The Days After Armageddon -- Future Fantasy written by JWs

by VM44 28 Replies latest jw friends

  • VM44
    VM44

    MARK K. TJERNELL, Sep 8, 1946 to Feb 15,2002.

    OBITUARY

    Mark Tjernell, author of the story "Day One", and owner of his own business, died from electrocution in Pierce county, Washington, on February 15, 2002.

    Tyernell's theocratic fiction "Day One", at one time widely distributed on the internet, dealt with one person's experiences during the first few days after Armageddon. Of note is that throughout the story, the name of Jesus Christ is not mentioned once.

    "Day One" may be read here: http://www.freeminds.org/bethel/toons/later.htm

    ** Edited to change the thread topic to a more appropriate subject **

  • VM44
    VM44

    DAY ONE

    By Mark Tjernell "It's over!" Don said, "it's over!" "We're alive!" I said, "we're alive!" He grabbed me and hugged me and we danced in circles at the same time. Don was one of our older elders. "I've never felt so alive" he said. Everybody was doing the same thing, hugging and dancing in circles. "Did you ever think Armageddon was going to be like that?" my good friend, Tanny, said with tears streaming down her face. "Awesome" I tried to say, choking on the lump in my throat, "Just awesome". "Just look at that sun", she said, looking up and shielding her eyes somewhat with her palm. "It's back to normal. Isn't it wonderful?" she added.

    There were now about 35 from our congregation there in the Kingdom Hall parking lot. Every one was running around grabbing each other and hugging and jumping and laughing and crying and shouting. Some would throw their hands up in the air and look up and say, "Oh thank you, Jehovah, thank you, thank you". Others would drop on their knees, clasp their hands in front of their face and sit there on the hard ground with their eyes tightly squeezed shut, in heart-felt prayer. Some were squeezing their children again and
    again. The brothers from the Spanish congregation were there too. I couldn't understand what they were saying, but it was evident that this day for them was everything that it was for us.

    We had been doing this for hours. "Look, another car!" someone said. We all stopped and stared in silence like we did every time. I couldn't hear anything but my heart pounding. We watched. It was a late model Ford. It looked in pretty good shape compared to a lot of them. Everybody had parked in the street this way and that way. Some left the doors open and just ran. "Who is it?" Tammy, my wife, said, as she tugged on my arm. "Jerry and Kay", all of us shouted at once. "It's Jerry and Kay". They came running into the parking lot with this whole crowd of people running at them. And the hugging and dancing and laughing and crying started all over again.

    This same thing happened over and over. All day long. But, those who came that day were the ones who always came. We kept looking in anticipation as to who we would see next. But they were the ones we would always see at every meeting. "Isn't this something?", One sister, Cindy, said to me. "Is that all you can say?" I quipped back at her, "Well, isn't it?" she said as she grabbed both of my arms just above the elbows and stared into my eyes with a pristine expression. "Yes it is, it sure is something", I said with a loud laugh. "And those birds", I added, "Just listen to those birds! Have you ever seen so many birds?" We all hugged again.

    Jerry was a soft spoken brother who was always thinking ahead. He came up to me and said with sparkling eyes, "What does the inside of the Hall look like? It is sure nice to see it not boarded up any more. Do you think we should start cleaning it?". We thought we would get inside eventually and sit down. We thought maybe we would have some kind of meeting and talk about what we were going to do next. But we didn't. Not that day we didn't.

    About noon we realized that we were getting hungry. The elders appointed groups to go out and find supplies. The sisters thought it would be real fun to go shopping, but it was mostly brothers who went. After a while they started coming back. Two brothers returned with huge motor homes and one with a big travel trailer and a generator. One group brought china and silverware. A lot of it was real fine china, and even some real silver. One group brought tables, and the rest brought food and drink. We had lots of food, all kinds of stuff. One brother, Patrick, came driving in the parking lot in a police car with the lights and siren going. He had it stuffed with cases of wine and coffee. And in the trunk was a large espresso coffee machine.

    Every one pitched in with food preparation and soon dinner was ready. Carl, our presiding overseer led us in a long prayer and we began to eat. We thought we could maybe start to settle down a little, but we weren't
    prepared for what happened next.
    "I think I'm too excited to eat" I said to Bob, one of our elders, as we stood looking at each other with our plates in our hands. "I know what you mean," he said, looking down at his food and licking his lips, "I am never 'too anything' to eat, but I'm real close". I had my back to the street. Bob was looking over my shoulder. I saw his mouth drop open. His eyes popped out and he dropped his plate and just stood there. I turned around and there, coming into the lot, was Brother Brody, the brother that had helped more people into the truth than anyone I know, and from his wheelchair at that.Now, he didn't drive to the Kingdom Hall. He didn't walk. He didn't run either. He was skipping! Like a little kid, he was skipping and chuckling. He had a smile so big I thought the corners of his mouth were going to get caught on his ears. The sisters shrieked and shrieked with excitement. The brothers mostly stood there laughing and wagging their heads, and pointing. I think a lot of tears were dripping into a lot of food about then.

