by beroea 65 Replies latest jw friends
Folks,
I go way back to the time when they didn't have the stupid dating rules. In my time, you were encouraged to date several people and not "go steady" as they called in back in those days, until you found the right one for you. I was out when I found out about the stupid rigid rules they put in place. It was absolutely the worst thing they could have done as far as the general welfare of their young people. I was appalled by it. What a disaster they created for many, many people.
The stupidest rule I ever came across was invented by an elder named Burke, Burke by name and berk by nature. His rule was that everyone attending his book study (at his home) wear slippers. At most UK groups I attended people just took their shoes off. Burke objected to sisters slipping their shoes off at the KH and hence regarded his home on Tuesday nights as a KH too. Not everyone remembered to bring slippers but his rule was the brother reading the paragraphs had to wear slippers.
On one occasion the only brother present other than Burke forgot his slippers. Burke had a dilemma. It was either have a slipper clod sister read the paragraphs or this stocking feet only brother. He resolved it by providing the brother with a pair of old, smelly, paint covered slipers to wear while reading. Thus Jehovah was appeased and clod in holy footwear the meeting was completed.
Bizarre, but true. The smelly slipper wearing brother is a relative of mine.
Thirdson
'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
Thirdson, LMAO that was a scream I think that won the prize! the one that really got me was when my friends sisters-in-law were studying and they were poor so couldn't buy new clothes for themselves and their kids. So they wore denim skirts to the meeting and one of the elders got up on stage and counseled them on wearing denim skirts!!!!!! They were not even jw's just studying I couldn't believe it!!!! I'm sure God doesn't care what you wear as the bible says he looks at the heart!
VM44
Re: Timothy Galfas... most likely the Tim Galfas currently acting as PO of the Peachtree congregation is Tim Jr., former teacher of French at Gilead.
In retrotospect my "rule" I have the strongest resentment for is education. Everything I can remember, discouraged College so much, that to decide to go to College would have been a virtual miracle for anyone to have come up with on their own.
Looking back at one of my greatest defeats, I remember saying: "Oh well, there won't be a need for Dr.'s in the New System." -It was about 27 years ago I said that. One short sentence that nearly ruined and continues to eat away at my life. Tears-anger-rage-bitterness.
I rarely sound my own horn, but that Medical, Biology, jargon, blah, blah, blah, stuff came to as naturally as E = mc(square) came to Einstein.
Dreams take a long agonizingly long time to die. I have to stop thinking about it again; otherwise, I'll become depressed.
Anyone know how to sue a major religious organization? It would go something like this, I think.
TheWiz
v.
The chameleon/dogma/jWs
chameleon/dogma: Mr. Wiz. Did we at anytime say you could NOT go to college?
thewiz: no.
chameleon/dogma: Then in fact, it was because YOU listened to us so blindly, and believed everything we said or recommended, is that correct? And that YOU, yourself, made that decision not to become a Dr. Is that right?
thewiz: uh..., I guess so. yeah.
chameleon/dogma: If we told you Jehovah's throne was in the Pleiades, you would have believed it wouldn't you?
thewiz: uh..., I guess so. yeah.
chameleon/dogma: Yuor honor we want this suit thrown out, on account that Mr. wiz is an idiot, and is too incompetent to stand trial
Sorry this is so long I'm venting again
Here's one, I won't go into detail but I think many of you will understand this. Just stop and think about it because it has many levels. I fit it in a group I call cyclical reasoning. Once you think you have it, it comes back around for another attack.
1. If you believe in something they teach. -you're fine
2. If you don't believe like 1 does. -you're apostate
3. If 1 refuses to change in response to a new teaching. - now apostate
4. However, if 1 now believes what 2 did and the new teaching is also what 2 believed in all along when labeled an apostate -your're fine, for now...
5. 2 does not get reinstated for what 1 in 4 now believes to be true and is fine - Crazy
6. So 2 was labeled apostate for believing in something that was true all along and for which 1 one was technically an apostate, but was fine.
Reminds me of how they determined a person was a witch in Monty Python's, In Search of the Holy Grail.
If she floated she was a witch, wood floats and burns, so lets burn her. If she sank and drowned she wasn't a witch and was telling the truth all along, but hey she's dead now...
trouc,
I am in New Hampshire...close to both Main and Mass.
Thirdson: Your story about the slippers busts me up. I can easily picture such an absurdity.
Glad:
Your story about the denim-skirt-wearing study reminded me of a time many years ago when a young-couple-with-newborn with whom I was studying made their first visit to the KH. Naturally, they were being love-bombed by everyone in the KH, when our stick-in-the-mud PO came over to put his 2cents worth in. About that time, the newborn began to cry, and the young mother made the remark something to the effect that the baby had probably "pee'd". The PO quickly spoke up and said, "We don't use that kind of language in the KH. Please use the word 'urinate'".
It was all I could do to hold my tongue, but I apologized over and over as I drove them home.
That asshole was good for something similar about once a month. I know of only one non-family member he ever brought into the troooth, and about a dozen that left due to his antics. Naturally, he is still one of the most prominent elders in his circuit.
I got one. My father was giving the Announcements at the top of the Service Meeting (early 1970's), and he said, "If you want to find out more information go back and look at the BULLetin board." They corrected him later and mentioned that it is an information board. This was mainly by the main elder(PO) of the cong (I forget the official title then, they change them so often to test "whose-in-whose-out"). The guy was miffed at my Dad because, he wouldn't go to the PO's house and work on his house for a greatly reduced rate, because "we're brothers."
My father swears that the bulletin board incident kept him from getting another service meeting part for about 2 years. -no kidding
