her best to be positive about the situation. I look back and am disgusted by what others pushed on me.
The efforts by WT and the self-appointed GB to crush the dreams of our youth is just sick and wrong.