    Towards the end of the day a brother came from the next congregation to ours. He brought a 2-way radio and we talked to four different congregations that first day and we made plans to meet the next day at the Assembly Hall. We heard that one brother had contacted Patterson by ham radio but nobody knew any more than that.

    That night we built a campfire right there in the parking lot. I was standing there by the crackling fire watching the shadows and the fire light dancing on all the smiling faces. Jerry turned to me and said
    thoughtfully, "What are you thinking about, my brother?". "Life" I said, "Life just seems so delicious!". We played kingdom songs on the stereos in the motor homes with speakers outside and we all sang song after song and each stood up and told his story of how Jehovah had saved them. That is when it happened ... what everyone alive on earth that day will remember forever and ever.

    There was a swirling warm breeze that seemed to engulf us. And who could ever forget that enormous pillar of fire up in the sky slowly spinning around. Tongues of fire kept departing from it in a circular motion as it
    turned and showered down in all directions. We all sat there transfixed in amazement as some of those tongues of fire came right toward us and were distributed around to each one of us. Then there was that thundering, resonant voice from the heavens. You could feel it reverberating right through you, but we weren't afraid. There was a calm that settled down over all of us. The voice said, "YOU ARE MY FAITHFUL WITNESSES AND I AM JEHOVAH. I WILL POUR OUT MY BLESSINGS UPON YOU BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN DREAM."

    Carlos, a brother from the Spanish congregation, stood up and raised his palms as high as he could and said, "Praise be to Jehovah, we will serve him forever". And he began relating prophecies that we had all just seen fulfilled. I ran over to him and said, "Carlos, Carlos my brother, how is it that I can understand what you are saying?" "I don't know" he said, "How is it that I can understand you?" Then all the brothers and sisters from the Spanish congregation came running over and started hugging all of us and we all were hugging each one of them. And we, all at once, were talking and talking and talking. And many were praising Jehovah for his wonderful unifying gift.

    We had gone to neighboring houses to find stuff to burn in our fire. It seemed funny going up to those vacant houses. We didn't knock. We would just open the door and say "Oh, 'I'm not interested', You say? You have
    your own religion? Too bad, too bad, you great city, for in one hour your judgment came." We even brought back a couple of signs for the fire. One said, "No peddlers or agents". And one said "Beware of dog." We laughed long and hard as we pitched them into the fire.

    We kept celebrating into the wee hours of the night. Nobody wanted to go home even if they had one. This seemed more like our home, and more like our family, than ever before. Finally, towards morning many of the friends started falling asleep.

    I walked over to Don who was still wide awake. I said, "Don, do you think the Israelites were this happy after they crossed the Red Sea?" He looked at me thoughtfully as he ran his hand through his silver hair. But his hair didn't look so silver to me. I thought maybe it was the golden light from the fire. He said, "Happy? I'm sure they were. But I don't think any human ever felt like every one of Jehovah's people do this day. You know", he said, "I will always remember this as "Day One" of forever!"

  • blondie
  • VM44
    VM44

    This was at Kent's Watchtower Observer site, another fantasy story of the first days after armageddon. Do the JWs really think this? Yes they do! --VM44

    Witnesses steal cop car, go joyriding
    THE DIARY OF AN ARMAGEDDON SURVIVOR


    Read how the Jehovah's Witnesses are dreaming about the wonders of Armageddon...

    I can't that any credit for this story, it was written by an Australian brother in Victoria. Please remember this story is fiction of course. Some things may come true, some won't, this is not designed to start debate as to what we will - or will not be doing after Armageddon. It is just there to stimulate your imagination. Just go for "the ride" and enjoy - Martin
    THE DIARY OF AN ARMAGEDDON SURVIVOR

    Day one after Armageddon

    It seems ages since we last heard the gunshots and screams, today has been really quiet. The last few weeks have been terrible. Total anarchy, everyone turning on each other. Not so the brothers - we all looked after each other, later on we had to flee and hide wherever we could. Bill and me have been on our own for a few days, we went looking for food for a group of witnesses we were with, but later on we got separated from them.

    We found some tins of food in a burnt out farmhouse yesterday but when we heard gunshots we decided to hide here for the night. In the distance we saw people running for their lives, the look of terror of their faces is a sight I will never forget. But since the morning it has been so quiet!

    All morning the birds were singing and the sun was shining. We could see smoke rising high in the sky from fires in distant cities, but other than that was is totally peaceful today. At lunchtime Bill and I decided it was safe enough to look for the others.

