by DaCheech 66 Replies latest jw experiences
Was your infant "bored", "tired", or "disrespectful"? I would have said....."I sure wish I could be like that baby." Is that "jealousy"? Or "admiration"? or did I just "covet" something? Or was I simply "giving praise to Jehovah, by admiring one of His creations"? Saying "Boy, He must really love me to let me be here to experience things like this, and ponder over them."
Thanks Dad.
I remember when mine were little, and I had two babies, one 15 months, one just under a month, my newborn was finally asleep, I was EXHAUSTED, and the toddler was just making the odd noise as they do. When one of the elders (a chidless one!) came up to us and in such an unloving way said "can you please take him out, it's disturbing the brothers" I was incensed. What a lack of love. I just picked everybody up and made a huge fuss about leaving. Nobody ever apologised, it was just considered to be a post natal depression thing from me...lol. and after a few weeks of me not going, we went back to normal. It's SO hard and dry for the children, I used to look at them so jealously when they were drooling asleep on their mothers knee!!
Poppy x
I'm not sure I understand the problem.
If you kid did this in a movie theater, you'd be thrown out... becuase it is disturbing and distracting the other moviegoers. Why should it be ok for your kid to snore loudly in a meeting?
I'm not taking sides here, I just don't understand the logic behind the complain.
You go to a movie voluntarily! You go to meetings 3 times a week, despite any kind of crap day you've had.
Movie theaters operate for a profit, this is supposed to be Gods loving organisation
Hmm.. somehow dont think jesus would have reacted the same way.
Guess you dont have kids!
Poppy
Cinema Blend, I'm glad someone finally said it. Don't get me wrong; obviously I wasn't there, but in reading over the original post, I'm not clear anyone did anything wrong...
After asking 4 people, he found my infant snoaring!. He came to me and made a stink about it.
I angrily went up to my wife, and said "go to the side room, the brothers don't want your kid because he's snoaring".
Of course if making a "stink" meant he spoke to you in an unkind manner, then I see your point. But your statement, "...the brothers don't want your kid because he's snoring" seems a bit immature.
Let's face it: at some point, snoring during any public presentation (such as a religious meeting or movie) will, in fact, become distracting to those present. Are you suggesting that the snoring was actually very faint--and that no one was really being distracted? Then point taken. But if you're trying to say that this elder was out of line in approaching you no matter how loud the child was, I'm afraid I disagree.
Are you kidding me? An infant snoring is a disruption? Anywhere? A movie theater? Give me a break.
Hmm.. somehow dont think jesus would have reacted the same way.Guess you dont have kids!
There seems to be a foregone conclusion that this brother acted with no love. Why is that? Is it because you can only imagine him speaking angrily? What if he did it in the kindest way? Would that have made any difference?
It so happens that I have a child, that I raised her from infancy attending meetings, and struggled through the difficulties common to this. I did so, often alone, my wife being an infrequent meeting attender, so I know the challenge well. I also know this can come down to a difference of opinion as to what consitutes "distracting." Maybe you think this brother was overreacting to a minor snore. Okay, maybe you're right. But what if many in the congregation were irritated by very loud snoring? Would that make a difference? Is it really "unloving" for someone to alert someone to a distraction they or their children might be causing?
Have you ever heard an infant snore so loudly that anyone but the most crotchety of old meanies would do anything but chuckle indulgingly? I can't imagine any scenario where it would be taken "kindly" for a brother to tell a sister to do something about a snoring infant.
I can't imagine any scenario where it would be taken "kindly" for a brother to tell a sister to do something about a snoring infant.
"To tell a sister?" Well, in this case he told a brother. Does that make some sort of difference?
Obviously we disagree about this. And this was just how things used to work in the congregation. Whether it had to do with distractions or the temperature, lots of disagreements. Some are too hot, some are too cold. Those too hot suggest the cold ones should bring a sweater. Those too cold recommend the hot ones taking their jackets off.
I'm glad that snoring doesn't bother you. It usually doesn't me either--unless it gets loud. Then it's not an issue of it being a child. It's a loud noise, and I can guarantee you that plenty of people are irritated by loud noises when they're trying to listen to something. And these people come marching up to the nearest elder to complain. You may believe them to be "crotchety." They may have opinions of you too.
I thank God I have no part of these meetings anymore, but I can tell you that, in my experience, elders were usually doing their level best to make sure people were kept as happy as possible and that their complaints were considered. You can bet plenty were not satisfied--no matter what was done--or not done.
Let me rephrase: I cannot imagine any scenario where it would be taken "kindly" for anyone to tell anyone to do something about a snoring infant. This is not in the same category as one person is hot, one person is cold, one person doesn't like that someone chose a slightly purple tone for the new paint, and another person doesn't like the smell of the bathroom soap. Anyone who tells a parent to remove their sleeping infant from the room for snoring, (or even just make them stop,) is pretty much just an unsympathetic, inconsiderate bastard. What do they want the parent to do? Wake the sleeping infant, so they can then browbeat the parent when the child makes a sucking noise when having a bottle, or coos when it sees a pretty light? Because, you know, any noise that is an "irritation," is a justifiable reason to get on the parent's case.
Really, they should just stay home so they don't disturb anyone. Except that would make more stress and work for the brothers who must then pay them a shepherding call because they are "weak." Believe me, I've heard the "don't make irritating noises" blather before, and no matter how far from the meeting I get, I still find it incredibly offensive. We are NOT talking about a kid kicking the back of the seat, screaming non-stop in the auditorium or throwing matchbox cars at the row in front. It's an infant, snoring.
