The Story of Gary Busselman
His wife died on January 12, 1971 at 26 years of age because she rejected an organ transplant.
Gary Busselman
I am a former Jehovah’s witness. I represent no interest, religion, sect or institution. I have no hidden agenda. I do not wish to harm anyone. I am not advocating practicing JWs to leave their organization, although apparently quite a few have and still are.
Many current JWs (according to my mail) have serious questions about their organization. Some who have contacted me were rushed into the Watchtower organization, brought up on charges by the elders when they went to these JW leaders for help with personal problems, and then rushed out the back door (disfellowshiped). One poor woman did all this—indoctrination study, baptism, 3 judicial meetings, and disfellowshipped within ten months.
My goal is to be helpful, supportive and a resource. My offer of help to people whose lives have been affected by the watchtower organization is my living amend for the things I did while involved with the JW movement.
I was involved with the watchtower organization from age 7 to about 30. I had a “crisis of conscience” that started after I encouraged my wife to follow watchtower policy and reject an organ transplant that doctors said would be required to save her life. With the transplant doctors gave her a 50% chance of recovery. Without the operation they gave her a 0% chance.
The Watchtower forbade organ transplants in 1967.
My wife, Delores L. Busselman died on January 12, 1971at 26 years of age without a chance to recover.
At the time 1975 was looked to by me and other JWs I knew as the likely date for the long-awaited Armageddon.
The expectation was launched in 1966 with Fred Franz’s book, Life Everlasting In Freedom Of The Sons Of God, that says:
“According to this trustworthy Bible chronology six thousand from man’s creation will end in 1975, and the seventh period of a thousand years of human history will begin in the fall of 1975 CE.” Page 29
“How appropriate it would be for Jehovah God to make of this coming seventh period of a thousand years a sabbath period of rest and release, a great Jubilee sabbath for the proclaiming of liberty throughout the earth to all it’s inhabitants.” Page 30
Then farther down on page 30 he said;
“Consequently there is now every reason why the human creation will yet be set free, not by men, but by Almighty God. The long awaited time for this is at hand.”
This was followed by a 5-page chronology chart showing early autumn 1975 as the:
“end of the 6th 1,000-year day of man’s existence.”
After Delores’ death I remember thinking to myself if the Watchtower organization turns out to be wrong about 1975 then they were probably wrong about the cannibalism (organ transplant) doctrine too. I decided this 1975 doctrine would be the final test of myself.
While the clock ticked off to 1975 some other things happened to make me question myself in following the practices and teachings of this organization.
A principle event for me was the realization that as a JW in good standing I could not engage in honest recruiting practices. I was instructed to go to homes of strangers and tell them I was a “Bible Student”, even though I knew their second president Joseph “Judge” Rutherford had purged the real Bible Students out of the organization in1917 or 1918 and labelled them as evil slaves. I was instructed to falsely present the Watchtower and Awake! magazines as non-denominational, and I was told to represent myself as a minister even though I knew that to be false. I was directed to deny that I was there to change householders’ religion, while I full well knew that, in fact, was my mission.
Some other events and realizations I had were:
#1 I became more and more aware that in The Watchtower and other Society publications that when a point needed to be made or a question answered in print, often points were stated in the form of a question or I was simply led in my mind to a conclusion. Too often, for my comfort level, sources that had been taught to me by the Watchtower organization to be part of Satan’s visible earthly organization were quoted to make the point or offer proof of a point of view taken by The Watchtower.
I realized that if I had been able to ask the writers of the Watchtower publications to explain their stand they could say we didn’t say that, we merely quoted Johannes Greber or whoever.
Lectures too, typically would talk all around the issue without actually saying it but when I left I took the covert message with me. If I had a problem with the message I heard spoken but that I knew wasn’t spoken I must never have heard it. Right?
#2 I began to doubt my acceptance level of the doctrine of the “theocratic war strategy” [the doctrine that it’s OK to lie when the interests of the Organization are involved].
My wife and 2 small sons were at a district assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Bismarck N.D. I took most of the responsibility for my oldest son (about 2 ½ years old) so my wife could devote her attention to the little guy. At breakfast I had picked up a roll of rainbow lifesavers for my son. Early in the afternoon they ran out. There was a candy vending machine at the convention site—I was saved.
