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ok, here is one to enjoy:
what odd, silly, embarassing, inappropriate or just plain weird announcements have you heard at meetings, conventions and assemblies?
When the district conventions were still being held at the old Milwaukee County Stadium a "brother" announced that the meeting for those interested in attending Bethel would be located on the second INTERCOURSE. I was laughing so hard I almost peed my pantyhose. I wanted to scream out over the crowd..."It's CONCOURSE you freakin' idiot"!!!!!!! It was the highpoint of the convention.
Cathy L.
whilst taking my morning shower, where i always seem to do my best thinking (please, no rude remarks concerning showering, thank you)...i got to thinking about my dad.
our family was raised jw's; except for my dad, who knew better!
he passed away about 20 years ago and today, whilst in my shower, (oh yeah, i said that already)...i thought how hard that must of been on him.
Thanks prophecor. I think closure will come with time. It takes a lot to heal such deep wounds. But we can just "get on with it" the best we can. Thanks for the !
Cathy L.
comments you will not hear at the february 6, 2005 wt study (january 1, 2005 issue)
review comments
will be in black and parentheses ().
We see two brothers one black and one white, greeting a middle-aged black sister.Two chunky single sisters are hugging each other.
And a young black boy is talking to an older white man who is seated.
What?s wrong with this picture?
Dear Blondie:
Last night Gary and I attended a gig with the boys band and it was at a small cafe located in Appleton. It was funded by Goodwill (the cafe; the boys played for donations and earned about $3.50...hahaha) and run entirely by volunteers. There was a huge sign in the entrance explaining that everyone, no matter what race, religion, gender, etc. was welcome there. When you walked through that door you had to leave all your prejudices at the door. The name of the place was The Harmony Cafe. Before the boys played, they had a "drum circle"...which was quite interesting. Anyone could join and people brought drums and other percussion instruments and just sat around in a circle and beat their drums. It was so cool. (yeah...I was born in the 50's so I use the term "cool" a lot) BUT...aside from that (which I'm sure the witnesses would find too weird to be acceptable)...I was thinking that Christ would have probably enjoyed that place a whole lot more than any KH, where people are free to and actually encouraged to be prejudicial against anyone else who doesn't believe as they do.
The picture you refered to in the Watchtower, of course was staged. Because instances like the above quote just are so very few and far between. The only ones hugging each other at our KH were the ones in the same clique.
So "what's wrong with this picture?" That deserves a Blondie "VOMIT ALERT" for sure!
Cathy L.
whilst taking my morning shower, where i always seem to do my best thinking (please, no rude remarks concerning showering, thank you)...i got to thinking about my dad.
our family was raised jw's; except for my dad, who knew better!
he passed away about 20 years ago and today, whilst in my shower, (oh yeah, i said that already)...i thought how hard that must of been on him.
Dear Brutusmaximus: You can bet your whatever you want that I will never, as long as I'm on this earth and my brain is still functioning to some degree (which is somewhat of an iffy thing in my household), I won't ever, EVER forget my dad. He sits right there in my heart every minute of every day.
(But I still will take my daily showers as not to offend those who are my close acquaintances and loved ones).
Cathy L.
whilst taking my morning shower, where i always seem to do my best thinking (please, no rude remarks concerning showering, thank you)...i got to thinking about my dad.
our family was raised jw's; except for my dad, who knew better!
he passed away about 20 years ago and today, whilst in my shower, (oh yeah, i said that already)...i thought how hard that must of been on him.
HappyDad...I am happy for you that you were able to get some quality time with your father. We don't realize what we sacrifice for the Watchtower "gods" when we are being blinded by their cult teachings. I keep my dad close in my heart every day and just have to hope that we will meet again somewhere and I can tell him the things I never did while I had a chance. Cathy L.
P.S. Sorry I choked you up so early in the morning. Not good.
whilst taking my morning shower, where i always seem to do my best thinking (please, no rude remarks concerning showering, thank you)...i got to thinking about my dad.
our family was raised jw's; except for my dad, who knew better!
he passed away about 20 years ago and today, whilst in my shower, (oh yeah, i said that already)...i thought how hard that must of been on him.
Dear Brummie: Thanks so much for posting the link to your comments and your experience. What you wrote should be required reading for anyone who comes to this site and is studying and wonders what life will be like once they give their lives over to the organization. I read every word of your post and it touched my heart; I am glad I got to read it. Though it made me cry (again...must be hormones) it was so appreciated. Yes...we have been thinking along the same lines. I am glad though that you got your mom back and she and your dad were able to overcome the mind control of the JW's.
Big hug...Cathy L.
whilst taking my morning shower, where i always seem to do my best thinking (please, no rude remarks concerning showering, thank you)...i got to thinking about my dad.
our family was raised jw's; except for my dad, who knew better!
he passed away about 20 years ago and today, whilst in my shower, (oh yeah, i said that already)...i thought how hard that must of been on him.
