Do you remeber being at the Circuit Assembies and District Conventions hearing those "if only" talks

StoneWall

I can remember being at many of the CA and DC and hearing those talks about the people that had left the org

and then came back. Usually it was supposedly quoting a handwritten letter that we never got to see or an

Oral statement made by someone or quoting an earlier Watchtower or publication.

And it would usually go something like this:

If only I woulda listened to the Organization I wouldn't got pregnant or contracted AIDS

If only I woulda listened to the Org I wouldn't got lung cancer from smoking (oh and throat cancer too)

If only I wouldn't insisted on my own rights and listened to the Congregation Elders I wouldn't be in prison

If only I paid more attention at the Hall I wouldn't be in a go no-where job (instead I could be at bethel slaving away)

And I'm sure many of you can add to this list and I hope to hear some of them.

But here's my new "If Only" list and its not complete but still working on it:

If only I would read the earlier publications I coulda found out about C.T.Russells involvement with Numerology and Pyramidology

If only I had listened to others when they tried to tell me about Beth Sarim in San Diego,Calif. and J.F.Rutherfords Mansion

If only I knew that 1914 wasn't the first date that was picked for Christ return. (evidently he's returned a lot accordig to WT)

If only I had followed my Dad's advice and went to college (dad wasn't a witness but mom was)

If only I hadn't distanced myself from my non-witness family members considering them bad association according to WT

If only I woulda listened to my conscience and not kept shelving stuff that didn't make sense and instead kept looking for answers

Then and only then would so many things in life that should be,could be and that would be better have been accomplished.

But I guess I can take consolation in the "fact" "truth" "hope" "faith" that soon,very soon, any day now that it will have all

been worth it and I can run with the lions and swim with the sharks, and ride the Elephants and outlive my house that

I build with my own hands and grow younger not older (until I hit about 21 then stop, or was it 30).

Now If Only I knew how to end this

StoneWall

OUTLAW

If only I would have cut my head in half,the WBT$ would`nt sound so stupid.. ..........................LOL!!...OUTLAW

Mattieu

Hi Stonewall,

If only I would read the earlier publications I coulda found out about C.T.Russells involvement with Numerology and Pyramidology

If only I had listened to others when they tried to tell me about Beth Sarim in San Diego,Calif. and J.F.Rutherfords Mansion

If only I knew that 1914 wasn't the first date that was picked for Christ return. (evidently he's returned a lot accordig to WT)

If only I had followed my Dad's advice and went to college (dad wasn't a witness but mom was)

If only I hadn't distanced myself from my non-witness family members considering them bad association according to WT

If only I woulda listened to my conscience and not kept shelving stuff that didn't make sense and instead kept looking for answers

I think we have lived the same life, Mattieu

I heard all those things at a$$emblies, in washtowel "experiences", and in the Yearbook. They mention going out and getting AIDS. What they won't say is the witless that goes back in (without AIDS), and catches tuberculosis at the door while out in field circus, and then spreads it to the whole congregation (except the few that have the habit of blowing off boasting sessions). Or the hounder that has a bad back from lifting, having to do that all day and into the evening to make a living (or that got hurt building a Kingdumb Hell). Or the person that got handicapped at Beth Hell doing assigned work, got kicked out, and is now destitute.

Plus, I wonder how many people actually disobey the Washtowel Slaveholdery and then go out and get AIDS. It is probably so rare that I wouldn't worry too much about it--I wonder which is worse, going out and getting AIDS by disobeying, or catching tuberculosis at the door by obeying.

no more kool aid

It's funny my husband and I were just talking about, "what if we did listen"? We would not have gotten married because there were a bunch of kooks at our hall that told us not to bother planning our wedding because armageddon was coming that fall. Then everyone said don't buy a house it will be too distracting. That's when articles about responsible child bearing were in full swing - so don't have kids either. Then against everyone's advice we took turns going back to school, that was the really bad one. So I always remind myself "had I listened" I would be a childless, homeless, uneducated spinster.

StoneWall

mrsjones5: I envy you for being able to blank it all out back then. I musta been one of those paying more than

the usual attention. (LOL I still hate that phrase)

Outlaw: I think even with just a half a brain we woulda figured out how stupid some of the teachings were. It would

have probably just took us twice as long to do it. :)

Mattieu: Quote "I think we have lived the same life"

A part of me is glad that I didn't go thru all this alone but then another part of me is mad that others endured and

were put thru the same crap as me. At least many of us on here can relate and understand what each other are

going thru or having to deal with in life. A normal person in the world that never was a JW can't even begin to

comprehend what we've put up with or taught from a young age. It is all so foreign to them. And I'm happy for them

because of that.

StoneWall

Kudra

Nomorekoolaid: that's a cool post.

StoneWall

Oh and by the way the thing that started this thread was I was listening to the T.V. last night while at the computer

and in the background i heard a girls voice say if only I'd listened to myself. (not sure what the show was at the time)

When she said that it immediately flooded my mind with all those talks and how it was showed how "if only" some

woulda listened to the GB or Org how it woulda turned out better for them.

WTWizard nailed it when he said they don't show you all the ones that did listen and how now they are left destitute.

No more Kool Aid Quote: "So I always remind myself "had I listened" I would be a childless, homeless, uneducated spinster."

I'm so glad that you didn't listen, both you and your husband and you both should give each other a big ole bear hug

for going against the grain. I have talked to many that are witnesses now that wished they would've had children but

since the end was so close they wee just going to wait till the new system. I feel sorry for them. Many others have

no life savings to fall back on because of not thinking they would need to bother with it since the end was so close.

You can see in some of their faces the despair of trying to make ends meet over the next few years. Very sad indeed.

StoneWall

loosie

I have a new if only:

If only I hadn't been raised a Jw I would have gone to college after high school instead of 20 years later.

Do you remeber being at the Circuit Assembies and District Conventions hearing those "if only" talks

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