Posts by Virgochik

42

Things You'd Like To Say But Stifle Yourself From Saying

by minimus in

jw
friends

due to the fact that my mother and some other relatives and a handful of friends are devout jehovah's witnesses, i sometimes stifle my remarks regarding "the truth".. my mother asked me if i felt bad at all for not attending the memorial this year.

(she still holds hope i might come back).

i simply said that i did not feel bad at all.

Virgochik

I wonder how many of us kids who weren't ever supposed to see careers are helping our elderly parents out financially nowadays? How many of us are darned lucky (yes, I said the "L" word!) to have stumbled upon good jobs in spite of not being allowed to go to college, and now we help Mom and Dad with groceries or mail Wal-Mart gift cards to them? Don't they feel the littlest twinge of guilt? Because we did it in spite of them, and without their help. We made it on our own.

I want to ask, "Aren't you secretly just a bit proud of me?

42

Things You'd Like To Say But Stifle Yourself From Saying

by minimus in

jw
friends

due to the fact that my mother and some other relatives and a handful of friends are devout jehovah's witnesses, i sometimes stifle my remarks regarding "the truth".. my mother asked me if i felt bad at all for not attending the memorial this year.

(she still holds hope i might come back).

i simply said that i did not feel bad at all.

Virgochik

I'd like to casually ask my parents, "Hey, remember in 1975, when you said I wouldn't finish high school, and I'd never have to have a career? Then you guys took early retirement to pioneer? Wow, isn't it a lucky, er, fortunate, that I got a good government job so I can help you now with food and utilities? I mean, who woulda thought I'd be planning MY retirement in a few years?"

Wonder what they'd have to say?

17

Congregation politics are so bitter precisely because the stakes are so low

by Olin Moyles Ghost in

jw
friends

though i've never been an elder (thank god), i was raised by one and know several.

it has been my observation that there is a tremendous amount of politics on bodies of elders.

this is probably not a news flash to most of you.. there is a saying that "academic politics are so bitter because the stakes are so low.

Virgochik

We had a similar split at my last hall before I moved out from my parents. The "MC" congregation got all the popular people and the best meeting times. The "TC" congregation had to meet on Sunday afternoons or early evenings. It sucked. The joke was, "Oh, no, you got assigned to TC!" The publishers were the weak ones, and attendance was lower in the Sunday evening meetings. It was no accident, it was a popularity contest. So many things I saw proved beyond any doubt that this religion wasn't anything guided by Jesus.

17

Congregation politics are so bitter precisely because the stakes are so low

by Olin Moyles Ghost in

jw
friends

though i've never been an elder (thank god), i was raised by one and know several.

it has been my observation that there is a tremendous amount of politics on bodies of elders.

this is probably not a news flash to most of you.. there is a saying that "academic politics are so bitter because the stakes are so low.

Virgochik

I grew up on stories about the servants, as they called them when I was a kid in the 60's and 70's. We usually had a long drive home from meetings on school nites, so I'd curl up in the back seat burrowed into my coat to sleep. This was because my dad would storm off with our publisher cards to a Hall in a nearby town because he'd got into it with the clique and moved us to another congregation. (It usually wasn't much better.)

Then, it began. My dad would rant all the way home to my mom about the latest backstabbing and snarky comments the brothers made in the library. Competition was fierce to be PO or just to be powerful in the congregation, and there was more campaigning than in election year!

Even as a child it bothered me. How could those brothers be so mean to my daddy? If my daddy was always angry and upset and planning revenge against his latest rival, was something wrong at the Hall? I sensed something very wrong with the picture and knew hypocrisy when I saw it. There was always a rush to butter up the new CO and DO even if it meant badmouthing some other brother. Dad said he could tell he'd been slandered prior to meeting them, by the way they acted funny towards him. He'd find out the CO had been invited to dinner at Brother Backstabber's home the night before and he'd been talked about.

Then there were the wives who ran their own gossip rings and never included my mom, because of their husbands feuding. Some of the sisters would swoop past me with a smirk, because mom wasn't in the clique, and I was only a child!

All the way home, they talked about different ones and even had nicknames for people. It was really ugly and nasty and to this day, I remember those rides home after the meetings. And they wonder why I left "the truth" when I became an adult. Lately, they're wondering why I don't want to come back! My dad was treated very malicious and shabby, but he dished out plenty too.

It's all bogus- no way Jesus would ever have treated anybody this way and I want no part of it!