I cannot even begin to express how much all of your stories and words of comfort and understanding meant to me today. I have been kind of avoiding this forum because sometimes it brings up too many painful memories and I feel like I need to move on and not live so much in the past. But I always check in now and then to hear what so many of you have to say that not only touches my heart but gives me strength to deal with any new "blows" that come just from living with what I really believe is Post Traumatic Witness Stress Disorder (or for short, PTWSD). Arghhhhhhhhhhhh....long sentences there!
So many of your comments just made me cry again. Guess I better get out the kleenex. I so much agree with everyone's comments about what a good person my dad must have been to put up with that. BINGO! You got that right. Also that he was really the Christian and not us. I guess the reason I was thinking of him was that I have gotten into scrapbooking and going through tons of old photo's and so many are of him with my kids and myself and my brother & sister (who now shun me...hey, THEIR loss...I don't give a darn anymore...well, I do but I don't). He would have been my link to family. JW's look down on the family members that are "unbelievers". It should be the other way around in my mind. But then, that would be acting just like them. Yuk. THAT's a scary thought.
Big hug back to you all. Sure...that sounds mushy and corny...but I'm through worrying about what people think of me. "What people think of me is none of my business". Cathy L.
P.S. Yup Double Edge...I am an alien in my picture. Alienated from the JW's. I actually wore those to my hubbies x-mas party. Too bad everyone else there dressed up. HAHAHA on me!!! I just couldn't understand why no one would make eye contact with me. Go figure. HA!
P.P.S. Hey Blondie girl! Maybe when spring rolls around we can get together. The boys might have a gig in Madison some time this spring and maybe we can arrange dinner or something together. Say hi to IrREVerent for us. Cathy L.
whilst taking my morning shower, where i always seem to do my best thinking (please, no rude remarks concerning showering, thank you)...i got to thinking about my dad.
our family was raised jw's; except for my dad, who knew better!
he passed away about 20 years ago and today, whilst in my shower, (oh yeah, i said that already)...i thought how hard that must of been on him.
kls...thanks for the kind words.
clementine...I know exactly what you mean. I am thankful everyday that my grandchildren will not be subjected to being "different" and sitting in the library during holiday activities. It was so lonely. I remember like it was yesterday. So much to expect out of innocent children.
mtbatoon...you brought tears to my eyes. He did have love for us. How else do you explain staying with us all those years?
jeanniebeanz...thanks for the flowers!
Doubtfully Yours--I only now appreciate how much "character" my dad did have. So many things I wish I could say to him now.
whilst taking my morning shower, where i always seem to do my best thinking (please, no rude remarks concerning showering, thank you)...i got to thinking about my dad.
our family was raised jw's; except for my dad, who knew better!
he passed away about 20 years ago and today, whilst in my shower, (oh yeah, i said that already)...i thought how hard that must of been on him.
Whilst taking my morning shower, where I always seem to do my best thinking (please, no rude remarks concerning showering, thank you)...I got to thinking about my dad. Our family was raised JW's; except for my dad, who KNEW BETTER! He passed away about 20 years ago and today, whilst in my shower, (oh yeah, I said that already)...I thought how hard that must of been on him. Being surrounded by a family of crazies. He never knew the joy of celebrating his children's birthdays. He never knew the wonder of Christmas mornings and the excitement of kid's opening gifts. He had few friends; because my mom was pretty strict about not associating with those nasty worldlings. What an empty life it must have been for him. All because we were in a cult. I was glad the water was spraying my tears off of my face. I don't know if there is a heaven or what happens when we die, but if there is a heaven, I hope he's up there doing all the things he never got to do while imprisoned in a JW family. I wish we had all known better. I hate the organization that took so many simple joys away from him, and our family. And I know that he would never be shunning me like the rest of my family. He KNEW BETTER! I miss you dad. I love you. Be happy wherever you are.
Just needed to say that today.
Big hug to you all...Cathy L.
as mentioned in my other thread, my daughter lena is having brainsurgery on monday, jan 24. the surgery will last 6-7 hours, so i'm hoping the board members will be willing to make a special effort tomorrow to send positive thoughts, healing energy, good wishes and prayers her way.
we are asking that the surgeon's hands be delicate and skillful and that lena does not bleed overmuch and that brain damage be minimal (if not non-existant).
surgery begins at 8 am eastern standard time (us), but we have to have her to the hospital by 6 am, so this is "good night!
I haven't been on the forum much of late, but was sad to hear about your child having to have such major surgery. But I read through all the postings and am so happy that all went so well for you all!! Someone is watching over you I am sure! Plus all the good "karma" generated through the thoughts of so many on this forum. All our best wishes to you all and keep your chin up. Big hug to you...Cathy L. (Is that a hug? I hope so!!)