The second day I forgot to buy lifesavers in the restaurant. I told my 2 ½ year old son don’t worry we’ll get some at the assembly but when I caught up with him at the vending machine there was a roll paper banner (the paper looked an awful lot like the paper on the temporary JW cafeteria tables) covering the machine held on with scotch tape that was hand lettered with a magic marker that said “OUT OF ORDER”…..This is a crisis.
My little son looked almost panicked when I told him what the sign said. I told him that if the machine was really broke that we would go back to the store and get some candy. He watched with big eyes as I carefully pulled up the corner of the out of order sign and snuck a quarter in the vending machine that I could now see had been freshly stocked. The quarter went clunk (sounded like someone dropped a manhole cover). Carefully I pulled the lever and out rolled a rainbow lifesavers candy roll. Hmmmm…..repeat above.
Oops! Just as the second offensive rainbow lifesavers hit the tray two JW assembly security officers (called attendants) were between us and the out of order machine. They physically pushed us back and said in a rather arrogant manner, “The machine is out of order, Brother.” I said, “You are a liar brother.”
One said, “You wait right here while we get brother —-.” I indicated I would be glad to wait for brother —- and that I was anxious to hear him explain this lie. Pretty soon they rushed back and asked me my name. I told them and they trotted off, apparently to see brother —-. Pretty soon here they come brisk walking back to confront the culprit (me) without brother —-. They said, “Brother —- said you can use the machine just keep it to a minimum.”
I remembered overreading a proof text at a meeting once and being touched by the way Jesus treated the children. This incident reminded me of others similar and in my mind I questioned the principles behind the tactics and arrogant way my little son and I were treated.
#3 At the same convention, seated about 3 rows in front of us, a man was trying to quiet his small (about 3 years old) daughter after she had sat quietly for well over an hour. Her cries caught my attention but my eyes were glued on the father. He was being very rough with this cute little girl dressed up like a doll. He would pick her up and slam her body down on the chair. Finally she stood up and he started to hit her on the bottom and he wouldn’t stop. I stood up, stepped down to him and he stopped hitting her. I told him if he needed to hit somebody he could hit me or was I too big for him. (This happens during a program lecture.)
This incident also reminded me of other similar things I have witnessed in the JW organization.
#4 I reached a point where I had to mentally review the DRESS FOR SUCCESS or the theocratic-look doctrine.
I don’t like neckties. I don’t see any use for them. I don’t care if you wear one, as long as I don’t have to.
At a Sunday meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses an elder asked me if I would mind helping out taking one of 2 microphones around to people commenting at the Watchtower study. (No tie on.) I said sure I’ll help out. I wasn’t aware at that time that there was a waiting list for this job or a dress code. I really preferred to sit with my wife and 2 small sons.
About the third week of this microphone job we arrived a little early, me without my tie, and after, as was my custom, putting my books on a chair to ensure someone else didn’t get the seat, I went back to lean on the literature counter. Up walks a young man, at that time serving the interests of the Governing Body as a special pioneer, with a big smile on his face and his hand extended. I reached out my hand to shake but instead of shaking my hand he flipped my collar up and out of my jacket and then said, “Where’s your tie brother?” Then he walked away. (I never liked being called “BROTHER” like that.)
During the meeting I left my family and delivered the microphone to anxious watchtower study participants.
After the meeting a different elder came up to me and asked if he could talk to me in private back in the library. I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong. I’d been going to all 5 meetings regularly again for some time now. (I had recently changed “secular” employment so I could work day hours.) I had been reporting my spiritual behavior and literature sales on the monthly field service report-form provided every month. I felt confident he was going to praise my efforts in private so the other microphone deliverers wouldn’t get jealous. Oops!….. He showed me in a rulebook the Watchtower Society had written that in order for me to deliver the microphones to my “spiritual” brothers and sisters I had to wear a necktie. (The end LOOMS.)
#5 At a circuit assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Sioux Falls S.D. in (the spring I think) 1975, a district servant giving his closing comments regarding the end time expectations surrounding 1975, said in a loud and arrogantly authoritative voice, “BROTHERS IF YOU HEARD IT, YOU DIDN’T HERE IT HERE.”
By this time I was pretty well out anyway but this denial was my answer to my fears about the cannibalism doctrine. In the March 15, 1980 Watchtower, transplants (formerly viewed as cannibalism and unscriptural) were once again allowed for Jehovah’s Witnesses. (I was so glad.)
What are the consequences for being a false prophet? Are the International Bible Students Association, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, known as Jehovah’s Witnesses calling themselves prophets? And if so are they true or false?
