Posts by hopelesslystained

46

PRISON

by uninformed in

did any of you go to prison either in the vietnam era, or earlier?.

i was in severel prisons:.

mount lemon, tucson.

hopelesslystained

I really can't remember where it was in Arizona. His name was Ron Hilliard. Hope

9

All the remnant 144,000

by hopelesslystained in

i have always wondered from the time of being a child and being familiar with a few of the professed 144,000 remnant; just why is there no enlightenment coming from them?

the only enlightenment or new light is coming from the few in brooklyn, new york.

does not make sense to me.

I have always wondered from the time of being a child and being familiar with a few of the professed 144,000 remnant; just why is there no enlightenment coming from them? The only enlightenment or new light is coming from the few in Brooklyn, New York. Why only those few? Does not make sense to me. Does it to you?

I know, "it's a cult", but how does the active Jw rationalize this?

I have been out for a long time, but this has always made me wonder...

Hope

46

PRISON

by uninformed in

did any of you go to prison either in the vietnam era, or earlier?.

i was in severel prisons:.

mount lemon, tucson.

hopelesslystained

***To this day hardly any JW understands this issue as it was presented to me in my congregation.***

I am so sorry Terry. I do understand. My Father, the Congregation Overseer of the time gave that same speach to my boyfriend of the time. I knew then, the organization was wrong! Just common sense to me as a young teenager. I was so torn and heartbroken. I really wanted to be acceptable to the whole jw thing so tried to stand behind their decisions. I did go and see my boyfriend in prison, his blood brother was imprisoned at the same time as well, they were somewhere in Arizona. I traveled in the back of one of their family members stationwagon, from southern ca and got terribly sick with food poisoning. So the memory is still clear. No other visits were arranged to go see them.
I felt so, so, sad and that it was so wrong for them to be there. You know,that stigma of being an ex-con stuck with them and affected their ability to get any kind of decent employment. There was no appreciation nor acknowledgement shown by the congregation when they did return.

I cry now for them and you and all the others who have experienced that time and place. It's one of those cases where the ones in charge really have no feeling for, nor comprehension of what they are dictating behavior should be is truely haveing on their followers.

Sorry I sound a little disconnected, but this is a very emotional issue for me.

Hope

61

I'm gonna die

by Jourles in

jw
friends

well, that's what my wife tells me anyway.

i just bought a new bike yesterday.

i have to wait about a week and a half before it comes in, but i think i can manage.. here it is plain from the factory:.

hopelesslystained

Good on you Jourles! One of the first things I did upon leaving that damned cult
was hook up with some of those 'big boys on bikes'! No 'fashion hogs' for me.
Real bikes, as in HD, but old style. Real men, not a bible thumping wimp. Yes, even the the outlaws, local chapter.
Did I have fun? YES Did they treat me well? YES Do I have outstanding memories! YES

Ride free and in the wind my dear!

Hope

13

What would have been the reaction of the brothers and sisters if.....

by JH in

jw
friends

.

imagine, if it was possible, if you could go back in time, some 20 or 30 or even 50 years in the past, and telling the witnesses back then, that by 2006, absolutely nothing the watchtower predicted would happen.

what do you think would have been their reaction?

hopelesslystained

Highlander- embarrassing is an accurate description for anyone having been a witless, and so much more so for those of us who put our lives on hold while trusting in the organization's claims and predictions. The important thing is that we now know better. So sad...for those still ensnared, but not for the many who are haughty and so self-righteous.

13

What would have been the reaction of the brothers and sisters if.....

by JH in

jw
friends

.

imagine, if it was possible, if you could go back in time, some 20 or 30 or even 50 years in the past, and telling the witnesses back then, that by 2006, absolutely nothing the watchtower predicted would happen.

what do you think would have been their reaction?

hopelesslystained

Sorry, but this system of things simply cannot go on the way it is. After all, according to bible chronology, 1975 is the end of the 6,000 years of mankind's history and the beginning of Christ's 1000 year reign in the new system of things in which only true believers (JWs) will live, having survived armageddon.

40

April KM - Handbill Distribution

by stillajwexelder in

well it is official - the april km has the details of the handbill campaign.

we are to be given 50 handbills each and start a distribution for 3 weeks before the district convention.

we are supposed to cover our entire territory.

hopelesslystained

I really do not remember the details, but the time was around 1975 (really hate to expose myself!!!) Anyway,everyone in the local congs were just so totally excited about the special handbills to be distributed that the lines at the KH were packed to get our just share of them to hand out. This was going to be the last chance to 'get on the ark'. Some were upset they did not get their full allotment to hand out, as a child, the greed I saw in the adults for a stack of these handbills was disturbing. But, hey, we were announcing the end of the world and the usserance (word?) of the wonderful new world and system of 'things'. (insert sarcastic smirk)

41

Jehovah's Witness skating parties were da bomb!

by PaNiCAtTaCk in

jw
friends

was this just a local arkansas thing or were jw's everywhere getting jiggy at the skating rink?

we used to have awesome skating parties and witnesses from 150 miles away would come sometimes.

or sometimes we would drive that far to go to one.

hopelesslystained

wow. that is one happy jw memory for me. the ice skating parties at the pasadena, ca rink. ahem, away back when... but i did learn later the skating parties were banned due to the tempation for "conduct unbecoming a jw". ??? problem was too many were holding hands with the oposite sex while skating. go figure

11

The lives of some JWs. so happy to be out!!!

by rowan in

jw
friends

just finished talking on the phone with my mom.

she filled me in with the latest about my old jw acquaintances from before i was df.

good.

hopelesslystained

"trapped in the WT machinery" excellent description! what a sad, sad way for so many to spend their lives. :(

24

Older women, younger men <edited>

by serendipity in

i'm getting ready to embark on a journey.

a journey into the world of online dating.

one of the criteria has me thinking - age.

hopelesslystained

growing up as a jw and observing the couples in my kh, by far the happiest, most loving couple i observed was were she was 10 yrs older than him. this had really impressed me. i forgot all about them until later. i started to realize after divorce that i attracted younger men. don't get me wrong, i dated all ages, but the younger ones were the most adoring and loving. i had no time for anyone on a serious level till both my kids were adults and out of the house. well during this time a 19 yr old fell in love with me, i paid very little attention as both kids were still home. a couple of years after they were both off to college and on their own i felt the need for a commited relationship. guess what? there was my 19yr old all grown up, alittle experienced and still waiting for me! we have been married now for 12 wonderful years! he is 17 yrs younger. well that's my experience. we have recently made friends with 2 couples who have met on-line and married. all seems to be working for them. their ages are close to each other. i think the most important thing is to be very clear on what *you* want and need and accept nothing less. best of luck! hope