Let me preface this by saying that I in now way mean to insult to the deaf/mute community by comparing them to leaders of a very prevalent cult, the Jehovah's Witnesses.
You see, in the Service Meeting last night, there was a talk based on an article in the January 2006 Our Kingdom Ministry entitled "Young Ones: Shining as Illuminaters".
The Brother who gave this part is my book study overseer, and a member of the "Richie Taskforce", i.e. one of the brothers who served on my very own judicial committee, and keeps an eye on me.
Before the meeting, he asked me if I had any witnessing experiences from school I wanted to share. I thought for a moment (don't know why) and told him I didn't. Then, looking desperate, he asked if I at least had some spiritual goals I wanted to share. I said "You want me to make something up?" He replied "as long as it sounds good".
So he went through the part, everybody raised their hands and reread the paragraphs as their answer. Then, we got to it.
"We have a few who are going to share with us what their spiritual goals are."
First, to a five year old, who got the mic, and whispered that he wants to get baptized.
Then to a 13 year old girl who blathered on and on about turning her school into her pricate territory, and talking to all her teahcers, etc. etc.
next, to my "competition". A boy who's a year younger than me, and got baptized when I did. He runs mics, opens meetings with prayer, and even works behind the literature (ooo aaa). Unbeknownst to most, he also enjoys the taste of Black and Mild cigars, and has struggled with a little pornography problem. This isn't known by 99% of the congregation, so he plays himself up in his comments, although he can't make a week's meetings without missing one. his comment: (imagine pompous voice) "I want to progress towards becoming a ministerial servant, and serving where the need is greater."
Then to me. The brother calls on me, and as the mic man works his way down the aisle, the brother says "He told me he was going to make something up". The congregation roars with laughter, because they know that Richie is fighting his way to the top of the JW hierarchy, going out in service, helping the older sisters, and supporting his mother in her service.
I get the mic and fall into very made up, very good sounding comment: "As I graduate high school, and further my education into college, I plan to arrange my schedule so that I may regular auxillary pioneer, to keep my life centered around spiritual things while I keep running the rat race in this system of things."
You should've heard the gasps.
Then, the brother on stage began to sum things up. He then drifted into the gift of singleness, and highlighted the other kids comment, and then talked about being able to support a family and being able to serve the congregation, and highlighted my comment.
After the meeting, people were all over themselves to encourage me to do well in school, and appreciating that I shared my "real" plans.
I stood there in the foyer, looked around, and just wondered how people don't see right through it. But hey, when in Rome..