Posts by Pickler

38

the journey of my children in awakening

by Aussie Oz in

at the request of some, i have gone through many of my posts of the last 3 years to collect all my methods i used to awaken my children to the truth about the truth.. from oldest to newest (i will do them in a few posts so its not an endless scroll thru).

had a bit of a chat today about the internet (which i know he likes to use at my place).

in his use of the net today i found one site he visited was one i had visited to get a pdf of a society publication.

Pickler

Hey Aussie, I am incredibly moved by your story. I've got 2 kids, 13 and a 15 years. I was also raised with 1 JW parent, one opposed.

It sounds like you have done a great job "planting the seeds" so to speak, just by existing you provide an alternative, a link to the world beyond the org.

I would say your greatest power comes from just being a dad, if you know what I mean? This is what your wife is most afraid of. Sounds like your son is the typical teen, we don't see much of our son either!!!

I have noticed between my son & husband.....they are close, but my son is often very worried about letting his dad down, he interprets his dads advice as criticism.

My husband has no idea of the impact of his words, he only wants to help, I often need to mediate between them.

Maybe this is a natural part of child development, I don't know, but I think that it would be quite easy to drive a wedge between them at this stage in their lives. I'm not saying this is your situation, it's just something I've observed in my house, and from what I hear, a number of my sons friends have similar clashes.

What I do with my 13 year old daughter? In no particular order:

Swim, ice skate, bush walk, pedicure & manicure ( you go too! they will love having a man there, the massage chairs are divine!), high tea, snorkeling, bike riding, botanical gardens, colour run ( search the run guide on the net, they are on all year round, cheap & no age limits :) at least in NSW), yoga ( really good for future stress ), volunteer to walk dogs at dog shelter, art galleries & museums, fruit picking (open to the public days)

My husband also lets my daughter paint his nails....she loves this and spends ages designing something crazy. They also work together in the garage, they have made a dolls house, clothes racks, props for school plays ...lots of stuff. I forgot, my husband takes my daughter fishing, she loves it. She would love to ride horses, but, where we are it's too expensive, I know some places it's really cheap and a great option. Good independent book shops often run a range of kid themed events, get on their emailing lists...they have some great things.

I really hope for the best for you & your family, your kids sound great, they will be OK & so will you! Don't forget to look after yourself....you are a great dad and they are lucky to have you....

336

The New Diary of Winston Smith

by WinstonSmith in

we had to go off grid for a time, time and half a time as we thought we had been outed.

fortunately it was a false alarm, but it was a stressful time.

i asked for my original diary thread to be deleted in case there could be anything on there to identlfy mrs smith and i. i am always very careful when posting, and am sure there was nothing on there, but felt it best to have it removed in order to be as cautious as a dove.

Pickler

Hey Winston Smith, your diary is a long read, hope I didn't miss anything :) just wanted to say congrats on what you & the Mrs have accomplished.

I hope you are ok, it sounds grueling, and I can't imagine the self control it takes sitting through the meetings knowing you are on your way out. I know you are in oz, I'm in sydney if you or Mrs Smith ever want a coffee!

funnily enough, I never read your thread because I thought I knew a Winston Smith, but I couldn't remember where from......I did 1984 in year 12!! Haha

Some parts of the book (rats) haunt me till this day

16

Your Saturday Time Puke

by Kool Jo in

so i'm sure some of you have seen this already...but read this crap that was sent to me this morning, while i was sleeping in.

it was sent to me by an uber dub in my former congregation....i think it's a chain message:.

if someone asks about your educational background, proclaim boldly that:.

Pickler

Kool Jo, I've already vomited once this morning over another thread on this forum! I did think I had anything left in me......but yes I have.

21

4 more sleeps till we fly to Australia !

by Hairyhegoat in

jw
friends

just to update you all that we finally fly out to australia from the uk on the 13th.

me and sleeping beauty are getting out of the sinking ship that is the uk!.

will land in sydney on the 15th so will update you all once we get settled in.

Pickler

Hey Hairyhegoat, I'm in Sydney too, but we spend a lot of time up Newcastle way :) count me in for any drinks!

There's some great vineyards up there, also surfing school at one mile beach is great, kids will love it!

hello I p, and any other sydneysiders!

11

Awake February 2013: Scientist says JWs are the best.

by garbonzo in

this is a bump of this topic here as i think it needs more conversation:.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/242768/1/awake-february-2013-where-do-they-find-these-people.

Pickler

I followed this from the other thread, so I read all the links about the misleading information in the creation book, and then I've read this science guys background......my blood is boiling!!!

I would like to say to this guy.....

Your a JW and a scientist, whatever your name is? Sounds like you have a really cool job too, money, self respect based on your intellectual achievements etc etc

You do realize that if you had been raised a JW you would never have gone to university? You would now be a relatively impoverished 40 something with a bad back from whatever laborer/cleaning job you had?

