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Duncan

...we hear the Total Mass Retain.

Recently, I went to a Yes concert with some old JW buddies who got in contact with me. We were all Yes fanatics when we were 17, and pioneers. these three chaps are still faithful - elders, bigshot JW types.

Yes do these annual concerts these days (this was in London) and probably make more money now than they ever did in their heyday.

Whatever.

It was brilliant. Yes were brilliant. And it was excellent meeting my old friends like this. They're all the same age as me, and (despite 30 years in the cult) they all seemed absolutely sensible, sane and normal. All worried about what universities their kids would end up at, and stuff like that - not what I expected at all. All in all, very enjoyable.

Any Yes fans out there?

I get up. I get down.

Duncan.

SixofNine

No.

But I am a fan of "normal" JW's, even if it involves a certain sub-concious cognitive hypocrisy.

Duncan

Six,

...a certain sub-concious cognitive hypocrisy

I agree, there was, no doubt, an element of this. But, as far as I'm concerned, it was a welcome relief to find that these guys - despite everything - were basically sensible people, seemingly not affected by the worst excesses of Watchtower-dom. I had psyched myself up for a confrontation, I guess, about religion, and beliefs, and stuff like that - and it simply didn't happen. It was just a bunch of guys reminiscing about old times (70's Yes concerts) and sharing their current concerns and worries (kids etc).

Maybe they were just happy to get away from the Kingdom Hall and congregation and everything and just be themselves with me for a bit, and enjoy the music/event/nostalgia.

I think it's all quite encouraging that the Watchtower's Finest, the "Ones Taking the Lead" in these troubled last days, are - in fact - actually regular guys after all, away from the hall.

Duncan.

SixofNine

I agree, there was, no doubt, an element of this. But, as far as I'm concerned, it was a welcome relief to find that these guys - despite everything - were basically sensible people, seemingly not affected by the worst excesses of Watchtower-dom. I had psyched myself up for a confrontation, I guess, about religion, and beliefs, and stuff like that - and it simply didn't happen. It was just a bunch of guys reminiscing about old times (70's Yes concerts) and sharing their current concerns and worries (kids etc).
Maybe they were just happy to get away from the Kingdom Hall and congregation and everything and just be themselves with me for a bit, and enjoy the music/event/nostalgia.

I had a similar experience a few weeks ago when I went to my sister and her husbands 25th anniversary party. I was surrounded by 100 or more JW's, and I was amazed at the end of the night to find that I (me with a goatee and earings) had a good time, and heartened that they had a good time and many of them took steps to make sure I was comfortable and included in conversation etc. It was nice.

blondie

I'm so jealous, Duncan. I went to a Yes concert some years ago and I can still remember each note and the inward uplift I felt.

Blondie

tinkerbell82

i think Yes might have been before my time.

but i'm glad you had fun

i went to my sister's high school graduation party not too long ago, chock full of witnesses that i'd grown up with...it was weird. everyone was treading on eggshells around me. i was hoping more for a sense of normalcy like you described, but.....oh well.

willyloman

Maybe they were just happy to get away from the Kingdom Hall and congregation and everything and just be themselves with me for a bit, and enjoy the music/event/nostalgia.

This is because so many witnesses realize the fairy tale is passing away and these kinds of events are an opportunity to forget all about it for a while and be normal. The desire to be "normal" is a powerful draw and used to be offset by the urgency of the times: "Hey, just a few more months/years and we can be ourselves!" Now that many JWs have put dreamland waaaaay off into the future, they're looking for ways to express natural feelings and instincts. And since many others are doing the same thing, it's not necessary to hide it as much as it used to be. What you're seeing is the slow, glacier-like shift to the mainstream which will be fully accomplished by JWs in, oh, about 50 more years.

The desire to be "normal" is a powerful draw and used to be offset by the urgency of the times: "Hey, just a few more months/years and we can be ourselves!" Now that many JWs have put dreamland waaaaay off into the future, they're looking for ways to express natural feelings and instincts

that's absolutely it, I'm sure.

Sorry, everyone about the duff posts above - can't edit 'em out, it seems.

Duncan.

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