I have quite an extensive library on the subject and am willing to share my experience to benefit others. Please let me know what your area of concern is.
7201E Madison St.
Sioux Falls SD 57110
USA
Investigator Magazine
P.O. Box 3243
Port Adelaide 5015
Australia
@LostHope
Dear Lost hope
Please contact me here in Australia if you need to talk and need support.
xwitness patricia
@Brenda I feel your pain..The JW’s have destroyed my life and my family..Its a terrible cult to be involved in.They dont care who they hurt.They separate their brothers and sisters from their real blood family relatives so they can isolate and conquer them.they tell them that non believing family members are the enemy so they have a better chance at brainwashing.That is a cult, indeed ! Im sorry for your loss and pain, I understand you.
@Markus LOL..Amen !! I had to leave a similar comment to @M myself. It angers me how brainwashed these people are and they dont care who its hurting. Uhh like their FAMILIES !
@M The TRUTH ?? U want to know the TRUTH ? The truth is lady, I was raised a witness and my parents married me off to a man at the age of 16 so my dad could be an elder and get me out of the house, the TRUTH is, I needed a blood transfusion and my mom would have rather seen me dead.The TRUTH is, I was molested by a “brother” in the congregation and he got away with it because the elders wouldnt call the police or involve the law.The TRUTH is, my children live 6 minutes away from their grandparents but never see them because they are too busy devoting their lives to their congregation and my parents think thats “normal” I could go on all night if I thought your brainwashed head could handle it, but thats the point, you are brainwashed “M” who is afraid to use his own name.Please ! Some of us are here for HELP for the pain and anguish of YOUR TRUTH.GodSpeed.
@m
I am a victim in many ways of this organization known as the Jehovah’s Witnesses…I need someone to talk to….????
@m. My good fellow,
This is not the truth you poor brainwashed idiot.
Russel started this cult using the pyramids to calculate the END of this system. It did not come about, he was close ‘phew’ only out by a mere century. Since then there have been many (all not coming about) predictions. The TRUTH! Haha you could not see the truth if you drowned in it. Do you beat your head against the wall because it feels good when you stop. Go enjoy some more door-knocking, knucklehead.
Cheers,
Markus
@OM’s Lawyer
your comments are so horrible…you could state your opinion but do it more considerately
@Brenda
its nothing new for us to feel bad when i families have a hard time accepting our beliefs..my family did as well,but the difference was they still accept me and show respect for me beliefs…no i dont do holidays but they would tell anyone that my eleven year old gets more than they childred and that she misses out on no fun…again i am sorry you feel the way you do about the truth…
I meet with JWs when I was in my 20’s and had two small boys ages 5 and 2 years. I really did believe in all that they preached and went off to meetings twice a week, went to the home book study once a week and went out on the ministry as much as I could. My husband was not interested but I was concivinced he would change his mind when he could see how much my life had changed. After a couple of meetings a brother came up to me looking very concerned about my 5 year old. At 5 years old children are suppose to be able to sit through the 2 hour meeting quietly and if they couldn’t then its because they are not being disaplined properly at home. He offerd to disapline my son in a healthy and loving way. Again new to the orgination I wanted to please so I agreed to this. Later I realised that when my son was taken off to the bathroom he was being beaten by the brother. This went on for serveral months and my son was told that if he told me then Jehova would see to it that I would die. Sadly my son never told until last year in an argument. He is now married with a 10 year old and I could never figure out why he never contacted me. Last year I confronted him asking him what was wrong and then he vented his anger to me for letting him get physical abused by this brother when he was five. I have now lost the love of my son who I love very much. Ive since told him Im very sorry but I really did not know what was going on at the time.
I am not a JWs now as from the time I joined JWs. I lost all my friends but was told its ok you don’t need people of the world you have us now. I lost my husband in divorce as he couldn’t cope with what he saw as false religion. I lost my blood brothers and sisters as they wanted nothing more to do with me when I got baptised because I could no longer go to the family for christmas day and other family functions that they held. They thought I was just plain studpid. I went though years of lonliness even being a JWs. I decided it wasn’t for me and went back to a regular church. Nine years later I got married and moved to the states and now have a beautiful daughter. However I am still plaged with the memories of the JWs and their beliefs and how they tore my family apart.
@MythBuster
@Mythbuster:
I certainly hope you haven’t terminated your link to this website because I genuinely would like for you to hear (read) what I have to say. You are obviously an intelligent person, and surprisingly arrogant for someone who is supposed to be “humble”. If you have done the studying you say you have done, there is no way you could have come to the conclusions you have come to.
