Just like work, you're only good if there's value in your employment. If you start going against the company, you either get fired or you quit. It doesn't matter what you've done in the past no matter how good it really was or if it was just in your head. A lot of people get layed off after serving many good years and suffer economic distress. Why do you think you're different? You don't want them they don't want you, move on. Ghandi had nothing but a towel and sandals when he died, was he robbed of his life too. I'm sure the world would known him more if had 10 millions dollars a mansion, a luxury yacht, a hot wife, and kids with Harvard degrees. Did you miss too much TV shows that could have improved your life? Your dramatic sob story doesn't make sense.Is it your purpose to save people from living a hellish life if they become a Jehovah's Witness? So what problems would one avoid if they follow you? Do you get more freedom? Nope, the city, state, and federal governement has more laws than this religion. Why, do you want to commit adultery and fornication but you were not allowed to do it? Isn't that a stance of just about any religion.? Why did Jehovah's Witness caused your divorce? You think you'll cure the world of divorce after you annihilate the Jehovah's Witnesses? Other religions or aethistic discipline don't have family problems? No rules so there's no chaos just mutual harmony.
Do you feel you missed out but not serving and Vietnam and spilling the blood and guts of those vietcong women and men? Did Jehovah's Witnesses deprived you of a chance to kill in the name of freedom? Maybe you would have been better off dying with honor in the rice fields of Vietnam? Or maybe you would attract more chicks and sympathy with a war wound like moving around in a wheel chair with two legs blown off. A life of POW would have been better. Those Vietcong prisons were like club med compared to ours. I watched the news and I can not help but noticed the genuine glee of families of soldiers who died in combat.
But you are doing an honorable job now. Bush has Al Qaeda, Al Gore the environment, UN permanent member against the threat of Iran and nuclear proliferation, Homeland Security against terrorism, Congress tackling child pornography, homosexuals for individual rights, U2 Bono for world hunger, and you and your friends against the evil Jehovah's Witness empire of magazine pushing army.
Finally the true hero of world problems. Where do I send the check?!(Signed by somebody with an email name of Ron-ron R)
Hi There Ron-ron R (aka naughtypants),
Sometimes you can tell from the tone of a person's writing what sort of person they might be.
For example, you don't address me by my name, Terry. So, the tone is impersonal.
You begin your e-mail almost like a schoolteacher lecturing a child. That implies a superior sort of attitude.
The messege is a sort of rant. It is filled with rhetorical flourishes like Job's tormentors when he was down and out; jabbing away at him indifferent to his plight.
I've never met you, but, you've read my story on Randy's website Freeminds.
What did the tone of my writing tell you?
It was written with soul-searching honesty. I laid out my shortcomings in black and white. Why do you think I did? Obviously you missed the point. The autobiographical sketch had a purpose. It was not to bash Jehovah's Witnesses. I can do that easily enough with my experience, but; I chose to reveal how I personally came to be involved and how it impacted my life. I take responsibility for my intellectual anemia in failing to do better research when I was being indoctrinated at first. The course of my life once I was baptised is my own failing.
I made choices which appeared to be the best possible ones available to me. I was wrong, wrong wrong!
So, my story is a cautionary tale. That is what responsible people do when they make terrible mistakes; they warn others. I fell into a hole and I've gone back and put up a sign that says: Hey! Don't fall into this hole.
That was my purpose.
Now, to address your semi-serious questions. I'll put my responses in red.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ron-ron R <[email protected]>
Subject: Your Story
Just like work, you're only good if there's value in your employment. If you start going against the company, you either get fired or you quit. It doesn't matter what you've done in the past no matter how good it really was or if it was just in your head. A lot of people get layed off after serving many good years and suffer economic distress. Why do you think you're different? Do you know what a Whistle-Blower is? Of course you do. Whistle-blowers warn of fraud or harm in a company and they are now protected by law. That is how I am different. People who remain inside a fraudulent enterprise and keep their mouths shut just to collect the paycheck are morally bankrupt.
You don't want them they don't want you, move on. Ghandi had nothing but a towel and sandals when he died, was he robbed of his life too. He was murdered by a religous zealot. What do you think?
I'm sure the world would known him more if had 10 millions dollars a mansion, a luxury yacht, a hot wife, and kids with Harvard degrees. The world knows Ghandi, you silly person. What is your point?
Did you miss too much TV shows that could have improved your life? Your dramatic sob story doesn't make sense. When I was a JW I did what you do: I wasted my time telling people things that aren't true with great personal confidence that I was right.
