Posts by Pete Zahut

26

My Anointed Grandma’s Wavering Faith?

by My Name is of No Consequence in

some quick background information: my dad (her firstborn son) died unexpectedly this past october.

his death has really hit our family hard.

personally, i have not totally come to terms with this.

Pete Zahut

Sorry to hear about your Father, it's quite a blow when they walk into the hospital voluntarily and never walk out. The same thing happened to my father and on top of that it was a routine surgery but it turned out he needed blood a day or so later, due to a leak in an artery. He was too weak to un-sign the blood directive and didn't survive. On top of that, he wasn't even a JW....just studied with JW's. A short time later, they OK'd the use of "blood fractions" which would have saved him.

I was curious if your DF'd niece was told that her great grandmother wanted to get in touch with her ? If not, perhaps you could get her to make the call and somehow make sure Grandma is available to answer the phone directly so as to avoid interference by your Aunt.

It seems to me that old folks have on some level realized what's truly important and because of their limited time left, are willing to cut through all the nonsense.

21

I need your opinions and recommendations please.

by bola in

after my exit from the watchtower shunning cult, i have received tons of invitations from different churches.

but because i am aware of religious cults, i need recommendations of churches that are not cults at all.

after exiting the watchtower cult, i don't want to fall into another religious cults.

Pete Zahut

The watchtower organization ruined me for religion and God. When it comes to that topic, I trust nobody and I'm done with agonizing over what the scriptures supposedly say or don't say or whether there's a god or not.

I have no recommendations for you other than to say, don't limit your search to only Christianity or take any religious teachings too seriously or base any of your major lifes goals or decisions on what other groups of people have to say.

32

2017 Special Conventions.

by ToesUp in

jw
friends

jw special conventions.

who's going?.

are you "special" enough to be chosen?.

Pete Zahut

I curious as to how these cities were selected to have a "special" assembly. I'm guessing the JW's there are statistically known per capita for being generous contributors and that assemblies in these locations are profitable or maybe in these areas there is need of some additional indoctrination to be more generous. Either way I'm guessing there is some non "$piritual" reason these locations are being targeted.

20

$25,000 for one-day assembly in our area

by Bonnie_Clyde in

they started out with a $3,500 carry-over but by the end of the day they were short $25,000.

the speaker eloquently beseeched the audience to go the atm machines and give their generous contribution or at least their widow's mite.

after the sessions were over, our friend who attended walked from one end of the assembly hall and then to the other end and noticed long lines up to both machines with people who couldn't wait to run up their credit cards.

Pete Zahut

noticed long lines up to both machines with people who couldn't wait to run up their credit cards.

This is an opportunity to feel extra virtuous by being seen standing in a long line to make a contribution at the ATM.

I'm curious if they announced at the end of the assembly if they had received the $25k they were looking for.

22

Watchtower/Bethelite Volunteers and US Self Employment or FICA Tax?

by EnlightenedEphesian in

with so many aging bethelites being "laid off" after years of volunteer service, what hope do they have of collecting any social security retirement?

i ask because i recently learned that my mother will not receive any government retirement benefits because she did not work enough to collect the 40 credits required.

this got me to thinking about bethel volunteers.

Pete Zahut

When I was in Bethel, we got a W2 statement at the end of the year but there wasn't enough earnings to have to pay any taxes nor was there enough to earn credits toward social security benefits when you're old enough to retire. I'm not sure how it is for Bethelites today but both my wife and I have been working for decades making above average wages and paying into social security and even with a paid for house and no bills there's no way we could make it on the benefits we are to receive from Social Security. Thankfully we didn't listen to the advice to count on the new system being here by now and we have pensions and IRA's to use.

There's an elderly former circuit overseer in our old Hall who had to leave the circuit work due to health reasons. The last time I talked to them he was working as a school bus driver at 72 and she's a perfume sniper down at the local mall, giving out samples to passers by. They have no Social Security and need to work a number of years full time in order to get benefits.

I can't imagine how an older Bethelite would survive if they were suddenly put out to pasture. We are related to a a couple who have been there since their late 20's and are now approaching 50. If they get laid off, they have nothing. Out of principal, it's going to be very difficult for me to help them if they come knocking on my door one day. I don't want to clean up after another casualty of the Watchtower, in my lifetime.

13

Inactive Witness Preaches To Me Today

by pale.emperor in

a rather bizzare situation, this morning.

i was taking my daughter to the park, as i walk past a row of shops a car horn beeps and shouts me.

i turn round and see a car in a disabled parking space with a guy who used to go to my hall smiling and waving to me.

Pete Zahut

Inactive or former JW's who still believe, are the most messed up individuals of all. They use denial, delusion and any number of other mind games to soothe their consciences when they feel guilty for not being faithful about beliefs that weren't true in the first place.

15

Where is that lovely old thread "where are you from?"

by clarity in

big hello again to all.

there was an old thread, many pages long, where we could say where we lived in the world.. many just put the country but others told a bit about their hometowns.. i cannot seem to find it and just wondering if this still exists ....blondie maybe??.

now that there are so many of us, it might be pretty fantastic to know how many potential friends we have living in our areas.

Pete Zahut

Some shots I took around here recently (South of Seattle WA. )

24

Just changed my car

by snugglebunny in

jw
friends

they're known as marmite cars in the uk.

you either love them or hate them.

i love mine.. what do you think?.

Pete Zahut

Always fun to get a new car...I rented one of these in San Diego a year ago and it seemed pretty nice. The only complaint I had was that the exterior mirrors could have been a bit bigger as the car seemed to have a few blind spots at the back corners that made me nervous when changing lanes. Probably something that a person would get used to over time however.

15

Where is that lovely old thread "where are you from?"

by clarity in

big hello again to all.

there was an old thread, many pages long, where we could say where we lived in the world.. many just put the country but others told a bit about their hometowns.. i cannot seem to find it and just wondering if this still exists ....blondie maybe??.

now that there are so many of us, it might be pretty fantastic to know how many potential friends we have living in our areas.

Pete Zahut

Far in the distance proudly sat, bolt-upright, the world's smallest mountain range: "When God was creating the mountains, some mud fell out of His hip pocket," so the legend goes.
An hour-and-a-half never passed so quickly; I was exhilarated.
What's it like in your neck of the woods?

I took this photo of Mt. Rainier on my way to work the other morning. The photo was taken through a somewhat dirty windshield and doesn't begin to capture what I saw but it was glorious sight to behold as I rounded the bend in the road.

43

Watchtower today

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

today a main point in the wt was a guess game.. the study elder asked: .

what's wrong on the picture?.

before i share the local conclusions here, i would like to hear the comments made in your congregation 😎.