    Everywhere we looked we saw dead bodies, even people slumped at the steering wheels of their cars, some even with their cars still running. Could it all be over? After an hour of walking we found another family from our congregation, they were so happy to see us. They had not seen any sign of disturbance all day either.

    As we walked on we came closer to the city. We decided to walk to the site of the Kingdom hall. The whole city was deserted, what a mess! Houses were on fire, crashed cars, some with dead people still in them. We zigzagged all over the road dodging wrecks, bodies and some looters that were laying dead next to the things they had looted.

    Some of the things used to very valuable, we even saw sacks of money and valuable jewellery laying on the road, but we did not even bother picking these valueless things up. Bodies laying where they had fallen. Churches totally looted, some burnt out, some of the priests seemed to have died trying to stop the mobs, in seems no one has bothered to bury all the decomposing bodies..

    We spotted a group of people walking in the distance, they were people we did not know. They looked like witnesses to us and they were looking at us the same way. We walked over to meet them and asked them were they were going. They said they were looking for fellow believers who were Jehovah's witnesses. Once we found out we were all witnesses, we all hugged, it turned out that they were from a neighbouring congregation.

    They told us that everyone they met so far this day were witnesses too. We now were getting more sure by the hour that Armageddon had passed. It is hard to describe our excitement! Now we just had to see if our Kingdom hall was still standing. We all run down the road whooping with excitement.

    When we came to the hall we had such a huge shock. There were so many people there. The place was all boarded up, and obscene graffiti had been sprayed all over it. Brothers and sisters were already cleaning it up and removing the boards from the windows. A brother was already mowing the lawn, and a first aid tent had been set up.

    One of the sisters from the neighbouring congregation said it reminded her of the day they built the hall in a "quick build" weekend. None of us expected everything to be organised so quickly!

    As we marvelling at the scene, someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was brother Jack our presiding overseer. He was so pleased to see us, he gave us all the biggest hug we ever had….. I will long remember this day, when I cried so many happy tears until I run out of tears…..

    Then Jack told us he was organising volunteers and asked us if we had any special useful skills we might volunteer. I was a cook in the old system (That seems funny now, we used always talk about the new system….) Jim, one of the brothers in our group was a truck driver, Jack told us to register at the volunteer department at the literature counter of the hall.

    Walking in the hall was such a shock. Even though the place had been vandalised brothers and sisters were already cleaning it and had started setting up various departments in there. Well I must say they were TRYING to clean up, every now and again we heard exited shrieks and saw people hugging each other sobbing and crying and laughing all at the same time as they found friends that made it.

    Two brothers laughed and laughed and laughed when they saw each other. Bystanders asked one of them why he was laughing so much, and when he composed himself he said "I never thought HE would make it!" The other brother was not offended he laughed even more, and later when also composed himself said: "And I thought YOU were the least likely to make it here….."

    Neither was offended, they were just glad to be there and they hugged each other with tears streaming down their faces…..

    Others were somewhat disappointed some of their love ones did not make it, but soon were swept up in the euphoria of this great day, and were smiling with everyone else.

    Every now and again people came running towards the hall jumping for joy, shouting "We made it, We made it, we really are in the new system!" and went running around shaking everyone hands and hugging all comers. In amongst all the excitement Jim and myself registered with a brother entering all names in a laptop.

    We wondered where he had found that, and even how he had managed to charge it up, but we were too exited to ask. He told us all names were being registered so we would know who survived. Jim asked about his mum who he had not seen for weeks. The brother entered the name and told him she was already registered and was working in the first aid tent and….. (Jim did not hear the rest of this sentence as he was running off like an Olympic sprinter to the first aid tent)

    Later when Jim came back we were both assigned to collect food from the neighbourhood and to salvage any supplies we could. So we walked away from the hall into the deserted streets and found a big pickup truck standing in the middle of an intersection. A big burly man lay dead across the front street, a woman lay dead next to the car, we wondered briefly if she was the mains wife. We moved the bodies to the side of the road and started the pickup truck, it started straight away. The fuel tank was half full so we decided we would use it for our search.

    Brother Jim reached into the glove box and found a handful of CDs. They were all rap and heavy metal so he walked to a rubbish bin and threw them away. It seemed quite funny doing that now, we did not expect the city garbage trucks anytime soon, but then again we were not going to litter the new system! Wow! It seems so funny saying that still. The new system! And we are standing in it. Wow!

    We had just driven barely a kilometre when a police car came chasing after us with sirens blaring and lights flashing! Jim was shocked and pulled over immediately, like he had always done in the past, but out of the police car jumps Terry - one of our ministerial servants, his wife Mary and their exited young son Tim who had gone for his first ride ever in a police car.

