Julie:
That's OK, Jeannie. I'll say it for you. Dave's hot. Alan thinks so, too
So, now we have two steaming hot rat turds.
Dang, this db is suddenly getting interesting again! LOLOL
A JW Biography of AlanF
by AlanF 88 Replies latest members private
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onacruse
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jeanniebeanz
Dave's hot. Alan thinks so, too
SO! The rumors are true! LMAO
Jeannie
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seven006
***Hey, Dave. I just noticed that we joined this board within a week of each other. You're emporer class and I'm still a junior member. Now what does that say ?***
Alan keeps you tied up too much?
***Yeah, but his mind is oatmeal. ***
Craig,
His mind would have to slither through two different food groups just to reach oatmeal. It's more like Fruit Loops.
Dave
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the_classicist
You have worked hard to expose and rationally destroy the Watchtower, and for this I salute you. I wish that I had my sh*# together as much as you do.
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Bryan
Alen,
A you know, I'm out on my quest for the next few days. I look forward to reading your story when I return home.
Take care,
Bryan
Have You Seen My Mother
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Oroborus21
Greetings Alan,
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your bio. (I do think that it could be organized in a slightly better way and the type font is hard on my eyes but those are my only criticisms.)
You have a wealth of information to present and a very unique experience. When I think of your life I find that it is a little like a JW version of the movie FORREST GUMP. Over the past 40 years or so, some of which have been among the most tremendous in terms of change within the Organization, it seems that you have managed to be tangentally present at almost EVERY significant JW happening and had personal encounters with the Who's Who in Jehovah's Witnesses (both past and present, pro and anti-JWs). It appears that many times you were the actual catalyst in the circumstance.
You and I first crossed paths on H20 when I wrote a rather detailed "analysis" and disection of Lee Elder's blood site. I was very impressed with you at that time, both for your mental acumen and experience but also because you did not hesitate to offer your name and phone number to me and invited me to give you a call. This was at a time that I think many, even anti-JWs those polemical to the Society, were remaining anonymous. I have always used my real name and never tried to hide who I am either so I was impressed by that. I regret that I didn't give you a call afterall.
Anyway, like other JW Apologists, I too have "turned" to the dark side :-) in part due to the access to information available since the advent of the Internet. (Although in my own case, I consider myself of the "moderate" view and feel that Jehovah's Witnesses and the Organization contains a mixture of both good and bad.)
I have several of my own views and ideas too and have been developing my own plans over the course of the last 8 years. For the past few years, I have had several projects on the back burner that are related to my experience and views on Jehovah's Witnesses.
One of these, is a website: www.Jehovahs-Witnesses.net, for which I have been building content. I anticipate to finally complete the content and then open the doors and see what happens later this year. (The front door is all there is available to the public right now.)
Another important project of mine is a novel that I am writing called "Witness the Revolution" which is a tri-part blend of autobiographical sketches, history and development of Jehovah's Witnesses over roughly the same period AND history and development of the Internet and the World Wide Web over the same period (which interestingly enough all overlaps very nicely.)
Anyway, I would love to tap into your expertise and experience and get your thoughts on the Internet and the role that it is playing in what I believe will ultimately be a major Revolution among Jehovah's Witnesses. Perhaps we can exchange some PMs or email.
Getting back to your bio, I wanted to ask you a personal question that may be difficult to answer I don't know. I was wondering why when you were already evidently having much doubt about being a Jehovah's Witness, did you marry your first-wife who was evidently such a devouted Witness? What were you thinking? I don't mean any disrespect and I know first hand how crazy love can be, but it just seems like in hindsight it was so easy to see how that relationship was going to faire? I didn't seen any explanation of your reasons for marrying your first wife in your bio or how that fit into the whole time-line. Just curious.
Well Alan, hope you are doing well.
Take care,
Eduardo Leaton Jr, Esq.
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alw
Alan f.
thanks for a very informative post, someone said you are rehashing old stories etc. i have only been on this site very recently, as i am exiting the jw org. at this point in time, i say keep rehashing your experiences,as the net is obviously getting more popular for ex jws aswell as current jws, as they can view this site without the guards, sorry elders, ever knowing, so they can learn the real truth about the org. i have printed your post and will keep it close. my comments to you are write the book,dont miss anything out and i am sure it will come out perfect. mr alw
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onacruse
Alan, please pardon my poking a little fun at you last night...you know how it makes us both laugh!
But, on a serious note:
As has very often been discussed here, there is a challengingly difficult distinction to be drawn between intellectual recognition and emotional acceptance. You've watched that happened with me, over the course of a decade. You've also watched that happened between me and "other" people (you know who I mean, and why I can't be more direct). And I remember, like it was yesterday, the tremble in your voice and your shaking hands when you gave me that 500-page printout of your researches, and how my hands shakingly accepted. A poignant (in scientific terms: a critical point ) moment.
I was just this week watching a History channel series about the Nazis, and, wow, the similarities that can be drawn to the WTS: absolute unquestioning obedience, the power of life-and-death, the need for direction and purpose in life, the justification of brutality (the "ends justify the means"). Obviously, the Nazis did develop an extremely effective "system" to direct the 'masses.' But it was the emotional state of the 'masses' that played directly into their hands: a crime against humanity, but which that part of humanity could go to bed at night and make their participation (or deliberate ignorance) allow them to sleep very peacefully.
My point being: One can amass an incredible, perhaps even overwhelming, amount of intellectual evidence (as you have done), and yet be talking to a brick wall, in personal terms. And then, one small, sometimes almost insignificantly small, thing causes someone to reach an emotional break-through...and the "walls of Jericho" come crashing down.
I don't pretend to understand how, or why, this happens. Nor do I purport that this is how it happens with all people.
Perhaps it's sufficient to say (one of my favorite "truisms"): The discovery is in the dialogue. Or, as you said the other night: "If I can help just one more person."
Don't crash on that bike!
Craigster
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Grouper
Alan, I appreciated reading your experiences, it is a fascinating journey, which to some extend even the exiting/ex witness that social circles only include his local Elders and CO could still very well relate to.
I have been frequenting this web site since Oct 03 after I finished researching the factuality of Noah's Flood, I found it interesting that you also pursued researching the validity of a global flood and found no real evidence to support it.
Did researching the Flood myth break the camels back in not believing the WTBTS?
Many of my close friends who are JW also first started doubting because to the lack of evidence to support a global flood, have you found this also to be the case?
Thank You
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Narkissos
Alan,
Just to let you know I answered your question on the French NWT by starting another thread: