Posts by Rabbit

20

P**sing Into the Wind?

by patio34 in

i haven't been reading much political stuff here as i've been feeling overwhelmed.

the more i read, condone the what seems to me to be blatant criminal and bigoted actions of the current administration.

i'm not going to defend those statements, it's my opinion and i know the right-wingers are "true believers" when it comes to bush, et al.. i'll be in the fray in other ways, but not on this board.

Rabbit

I try to stay away from political threads, because of volatility of some posters. However, even tho' I've never voted I am thinking about doing it this year. This is what I see:

Bush (and most Republicans) are terrible on the Environment, women' rights, gay & lesbian issues, civil rights and privacy issues.

Kerry ( and most Democrats) are terrible on Terrorism, Taxes - picking our pockets to support everyone who doesn't work, special interest groups and supporting OTHER countries when we have so many real needs here.

Democrats are good on the issues the Republicans are bad on and vice-versa.

If I vote tho' -- Bush will get my vote...why? He is the "won't back down President," he's the one I would want in time of war, he's the type Al Quida and others know they should be afraid of...

However, if we were not in real danger like we are now from terrorists and rogue states, who I believe are trying their best to go 'Atomic', I would vote for Environmental and Human Rights issues in a "New York minute."

I too, don't want to debate this...it's simply my experienced opinion.

96

My Dad died a few hours ago

by BONEZZ in

jw
friends

excuse me if i ramble...this is hard.

i have even avoided threads in the past where others have had to go thru this because i didn't want to face it.

guess i'm a wuss.

Rabbit

Bonezz,

My heart goes out to you...it will be a real bumpy road for a while, hold on to your memories. I like what 'Patio34' said, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Of course for now, there will be plenty of tears...don't hold them back. My Mom, who I was very close to, died about 3 1/2 years ago, it was sudden, too.

She lives on in my memories, as will your Dad in your heart. After all this time...I still have tears and I still smile at the fantastic person and mother she was...everyone loved her. 500 people were at her services, a tribute to how one person's life...can touch so many more.

Uzzah,

The same to you I am so sorry. The reality has had time to really sink in with you. The only thing I can tell you is...there are several different grieving 'stages' for everyone. Eventually, I promise...things will get better for both of you.

Love, Rabbit

52

Emotional Day

by Puternut in

jw
friends

i am having one of those days.

it all started yesterday when i was picking up some work from a client yesterday nearby.

when i walked in the store, the nora jones cd was playing and i became emotional.

Rabbit

Puter:

Both my girls live with my ex, and she is very controlling. That is her nature. All calls are screened, intercepted, or ignored. Sometimes I have to call for two weeks straight, before I get an answer from the house

Dang Puter, You just described MY X...maybe she was two timing us both?

The same with the pictures...she took all the albums, about 2K pics.

The same with the hospital...

The same with the controlling...

The same with the phone calls...2 - 3 weeks, calling her work, cell, pager home...nothing. Then, SHE gets mad and says,"I don't answer to you any more...!" I have to remind her all the time about all the court orders she's thumbing her nose at.

I guess this is "Theocratic Warfare," huh? And as we've heard..."All's Fair in Love and War."

24

Were you ever a Conscientious Objector ?

by Nadsam in

dear jehovahs witnesses and ex-jw's .. many of you may not be aware of what life is like in a military state.

i would like to share a part of the shame that jehovah's witnesses elders in southa africa have to bear.. in south africa white males during the 70's and 80's were conscripted into the army from age 16.. during the 80's at the age of 16 i was conscripted.

at age 17 i was sentenced as a minor and was told i would have serve to six years prison.

Rabbit

Farkel,

I don't really know you, but, your stature just went way up with me...I too, expected to go to prison with the felony conviction to follow me the rest of my life. I have a job that I could not have, if I'd had a felony. I know you know far more than I how this can affect you. I am so sorry for what you went thru. It 'almost' happened to me...and just a few hours ago, Nathan, made his post about 'now Alternative Service is OK'. It's SAD how, when they DO change something it's done quietly, with no fanfare.

I hope in this case, the 'F' word is not edited. I fully understand your fury...

As I said in my other post...the WTS can F*** your life totally -- then have absolutely NO LOYALTY to the R & F JW's. Not even the common 'Courtesy' to at least say, "We're sorry, WE WERE WRONG !"

This is an insidious religion...I am furious, too.

23

Do any of you now believe in the hellfire hell of eternal physical torment?

by True North in

jw
friends

i know that many ex-jws have joined various christian denominations or have become non-denominational christians.

do any of you now believe in the hellfire hell of eternal physical torment?

if not, do you now have some other view of hell that differs from the jw view of it?

Rabbit

Naw, I still believe in a loving God, I don't have all the answers. But, I don't believe God could be capable of that kind of cruel, continuous torture for ever and ever...and for what? Failing a test, that according to the Bible, only 3 (perfect) people have been given...and 2/3rds of them did not pass !

This...is I think, one of the very few things the dubs have gotten right.

[Edited to say: My X wife (JW) could be considered as "Hell on Earth."] lol

24

Beer Time

by copsec in

jw
friends

okay everyone, pop open your bottles of beer and tip it to friday!

woo hoo!

Rabbit

We have Pizza and Buffalo wings on the way from Dominoe's and Shiner Bock in the frig. Yee-hawwwwww!

24

Were you ever a Conscientious Objector ?

by Nadsam in

dear jehovahs witnesses and ex-jw's .. many of you may not be aware of what life is like in a military state.

i would like to share a part of the shame that jehovah's witnesses elders in southa africa have to bear.. in south africa white males during the 70's and 80's were conscripted into the army from age 16.. during the 80's at the age of 16 i was conscripted.

at age 17 i was sentenced as a minor and was told i would have serve to six years prison.

Rabbit

Nadsam,

My heart goes out to you...few people today could possibly imagine what you went thru for your your religion. I can understand tho' with the situation in your country at the time...you did fight against them...a very good thing, that you were not "with" them.

I am appalled at the treatment you received at the hands of the WTS and Elders...after knowing what you went thru -- you should have been treated as a hero!

I graduated in '72, registered as a C.O. I had to appear before the Draft Board (All Veteran's wearing their medals & VFW hats) I had a real bad feelin'...they threatened me, saying, "Do you realize you could spend up to 5 years in the Federal Pen. ?" I guess they thought I could not read...even tho' I had about 20 pages of questions and my written answers to all kinds of things. Like...have you ever publically expressed your religious views? When? Dates and times, to whom... Where? School, work, etc. What did you say? Exactly what...? I was a regular pioneer (100 hrs.) I don't know what they would have decided in my case, if my # had come up.

What saved me from going to Vietnam or prison was my draft lottery #, that year they drafted to within 50 #'s of mine. I was willing to go to prison for my faith. Now, because of an unscriptural divorce...forced upon me and making me 'not-free-to remarry', they are willing to DF me, because I re-married anyway to a non-JW.

Nathan:

Today, the question of "alternative military service" is left up to the individual conscience - no one is told that they must take a hard line stance and refuse alternative military service.

Thanks, Nathan. I did not know the WTS has again changed their mind (or just new light bulb, huh ? ) on something that would greatly affect someone's very life! It reminds me of the Organ Transplant fiasco, I believe it changed in 1985. One day you would have to die, because you weren't allowed to get that heart transplant, the next..."Well, new light folks!" I always figured one of the GB's needed a transplant... or a relative, maybe THAT'S how New Light really comes about...

53

Tips For People Who Visit the South

by Tatiana in

jw
friends

tips for visitors to the south .

if you are going to live, or visit in the south, you .

we stop when it's red.

Rabbit

Tatiana,

Now that's funny and purdy accurate, too! The only 'edit' I would make is on # 14, down south...that meal you eat at nighttime -- it's called "Supper", Dinner is something real fancy and usually not at home like ! lol

Eyes,

No road kill for me either, but, I've known of poor people in south Luzy-anna that went on 'road-kill' patrol...if 'it' wasn't too badly beat-up, 'it' would end up on the kitchen table for butchering n' eatin'.

I like squirrel, never heard them called 'tree rats' tho' that's funny, I have killed and eaten 'Possum -- not too bad. Down here in Texas we have an "Official State Road-Kill Animal" -- called the Armadillo. More of these guys meet their end on highways than any other. I tried to eat one of these, nearly passed out from the stench while cleanin' it. See, I always had this personal rule...I would never shoot anything...that I would not eat. So-o-o, yes, I chicken fried it and it tasted purdy.................bad. Really, really bad. My dogs ate it tho'...

When I lived in south Luzy-anna, everybody called a skunk... a "woodbunny". Do they still do that way up North in the 'Yankee' part of 'Luzy-anna' around Shreveport?

Roybatty,

What kind of wine goes good with coon? :)

Easy -- Mad Dog 20/20 ! Ah thought all y'all knew thet one...or some may say 'Bud Lite.'

Y'all come back now...real soon...y'all hear...?

27

Please help! Non Witness needs advice as to what went wrong w/Witness ex

by AngelofEventide in

hi everyone, i am new to this site.

this whole last week has been sheer torture for me and i am trying to understand what happened.

i have been dating a witness for a little over two months now.

Rabbit

Hi Angel,

What Talesin said about being excommunicated (JW's call it Disfellowshiping) if he remarries can be true. I am living with this threat over my head -- right now. My X wife is still a Witness, she left and then divorced me, the Elders told her she had no 'scriptural grounds' to separate or divorce. This is something you need to ask him about...is he scripturally 'free' to re-marry?

Why...?

Because in this stupid religion I was in for 35 years...even tho' I was innocent in the breakup ( I had not been violent, abusive or commited adultry...) it is "Catch-22" , If I re-marry, because I am not "Free" to re-marry according to the JW's, I can be disfellowshiped. After 7 years alone, I did remarry about 6 months ago, it was very public, but, one call to the Elders could get me DF'd -----^, This is a very big deal, right now, I am being shunned by almost all my JW family for simply getting married to a non-witness. if I DO get DF'd it will be forever -- unless I go back and let them control me again, that will not happen.

The sad thing is I could not even date a Witness woman, me not being 'free', the person I would date or marry would also be DF'd !!!

There is no end to this vicious cycle -- except to fade away like I did or drop out suddenly -- as long as you get out!

Disfellowshiping means, NO Witness can talk to you or associate with you in any way, this includes your children, friends, relatives and even your very parents! There are some special emergency exceptions, please read around on this forum and you will find far too many very, very sad stories of entire families being broken up, because of this asinine rule and there have been many when they were 'shunned' (DF) that committed suicide...and there are many other losses as well.

This is a very big deal to him, especially if he has close friends & relatives that are JW's. With me the heartbreak never ends, being shunned by your children cuts and hurts me very deep.

Things you (he) can be DF'd for:

Disagreeing with the WTS in any way, taking blood, voting, marrying outside his faith and lots of others.

Get this -- If he is not 'free to re-marry and marries you, he JW's consider your wedding bed as a bed of adultry. He'll be disfellowshiped !

I know ... hard to believe...ask him !

Good Luck, Angel

55

Are there any Newbies out there???

by Sassy in

jw
friends

i was just wondering if there were any new members out there who haven't yet said hello... if so.. please come in and say hi here.. .

its an easy way to get started.. .

i know there are those who will read/lurk for a while but one day they jump in and say hi.... .

Rabbit

As Angharad said,

Deep breath.... WELCOME to Nazgul, Prefect, Reganashe, Astridkittie, Painterguy, ParadigmRevolution, Marie67, Crit, What If, & No Judgement

I was a 'newbie' just 3 months ago, made MY first post in January. As everyone has said, read, enjoy and here you can ask ANY question, some may be right on with your thoughts, some way, way off. There is a 'Freedom' here like none we had in the WTS.

Sassy,

It is just like you to do something nice like this...I can tell they are all a little surprised with the attention and welcome ! I like the one poster who said he half expected "to be turned into a pillar of salt." The sky did not fall for me either.