    Terry excitedly told us of how he had found this car on a country road deserted with its engine still running. The policeman was laying on the road, it looked like he had been shot, but Terry thought the car would save his family a long walk. We suggested that he should drive to the kingdom hall and register, but that he would not be needed to keep order.

    As Terry was getting back into the car a voice came on the police radio "Hello, can anybody hear us?" Terry answered the call and found out the voice was from a brother in a neighbouring town that had found a police car. They reported that everywhere the brothers were convinced Armageddon had passed.

    There were scenes of jubilation with people dancing, leaping for joy and crying tears of joy everywhere, the brother on the radio said.

    We jumped back into the truck and went from house to house collecting food out of kitchen cupboards, restaurants until the truck was loaded. At one of the house Jim came running back to the truck nearly doubling up with laughter. He shouted that I had to come and have a look. I followed him and there was a sign on the door "NO JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES PLEASE!"

    We peeled the sign off and stuck it in our pockets to show the brothers at the hall, and then walked in laughing shouting "Hello, we are Jehovah's witnesses and we calling at homes in the neighbourhood!" It seemed a little sad to us that witnessing had finished as we knew it back in the old system (Boy it seems funny writing this…. Back in the old system…..) But then we wondered what Jehovah had in store when the resurrected ones start coming back!

    It was dark when we came back to the kingdom hall, The whole town was in darkness, but we could see the Kingdom hall from several kilometres away. Obviously someone had found generators and the whole site was lit up like the quick builds we used to have in the old system.

    One of the brothers in our congregation used to set up the sound system for the quick build halls and he had set up a sound system. Brothers and sisters were serving meals and while we eating a meal and announcement came over the sound system. "Brothers and sisters we just had word from the governing body, Armageddon is over, everyone that is here has survived the war Armageddon.

    A huge cheer went up, brothers and sisters danced, hugged cheered and celebrated. Then one of the Italian brothers starting singing song 212 "We thank you Jehovah!" in Italian. We all recognised the tune and all joined in!

    We made a huge bonfire many joined in singing kingdom songs. Yes we sung the "victory song"! Two brothers had dragged the piano out of the hall and everyone was singing with such fervour, it brought tears to our eyes. There was a crowd of hundreds singing like the Levites in the back of our song books singing in full voice with feeling and pride to be serving this great wonderful God, our God Jehovah……

    I will hear the words of song 171 ringing in my ears for all eternity. A VICTORY SONG! We won and Satan had lost the great war……

    Sing to Jehovah, for he has become highly exalted
    Happy we are to be living today
    To our God Jehovah and his Messiah
    Thanks we render all day long
    To them alone we look for salvation
    Grand will be our victory song

    PART TWO - THE RESURRECTION
    Today Bill came running into my house I have been building. He was exited! He brought someone to meet me. He said: "I have someone to meet you, please meet brother Isaiah" I said: "Oh, that's a nice name, not so many people are named after Isaiah these days….."

    "No I am not named AFTER Isaiah, I AM Isaiah!" My jaw dropped as I shook his hand. I told him how we had studied two books explaining the book he wrote, we studied it back in the old system many years ago. "Yes I know" said Isaiah and he reached in his pocket and pulled one out. It was marked and studied and had notes all over it. I asked him who made the notes. "I did, I added what I was thinking about when I wrote this" replied Isaiah. It is hard to describe that moment looking at Isaiah and holding the commentary that Isaiah made on the book with the commentary of Isaiah

    What was most amazing was here was Isaiah himself encouraging me..... What a privilege!

    "And what part of the study did you like so much?" Isaiah asked me. "Oh.... I certainly had one part I loved - the 65th chapter where it said we will build houses and have occupancy! Brother Isaiah, in the last days there were critical times hard to deal with, we rented houses and times were so hard. I yearned to own my own house! And that is what I am doing today brother Isaiah, building my dream house....."

    Brother Isaiah told us how he would so much have liked to have seen the last days of the old system and he hung on my every word when I described every bit of the last days. How men were lovers of themselves, how they had a form of godly devotion but proved false to its powers, how men became faint out of fear and how the nations flocked to the house of Jehovah just like Isaiah himself had foretold.

    That night I gave Isaiah a copy of a story I wrote many years ago called "The diary of an Armageddon survivor" He told me later he was so thrilled to read it all. Can you imagine Isaiah being thrilled by OUR experiences, I thought it was going to be the other way around…….