Charles Tazel Russel had this to say about “new light”:
“If we were following a man undoubtedly it would be different with us; undoubtedly one human idea would contradict another and that which was light one or two or six years ago would be regarded as darkness now; But with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, and so it is with truth; any knowledge or light coming from God must be like its author. A new view of truth never can contradict a former truth. … “New Light” never extinguishes older “light” but adds to it…” Zion’s Watch Tower 1881 February pp.3, 188
If it’s true that the founder of the JW religion believed “a new view of the truth never can contradict a former truth” then how are we to view the JW’s flip flops on so many different beliefs? Certainly wouldn’t a loving God such as Jehovah make certain that his people did not die needlessly? Why would he be so cruel as to allow the WTBS to tell their members that organ transplants are cannibalism, and then turn around and allow them to change that teaching? Why would Jehovah allow them to preach that the end of the world was coming in 1914, 1915, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1941, 1954 and 1975? What would be the purpose? To string people along? His little joke on mankind? A truly loving father would never do that — which can only lead us to conclude that the WTBS does NOT have Jehovah’s divine direction. If they did, don’t you think their teachings would have remained relatively stable over the years? What about the “generations” teaching? It has been changed multiple times over the years:
GENERATION No.1 (1897) = CONTEMPORARIES WHO SEE THE WORLD’S END. (Studies in the scriptures vol 4, pg 602/3)
GENERATION No.2 (1927) = THE ANOINTED (WT 15/2/27 Pg 62)
GENERATION No.3 (1951) = THOSE BORN BEFORE OR DURING 1914 (WT July 1, 1951 pg 404)
(1952) = (WT 9/1/52 pg 543)
(1958) = (From paradise lost, pg 205)
(1962) = (Awake 9/22/62 pg 27)
(1968) = (Awake 10/8/68 pg 13)
(1971) = (Awake 10/8 71 pg 26)
(1978) = (WT 10/1/78 pg 31)
(1980) = (WT 10/15/80 pg31)
(1984) = (WT 5/15/84 pg 5)
(1988) = (Awake 4/8/88 pg 14)
(1991) = (WT 4/15/91 pg 7)
GENERATION No.4 (1995) = THE WICKED PEOPLE (WT 1/11/95 pg 19)
GENERATION No.5 (2008) = THE ANOINTED (again!) (WT 15/2/08 pg 24)
GENERATION No.6 (2010) = THE ANOINTED OF 1914 WHOSE LIVES ‘OVERLAP’ THOSE WHO WILL SEE THE END. (WT 15/4/10)
The ‘Generation’ explanations, numbers 1 to 5, are now defunct! At the time of being taught, they were absolute truth!
Chales Taze Russell: “A new view of truth never can contradict a former truth. … “New Light” never extinguishes older “light” but adds to it…”
How are the ever changing “generation” teachings adding to older “light”? They are not. They are contradictory, not progressive.
Do some more studying, Mythbuster. It looks like you don’t have all of the information you need yet.
Otto – your words speak for themselves or should I say, reflect your level of maturity and intelligence. You purile comments could not be made anywhere but in this type of forum – they meet the criteria of slander & verbal assault and if made face to face would be successfully prosecuted in a court of law. I suggest purchase of a dictionary to assist your apparent “word salad” affliction
The vast majority of Jehovahs Witnesses are decent, honest, caring people – yes, some undesirables have infiltrated a very few congregations but that is the nature of the paedophile. The nature of people who come under the umbrella term “Christian” is very trusting and sexual predators often find these types of groups a relatively easy target – this info is supported by research evidence, which as a lecturer in Forensic Psychology, I can confidently state as fact.
Some decent people find it very hard to accept this horrific crime especially when the accussed is a respected member of the community. The recent surge in paedophilic crimes worldwide is beginning to change peoples attitudes.
Curiosity got the better of me this time but if Otto wants to rant his vile neulogisms in my direction again, I wont get to hear them because I am terminating the link to this site. He obviously is misinformed quite a lot about Jehovahs Witnesses. I sincerely hope he deals with his issues because anyone who can spout this filth cannot be trully happy with themselves.
If anyone is interested in finding out the truth, unbiased and untarnished by hatred or propaganda may I suggest investigating Jehovahs Witnesses firsthand before you make a judgement
@MythBuster
Biased under the guise of informative?? Not sure what this means exactly, but I think your organization is equally or more guilty when it comes to guise of information.