24

For the inactive: Five reasons why JWs encourage you to go back

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

for those of us who are inactive and receiving encouragment to go back to meetings, what do you think their reasons are?.

here are five suggestions:.

) they genuinely think you will die at armaggedon.

Virgochik

In my parents' case, I think they're embarrassed about me, ashamed that I left "the truth." When people I grew up with ask how I'm doing, they'd give their right leg to be able to say, "Oh, Sister Virgochik's sooo strong in the organization, bla-bla." Instead, I wonder what they do come up with to say.

They think they failed as parents because I didn't stick with the way I was raised, what a humilliation I am to them!

20

For those who chose not to have kids--any regrets?

by Alpaca in

jw
friends

when i was younger i didn't really have any second thoughts about deciding not to have kids.. when i think about the great relationship i had with my non-dub dad, i now wish that i had at least one child.. the decision was based on the borg's encouragement to put "spiritual interests" ahead of personal interests.

this is just one more of the long-lasting detriments to my life caused by the borg..

Virgochik

I got married late. I was very independent and had trouble with male headship because of being raised a Witness. It took me a long time to see not all men were domineering like the Witness guys. I met my husband at work and he's so refreshing! He treats me as an equal partner; none of the headship and in subjection gargage I was raised with.

By then, I began having "female problems" that made it too late to try for a child. Hubby and I weren't really keen on becoming parents in our forties anyway, but I think we would've had one child if we'd found each other in our thirties. I really have no regrets. We've had a great time traveling the world and enjoying life, doing whatever we feel like without watching kids when we come home from work tired and stressed. We know we may be missing out on some experiences, but we're pretty happy with our lives.

Sometimes I worry about who'll help us when we're old, but hey- my Granny had five kids, and she's still in an assisted living home, so having kids is no guarantee. I figure that's where we'll end up some day, right along side lots of people who have kids!

29

Did you like the name "Jehovah's Witnesses"?

by JimmyPage in

jw
friends

or did you wish the religion had a more mainstream name?

i can remember a "worldly" schoolmate telling me he wouldn't object to the religion so much if the name didn't sound so weird..

Virgochik

It was stoopid. Kids asked me, "So what did you witness? A mugging? A robbery?" For once, I was speechless. What WAS it we were supposed to be witnesses of anyway?

22

Will you be lonely in the old folks home?

by Quirky1 in

jw
friends

will you?.

Virgochik

My Grandma is in one, but the new term is "assisted living", lol. She's in her 90's and seems to like the place. They have steak and baked potatoes, dessert, game nights, and can spend quiet time in their apartments if they want. Lately, she's been friendly with a gentleman resident and he calls at her door to walk her to dinner. Doesn't sound all that bad to me.

14

Ted Haggard---Is He Still A Con?

by minimus in

jw
friends

he refuses to state that he's a homosexual.

he's in therapy but just this week, new allegations that ted confirmed "came out" that he was involved with another male in 2006. he looks like a major hypocrite.

hbo has a special about him this week.

Virgochik

The latest scoop in the Sunday Gazette-Telegraph is an interview with Bobby Brown, a bail bondsman and private investigator. He became intrigued with the scandal and was curious about whether any church members' donations were used to pay off the younger guy Haggard was fooling with. He did a pro-bono investigation, and uncovered several other dalliances. He plans to present the results of his investigation to the public soon. He said Haggard messed around with lots of other guys in the church and he plans to bring forth proof. Should be interesting!

New Life church members have been trying hard to forgive and forget, but that was when it was played off as one unfortunate mistake for which Haggard is deeply sorry. Turns out it was just the tip of the iceberg!

14

Ted Haggard---Is He Still A Con?

by minimus in

jw
friends

he refuses to state that he's a homosexual.

he's in therapy but just this week, new allegations that ted confirmed "came out" that he was involved with another male in 2006. he looks like a major hypocrite.

hbo has a special about him this week.

Virgochik

He had lots more than one encounter. He had a 3 year sex for cash thing going with a guy in Denver. The latest smut to come out is about a younger guy from church he was going to Cripple Creek with to party and gamble. He performed a sex act in front of the guy and the church paid the guy off because he was traumatized. He just recently came forward to tell all to the TV news because Haggard was doing those "poor, poor me, I'm a victim" documentaries. It ticked the younger guy off, cuz that wasn't exactly the truth.

Supposedly Haggard's been up front with his wife about his life-long attraction to men, but they do have five kids...I vote he's bisexual. I just wish he'd be honest about it.