    That night Isaiah stayed with our family for a meal and we sung a kingdom song we all were so fond of, song 222

    When eyes of blind ones see again and ears of deaf ones hear again,
    When deserts blossom as the rose and from parched ground fresh water flows
    When lame one leap just like the hart and loved ones never have to part
    Such blessed times you'll realise when you keep your eyes on the prize

    PART 3 - MIRACLES HAPPENING DAILY
    When we survived Armageddon and the smoke of Armageddon's destruction cleared, we thought nothing would equal this day but each day gets better and better. Why the next day when I woke I kept thinking it was all a dream, and in a way I got even more exited when it all sunk in. We won the victory over Satan system. But little was I prepared for what awaited us…..

    I'll never forget last Thursday an elder invited me over to his house to meet his guests after the meeting. As write this tears of joy are streaming down my face. To tell you what happened, let me take you back to the old system. In the last days they had these terrible wars. Two such wars were world wars where every nation on earth almost fought each other. Can you imagine that now, men ruling as kings? What a stupid system that was!

    In the Second World War a bomb dropped on our house when I was only a baby. All my brothers and sisters and my parents were killed, I was dragged out as a baby and brought up in an orphanage. Well, I did not know the visitors the elder introduced me to, until I was told who they were! They were my mum, my dad and my brothers and sisters who I have never met. Oh Jehovah, that day will live in my memory for all eternity, for ever will I be grateful to you!

    So many things have happened in the last few years! I could write hundreds of books about it all. Firstly we spent months bulldozing all the cities and landscaping and gradually the earth became beautiful. Everything was done like quick build projects. Lots of happy faces and buildings just sprung up overnight. A brother would ask for volunteers and EVERYONE would volunteer. In no time we saw a new infrastructure take shape.

    The brothers oversees established communications, we used solar panels and windmills to establish communication links with places on the other side of the earth, we even managed to use some satellites that were still orbiting the earth from the old system for communications.

    It was easy to rebuild as there were no national boundaries. A register of all survivors was set up and we received a full list of the 144.000 and anyone could find out who had survived the great war of Jehovah.

    I love our new Bibles, I wonder how they managed to print them. I especially love the book after Revelation that deals with the last days and history of the Jehovah people in the last days. And then the book about the Great War of Jehovah, oh how much I love these new books and Revelations. I always wondered what the "new scrolls" were, and now I know, and how much they have helped us in teaching the resurrected ones.

    Our assemblies are huge! Everyone attends, hundreds of thousands joining in jubilant song, listening to talks with information just revealed by Jesus, and new information straight from the 144.00 new kings. Last assembly we got our new Bibles, we love the third part the "Christian new Scriptures in the pure language" And I thought I had finished my Bible reading when I got to revelation back in the old system!

    And the orchestra's we have now! Huge, fantastic and awesome are the words that flood into my mind! Fanfares by rows of dozens trumpeters. Rows of drums, hundreds of violins, harpsichords, pianos, grand piano's, cymbals, I even saw resurrected people playing the zithers, and triangular harps and horns, every instrument out of human history that led Jehovah's worshippers in praise!

    Brother Abednego joked to me at that convention how last time he heard those instruments it was not such a joyful occasion. He gave a talk at the convention on the peer pressure they had in Nebuchadnezzar's court, and how fortunate all the young ones today are to only have positive peer pressure from all their friends. Brother Daniel gave the keynote address that day. These faithful men are now the "princes" in Jehovah organisation!

    I remember the day I saw a sister walking down the road who looked like the sister that was my wife in the old system. I thought how silly I was as she had died 5 years before Armageddon off a stroke. Then I started wondering "The resurrection?" and I noticed that she recognised me too.

    We went running towards each other with arms outstretched and we laughed, we cried, we hugged, and could not talk for at least 15 minutes. The first words we managed to get out were when we looked up to the heavens with our hands outstretched shouting with voices filled with emotion "Thank you Jehovah! Thank you our dear loving Father!"

    Now everyday we don't read the death notices anymore like we used to in the old system, now we receive the resurruction notices!

    I remember such funny stories…. I remember one day a few months after my wife was resurrected when I complained to her that I must have mouth ulcers as my false teeth would not fit well and were uncomfortable. My wife looked in my mouth and laughed when she told me I was needed to get a babies teething ring as I was cutting new teeth.

    Then there was the time our young daughter Rachel came in to show us our new pet. I was sitting here writing and she calmly dropped a cobra in my lap. I recoiled in horror and then remembered that we were in the new system. Somehow I still could not get attached to a cobra for a pet, so I suggested the kids have something soft and fluffy like a nice tiger or lion.

    Not that we keep pets like we used to in the new system. The animals become attached to us when we are kind to them and feed them and it is not strange to wake up in the morning and find a lion and a few lambs and some kangaroos laying on the lawn in front of our house…..

    The other day Rachel was riding on the back of a tiger. She run into the house giggling saying" "Daddy, daddy this big pussy cat has a big tongue and it licked my face!"