Many good misguided folk have died because of false information received by your society under the ‘guise’ as you put it of being the only truth as directed by the God of the Bible. Inoculations against deadly diseases were once the order of the day as guided by the faithful and discrete slave or ‘the direct channel from God’.
A total flip flop or reverse decision was made later. Your Org is now is now debating about the blood issue. As scientific advances your Organization keeps on changing its mind. The Earth is 6000 years old. Yea right. You will live forever and every other living thing on this planet will die.
Sorry sonny when you die you are going back to the same place you were before you were born. How bad can that be? This is truth, not the rubbish spewed out at your Kingdom Hall.
Your religion should be filed on the same shelf as the fundamentalist Muslim who blows themselves up to appease the ridiculous God they have created from ancient writings written by fanatical, stone age writers.
Cheers,
Markus
Oh dear, I should have paid more attention to the content of this website – obviously biased contend under the guise of “informative”.
I have read your comments and I must say you do yourself a diservice. Your comments, which I assume have been carefully vetted by yourself (?) reveal an awkward independent spirit.
Please dont take offence as I say it as I see it. I dont like wearing stockings or skirts but I do it out of respect for Jehovah and for my fellow Christians. Would it really have been so hard to dress formally i.e. wear a tie? If you werent so wrapped up in kicking back at the physical formalities you may have kept your eyes open to the spiritual banquate before you – you were like an anorexic refusing life saving food when you were starving.
Yes, mistakes were made, yes, people revealed their imperfections, but were any of the events you recount due to malicious intent? Did you wife die because the witnesses wanted martyrs? No – no badness was behind any of your examples. Your wife took her stance which was the right one at that time – her reward will come. There are still some today who will reject organ transplants; they look to their conscience and dont just go with what they can get away with.
We are imperfect like everyone else but you appear to demand perfection from everyone but yourself. Wouldnt the loving thing to have done be to have taken the brother to the side and discussed his conduct? Wouldnt it have been the loving thing to wear a tie for the meeting and then remove it as soon as it was over? Wouldnt it have been the loving thing to restrict the junk you were feeding your child without the brothers having to do it for you?!
I feel sorry for your stance because it is obvious that your heart has become hardened and you have focussed your discontent on mostly trivial things ( with the exception of your wifes tragic death). We all can feel the way you did when we observe others weaknesses but the spiritually healthy way to deal with them is to forgive them as Christ forgave us. If you can see beyond the trivia and focus on what the society has done in revealing spiritual truths then I suspect you will may be on the road to becoming more content in yourself.
Your posting reveals a very unhappy man who is lashing out at the society in order to encourage more to leave. I would urge you to consider your motivation here.
Incidently, my children are encouraged to listen and take part but they are also provided with drawing pads for when they get bored – they also are free to take short breaks when sitting becomes unbearable. My congregation has the same viewpoint.
Additionally, the term bible students is accurate as is the term minister. They should not be capitalised as they are descriptive rather than a formal label.
I am conscious that the written word lacks emotion and I dont want you to think I am having a go at you. I appreciate how you feel about your wifes death, I really do, but I also think your natural need to blame someone has warped your thinking. Yes the society did make an error because they went beyond the blood command but how do you know Delores wouldnt have refused the organ even if it had been permitted? I know witnesses who would never take an organ transplant and others who think dont have a problem with it.
It isnt too late to reconsider your position. Jehovah doesnt hold grudges, he knows what is in your heart. Please really think about this because serving Jehovah is the only way to real happiness and yes sometimes serving him is hard but the rewards are so great; I really appreciate the spiritual brotherhood but thats not to say I dont get annoyed or sometimes briefly offended by careless remarks etc (I just dont hold a grudge because I know I can annoy and offend others with my own careless twittering)
@cookie Hi,
I wanted to tell cookie that after reading all the previous emails, that she had a very insightful comments on what is being said, I’m glad you made the comment because it has helped me understand my faith and although I’m not a jw yet, I’m planning on continueing to study..
Gary Busselman says he has no adjenda and yet according to his letter, he does. It is one thing to tell your side of your story but to include stories you have not investigated and found to be true is considered gossip and the Bible condemns gossip.
I am sorry for the loss of your wife but it must have been a very difficult time for both of you. I commend her for her faith in her God. She put her faith in God’s promise of the resurrection.
Thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses are disfellowshipped each year, mostly for reasons of immorality, so you naturally are going to find lots of people who will jump on your “hate” bandwagon and will write their sad tale of woe as to how they were so abused or mistreated by someone who was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Becoming one of Jehovah’s Witnesses does not give you a degree in “good parenting” nor does it remove all your emotional issues you have. Coming to an accurate understanding of the Bible and understanding how much our Heavenly Father loves us helps us to cope with the problems we have in life. Does it make our life perfect. Absolutely not.
God has given us FREE WILL and each day we decide what we will do with it. Every day there is a struggle between doing what is right or doing what is wrong. Who sets the standards for right and wrong? Jehovah’s Witnesses believe God has the right to set those standards because He is our Heavenly Father, our creator.
Those who do not want to live by those standards, are not Jehovah’s Witnesses.
My life as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses has only brought me happiness. It has made me a much better person than what I would have been. Living my life according to God’s standards has protected me from the consequences of living an immoral and dishonest lifestyle. I thank God every day for the Jehovah’s Witnesses who took the time out of their busy life to knock on my door to share God’s Word with me. I may not be the brightest light on this planet but I have enough intelligence to figure out if what I am reading in God’s Word is in harmony with what Jehovah’s Witnesses are telling me.
People need to do the research. Go to the library which is what I did. Yes, it takes time but that is what being a smart consumer is all about. Do you buy a car just because it is red and you like red or do you investigate the quality of the car. You can walk into any church and sign up as a member because all they care about is another person contributing to their church. You can’t just become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. You have to study the Bible and come to an accurate understanding of what God requires of each and every one of us. You have to make a committment to God, be willing to submit and conform your life to His requirements.
I understand that people want to shoot the messenger. Other religions don’t take a public stand against what is morally wrong. They have conformed to the people.
You go to a church and you may be sitting next to a pron queen, a thief, a drunkard, a drug user, a fornicator etc. You attend a meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses and you may be sitting next to a FORMER porn queen, a thief, a drunkard, a fornicator etc. because they have put their former way of living behind them.
People may think Jehovah’s Witnesses are wrong and that is their right to do so. People still have free will, at least in the United States. Regardless of what you print and other people write, NO ONE forces you to become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Children are not baptised at birth like other religions do. Baptism is a symbol of a lifelong dedication to God. Babies and very small children do not have the ability to make sure a decision. We take our beliefs very seriously unlike so many other religions.
The majority of Jehovah’s Witnesses came out of other religions. So what does that tell you about other religions?
Wow, that was quite a story of Gary Busselmans. How sad for him to see that there was no real reason for his wife not to have had the transplant. I wonder how many others had lost their life, or loved ones over the JW Organization’s false doctrine about transplants?
Gary, if you are reading this, please accept my sincere sympathy over the loss of your wife.
For the “brothers” to put an “out of order” sign on the candy machines when they were in perfect working order was very dishonest. Actually the sign was such a lie. And it also took away the opportunity for whoever owned those machines to have made a profit during that convention. What right does the leaders of the Society have in intimidating their “brothers” in such a way? And to take away some pleasure out of the mouths of the children who have to suffer sitting for such long periods at those LONG assemblies? Shame on them!
Thanks Gary for sharing your story with us.
Oh, and the “tie” thing. Apparently the outward “appearance” is more valuable to them than the sincerity and character of the person. They put the tie IN FIRST PLACE, and the PERSON IN SECOND PLACE. Just like the blood issue. What’s more important? Saving the life of an invididual? Or the blood which only symbolizes the life of the indiviual? Blood IS NOT SACRED. But THE LIFE of a person (what IT REPRESENTS) IS! The JW Organisation has it backwards.
Sheila Rae
i had been abused by the borg from the age of 2-18. and i clearly remember the physical abuse i had gotten during a meeting or a convention. it is absurd to expect a child to sit quietly for 4 or 5 hours at a time and not have anything to occupy themselves. and to be punished or DRAGGED to the bathroom for squirming in the seat. i remember seeing in a publication (not sure which one it was) but it was a picture of a girl, maybe 8 or 9 years of age being baptized. and i remember thinking jesus didnt make that decision till he was past his “bloom of youth” to where he understood what he was doing. the chances are, a child of that age was guilted into doing it because she was raised that way. she is but a meer child. how can she make such a commitment when she dosent even know herself???? but…i thank you for sharing your observations. i knew what it was like in the hall i grew up in, but not in any other hall…. thank you… God bless you