Introduction to a guy from New Brunswick

Good Day everyone here at AboveTopSecret

I was first drawn to abovetopsecret in what would be mainly personal exploration. I was looking for answers to a few distressing experiences I have personally experienced throughout my life. I'd like to share some of these experiences with the people here. I'd like to divide these experiences into three main categories.

Unexplained Flying Phenomenon
Religious Background
Metaphysical Explorations

I guess it all started back when I was seven years old and living in a very small village in Northern New Brunswick. I was coming home from a religious meeting (more on that later)between 9 and 10 at night. I can remember that it was summer, and seeing that i was six this would have been the summer/fall of 1989. I was lying down in the backseat of my parents car on the long drive home from town, when i was alerted by my parents noting something in the sky. We proceeded home as it wasn't far. Upon arriving my father and I stayed outside looking at the thing in the sky, from my perspective it seemed to be hanging in the sky...not moving, it was orange, but the color was only what could be described as wild...or burning, it seemed like a big burning thing not moving in the sky. We stayed out watching it for the longest time, my dad thought it was a meteorite, unfortunately, my dad wasn't entirely educated on the idea that meteorites move...and don't remain stationary. This is the extent of my memory on this event. Anything more would be feelings or things that i don't remember clearly and don't feel confident in explain as fact, or experienced events.

I was brought up as a Jehovah's Witness. I have actually came from a long line of witnesses, including my father/grand-farther/and great grandfather. After looking deeper into my family history i noticed that there was a trend within EVERY generation of family concerning rebellious acts towards religion or any sort of establishment. Put differently, i come from a long line of men, who in one way or another have rebelled against the common lines of thought, in the communities.

As a former Jehovah's Witness I would like to add my name to the long list of people who can say, that JW's are:

Like the borg: their minds work towards ultimate conformity between all those within the church (or as JW's would call 'the organization) They pride themselves on the conformity that exists within their ranks, and try and use this as a sign towards their divine blessing.

Liers/Tricksters: I say this, but it comes with an honest qualifier; they lie, but they don't really realize they are doing it, or at least have convinced themselves that they aren't lying. For example, when doing door to door service, which is evanglical in nature, and used as means on converting people into the fold of witnesses...if questioned "Are you trying to convert me?" witnesses will always answer..'no'. This is a deception. Witnesses have weekly meetings on THURSDAY NIGHT to gather and discuss and improve their skill as converters. They work specifically on public speaking, but in addition to that they also give demonstrations on how to do door to door ministry. These demonstrations are organized by congregation 'elders' in response to the direction that they receive from JW Headquarters in New York City.

have high rates of suicide: This is extremely personal, but i wish to share it with your members as a warning and as a personal testimony. My congregation only had three teenaged boys including myself. Of these three, two of them have tried unsuccessfully to kill themselves. My older brother, however was not so lucky. JW's have an internal judicial committee to deal with all offences that the members of the congregation may commit. This committee exists to deter members from going to the police, or social workers. If people were to goto police/psychologists/social workers this would alert the media to the shame of JW's

CONTINUE

It was this judicial court whose ruling not to investigate my brothers abuse claims against and elder in a nearby congregation which lead him to his suicide. Leaving behind three children and wife.

Witnesses are related to the Masons:
Masonic Monuments are the gravestone of Founding member and first president Charles Taze Russel


(I WILL CONTINUE AT A LATER DATE PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COMMENT)

reply to post by toxictoaster


Welcome, toxictoaster!


The ATS Freshman's Forum is a great place to discuss the complexities of the ATS universe and to get advice from rookies and veterans alike.

Asala has a new member thread here: Hey new members!! Come here if you need advice.

There are lots of handy tips available in the Handbook of ATS Links.

Here’s a list of forum related threads:
Index of Important Website Related Threads

Configuring your MyATS page is the easiest way to put the ATS universe at your fingertips.

Be sure to check out Social Issues on AbovePolitics. I'm sure you will find the atmosphere to be friendly, enlightening, and rewarding.

Here's an excellent little, unobtrusive spell checker in case you need one: ieSpell 2.5.1 build 106

A convenient text editor also comes in handy when composing those epic posts: EditPad Lite.

Sooner or later you will find a use for TinyURL!™

Don’t forget to set up the “Comments” section in your profile, so folks can drop by to say, “Hi!” All it takes is a “Howdy” from you to get the ball rolling.

Oh, and visit the Automotive Discussion forum.

Grady

I'm from southern NB.
I also saw something in the sky in 1989.
It had the appearance of the bottom of an aluminum pop can (the silver part), but a bit more taller than the can bottom, same color too.



Much like the one on this :
website page

[edit on 17-2-2008 by Toadmund]

[edit on 17-2-2008 by Toadmund]

Welcome to ATS.

Firts off, welcome to ATS. Where in NB are you? I love partying in Moncton.

Sorry to hear about your brother.

Next. I think your post on JW's is a little skewed. I'm an ex-witness as well. I have family that still is. In over 40 years I have only heard of a half dozen suicides. The meeting you're talking about is the Theocratic Ministry School. Excellent public speaking tool that I'm still grateful for.

As to the Judicial Committees, I've had some dealings with those. I've been disfellowshiped twice. Yes, I went back. Once for adultery and once for smoking. Not much the police can do about those offenses, they aren't criminal. I only know of one person that was convicted, that was for fraud and he was disfellowshiped before he went to trial.

I'm not saying that these things don't happen, they do. You get bad apples in all groups. Just saying it isn't as prevalent as one might think.