    Some things were miraculous. One brother tells me he went to sleep with one leg and when he woke he had two. He told me and ran off shouting Hallelujah Hallelujah and skipping like a child…..

    What about the day I was standing talking to Con from the Greek congregation? We chatted for half an hour before I realised that he was speaking fluent English and I could understand him, I was enjoying his conversation so much I forget he could hardly manage a few words of broken English before! When I reminded him of that fact he laughed and said "No you are speaking Greek! Where did you learn that?" We concluded we must have started speaking the new language, this must be the "anti Babel day"

    Even more remarkable was when I started signing to a deaf brother and rather than use sign language, he said "No need to do that anymore!" I was so startled, as that was the first time I heard his voice.

    And each day I look in the mirror I look younger and few less grey hairs. I can't get over it, when the old system ended I was 65 now look like I am 30 and I am told I am still going to grow younger than that.

    Everyday I wake up I wonder if this is all a dream, and then the thoughts come into my mind: every day for all eternity will be like this one, I will never be sick ever again, for all eternity we have our heavenly father to help us.

    Now I am singing…. The words of song 15 in the song book we used to sing out of in the old system. It is funny, I told a resurrected brother the other day that we sung this song at his funeral in the old system, and we told him the nice things that were said about him. I still remember the words from all those years ago……..

    Can you see with your mind eye, peoples dwelling together
    Sorrow has passed, peace at last, life without end at last, life without tears and pain.
    Sing, sing out with joy of heart, yes you too can have a part,
    Live for the day, when you'll say, life without end at last

    Yes everyday we will say to God our maker, Thanks….

    Original Page http://www.witnessesonline.com/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/witnessesonline/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=000098

  • VM44
    VM44

    For a balanced viewpoint, here is the story at the link blondie posted. --VM44

    The Diary of an

    Armageddon Survivor

    The following is not fantasy, this is what we were taught to expect when we were Jehovah's Witnesses.

    Michael Pendley [email protected]>

    DAY 1

    Well, the Big A is over and I survived. I made my way down to the Kingdom Hall this morning. By the end of the day most of the congregation had gathered at the Hall. Some brothers and sisters are still missing, Ed Thorn, our presiding overseer, told us that those who were missing should have spent more time in field service.


    DAY 2

    Brother Thorn called a special meeting This morning. He announced that he and the other elders would now be assuming full authority over our new community until contact was reestablished with headquarters. All decisions regarding community regulations, living arrangements, work assignments, and other matters would be at the sole discretion of the elders.

    Sam Greene objected to this dictatorial policy until Thorn pulled out a letter from the Society dated several months ago which stated that, after Armageddon, the local body of elders would be responsible for all decisions until otherwise directed by the Society. Sam voiced no further objections. The rest of us also accepted the new arrangement.

    The first new rule was not long in coming - all brothers and sisters were required to report to the Kingdom Hall at 8:00 every morning to receive work assignments and other instructions.


    DAY 3

    Brother Thorn has assigned me lo the burial detail. It seems that most of us single brothers have been assigned this unpleasant duty. The dead bodies are already starting to get to me. It sickens me to watch the birds and other animals scavenge the corpses. I actually saw a raven pluck out an eyeball today. Disgusting! Rob Johnson got a bulldozer running and has begun to dig a large common grave. My job is to go around collecting bodies and load them into the back of a pickup truck.


    DAY 4

    We had our first judicial hearing today. Larry and Sue Winters had moved into the McRae mansion in what was once the exclusive Cypress Oaks subdivision. The problem was that Sister Thorn had already had her eye on the place and, as wife of the presiding overseer, she figured that she should have first choice. Brother Thorn told Brother and Sister Winter that they had no right to claim anything without approval of the elders. They were ordered to get out of the house by nightfall. The Winters were very disappointed but they agreed to move out.


    DAY 5

    At the morning meeting, the Thorns announced that they would be moving into the McRae place. The Winters were livid, but they didn't say anything. It was also announced that the surrounding estate homes had been assigned to the other elders. Position has privilege, even in the New World.

    Some of the brothers have started calling the area "Elder Hill". It was also announced that anyone wanting to appropriate a home must first file a request with the elders. I have decided to stay in my own house. It doesn't seem right to move into someone else's home, even if they were worldly. It makes me sad when I go into someone's house and see the family pictures and personal belongings. Most of the others don't feel this way, it doesn't bother them to loot the dead.


    DAY 8

    The elders announced a new meeting schedule at the morning meeting. On Sunday, we will still have the public talk followed by a study of old Watchtower articles until we get new magazines. On Tuesday night, we will have a congregational book study. The Service Meeting has been canceled (no need for it anymore) along with the Ministry School. They have been replaced by an instructional session to be held on Friday night. This new meeting will instruct us on how to conduct ourselves in the New World Society. The best thing, of course is no more field service!