Is it your purpose to save people from living a hellish life if they become a Jehovah's Witness?
I have a friend who is still an active JW and his life is indeed hellish. He never got an education and has worked at pathetic jobs raising five kids who are all disfellowshipped because they think their Dad is out of touch with reality.
So what problems would one avoid if they follow you? I have no followers. A person who heeded my warning might investigate the false prophecies of the Watchtower Society and conclude they are involving themselves with liars.
Do you get more freedom? Nope, the city, state, and federal governement has more laws than this religion.
Your logic is just goofy, my friend. A JW has those federal laws PLUS the silly iron hand of the Governing Body on the most intimate details of their daily life. The JWs are run by a group of Pharisees who bind them with heavy burdens. Elders are like the watchful eye of Big Brother. Wake up and smell the coffee.
Why, do you want to commit adultery and fornication but you were not allowed to do it?
I was a virgin when I married at age 23. My character is rational and my personal history is an open book. What is your story?
Isn't that a stance of just about any religion.? Why did Jehovah's Witness caused your divorce?
Is English your second language? My first wife was never the same after the 1975 debacle broke her heart. She actually believed with all her heart that the Society knew what it was talking about. The prophecy about Armageddon was a lie and she felt the rug pulled out from under her. She was a True Believer and they stumbled her with their deceit.
You think you'll cure the world of divorce after you annihilate the Jehovah's Witnesses?
Jehovah's Witnesses have a high enough divorce rate without my help. I annhilate nobody; the JW's do it to themselves quite handily by not owning up to their own failures.
Other religions or aethistic discipline don't have family problems? No rules so there's no chaos just mutual harmony. What planet did you say you were from? All Christian religions have their shared ethos of do's and don'ts. There is no superiority in one or the other.
Do you feel you missed out but not serving and Vietnam and spilling the blood and guts of those vietcong women and men? You are ignorant of what I was required to do as told me by my congregation overseer. What I could have done as specified by law is work on behalf of people in a State Hospital. I was sentenced to do so but required to refuse. So, my choice was never one of killing people or not. The law of the U.S. allows conscientious objectors to perform alternate service. Now do you get it?
Did Jehovah's Witnesses deprived you of a chance to kill in the name of freedom? You sound bizarre and slightly deranged!
Maybe you would have been better off dying with honor in the rice fields of Vietnam?
I repeat, my ignorant friend, the Watchtower Society secretly conspired with local overseers to advice draft-age brothers to refuse ALTERNATE SERVICE. In other words, we were advised to break the law.
Or maybe you would attract more chicks and sympathy with a war wound like moving around in a wheel chair with two legs blown off. Thanks for reminding me how backward JW's are about women. You are living in the early 70's culturally. It is no longer considered respectful to refer to women as "chicks". Wise up.
A life of POW would have been better. Those Vietcong prisons were like club med compared to ours.
You are rambling on like you actually know anything about prison. I'm convinced you are in a fantasy world.
I watched the news and I can not help but noticed the genuine glee of families of soldiers who died in combat.
So, you watch the SCI-FI channel? What a loser!
But you are doing an honorable job now.
You define honor, of course, as doing the bidding of old men in Brooklyn NY.
Bush has Al Qaeda, Al Gore the environment, UN permanent member (careful, the Watchtower Society was an NGO for awhile!) against the threat of Iran and nuclear proliferation, Homeland Security against terrorism, Congress tackling child pornography, homosexuals for individual rights, U2 Bono for world hunger, and you and your friends against the evil Jehovah's Witness empire of magazine pushing army.
You against the world, right? Everybody is wrong but you? That is how a cult member thinks. JW's actually think the content of the magazines they push is "food at the proper time" but, history shows it is filled with crackpot lies and false prophecy. Does that give you any clues?
Finally the true hero of world problems. Where do I send the check?!
Look up cynical in the dictionary. Write the check out to a local college and take a course in religious history. Devote some time to early Christianity and see how many lies you've been taught by the Watchtower crew.
You are wound up like an old clock.
The fact that you'd waste your time on an Apostate when you've been carefully instructed not to by Jehovah's anointed marks you as a person of spiritual weakness.
I suspect you have many doubts, but, lack the couraged to discuss them with your keepers. That would truly be heroic on your part. You talk the talk but cannot summon the courage to walk the walk.
I wish you all the best.
I know where you are coming from. It is a dark and unfriendly place empty of humanity and drained of human happiness. Break free and drop me a line some time.
All the best,
Terry Walstrom