Ae your kids going to go to university? If they do you are a hypocrite, and if they don't your an a**

Will we need face recognition computers in the new system? Why aren't you pioneering?

This guy makes me sick to my stomach.

7

NOT on JW.ORG: No angelic protection from Jehovah, no legal assistance, no ransom, by Watchtower for Jehovah's Witnesses kidnaped and beheaded in Field Service. Now, no help from government.

by Balaamsass in

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/293880/news/nation/doj-orders-release-of-18-men-in-2002-abduction-of-jehovah-s-witnesses-membersdoj orders release of 18 men in 2002 abduction of jehovah's witnesses membersfebruary 7, 2013 3:25pm 70 3 9 106 thr department of justice has ordered the release of 18 people arrested for the august 20, 2002 abduction of six members of the jehovah's witnesses by alleged members of the abu sayyaf.

"while they 'may' be members of the [abu sayyaf], there is no sufficient evidence that they participated, in any capacity, in the kidnapping of the six members of the jehovah's witnesses," the doj said in a 12-page resolution.

ordered freed were: ustadz ahmadsali asmad badron, hajer arasani, jamaal sawaban, robin sahiyal, alton ladhalaam, edwin siarot sawaldi, mohammad said sali, adzhar nawali, abdullan hussih, george nami, abdullah ussih, jeheri jeron, and manny ismael, "for not being the same persons charged in the amended information.

Pickler

I can't read much on your starting post, but most companies arrange for kidnap & ransom insurance.

It's highly confidential, but usual practice. not part of the loving arrangement for (expendable) missionaries then?

How caring.

11

When did the WBT$ start to break up families?

by punkofnice in

as you all know since i became a 'mentally diseased apostate that the jehu elders should slaughter(tm)' my wife left me and ripped our family apart.. the elders are convinced it's all my fault that the family suffered although i was the one trying to hold it all together.. i just read greybeard's story about his wife leaving.. how many of you have had family break ups as a result of the heartless and selfish wbt$ corporation?.

is this just a recent trend?.

.

Pickler

Punkofnice, think they've always broken up families.

in the old days (70's/80's) I think a lot of husbands left wives who became JW, and the wives lived on in poverty.

my witness parent left my non witness parent very late in life due to spiritual endangerment. But I really believe that it was financially based. They had absolutely no relationship at all to speak of for year & years. They hated each other.

But, when my dad retired they had to see a financial planner & for the first time my mother found out how much money my dad had put away for retirement :) long story short - within a few months spiritually endangered!!!! Left & divorced!!! Got 1/2 of everything & very happy.

Ironically my dad had put this money away in case any of us left the JW and wanted to get an education. He saved for 30+ years and now 1/2 of it will end up in the JW bank accounts.

I'm sure she's signed the donation forms already!!!

33

The Bible Truths of the Watchtower Corporation were really a commercial fraud supporting the distribution of the organization's literature

by Finkelstein in

one thing should be brought forward in all respect to truthful honesty is that the wts.

self proclaimed doctrines were fraudulently devised and created to attract the attention from the public eyes and mind.

in a way the wts.

Pickler

The thing is that they haven't moved on, but society has changed. A printing company that's facing a future of failed prophesies & no more money to be made in printing?

The sad thing is, that even though those at the top may deep down know that it's crap, too many rank & file have too much invested to ever even consider TTATT. This whole sad saga would make a great marketing/business thesis for somebody, if it hasn't already.

Imagine doing your phd on the business model of the WTS, fascinating.

Finkelstein, you said that it was plausible to look at the WTS as a publishing company, only "plausible" from the outside! Growing up in I remember it being considered laughable that the WTS would ever make money out of the printing, the prices were so cheap, it was crazy!!! Also, how much scorn heaped on Catholics for their wealth, whilst WTS owned swathes of Brooklyn? never even considered! I'm afraid Indoctrinated people don't think that much.

25

Interesting moment on subway today & other thoughts

by sd-7 in

jw
friends

i was heading home today, and i saw one woman reading a new world translation.

we made eye contact, but i hope i didn't glare at her or anything... since i was already having a bout with depression today, it didn't help to see her.

so then she gets off the train, right?

Pickler

Hey sd7, anyone would get depressed being around witnesses too much, all that godliness & waiting for Armageddon.

The thing I've noticed is that we were taught to be really good at delaying any gratification/pleasure ( the whole wait for the new system thing ) ....not so good at actually just going for it and doing what it takes to get yourself happy NOW!!!

I have met some real hedonists since I've been out, and I tell you, I've learnt that they are right - get what fun you can out of life, because it can be gone in an instant!!!!

Your time is now!

41

We are in for a blizzard!

by coffee_black in

jw
friends

the winter storm watch has just been upgraded to a blizzard watch.

from where i sit, just outside of boston, it looks like up to 2 feet of snow from friday to saturday with high winds that will make travel very difficult if not impossible.. .

coffee .

Pickler

It's stinking hot here in Sydney.

I love snow but I've only been in it a few times, guess I will watch the news tonight....