    DAY 10

    This burial work is taking a heavy toll on me. I can't help but feel saddened at the waste of so much human life. Why couldn't Jehovah have found a way to save more people? The children are the worst, I can't stand to see their little bodies anymore. I don't think I'll report for work tomorrow.


    DAY 11

    I didn't go to work today. Ed Thorn came by later in the morning and asked me why I wasn't at work. I told him I didn't feel well. He told me to gel to work, that everyone feels well all the time in the New World. He also told me that depression, and mental anxiety were things of the past.

    Of course, he doesn't have to bury the bodies.


    DAY 14

    It's been two weeks now. I really miss things like electricity and running water. I wonder if we'll ever get those things working again. Rob Johnson and I borrowed a generator from the Hall last night and hooked it up to my television and VCR. We had a great time watching some "Star Trek" videos and a tape of last year's Super bowl. I really miss television.


    DAY 15

    At the morning meeting, Brother Thorn publicly reprimanded Rob and I for watching television. The elders have decided that, henceforth. watching videos is prohibited since we do not want our new paradise to be contaminated by the old world. Thorn speculated that one day we might have "theocratic television" from the Society. The Watchtower Channel? Spare me


    DAY 20

    Still no word from the Society. We have spoken to representatives From surrounding congregations but the elders are not allowing anyone to travel. Carol Woods wanted to visit her sister in the next county to see if she made it through okay, but Brother Thorn told her to slay put and be patient. After all, she would have plenty of time to see her sister later. I think that was a cruel thing to say.


    DAY 30

    We finally finished most other the burial work. I am so relieved. The scavenger birds are still hanging around. I have grown to hate the sight of of the fat, disgusting creatures. One of the damn things attracted me today. I guess they have acquired a taste for human flesh.


    DAY 45

    Many other the brothers and sisters are getting sick of being bossed around by the elders. They run things like an old South plantation, we are the slaves. they are the overseers. I have been reassigned to work on the communal farm. It is hard work, but it beats the burial detail. Sam Greene is organizing a committee to speak to the elders about some of the complaints that we all have.


    DAY 47

    The elders found out about Sam Green's attempted "rebellion". At the morning meeting, he was publicly reprimanded and told to pray for a humble spirit. No one is to speak to him until he has shown proper repentance. I can't believe that we are disfellowshipping people in the New World


    DAY 51

    Today a messenger finally arrived from the Society. Wade Peters, a young Bethelite, arrived on horseback. He told us that the Society has moved all headquarters staff to Patterson after the destruction of New York City. We also received the first post-Armageddon Watchtower (now issued quarterly).

    Many of us had hoped that it would contain information allowing us more personal freedom but we were disappointed to read that we were to keep following the instructions of the local elders until further notice. He also gave the elders a copy of a new procedure manual (titled ORGANIZATION FOR THE NEW WORLD"), but none of us were allowed to see it.


    DAY 69

    My best friend got married today in a shotgun wedding! Rob and Sally Kennedy were discovered together while engaged in a heavy kissing session. Sally's blouse was unbuttoned and Rob had his hand on her exposed breast. After a judicial meeting, Brother Thorn announced that they were now married, without a ceremony or anything! Rob objected strenuously, explaining that he and Sally had not had sex. Brother Thorn, however, declared that the decision was in keeping with the new elder procedure manual. Sally seems happy enough but Rob is in a state of shock. I remember he once told me that he liked Sally's body, but thought that she was as dumb as a box of rocks. Now he is married to her forever. I'll have to remember to keep my hands in my pockets when I date any sisters.


    DAY 80

    The newlyweds are not getting along. There has been a lot of gossip about their horrible spats. Rob confided to me today that he went to the elders in an attempt to get the marriage annulled. They told him that according to the Society's new procedure manual. no divorces or annulments would be allowed for any reason. In addition, all marriages now have to be approved by the local body of elders.


    DAY 81

    Sam Greene was reinstated today. He is still unhappy, but keeps his thoughts to himself now.


    DAY 89

    We are all in a state of shock! Rob committed suicide today. I guess the idea of spending eternity with Sally was not acceptable to him. The elders refused to let us hold a funeral service. I volunteered to bury my friend. Brother Thorn instructed me to bury him in the common grave where we had put the worldly persons. No one came to the grave side, not even his widow. I said a prayer for my friend. I will miss Rob greatly.


    DAY 100

    Life is becoming miserable for many of us. The elders keep placing new rules on us every day. We are told we must lead holy lives of service and submission. No dissent or discussion is allowed. It seems like we had more freedom before Armageddon. I never though I would be nostalgic about the old world


    DAY 111

    I cant take it here anymore. I am going to travel to my brother's place, about a hundred miles from here. Traveling on foot I think I can make it in about five days. I wish I could get gasoline for my car. I'll have to sneak out since the elders still aren't giving anyone permission to travel. I have stored some food and plan to leave tonight after the curfew. I hope my brother is still alive, maybe he will know if Mom and Dad are okay.


