Posts by franklin J

10

help - dating a married JW

by outofthere73 in

jw
friends

i have been a reading these message boards for almost a year and have been thankful for the information i have read.

i have been dating a man for almost 3 years when i discovered last year he was a jw.

i have been trying to understand what this was all about - can't even begin to get a handle one how odd it can all be.

franklin J

welcome to the forum,

If you are asking for some advice; I would wager to say that you should "move on" in the boyfriend department. Do not look back.

My concern is not so much that he is a JW; but that he has a family; kids. Forgive my blunt comment ;but he is OBVIOUSLY not giving them up for you.

The religion did not stop him from seeing you in the first place and concealing his status. So I would conclude that the religion, in this case , is being used as an excuse.

"Bakers Act" ? Never heard of it; but again this does not sound like anything you would want to get yourself entangled with

Do not concern yourself about his friendship; he is a big boy and is capable of taking care of himself.

For your own welfare; find someone else to befriend.

14

Mom said we would still be family regardless of my decision

by M@el5trom in

jw
friends

first, a little background.

i lurk here from time to time, generally if i am feeling down or having trouble with something re: jws.

i have not been to a meeting for over a year now, and neither has my wife.

franklin J

welcome to the forum.

Your Mom and Dad sound like loving parents, doing what parents are supposed to do...be supportive of their children, and not on a power trip to control them.

Good for them! Good for you!

good luck to you!

regards, Frank

21

who remembers their first day at school

by tijkmo in

i remember mine...it was in the days when all pupils gathered daily for a service to start the day even though it was not a religious school...anyway my sister had started the same school the previous year and my parents had informed the school that she would not be attending the daily service..not a problem..except for some reason they assumed that because i was the same surname the school would make the connection that i wasnt to go into service...but they didnt and so i found myself right at the front of the hall on my first day not even 5 years old in my new blazer and short trousers with all the other pupils behind me knowing i shouldnt be there..so i started crying..and first my teacher came to see what was wrong but quickly got frustrated because i couldnt explain myself..so she smacked me for crying and kept smacking me to get me to stop crying and then got the headmistress to smack me to get me to stop crying until eventually time was up and they had to cancel the service.....result...still loved school though...tijkmo

franklin J

reading all these replies has brought back some very unpleasent childhood memories for me from that time.

Some of you posting have obviously had a harder time than me. Amazing how those teachers all reacted differently.

Larc; your response indicated a very intelligent teacher. She ( or he) took advantage of the situation to explain to the class. I would assume as an example of "freedom to choose." How clever! It is exactly the instruction I give my children.

I have found that the BEST revenge for these awful memories is to teach my children PATRIOTISIM to their country; but to let them know they have a choice here and that some countries do not. And also to celebrate the holidays with gusto. My kids love it and have a great time. It brings me great joy just to watch them. My poor childhood memories fade away.

I have taught them about my differences as a child; and the importance of THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE.

It works for us

5

Adam named millions of species

by cheeseman in

i am intrigued by this:gen 2:19 and out of the ground the lord god formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

a quick search at the national geographic showed:to date, taxonomists have identified less than two million distinct species, mostly mammals and birds.

but it's estimated that the number of undiscovered speciesprimarily fish, fungi, insects, and microbesranges from ten million to more than one hundred million.

franklin J

if we are playing that game:

1) try to figure out how long it took the Hebrews fleeing Pharohs Chariots to cross the Red Sea ( parted waters)

2) try to figure out how much room was on Noahs Ark for each of the animals, based on the description and the measurements given

I think the old Aid book tried to work this out. Never made much sense to me.

23

I can't get the Memorial song out of my head!!!

by ohiocowboy in

jw
friends

argh!!!

since i woke up this morning, i have been finding myself humming the song for the memorial tonight.

it is really freaky.

franklin J

No. Never.

Whenever I have joked with family members ( who have also escaped) about kingdom songs, we sing "keep your eyes on the prize" ( is that still sung?)

Evidently, our prize was "getting out" and staying far away.....

35

is America No. 1?

by Pleasuredome in

jw
friends

this is an interesting article i found.

i guess if you were to ask anyone on a street anywhere in the world what they think is the leading developed country in the world, they'd probably say the us.

so with that in mind, here's some interesting statistics.... .

franklin J

Interesting reading,

.....Your point is?

144

An Elder Told Me.... Many To Be Disfellowshipped Soon...

by Doubtfully Yours in

an elder told me the book is jehovah's latest provision to cleanse his organization.. he said soon all people that have drifted, inactives, and others baptized and not complying with the biblical mandates for a jw, will be visited and given an option to shape up or ship out.. he said that if the person refuses the help offered by the congregation they'll be notified of the date of disfellowshipping and given time to appeal the decision.. he was so happy stating that this way jehovah's organization was preparing for the final clean-up before armageddon.

he sounded so convincing that it almost made perfect sense what he was saying.

i got goose bumps listening to his reasoning.. dy

franklin J

this is hilarious....I will keep a magnum of champagne at the ready for the celebration, I know my nice Irish Catholic wife would love to toast this one with me....

and when they show up at my door, my only comment will be...

"you have no power here. Be gone; before someone drops a house on you....."

42

What if?

by jula71 in

does anyone have the fear of, "what if they?re right?

" i?ve had that nagging me then i have another voice, i?m not nuts-i?m not hearing voices-just a metaphor, tell me "they can?t be right.

" i just have this incredible inner conflict in me.

franklin J

Once I got away and got a taste of freedom ( of being "wordIy) had no doubts whatsoever.....

Even as a dub, I had secret doubts about what I was taught. I went along with it because I was never exposed to anything else.

No, I do not and never have thought they were "right"

21

who remembers their first day at school

by tijkmo in

i remember mine...it was in the days when all pupils gathered daily for a service to start the day even though it was not a religious school...anyway my sister had started the same school the previous year and my parents had informed the school that she would not be attending the daily service..not a problem..except for some reason they assumed that because i was the same surname the school would make the connection that i wasnt to go into service...but they didnt and so i found myself right at the front of the hall on my first day not even 5 years old in my new blazer and short trousers with all the other pupils behind me knowing i shouldnt be there..so i started crying..and first my teacher came to see what was wrong but quickly got frustrated because i couldnt explain myself..so she smacked me for crying and kept smacking me to get me to stop crying and then got the headmistress to smack me to get me to stop crying until eventually time was up and they had to cancel the service.....result...still loved school though...tijkmo

franklin J

yes, I remember vividly the total despair and feeling that I just did not belong.

It especially became apparent when they saluted the flag and I did not. Again for birthdays and holiday parties when I had to leave the room.

The teachers were all very supportive about it. In hindsite; I think they took cautions to be extra careful with me ; knowing full well what being the "odd kid" was going to do to my psyche. Not to mention the ridicule to be endured.

A child never forgets the injustices seared upon their little minds. I am no exception.

As a parent now; I would never think of singling my kids out to be different.

27

Did You Feel Guilty Because You Couldn't "Do More"?

by minimus in

jw
friends

truthseeker made a good thread explaining just how much time we actually do spend in the "cult".

most of us couldn't do everything that was expected.

were you one of the guilty ones??

franklin J

I was young and felt that I was doing my share as a full time pioneer and MS servant and assistant book servent.

.....but despite all that I knew something was missing . I knew that I wanted to do something else with my life; I just did not know what. I wanted more; just what I did not know.

I was not satisfied.

I did not have a life of my own or of my own choosing.