Posts by Pete Zahut

26

My Introduction

by Ray Frankz in

this is my first post and i'm feeling like i'm doing something bad big time!

i know on my mind it isn't, but the feelings are less manageable.. well, since i'm still a jw it's better not to give too much info, but i'm from brazil.. i've grown-up in the religion and practicly all my family, my closest friends and my girlfriend are loyal jws.

i used to be a regular pioneer but i still have a service privilege on my congregation.. i've had questions about the teachings of the wt since i was 10, but naturally i always pushed it away as it were "questioning the holy organization".. i started a friendship with some people in a course i took and we talked about a lot of subjects.

Pete Zahut

Welcome and thanks for sharing your story. This is not emergency and you are under no time constraint in terms of making a decision one way or another. Take a "wait and see" attitude and enjoy the ride.

Ray Franz was my instructor at Bethel and I used to sit by him at meals. He was the epitome of what a Christian should be. I knew back then that something was bothering him and wasn't surprised when he left a few years later. I read his books and you can take it from me, every word of his writings are honest and true and his portrayal of what went on at Bethel in those days, is spot on.

13

Tacoma Dome Conventions

by Lynnie in

so i went to visit my jw aging mother this week (i've been df'd for 40 years) and she told me she needs to give the people who are taking her to the convention $10 each day of the convention to cover gas?

my uber elder cousin told her she needs to do this!!!

wtf?

Pete Zahut

Seems to me we used to make sure the elderly were taken care of and nobody would have ever charged them for gas especially since they were going there anyway. Can't imaging what kind of tight wad would charge an elderly person to take them to the assembly. Taking care of the elderly used to be a basic tenet of the religion. Then again, when it comes to money, there's a grab going on from the top down. We found out that Bethel sent my 84 year old mother in law (with dementia) a brochure encouraging her to give her home and savings to the Watchtower and they'd let her stay in it until she died. Luckily my Elder Bro in Law put a stop to that. There's no way he'd let even his beloved Watchtower, get their hands on money that could one day soon be his.

Remember the big Tacoma Dome "parking scam" that was discovered a few years back? People were being charged for parking at the Dome each day even though the dome rental included all of the parking? What a scam that was. I think it cost us around $50 to park for the assembly at the Dome, you had to have these paper parking tickets.

Did you ever get your Mother's house situation straightened out or is she still doing a reverse mortgage thanks to those JW scammers who swindled her out of it a few years ago?

14

Anointed Ratios

by Labate in

another recent topic got me thinking.

has there ever been any kind of study of the ratio of male to female anointed?

if the female anointed will be co-rulers in heaven with morris and company, why are they not represented as gb members and helpers before armageddon arrives?.

Pete Zahut

It seems to me that for things to work out, the female anointed ones are going to have to wear "Halo" coverings once they get resurrected to heaven.

17

Caption Comp

by Tallon in

well now; filming on the set of 'planet of the apes' was a blast.

being the 'muscle' in general aldo's militia was a great opportunity for kicking some serious butt.

i'm looking forward to having another crack at it.. .

Pete Zahut

47

Are JWs "mind trained" to be habitual liars?

by nonjwspouse in

i don't mean overly obvious, or otherwise meaning to cause harm, but taught to lie for the purpose of avoidance.

this type of lying can be pervasive in areas of life that are not just to avoid discussions with people who have questions about the jw, etc.

my husband will lie/be deceitful about the silliest, simple things.

Pete Zahut

They are systematically taught to rationalize whatever it is they want to be so.

If they are suddenly confronted by an idea or concept that is new to them or is in direct conflict with what they currently believe, they are adept at finding a way to rationalize away any facts that make them uncomfortable.

I have JW relatives who haven't met their own grandchildren because their grown children left the "truth", yet when confronted, the will tell you that JW's are free to leave the organization without consequences . In their minds, they are telling the truth.

8

We can count our time though right?

by tepidpoultry in

.

Pete Zahut

45

She's here and early! 27 weeks 1day.

by Darkknight757 in

so as of july 2nd my wife delivered by c-section our little one pound, three ounce daughter izabella.

it was a very scary night that started with a decel and turned into multiple decels that greatly concerned the doctors.

by early morning they felt the need to take her for her safety.

Pete Zahut

I have a 6 year old nephew who was in the same situation as Izabella and he's now a head taller than most kids his age, is learning a second language and is generally an all around force to be reckoned with.

Good Vibes coming your way from Washington State.

23

chasing me for a report

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

i'm fairly new on here and i've told a lot of my story but to recap, after 60 odd years i've stopped going to the meetings.

my husband had already left the truth years ago and my children didn't become jws.(phew!).

i had a horrendous childhood growing up as a witness which included sexual assault by a close relative, also a jw.

Pete Zahut

It sounds as if your relative has threatened to sue someone personally if this matter isn't dropped, and or the loving Watchtower Society smells another law suit coming their way so they've commanded your elders to treat you like Typhoid Mary, until you go away. Personally, I hope you will tell them that if this matter isn't dealt with, you will be seeking legal counsel.

As far as turning in time goes, I'm guessing (like the good little JW sister your were taught to be) you're being far to nice. I finally said to the brother that kept calling me for my time, "Look, I know you're just doing your job and I don't mean to be rude but if I have any time to report, I'LL CALL YOU. Until then, DO NOT CALL ME ABOUT THIS, AGAIN."

If they ask you anything about your future as a JW, end the conversation and don't tell them anything further.

That worked for me and I hope that after all those years of carrying such a burden and then this most recent slap in the face, you'll have the energy left to say what needs to be said, just this one last time, simply to get them off your back.

15

Observation of Sam Heard at Regional Convention in Dayton, OH

by LevelThePlayingField in

heard gave 3 talks at the convention.

one thing i noticed rather quickly was how stuck he was to his notes.

he rarely looked up.

Pete Zahut

One thing I noticed rather quickly was how stuck he was to his notes. He rarely looked up. And then I realized that, he was actually reading everything word for word. But he was literally reading everything

One must always stick to ones outline when one is an important figurehead, lest one appear common.

18

How many JWs would offer their young daughters as a bride to a single GB member

by Chook in

i think the bragging rights of parents would rule.

i've seen cos marry girls no older than there own children when their spouse has died..

Pete Zahut

I understand Mark changed his last name to Handerson and has a girlfriend named Palmala. They said he keeps her at his side constantly.