    DAY 112

    I made it out of town today. I wonder if They miss me yet? The destruction in the countryside is incredible. How will we ever rebuild everything? I've seen quite a few skeletons already. I guess there Is still a lot of burial work to do before we build a paradise.


    DAY 113

    I ran into a group of brothers from Westview congregation. I was detained at gunpoint! Brother Thorn had gotten word to them to be on the outlook for me. I am furious. Why can't I visit my brother ?


    DAY 114

    Ed Thorn and two ministerial servants arrived today to escort me back "home". They were all carrying guns.


    DAY 115

    After my attempted escape and several other disciplinary problems involving other brothers, the elders have now set up a gun-toting police force. I was, of course, disfellowshipped at the morning meeting. I have been assigned to latrine duty.


    DAY 116

    I was instructed to report to the Kingdom Hall after work for "additional instruction." I saw Sam Greene and a couple of other "troublemaker's" there. We were subjected to an hour of "reindoctrination," mostly the usual crap about maintaining a servants spirit and not to think too much of ourselves. We were told to come back next week for more of the same.


    DAY 123

    I blew up today at the reindoctrination meeting. I told Ed Thorn that I was sick of him acting like a theocratic Hitler. I also told him that I was leaving the community and that he better not try to slop me. My mistake. Thorn called his police force in and had me arrested. I am being detained under armed guard in a makeshift jail cell in the Kingdom Hall basement.


    DAY 124

    My judicial hearing is scheduled for tomorrow. Sam Greene came by to see me. When the guards were out of ear shot, he told me that his efforts to contact the Society about the local elders had done no good. He had been told by the Society to keep quiet and obey the elders without question. Sam is very depressed about this and about my situation.


    DAY 125

    My judicial hearing was held today. Ed Thorn acted as lead prosecutor. I, of course had no defense counsel and could call no witnesses. After the hearing which was held in secret, I was judged guilty of being an unrepentant apostate. I was solemnly informed that according to the Society's instructions (as contained in "ORGANIZATION FOR THE NEW WORLD"), the punishment for apostasy is death by stoning. My execution is scheduled for tomorrow.


    DAY 126

    Well, this is the end. Later today, I will be led out for my execution by stoning. I would rather be shot in the back of the head, but the Society obviously feels that stoning provides a better object lesson. If I get a chance I will throw one of the rocks back at Ed Thorn. The funny thing is that I don't really feel so bad about my impending demise. This New World Society is not my idea of a paradise and I don't want to live with these people for all eternity. From paradise lost to paradise regained to paradise lost again.


    EPILOGUE

    Everyone turned out for my stoning, even the kids. Ed Thorn solemnly pronounced my death sentence and then quoted scripture telling everyone to "not to let their eye feel sorry." No one did. My only regret is that they tied my hands behind my back so that I couldn't return any of their rocks with interest. Not very sporting. The last thing I saw before the lights went out was a sickening smirk on Thorn's face. Then I woke up. In Heaven. And there was St. Peter. "Welcome to Paradise, my child" he said as he gently took my hand. Confused, I said "But I thought paradise was back on Earth with the Witnesses." "No," explained St. Peter, "That was Hell."

  • rebel8
    rebel8
    "Yes it is, it sure is something", I said with a loud laugh. "And those birds", I added, "Just listen to those birds! Have you ever seen so many birds?"

    It's so Christian to be happy there are tons of birds available to eat up the dead bodies.

  • Lilycurly
    Lilycurly

    This is making me sick...and so sad that so many people are honestly beleiving such crap.

    I love the one posted by Blondie though. Much more realistic.:P

  • Tigerman
    Tigerman

    Absolutely hilarious !

    However, it is so very sad that some of JW 's actually believe it !

  • ackack
    ackack

    Both stories contain elements of gloating. Neither story mentions Jesus (I shouldn't say that, the second story does briefly mention him)

    I remember once telling my PO that i felt like we had more in common with the jews than with "christians". He looked at me funny and didn't understand what I meant

    ackack

  • MerryMagdalene
    MerryMagdalene

    Just when I thought I couldn't feel any more ill (having been reading what Scholar had to say)...wow. And I used to think like that too

    Fortunately this came along to wrap things up and save the day:

    "Welcome to Paradise, my child" he said as he gently took my hand. Confused, I said "But I thought paradise was back on Earth with the Witnesses." "No," explained St. Peter, "That was Hell."

    Thanks for sharing those. Really. Thanks.

    ~Merry

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